PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- There were four lines of
Simpson made plenty of positive contributions during his debut season with the Rays last year. He batted .295 and stole 44 bases, tied for the second-most in the Majors despite only playing 109 games. But the 25-year-old knows he has more to offer, specifically in terms of getting on base and adding value in the outfield.\n\nAnd nobody questions Simpson’s work ethic, nor his desire to be the best version of himself.\n\n“He made such a good impression last year. Chandler takes everything to heart and mind going into the offseason on what he needs to do to become better,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Nice to have him back in. We know what he can do offensively for us to ignite and create a lot of havoc for our offense.”
Of course, Simpson can steal bases and put the ball in play with the best of them. But he’ll be even more of a threat if he can find ways to get on base more often, and he provided one example in the third inning on Friday. With one out and nobody on, Simpson dropped a bunt single to the first base side of the infield.\n\n“Look, he can change the game with his speed. Certainly, bunting is part of it,” Cash said. “You can be playing in, and if he puts the bunt down, it's tough to defend.”\n\nSimpson has been working on his bunting daily during Spring Training, dropping 40 per day: 10 one-handed with his left hand, 10 one-handed with his right hand, 10 for a hit to third base and 10 for a hit to first base.\n\n“Definitely a tool that I really need in my toolbox. Not only to get hits, but move guys over, just contribute to the team, get some more wins,” Simpson said afterward. “Definitely been working on that. Going to use it a lot.\n\n“Whenever sometimes it might not be going well, just being able to have that tool and being able to lay it down and cause havoc that way, it can even get me back on track hitting-wise. So just using that and, with the hitting, \\[when\\] they're both clicking, then it's a dual threat.”\n\nSimpson has lofty goals for himself, but the most important one is becoming a player who can contribute in every way -- at the plate, on the bases and in the field. Defensively, he showed his commitment to improving by spending a week with Kiermaier, who was in camp as a hired consultant working with Tampa Bay’s outfielders.\n\nThey worked on a lot of technical stuff, from throwing programs to plays at the wall. But the most important lesson was right there on Simpson’s hat.\n\n“Just being locked in on every pitch. Just caring, honestly,” Simpson said. “Not being lackadaisical, expecting the ball, being attentive, just making sure I'm moving on every pitch, expecting every ball to be hit to me. When that's in place, then everything with the routes and jumps and everything will follow.”
**Game notes**\n\n• Right-hander
• Third baseman