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Top 10 most impactful events from Rays spring training

The Rays dealt with injuries, trades and other issues.
 
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Brent Honeywell will spend the  year watching after undergoing Tommy John surgery. [CHRIS URSO   |   Times
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Brent Honeywell will spend the year watching after undergoing Tommy John surgery. [CHRIS URSO | Times
Published March 24, 2018|Updated March 24, 2018

PORT CHARLOTTE — Of all the topics covered in our special section reviewing the first 20 seasons in Rays history, we didn't spend much time on spring trainings. Just as well, because the just-about-completed 21st would be by far the most eventful.

With another day to go, here's our top 10 ranking of the most impactful developments from a newsy spring:

1. Brent Honeywell Tommy John surgery: Top prospect was expected to contribute heavily after mid-season callup, instead debut delayed and depth dented.

2. Steven Souza Jr. traded: Didn't see that coming, dealing 2017 team MVP for prospects.

3. 4 = 5: Manager Kevin Cash had hinted the Rays would use a four-man rotation through the first six weeks due to a heavy load of off days. But he inadvertently shared hey planned to try it all season, using "bullpen days" when they play five straight, drawing heavy criticism and some praise.

4. Corey Dickerson DFA/trade: Either he or Denard Span seemed likely to go, but the surprising decision to first designate for assignment the 2017 All-Star drew stinging criticism, including from prominent Rays players, before the trade to Pittsburgh.

5. Jake Odorizzi trade: Expected all winter, but the surprise was how little they got back, one somewhat unheralded prospect from the Twins. (Unanswered question: If the Rays new Honeywell and RHP Jose De Leon would get hurt, would they still have traded Odorizzi?)

6.  Union busted: The players union went public with its complaints, filing a grievance against the Rays and three other teams for not spending their revenue sharing money properly.

7.  Welcome wagon: Trading Odorizzi, Dickerson and Souza seemed designed to save money and sparked tanking accusations, but the Rays pivoted to acquire 1B C.J. Cron (making $2.3 million) and OF Carlos Gomez ($4 million), plus RHP Daniel Hudson ($5.5 million) though he seems likely to be moved.

8. Jose DeLeon Tommy John surgery: His lost 2017 knocked him down the list, but was still expected to pitch meaningful innings at some point.

9. Chris Archer-Honeywell "spat": Top starter and prospect claimed media made too big a deal of their pointed comments, though Rays folks felt both spoke some truth.

10. Archer injury: Rays dodged big trouble if all he got was a bruise after being hit by comebacker Friday.

P.S. …

There's going to be plenty of things we left out in our 20 top 20 lists, and, I'm sure,  plenty of "kind" reminders from readers. We'll start, with a couple of "untold" stories that could have made the cut. One when OF Ben Grieve called me a few hours after Lou Piniella's in-plain-view 2003 blowup, asking if I was going to write about it because he wanted to tell his side of the story. The other when a player – whom we still won't name – was oddly vague about his whereabouts prior to an unexpected late-season callup, apparently because he told his wife he was doing something at the minor-league complex when he actually was enjoying some, shall we say, "recreational" time elsewhere.

Rays rumblings

LHP Jose Alvarado thus far is probably the biggest "winner" of spring training, cementing a short-relief job and likely leading the Rays to trade or dump LHP Dan Jennings. … With their season-opener Thursday in Miami, the Cubs wanted to head east early and will play exhibitions in Fort Myers against the Red Sox Monday and Tuesday; knowing how well they'd draw you wonder why the Rays didn't find a way to instead host them at the Trop. Or maybe we know. … Cool plans for Saturday's salute to the 1998 inaugural team, recreating the first-ever pitch, with LHP Wilson Alvarez throwing, Mike DiFelice (filling in for John Flaherty) catching and Richie Garcia umpiring. … CF Kevin Kiermaier took his beloved Purdue's elimination from the NCAA Tournament well, saying they lost to a better Texas Tech team. … Cool touch for the Lightning to wear warmups Monday with Rays 20th anniversary and ThunderDome patches.

ROSTER REPORT

Sixth of our weekly semi-educated guesses at the makeup of the 25-man opening day roster:

PITCHERS (12): Jose Alvarado, Matt Andriese, Chris Archer, Yonny Chirinos, Alex Colome, Nathan Eovaldi, Jake Faria, Andrew Kittredge, Chaz Roe, Sergio Romo, Blake Snell, Ryan Yarbrough.

CATCHERS (2): Wilson Ramos, Jesus Sucre.

INFIELDERS: (6): C.J. Cron, Matt Duffy, Adeiny Hechavarria, Brad Miller, Daniel Robertson, Joey Wendle.

OUTFIELDERS (5): Carlos Gomez, Kevin Kiermaier, Mallex Smith, Denard Span, Brandon Snyder*

DL: (1) RHP Jose De Leon, 60-day.