Chris Ray

Most observers said Ray was easily the best reliever in Baltimore's 2009 spring training, but when the season started Ray tanked hard. Even a trip to the minors didn't help, but there is still some hope considering that Ray will be two years removed from Tommy John surgery in 2010. The Rangers took a chance by trading for Ray and he moves into another volatile bullpen where there is no clear cut closer. We can't predict Ray to go from a WHIP over 2.000 to closer, but the Rangers didn't move Kevin Millwood for nothing. Look for him to begin in a middle relief role with an opportunity to progress into high-leverage situations if he's able to regain his pre-surgery form.

Ray had Tommy John surgery in August 2007, and it looked like Baltimore actually tried to get him back in uniform toward the end of the season. He threw nine innings in the minor leagues and was pretty good, though he was shut down in September. He should slip back into the back of the Orioles' bullpen, though one bullpen battle to watch in the spring will be Ray vs. George Sherrill for the closer's job.

The diagnosis on Ray's elbow injury went from "arm stiffness," to "elbow irritation," to a bone spur that needed three weeks' rest, to a bone spur that warranted removal, to a torn UCL requiring Tommy John surgery a month after the original diagnosis. We highlight this chain-of-events not to slam the Orioles, but to illustrate the difficulty in diagnosing how serious an elbow injury can be. A team can take all the X-rays and MRI's possible, and still the extent of the injury isn't found until the elbow is opened up in surgery. Often a case of tendinitis can keep pitcher out the minimum 15 days, other times, like in the case of Ray, it'll force the pitcher to miss the next season.

No one would have been surprised if Ray failed in 2006. The Orioles' bullpen was comprised of has-beens and journeymen, leaving no one to bridge the gap to the 24-year-old closer, a role Ray was thrust into when the Orioles were unable to attract a free agent to replace departing closer B.J. Ryan. Nonetheless, Ray dazzled last season, saving 33 of 38 games while accruing a 2.73 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, .193 batting average against and 51:27 K:BB ratio in 66 innings. While it would be nice to see him strike out a few more batters, the Orioles will have to lean less heavily on Ray this season with the acquisition of set-up men Danys Baez, Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford, so expect him to put up similar good numbers in 2007.

After an immensely successful stint as the closer for Double-A Bowie -- where Ray dominated to the tune of a 0.93 ERA, 0.621 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings -- the youngster enjoyed success at the major league level with a 2.66 ERA and 1.279 WHIP while still striking out more than a batter per inning. With the departure of B.J. Ryan to free agency, the Orioles are expected to name the 24-year-old as their closer for the 2006 season. While his strikeout numbers should remain high, Ray might not earn a ton of saves in a beefed-up American League East and other teams might hit him better as they develop a scouting report. Still, Ray could fly under the radar in many of your leagues and could be a nice late-round pickup when most of the closers are off the board.