Joyce, Matthew

Joyce earned his way onto the 2008 Tigers by slugging .550 for the Mudhens and striking out nearly every three at-bats. He came over to Tampa in the Edwin Jackson deal and might have been the starter except for some nagging injuries in spring and the signing of Pat Burrell which filled the Rays quotient for slow, strikeout-prone slugger types without a great defensive position.

Joyce is still only 25 and despite cries that he had taken a step back in triple-A he did improve both his strikeout and walk rates and added a few steals to his game (nabbing 14). These are things that a player of this type needs to do, particularly if his triple-A slugging continues to be .482 which doesn't exactly cry out for promotion.

Joyce still faces an uphill battle for playing time and with the Rays (as of this writing) in serious negotiations to bring in Hank Blalock, one has to question whether the organization views him as an option. It's a shame, because he wouldn't be terrible were he to get the chance. .255-30-10-30-5. 325ABs