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5 Biggest Tampa Bay Rays Question Marks Heading Into 2015 MLB Spring Training

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5 Biggest Tampa Bay Rays Question Marks Heading Into 2015 MLB Spring Training

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The Rays have re-worked their lineup rather extensively this offseason. There is no more Wil Myers in the OF, no more Ben Zobrist at 2B, no more Yunel Escobar at SS, no more Matt Joyce in the DH slot and no more Jose Molina at catcher. Coming off a second-last place finish in the AL East and their first losing season since 2007, Tampa Bay may have some of the larger questions of any club looming for the 2015 regular season.

5. Rotation

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5. Rotation

Boston Red Sox v Tampa Bay Rays
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This should be the bright spot for the club. They have youth, depth and talent. Most players are under club control for the foreseeable future, but there will be one glaring difference with no David Price as the Opening Day starter for the first time in seven seasons. Matt Moore is also returning from Tommy John surgery. Alex Cobb should be considered the team's ace for 2015. He finished 10-9 with a 2.87 ERA in 2014.

4. Lineup

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4. Lineup

Boston Red Sox v Tampa Bay Rays
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Kevin Kiermaier could be a key player for the Rays in 2015, and he's by no means a household name. Evan Longoria can hit, but after him, I doubt anyone will say dealing away Wil Myers makes them better in the short term. John Jaso is penciled in as the DH right now. He's a career .259 hitter who has never hit more than 10 HRs in a season. RF Steven Souza has 23 career big league ,ABs and Asdrubal Cabrera has regression written all over him.

3. Fanbase

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3. Fanbase

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While I am sure the Rays have their loyal fans here and there, the club struggles to be the focal point of the city during the summer months. Since 2012, Tropicana Field has consistently ranked dead last in attendance. The park itself is part of the problem. The team plays in sunny Florida, but confines home games to a dreary, dimly-lit dome with field turf as the surface. Baseball should not feel that artificial.

2. Management

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USA Today Sports - Jake Roth

2. Management

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USA Today Sports - Jake Roth

Former manager Joe Maddon is a big reason why this team has won a lot of ball games in recent memory. That can also be said about departed GM Andrew Friedman. Kevin Cash is now the new bench boss. He enjoyed a relatively quiet eight-year career as a catcher in MLB before moving on to be part of Terry Francona's coaching staff with the Cleveland Indians in 2013. Cash is pretty green, so things could get interesting.

1. Future

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1. Future

Toronto Blue Jays v Tampa Bay Rays
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With a dwindling fan base, a poor playing venue and new men leading the organization, it may not take long for someone like owner Stuart Sternberg to become disinterested. With new commissioner Rob Manfred at the helm, new ownership of the Rays could have them moving to a different market altogether, leaving the Marlins as Florida's sole pro baseball team.

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