Can Tampa Bay Raise Expectations for 2011?

If 2008 was a miracle, then 2010 was destiny. Having added Rafael Soriano as the closer to fortify one of the best starting rotations in the big leagues, coupled with key off- and pre-season signings of Jason Bartlett, B.J. Upton, John Jaso, Sean Rodriguez, and Ben Zobrist (among others), the Tampa Bay Rays had lots to be excited about. Anything less than a playoff berth would've been a disappointment. This time around, it was different. No longer could the Rays sneak up on the Yankees, Red Sox, and practically everyone else in baseball. They had to play like an elite team, and they did, but not without some bumps in the road. Sure, the Pat Burrell experiment didn’t work out. And yeah, "Big Game" James Shields lost his mojo as the season wound down. But the Rays scratched and clawed their way into the postseason and, ultimately, the number one seed in the AL playoffs, having won the division on the final day. Unfortunately for them, the Rays ran into a rested, hungrier version of themselves in the Texas Rangers. During the American League Divisional Series, their offense fell flatter than day old soda. In a heartbreaking five-game series, which saw the road team win every game for the first time, Tampa Bay could not come through in the clutch. Season over. Destiny denied.

Once the offseason rolled in, the dominoes started to fall. The first to go was Joaquin Benoit, the Rays' 8th inning setup man, who signed a 3-year deal with the Detroit Tigers. First baseman Carlos Peña signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, and starting pitcher Matt Garza joined him a month later. Shortstop Jason Bartlett was (eventually) traded to the San Diego Padres. Sparsely used catcher Dioner Navarro literally walked away from the team, and he was later picked up by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Several key relief pitchers like Grant Balfour, Randy Choate, Dan Wheeler, and Rafael Soriano signed deals with other teams. To cap it off, long-time Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli officially retired at the age of 29 due to a chronic medical condition that severely limits his physical capabilities to play professional baseball at full strength.

But all that paled in comparison when outfielder Carl Crawford, arguably the face of the Tampa Bay franchise since he made his major league debut in 2002, signed a 7-year, $142 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, a key divisional rival. So much for Crawford being an Angel in the outfield at Anaheim.

However, the Rays didn't stay dormant while gathering around the hot stove. They signed one-year deals for pithcer Kyle Farnsworth, and outfielders B.J. Upton, Johnny Damon, and Manny Ramirez (among others).

For Tampa Bay, it's a sobering conclusion to end what was the 2010 season.