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Rays hope brighter days are ahead

Mar 31, 2008 - 12:52 PM Tampa Bay (0-0) at Baltimore (0-0) 3:05 pm EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) - For the first time in franchise history, the Tampa Bay Rays have optimism heading into a season.

With a new nickname, the Rays face the American League East rival Baltimore Orioles in the season opener for both teams Monday.

In their 10-year history, the Rays have lost at least 91 games and finished in last place in each campaign, including a 66-96 mark last season.

However, the Rays look to have a young core to finally build around.

The Rays have talent on offense, led by the speedy Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton and Carlos Pena, who won Comeback Player of the Year honors last season after hitting 46 homers and knocking in 121 runs.

There also would seem to be some improvement in place on the pitching staff, an area that has been a constant source of trouble since the Rays' inception in 1998.

However, the Rays will begin the season without their ace as Scott Kazmir is on the disabled list with an left elbow injury.

James Shields, who went 12-8 with a respectable 3.85 for the Rays last season, gets the nod on Opening Day. The righthander pitched well against Baltimore last season, going 1-1 with a 3.12 ERA in five starts. He pitched to a 2.12 ERA in two outings here.

While things appear to be looking up for the Rays, the Orioles appear to be headed for an 11th straight losing season. Baltimore last had a winning campaign when it went 98-64 and won the AL East in 1997.

Another losing campaign would seem to be a certainty after the Orioles traded former MVP Miguel Tejada and ace lefthander Erik Bedard in the offseason. The club also is expected to trade second baseman Brian Roberts at some point this season.

Jeremy Guthrie, one of the few bright spots for the Orioles in 2007, makes his first Opening Day start. The righthander went 7-5 with a 3.70 ERA last season.

Guthrie went 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA in four appearances against Tampa Bay last season.