The term ?last place? is a common phrase used by many managers or coaches in any sport to shake their team up, while reminding them it is something they should obviously look to avoid at all costs. But for some teams?, this phrase has become an all too frequent saying to describe their play on the field. Looking back on the 2005 season, the majority of Major League Baseball?s last place teams have become accustomed to finding themselves their almost every year. Questions will almost certainly pop up as to how they slipped so low, with most of them nearly avoiding the 100 loss column. Six teams have some improving to do if they figure to stay alive in their division. Otherwise, a repeat of disaster could be imminent. The young Tampa Bay Devil Rays squad have just about finished last place every year in the AL East in their brief existence, but did have some strength to barely escape the fifth place mark by edging the Blue Jays for fourth place in ?04. In doing so, they finally reached a new plateau by ending the season on a high note, notching their first 70th win. This was something they had never done before. The 2004 season should?ve been used as a goal for them while entering the ?05. Instead of exceeding more than 70 wins, the D-Rays won fewer games while adding more losses. The Devil Rays are full of youth but are in dying need of depth in their pitching. They acquired Edwin Jackson from the Dodgers whom they feel will be able to adjust to being in the starting rotation. Yet, one must give the D-Rays the benefit of the doubt. Being in the same division as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will surely place a strain on this ball club. Things don?t get much easier as the Blue Jays added more talent to bulk up their roster, making the Devil Rays chances of staying out of last place more difficult. The Rays will get a new voice to listen to in Joe Maddon, but will his motivation keep them from reaching another low point for 2006? It must be difficult for fans in Kansas City having to put up with the instability of the Royals just about every year. Trying to remember the last time the Royals had a breakout season would put a headache on every one?s mind. Remember 1977 when the K.C. Royals went 102-60, with a winning percentage of 630? Neither do I. The drought the Royals have been going through over some odd years begins to take its toll on the players on today?s roster. They begin to question if this franchise will ever try and put a winning contender on the field, giving the fans some reason to actually watch them contend. And in using the verb contend, it means not to avoid last place with another club, but to set a goal for the playoffs. The Royals have not done that for some time. The infield was shuffled a tad when they added veterans Mark Grudzielanek and Doug Mientkiewicz in support of some help to the club?s offensive leader Mike Sweeney. Reggie Sanders was acquired as a free agent to bring some veteran leadership to the outfield which could use some home run power. By the looks of the pitching, this team will need its offense to carry it all season. Avoiding last place would probably be too much to ask. Will anyone care to answer what happened to the Seattle Mariners over the last two seasons? Going from a perennial playoff team to a lowly last place wouldn?t sit well with any team. When they added slugger Adrian Beltre last season, the Mariners had their sights set on watching him have another monstrous year, similar to the one he produced while in Los Angeles. Instead, Beltre?s average dropped considerably to .255 with 19 homers and 87 runs batted in. Richie Sexson was just himself when he belted 39 shots while driving in 121 runs. This team has the offensive capabilities to survive in the AL West and compete with the Angels and Athletics. Where the troubled Matt Lawton fits into Seattle?s plan is questionable, but if he can somehow find his stroke, his signing would only be seen as a positive one. They added veteran DH Carl Everett who has home run power that can protect Sexson and Beltre in the lineup. Of course, Ichiro Suzuki lends his lead-off skills along with Raul Ibanez, who can hit for power. The catching position was handled when they signed Japanese catcher Kenji Johjima to handle the pitchers. With the pitching situation being vital for the M?s they signed free agent Jarrod Washburn to complete the rotation of Jamie Moyer, Joel Pineiro, Gil Meche, and the up-and-comer Felix Hernandez. The Mariners aren?t picked to win the division this season, but finishing last seems like a duty they are fully capable of not letting happen. The best of the last place teams of the ?05 campaign were the Washington Nationals, finishing up with a .500 winning percentage, going 81-81. The Nationals did some remodeling to their club by adding All Star Alfonso Soriano, making him and OF Jose Guillen the leaders of the home run club in Washington. Also being added to the mix were 1B Daryle Ward, 2B Marlon Anderson, 1B Matt LeCroy, and 2B Damian Jackson. While injured most of last season, 2B Jose Vidro hopes to bounce back and make this club?s offense that much better. By the looks of it, the Nats? have an overload of players at second base, but Soriano has agreed to move to the outfield rather than cause turmoil on his new club. The starting rotation added Ramon Ortiz and Pedro Astacio to pitch behind the team?s ace, Livan Hernandez. The earned run averages of the rotation are semi high, and will need much work if they want to be able to compete with the division champion Atlanta Braves. But within the division the New York Mets added power to their team, making the Nationals chances of winning the division slim. One thing is for certain though, the Washington Nationals shouldn?t be finishing this season at the bottom. That job could quite possibly be handed to the Florida Marlins, who unloaded talent this off season, making Dontrelle Willis virtually fend for himself. There are some teams you figure will always end up having a losing season without even putting up a fight to stay out of it. The Pittsburg Pirates are unfortunately one of those teams. It?s sort of like a reflex when predicting the Pirates season outcome because many believe they will be atrocious again and again. The Bucs? will go into the ?06 season with a new team manager in Jim Tracy. Tracy will attempt to be a good communicator with his players, while hoping to spark some desire into his new team, trying to make them relinquish their old losing habits and concentrate on the future ahead. The pitching staff will be lead by youngsters Oliver Perez and Zack Duke, and with some help from new pitching coach Jim Colborn, the rotation could use some much needed teaching. They added some newcomers to the offense by trading for 1B Sean Casey who hits for average, along with OF Jeromy Burnitz, 3B Joe Randa, and utility man Jose Hernandez. Casey, Burnitz, and Randa figure to bring some much needed offense to Pittsburg to hit around team slugger Jason Bay. With Tracy aboard, the Pirates should have enough to remain out of last place. There pitching staff is still in need of rebuilding, therefore the offense will have to step it up and do most of the work. Slugger Todd Helton and the Colorado Rockies return for another stab at avoiding another losing season. But let?s face it. The Rockies are just flat out horrible every year, continuing to disappoint their fans with loss after loss. Since the birth of the Colorado Rockies in 1993, they have only reached the 80 or more win milestone three times, with them actually doing it back to back seasons from ?96-97. Matt Holiday is there only other power hitter behind Helton. Holliday is beginning to show what he can contribute to the club when he hit 19 homers last season with a .307 batting average. But Coors Field does add some help to batters, making pop flies in some stadiums, seem like blasts when hit at Coors. Their SS Clint Barmes will look to impress the short stop position and give the offense some top of the order pop. The starting rotation will remain the Rockies? weakness this season. They have no ace but thought they might?ve in the southpaw Jeff Francis who is still young, and has the skills needed to develop into one. The bullpen received some arms when they acquired Ray King, Jose Mesa, and lefty Tom Martin. This trio gives All Star closer Brian Fuentes some breathing room in the bullpen. Pitching at Coors isn?t easy for any pitcher, so the Rockies could easily be looking at another losing season. And last place in the NL West is possible. A new season means new opportunities for these teams. But which ones will have enough fire power to evade the bottom of their division?