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Tampa Bay Rays: The 2010s All-Decade Team

By Manny Gómez

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 08: Fans cheer as Tampa Bay wins Game Four of the American League Divisional Series between the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL on October 7. (Photo by Mary Holt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 08: Fans cheer as Tampa Bay wins Game Four of the American League Divisional Series between the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL on October 7. (Photo by Mary Holt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images) /

All-Decade Tampa Bay Rays Infield

The Rays struggled to keep an everyday catcher on the roster during the 2010s. So after crunching some numbers, Jose Molina won the spot. In three seasons with Tampa (2012-2014), Molina slashed .213 with a .271 OBP and .286. While those numbers are good, it’s in other areas that Molina helped the rays.

  • His veteran presence served as a plus for the organization.
  • Defensively, Molina had his best season in Tampa, posting a total DRS of 25.

James Loney (First Base) broke out with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006 and went on to post two consecutive seasons of .900+ OPS’. Since then, he struggled to maintain that level of play.

In all, his time in Tampa should serve as a positive for the first baseman. While there (2013-2015) he hit .291, the best batting average he’s posted on any team. Also, like Molina, defensively, Loney provided the team with a level of confidence that made his lack of power worth the while.

Before going on to win two consecutive World Series titles with the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago Cubs, Ben Zobrist (Second Base), like Evan Longoria, was the hear and soul of the Rays. A super utility who can play all infield positions at an elite level, Zobrist was selected to be an All-Star in 2013. It would be the second time he received the honor in his career.

Zobrist’s reputation rests on the fact that he does everything well. While his time with the Rays during the 2010s (2010-2014), Zobrist hit .265 with a .357 OBP and a .419 SLG. He wasn’t going to light up the scoreboard with his power, but he was going to do just what you needed to win games.

Yunel Escobar (Shortstop) played just two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays (2013-2014). In that time span, he hit .257 with a .328 OBP and .354 SLG. Defensively, Escobar was sound during the 2013 season, posting a +4 DRS. However, in 2014, things took a bad turn and as a result, the Rays opted to let him walk.

In the team’s short history, Evan Longoria (Third Base) is ranked as the best Rays player ever according to Baseball-Reference. In fact, his 49.8 bWAR tops all Rays players all-time, and the next guy, Zobrist (36 bWAR), is way behind.

Longoria played 10 seasons with the Rays, posting a .270 average with a .341 OBP and .483 slugging. During the 2010s, he played between 2010-2017. In that time, he was selected to an All-Star game and won a Gold Glove Award. He placed 6th in the AL MVP voting 2x in 2010 and 2013.

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