Heightened expectations don’t scare the Tampa Bay Rays.Winning 90 games a year a

ST. PETERSBURG http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-josh-bell-jersey , Fla. (AP) —go not only established them as a team on the rise, but one that’s undaunted by the challenge of closing the gap between themselves and the big-spending Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.The Rays won more games any team that didn’t make playoffs in 2018 and are confident they have what it takes to end a five-year postseason hiatus.The quest begins March 28 at home against the Houston Astros, and manager Kevin Cash understandably is optimistic.The Rays bolstered a pitching rotation led by Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell by signing right-harder Charlie Morton this winter and feel good about adding catcher Mike Zunino, infielder Yandy Diaz and outfielders Avisail Garcia and Guillermo Heredia to the roster, too.“This is a new group. It’s a little bit more established group. We’ve brought in some new additions, and we kind of want to create something even more special going forward,” Cash said.“When you have a young club that just won 90 games it’s easy to have a lot of optimism about what’s ahead. But it’s also hard to win 90 games. A lot of things went our way to help us get there,,” general manager Erik Neander said. “I think this group will stay humble and will be motivated to come out and prove last year, and certainly the last couple months of the season, weren’t a fluke Willie Stargell Jersey ,”Tampa Bay overcame a slow start by going 41-25 after the All-Star break, including 19-9 in September, to finish third in the tough AL East — 18 games behind the world champion Red Sox and 10 in back of the Yankees, who won 108 and 100 games, respectively.Not bad at all for a team that overhauled the roster with a series of salary-lashing moves both before and during the season to launch a youth movement that spawned for a brighter future.Cash is confident increased expectations would faze the Rays.“I don’t look at it as pressure,” the manager said. “I think our guys should feel good about what they accomplished, but also we all recognize we came up short, so we have to improve. Knowing the way these guys carried themselves in the last couple of months of the season, they are going to embrace whatever pressure there is.”Some other things to know about the 2019 Rays:NEW FACESMorton was an All-Star for the first time last season, when he went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA for the Astros. The Rays gave him a two-year, $30 million contract and is plugging him into a three-man rotation with Snell and Tyler Glasnow.Zunino helps defensively and hit 20 homers in 113 games with the Mariners last year. An All-Star two years ago with the White Sox http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-josh-bell-jersey , looks to rebound after injuries contributed to a .236 batting average with 19 homers and 49 RBIs in 93 games in 2018.OPENERSCash plans to continue use of “openers” — relievers who start games and generally get three to six outs — to fill the fourth and fifth turns through the rotation. The Rays used traditional starters 84 times last season, and the team went 32-23 in 55 games started by openers. The remaining 23 starts were filled with “bullpen days” started by a relievers who usually worked deeper into games than openersENCOREThe success of Tampa Bay’s openers grabbed the attention of several teams that have tried a variation of the creative strategy that was a big part of Tampa Bay’s success a year ago. The Rays’ 3.50 ERA after May 19, when Cash used an opener for the first time, was third-best in the majors. The strategy has drawn criticism, too, with some pitchers from other other teams suggesting it devalues traditional starting pitching.“It’s different. It’s unique,” Cash said. “There’s no doubt baseball has done one thing for many consecutive years kind of one way, and it changed a lot of thoughts, perceptions and a lot of debate.”ROOKIES TO WATCHRight-handler Brent Honeywell missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The top prospect is back and, barring a setback, could be ready to make his major league debut as early June. Catcher Michael Perez Felipe Vazquez Jersey , infielder/outfielder Brandon Lowe, reliever Ian Gabault and first baseman Nate Lowe could help at some point.RARE COMPANYThe Rays have won 90 or more games six times since 2008, tied with the Yankees. Only the Red Sox and Dodgers, with seven each, have more over that span. These aren’t Duquette’s Orioles any more. Rule 5 pick Pedro Araujo was sent packing with about 10 days left to keep him."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Commentary & AnalysisOrioles ProspectsOrioles Game RecapsOrioles News and RumorsCamdencastOrioles News and RumorsOrioles add Matt Wotherspoon to bullpen, designate Pedro Araujo for assignmentNew,11commentsThese aren’t Duquette’s Orioles any more. Rule 5 pick Pedro Araujo was sent packing with about 10 days left to keep him.EDTShareTweetShareShareOrioles add Matt Wotherspoon to bullpen, designate Pedro Araujo for assignmentBrad Mills-USA TODAY SportsThere have been a lot of little reminders since Mike Elias and Brandon Hyde took over the Orioles that there are new people in charge. On Wednesday afternoon, we got another reminder as the Orioles designated last year’s Rule 5 pick Pedro Araujo for assignment. With an open space in the bullpen, they selected the contract of reliever Matt Wotherspoon from Triple-A Norfolk.Araujo was most recently seen by Orioles fans immediately blowing the no-hitter that he inherited from David Hess in Monday’s win over the Blue Jays. He was one of Dan Duquette’s last wave of Rule 5 picks, the only one to last the 2018 season Sean Rodriguez Jersey , although they buried him on what was then called the disabled list for so long that he still needed another 17 days this season to have his rights transferred fully to the Orioles.It tells you a lot about what Elias thinks of the potential of Araujo that he was sent packing with only another 11 days or so needed until the Orioles can option him. Although Araujo is now 25, he had barely pitched above the High-A level when the Orioles used a Rule 5 pick on him two winters ago. He posted a 7.71 ERA in 28 innings across 20 games last season, striking out 29 batters but walking 18 and surrendering nine homers.What good is it to be able to option a pitcher if you know you are never going to want to call him up again? For Elias, it seems that there is no good. He would rather have the 40-man spot taken up by someone he might actually want to recall from time to time.Enter Wotherspoon, a 27-year-old righty who spent the last couple of seasons with Norfolk as a swingman and was ticketed for that roster before the Orioles decided they needed him. The reality is that Wotherspoon’s stay may be short. With Alex Cobb set to come off the injured list for Thursday’s home opener, someone will be optioned tomorrow. One day in the big leagues is more than most of us will ever get, and with Wednesday being an opener/bullpen game, Wotherspoon might find himself pitching in MLB to eat a couple of innings today.Across three Triple-A seasons between the Yankees and Orioles organizations, Wotherspoon has posted a 3.61 ERA in 72 games, with 165 strikeouts in 157 innings. He performed much better in seasons where he was used exclusively as a reliever. He is not someone the Orioles would rather get stretched out in Norfolk’s rotation. And so here he is. Good luck to him for however long he remains with the Orioles.