The Tampa Bay Rays have announced that the team has hired Dave Wills as the new bullpen coach. This is a very exciting news for Rays fans. With Wills leading the way in the back end of the club’s bullpen, the Rays hope to become more competitive this season. They also hope to make some moves to strengthen their position in the future.
Andy Freed
Andy Freed is the radio voice of the Tampa Bay Rays. In his 15 years of work with the Rays, he’s served as the team’s lead radio play-by-play announcer. He and fellow voice Dave Wills alternate color commentary duties during Rays games. They are also often the hosts of pregame and postgame shows.
One of the most popular sports talk show hosts, Freed and Wills are easy to relate to, and they have a rapport with their listeners. The two of them were voted as the best radio broadcast team in the American League by subscribers of the Athletic magazine.
Freed and Wills have been working together since the start of the 2005 season. Their partnership has resulted in a series of contract extensions with the Rays radio network.
Dave Wills
When you watch a Rays game on TV, it’s easy to think that the broadcaster in the booth is a few blocks away. But, if you were to listen to their radio broadcast, you’d be surprised to find out just how far they are.
Dave Wills and Andy Freed are a pair of enthusiastic local broadcasters who have built a loyal following in the Tampa Bay area. While they don’t have a face-to-face relationship, they have a strong bond with their fans. Their natural chemistry makes them a winning team.
Wills and Freed replaced Paul Olden and Charlie Slowed as the new broadcast team for the Rays before the 2005 season. They have worked together as a team for 17 years, and have earned several contract extensions with the Rays organization.
Neil Solondz
Neil Solondz joined the Rays Radio Network in 2012. He did pregame and postgame show duties. Over the last two years, he did play-by-play for 11 games on MLB Network. In his second season, he also served as the Triple-A All-Star Game broadcaster.
As part of the Rays, Solondz participates in many community events throughout the year. For instance, he attended a Hillsborough County Great American Teach-In. And he participated in the Buddy Baseball League. Aside from the Rays, he has also helped raise money for pancreatic cancer.
During his time with the Rays, he has led the team in sponsorship revenue six years running. He also produced five million dollars in total revenue over the course of his tenure.
The Rays have a number of local personalities on their broadcast team. Dave Wills, Andy Freed, and Neil McElroy are just a few of them. They work together on the radio network and are the in-game sideline analysts for select home games. Also, they share color commentary duties.
New bullpen coach
It has been a long season in Tampa Bay. Kevin Cash has led the Rays to their best record in the American League, and the team is set to head to the World Series. In the offseason, the Rays made a couple of moves. One was to promote Peter Bendix to senior vice president of baseball operations. Another was to add Jon Daniels to their roster.
The Rays also made a series of promotions from within. First, they named Jorge Moncada as their new bullpen coach.
The Rays also added five players to their 40-man roster. They have until 2023 to make more moves.
The Rays will also evaluate their roster in the offseason. They are evaluating trades and free agents. Some of the Rays’ top prospects are receiving offseason reps in Australia.
Preparing for the 2023 season
The Tampa Bay Rays are beginning to prepare for the 2023 season. In the spring, the team will play 30 Grapefruit League games. They will also host an exhibition game against a team from the World Baseball Classic.
The team is now evaluating the roster for the 2023 season. They are currently in good shape, but it is not a lock that they will retain players like outfielder David Peralta and pitcher Corey Kluber. Nonetheless, the Rays may make a few trades to upgrade their offense.
They are also evaluating their free agent pool. It is likely that they will be able to keep pitchers Corey Kluber and Trey Turner on the club. However, they will need to add some left-handed hitting to their lineup.
