Goodbye, James.
The Rays signed second baseman Kelly Johnson, which should afford the team more lineup flexibility. The lefty-hitting Johnson could platoon with Ryan Roberts, which could take Ben Zobrist out of the middle infield mix and put him permanently in the outfield. Tampa Bay is surely loaded with options up the middle with Sean Rodriguez, Reid Brignac, and Elliot Johnson joining Roberts, Johnson and Zobrist in the potential battle for second base. One of the group being moved to Kansas City to complete the Wil Myers/James Shields deal is a possibility as well.
As for options, the Rays are exploring ways to stay in the Tampa Bay area. While St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster is against any move that would take the Rays out of the city, a Pinellas commissioner has some other ideas.
Before leaving the area, James Shields wanted to say a last goodbye. Complete Game James will be missed for far more than what he did on the field.
