Manager Joe: "We're capable of going back to the World Series"

TAMPA - When you’ve made the playoffs three of the past four years, you can be a little bolder in your predictions.

Not to say Rays Manager Joe Maddon is drinking his own Kool-Aid.  Bottom line, Manager Joe is not a man to be doubted.

He’s wrapping his arms around the pre-season prognosticators who have stamped higher expectations on this team of 2012.

Joe says that cool, in fact he thinks his team will fulfill these pre-season prophecies.

In fact, Joe went so far today as to say this team “is very capable of going back to the World Series.”

I think we all know the strength of this year’s team begins with the starting rotation.

Shields, Price, Hellickson, Niemann, Davis, and Moore.  Someone in this group is going to be the odd man out, and early returns say it’s Davis.

But he won’t be going far, just to the bullpen, which would be a very nice middle relief addition to have.

For the most part, the entire pitching staff is intact.

Let’s not kid ourselves, the combination of some nifty starting pitching made the Rays bullpen one of the most effective in baseball.

Where the Rays ran out of steam in the post season was at the plate.  No pop, and less than adequate run production.

That’s where a guy like Carlos Pena comes in.  He’s back with the boys, and let’s not forget about Luke Scott, the DH and left-handed.  Nice to have those two fit into the lineup made up mostly of right-handed hitting.

Still, Rays Executive VP Andrew Friedman won’t sit and gaze at this roster.  He’s always in the game to better it.  He always has his eyes on the ball.

Both Friedman and Maddon heard what Yankees GM Brian Cashman had to say about the Pinstrippers conceding the division title in 2010.

Both took the high road, and frankly why would Cashman even bring that up anyway.  It’s old news.

Have to say, I’m anxious to get this season underway.

I’m also anxious to hear if baseball will expand their playoff teams for this season.

There aren’t too many more days to figure this one out.  We should be hearing something by the end of this month.

That should be good news for the Yankees.  They might get in the playoff this year.

Just kidding Cash.  Or am I?