The trouble is, in addition to their hitting prospects, the Rays also have a surfeit of tremendous, cost-controlled young pitching that they can enjoy for the foreseeable future: Price, Niemann, Kazmir, Shields, Garza. Not to mention guys like Jackson and Howell, who both seem to have bright futures ahead of them despite some struggles this year.

If the Rays aren't competitive for the rest of the decade, it's a consequence of being in a division with the two resource behemoths in baseball, not because they've failed to accumulate talent.

The Giants play in a division that doesn't have the Red Sox and Yankees, so the Giants. I'd switch all players with them though

yeah, I don't agree with your premise. The Rays DO have some good young pitching. Their rotation should be solid in the next year or two, and if there is anyone intelligent running that organization, they should be able to patch together a workable bullpen. I hate to say it, but their near future is brighter than ours, although that can change when we see just what we have in Villalona, Noonan, Bumgarner, Alderson, etc. and what we add to them with the number five pick in next year's draft.

As mentioned, it's not really a straightforward question, as the Rays have a lot of good young pitching.

I'd prefer to have pitching as a basis, and wouldn't swap positions with them, given their organization & division they play in. If we're talking about players though, i'd certainly swap with them if i could!

I voted for the Giants, but not for the reasons listed.

I'd rather be in the Giants' situation because:

• They play in SF
  
• They can draw a crowd of more than 8,000
  
• Better ballpark
  
• Better fans
  
• They aren't in Tampa or St. Petersburg (shout-out to my boy Magowan for keeping the Giants in SF)
  
• We have a rich, deep history
  
• The Giants aren't an expansion club

That's why I prefer the Giants' situation.

We've been hearing about the Rays' great young players for four or five years now. Jonny Gomes, Jorge Cantu, Rocco Baldelli...I'll start believing the hype when I see some actual results.

it's us by a longshot right now...but the rays now have competent ownership after being run into the ground by the previous fucknut.  if they get their proposed stadium, the state of florida will have at least one mlb club in the distant future.  and to get that club, they need to keep some of their players like crawford, upton and longoria.  so they might be signing more free agents than making trades from here on in.