Rays: Out with the Gold, in with… uh, who?

Repent! The end is near! The sky is falling! Loud noises!

Sorry, had to get that doom and gloom bug out of my system. The state of the Tampa Bay Rays is one of flux, as the annual Major League Baseball winter meetings come to a close Thursday. Carlos Pena has found a new home with the Chicago Cubs. Jason Bartlett has been shipped to the San Diego Padres for a pair of relief pitchers. But, arguably, the biggest gap to fill is the void left in… well, left, by the departure of Silver-Slugging, Gold-Gloving fan favorite Carl Crawford.

C.C. was just signed by – GASP! – the American League East-rival Boston Red Sox to the tune of $142 million in a seven-year deal. Things could be worse, but they could also be a hell of a lot better as far as where Crawford landed and the impact on the Rays. The Lost Angeles Angels of Anaheim were major players in the bidding war for the coveted left fielder, but the New York Yankees were also major contenders for C.C.’s services (I’d imagine Carl and CC Sabathia would have had to fight over the use of those initials).

This article appears in Dec 9-15, 2010.