January 12, 2009: Gabe Kapler signs a 1-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
My take: Move over, Gabe Gross. There's a new Gabe in town! With B.J. Upton's health in question and Rocco Baldelli recently signing with the Red Sox, Kapler will be a welcome addition to a ball club that is already very good. Assuming Pat Burrell becomes a DH, Kapler will be patrolling the outfield with Upton, Gross, Carl Crawford, Ben Zobrist (how is he NOT Jewish?), and Matt Joyce. Hopefully, the Rays don't have so much depth in their outfield that Kapler is the odd man out. My guess is he'll get anywhere from 150 ABs to 300 ABs, depending on injuries and how Zobrist and Joyce develop. In all likelihood, Kapler will be the Rays' 4th outfielder, but you never know.
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Kapler has always been a useful player and he will be as useful to the Rays at least as much as Baldelli was. A good pick up for them.
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