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As Kevin Kiermaier blasts changes, Rays see empowered Kevin Cash as stabilizer

Cash is entering the fourth season of his five-year deal.
 
With changes abounding, manager Kevin Cash is more empowered in the Rays organization. [MONICA HERNDON | Times]
With changes abounding, manager Kevin Cash is more empowered in the Rays organization. [MONICA HERNDON | Times]
Published Feb. 19, 2018|Updated Feb. 20, 2018

PORT CHARLOTTE — The list of those no longer with the team was going to be noteworthy no matter what Monday as the holdovers, newcomers and wannabes gathered for the first full-squad workout in Camp Dis-A-Ray.

Then even before Rays manager Kevin Cash cleared his throat for the formal welcome address, Kevin Kiermaier made sure it would be the topic of conversation, delivering a stinging criticism of the latest departures, Saturday night's (salary-)dumping of Jake Odorizzi and Corey Dickerson.

"I am 100 percent frustrated and very upset with the moves," Kiermaier said. "No beating around the bush. It's one of those things that makes you scratch your head; you don't know the reasoning why. And then you see the team's explanation and still it's just like, 'Okay, well, so be it.' "

Kiermaier said what he wanted to say, the harshest words yet from inside the clubhouse, coming the day after former franchise face Evan Longoria blasted them from Giants camp.

With the longest and richest contract on the team, Kiermaier appropriately segued, adding it was now his "responsibility," and the rest of the guys', to move on, to try to win as many games as they can with who's left. (His delayed arrival on the field suggests his comments may have earned a visit to the principal's office anyway.)

Even the most optimistic Rays, such as top starter Chris Archer, admit they are in a position of "having everyone click in order to be competitive. If not, it's going to be a very long season."

Odorizzi and Dickerson are the latest on the long list of players, and staff, offed during the offseason.

Longoria, the 10-year cornerstone, is gone, along with veteran starter Alex Cobb, 19 players in all from the season-ending 40-man roster.

Longtime pitching coach Jim Hickey left the coaching staff, along with even-longer-timer Tom Foley (though he's still around in a less visible  role as a special assistant) and Jamie Nelson.

The two athletic trainers, clubhouse managers and a bullpen catcher are all new to their jobs, plus other staff, in a major drain of institutional knowledge.

"Change is a big word this spring training with just how much turnover there's been," Kiermaier said. "Me just being a people person, that's the toughest part. … There's a lot of quality people that are not around anymore, and that's hard."

Actually, this has been an ongoing reconstruction process.

Go back to the last game the Rays played under the previous management of Andrew Friedman and Joe Maddon in the 2014 finale, and only three players — Archer, Kiermaier and Alex Colome — and one coach, bullpen guardian Stan Boroski, remain.

Too much turnover, given they haven't had a winning season since?

Team president Matt Silverman said "evolution and change" are marks of a "healthy and vibrant" organization.

"I think we've been able to make large strides in a relatively orderly and gradual way," he said. "That's been our preference for over a decade as opposed to the jarring, wholesale changes that many other organizations experience."

As they evolved the last three years, Cash seemingly has become more empowered. It's his coaching staff now, his support crew, and his team, without veterans such as Cobb and Longoria providing an alternative way of thinking.

"Especially given the changes this offseason, Kevin's mark on the major-league coaching staff is undeniable," Silverman said. "The staff is energized and in synch, and I think it will spill over to the players and the clubhouse culture they create."

Cash likes talking about himself least of anything, allowing only that things may be "a little bit" different, his fingerprints a bit more conspicuous.

Cognizant of not changing the message too much from the first three seasons of his five-year deal, he did say he may be "more firm" on some matters, such as fundamentals.

"He has an opportunity to have a lot of influence … probably the greatest opportunity he's ever had," Archer said. "And watching him evolve over the years I think we're headed in the right direction as far as that goes."

At this point, they'd better hope so. Otherwise, more may be going.

Marc Topkin can be reached at mtopkin@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Rays