Praying Pearce Continues Trop Power
February 16th, 2016Steve Pearce tramped into Tampa Bay’s home with the Baltimore Orioles, trashed the place and left the Rays to pick up the broken glass and empty pizza boxes last year.
The unwanted Trop guest earned the rep of a top Rays ripper.
Well, if you can’t beat’em, sign’em to a one-year deal for nearly $5 million.
The Rays know all too well how dangerous Pearce can be. This year, they won’t mind one bit if he lights up that scoreboard in St. Pete again.
In 2015, he hit .242 with four home runs, a .324 on-base percentage and a .991 OPS in 33 at-bats at the Trop. Overall, he has seven home runs, 14 RBI and a 1.039 OPS in 23 career games in his new home.
Look for the Lakeland native to appear at first base, and as an outfielder/designated hitter.
Joe likes the Rays being open to the idea of turning a familiar AL East tormentor into a potential spark-plug. That track record at the Trop is hard to ignore, and it’s a safe bet Pearce will recapture that magic this season. The more potential for pop, the better for Kevin Cash’s crew.