Soon, winter will give way to spring.
Soon, the Tampa Bay Rays will begin again as something new.
Their offseason has been full of change. There have been the departures of Andrew Friedman and Joe Maddon. There has been Matt Silverman's move from team president to president of baseball operations. There has been Kevin Cash's hire as manager. There have been transactions that sent away familiar faces and introduced intriguing names.
With 2015 here, that means spring training is drawing near. In the coming weeks, we'll take looks at some of the new Rays players who will become part of the franchise's different era, with their potential to become production when the team reports to Port Charlotte, Fla., to begin a fresh campaign.
This week, we analyze catcher/designated hitter John Jaso, 31, who began his major-league career with the Rays in 2008 and returns to Tampa Bay after brief stints with the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics.
Here's a closer look at how Jaso might fit within the Rays' vision for the coming season.
JOHN JASO, CATCHER/DESIGNATED HITTER
Career stops: Tampa Bay Rays (2008-2011, selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 12th round of the 2003 draft); Seattle Mariners (2012); Oakland Athletics (2013-2014)
Batting stats: .259 average, 32 home runs, 182 RBI, .359 OBP, .758 OPS
How he was gained: Acquired from the Athletics as part of a trade for Ben Zobrist and Yunel Escobar on Jan. 10.
What he offers: A possible answer at designated hitter. Although Jaso has experience at catcher, he figures to be the Rays' primary designated hitter this season. Tampa Bay has struggled to produce a consistent, productive designated hitter throughout most of its history, but Jaso offers promise. He owns a career .272 batting average, .368 on-base percentage and .424 slugging percentage against right-handed pitchers. In the previous three seasons with the Mariners and Athletics, he had a combined .270 batting average, .372 on-base percentage, 22 home runs, 49 doubles and 122 walks in 277 games. He's a more seasoned player than when the Rays last saw him, so they should benefit from his maturation.
Why he's needed: If he becomes a solid producer at designated hitter, then he will have provided a better answer at the slot than those who came before him in recent memory. His success against right-handed pitching is his greatest asset as a hitter, and if he can build on those numbers with the Rays, then he'll become a valuable presence within the lineup. Also, his experience as a catcher adds versatility to his skill-set. His addition means enhanced depth should the Rays need him behind the plate sometime this season. He has 326 career appearances (276 starts) at catcher.
Biggest question: What about his health? Jaso's previous two seasons were abbreviated because of concussions, so the Rays should proceed with caution. He hasn't topped 100 games played in a season since he appeared in 108 with the Mariners in 2012. He played in more than 100 games just one other time in his major-league career, when he appeared in 109 with the Rays in 2010. Cash figures to use Jaso often, and Tampa Bay's lineup could include more stability than in recent years. Jaso, returning to his original franchise, must remain active to become all the Rays envision him to be in this new stage of his career.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
