Jason Bartlett News

Joe Maddon looked around his defense during spring training and saw Gold Glove-potential at nearly every position.

Do you think Jake McGee will see some time in the Major Leagues next year? I know he had Tommy John surgery, but a lefty who throws mid-to-high 90s is always a good commodity.

As Tampa Bay Rays followers, we knew it wouldn't be long. As the Yankees close in our their latest purchase of another World Series, there's a stark realization that Tampa Bay fans must face.

's stunning one-man double steal Sunday. Actually, there were several things. The Rays frequently run the same kind of defensive shift against left-handed pull hitters the Phillies got in trouble with .

Speaking of that Delmon Young deal... With knowledge comes responsibility to review the past.

A quick smorgasbord here on two thoughts I have in my mind but are undeserving of their own full-fledged post.

Drivers Cat Manzi and Jason Bartlett were injured Saturday in an accident during a race at Freehold Raceway.

Derek Shelton was named the Rays' new Major League hitting coach on Wednesday. After the announcement, Shelton spoke on a conference call with reporters and couldn't hide his enthusiasm about the prospect of working with the likes of Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett, Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist.

The centerfielder needs to be better. A lot better. The catcher needs to improve, too.

Any thinking that the Rays will be highly aggressive this offseason after falling from first to third in the American League East can be forgotten.

Rays manager Joe Maddon greets Josh Cohen, 11, of Seminole, who with his dad, Victor, were among the winners of the Shirts Off Our Backs fundraiser and received Maddon's game jersey after the final game of the season Sunday.

The Rays had many players with strong seasons this year, which even adds more to why the Rays clearly had a good enough year, but CC put up a career year.

Last year, SS Jason Bartlett and RHP Matt Garza got to play in the postseason with the Rays, whiletheir former Twins teammates - along withINF Brendan Harris and OF Delmon Young,the two key players who went toMinnesota in the big trade- could only watch.

Baseball is a game of numbers, and there were some that defined Tampa Bay's season: 20-25 Record in one-run games, compared to 29-18 last season .247 Major-league most differential in winning percentage between home and road Pct.

The Rays today wrap up The Season After, a moderate success that is viewed as a grand disappointment given where they were - and where they were going - last year.

Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett guns down Eric Hinske at first base after forcing Freddy Guzman at second, completing a double play to end the eighth inning.

And where does The Pleasac get off saying he came up with Zorilla? He went from utility guy to taking Akinori Iwamura's gig.

Derek Jeter has had an amazing career for the New York Yankees. With that being said there's one award that has eluded him in his career and that is an MVP award, which is funny because he's never really been a MVP type player.

Joe Maddon , the Tampa Bay Rays manager, rarely makes a motivational misstep, and the quotation printed on the lineup card that was posted in the team's clubhouse on a recent afternoon seemed particularly appropriate.

It's clear elsewhere on this page how far the Rays have fallen from last Sept. 20 to this one.