2:10pm: The Rays are in the running for Branyan, but not for Chan Ho Park, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
8:13am: Russell Branyan has a major league offer from the Indians, but the Rays are seriously fighting the Indians for the first baseman's services, according to Peter Gammons (via Twitter). It isn't clear which club the 34-year-old slugger will choose, but he does appear to be down to the Indians and Rays.
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince hears (via Twitter) that the Indians are still waiting to see if Branyan will accept their offer.
Don’t the Rays already have a slugging 1B who strikes out a ton?
I think you got the wrong player. Howard and Reynolds are the players you are thinking about, even though Pena strikes out, he comes nowhere near those two.
I’m pretty sure Howard only struck out like 15 more times than Pena last year….I could be wrong, but I don’t get the Rays interest in this either. Is he really an upgrade over Burrell as a DH? I guess anyone is after last year, but there is always a chance he returns to form this coming year.
and Howard played like 25 more games..
I don’t get it. They had the whole winter to secure Branyan’s services and nobody did anything. Now the Indians & Rays are “slugging it out?”
By waiting until late in the offseason, whoever lands Branyan is going to pay significantly less than they would have in, say, December.
Yeah, makes sense, especially for two smaller market teams.
I guess I’m surprised to hear about a dogfight at this point because there didn’t appear to be all that much interest in Branyan – until now. I guess not everybody forgot their lessons in gamesmanship!
“Dogfight” in February is more like “We’ll top their $1.5m/1yr deal with a $1.8m/1yr deal!”
Back in December it would probably have implied a couple of years, and eight-figures.
It’s not uncommon for clubs to lay back and wait to see what kind of low-hanging fruit there is desperate for a job come spring training time, and pick up a couple bargains – even if they don’t have a pressing need for the player/position.
I’m sure the Indians are just looking for someone too-cheap to pass up with the hopes of flipping him in July if he establishes some value, and the Rays have probably been laying off a DH-bat for some time now, seeing the market flooded with them and knowing they can score someone cheap.
“Dogfight” in February is more like “We’ll top their $1.5m/1yr deal with a $1.8m/1yr deal!”
Back in December it would probably have implied a couple of years, and eight-figures.
It’s not uncommon for clubs to lay back and wait to see what kind of low-hanging fruit there is desperate for a job come spring training time, and pick up a couple bargains – even if they don’t have a pressing need for the player/position.
I’m sure the Indians are just looking for someone too-cheap to pass up with the hopes of flipping him in July if he establishes some value, and the Rays have probably been laying off a DH-bat for some time now, seeing the market flooded with them and knowing they can score someone cheap.
Yeah, makes sense, especially for two smaller market teams.
I guess I’m surprised to hear about a dogfight at this point because there didn’t appear to be all that much interest in Branyan – until now. I guess not everybody forgot their lessons in gamesmanship!
By waiting until late in the offseason, whoever lands Branyan is going to pay significantly less than they would have in, say, December.
what are the rays going to do with pat burrell or is branyan used on the bench as a pinch hitter
Looks like they will platoon as DH. Gives them the option of moving either at the deadline or before as well.
Maybe Tampa has full intent of trading Pena at the deadline this summer.
Pat Burrell career v. LHP: .269/.403/.513/.916
Russell Branyan career v. RHP: .239/.339/.498/.837
Assuming the Rays sign Branyan, they could be looking at a very productive DH platoon.
This also tells me they still shopping Burrell around. 9M for a DH that will only play against left handers is a huge waste of money.
This also tells me they still shopping Burrell around. 9M for a DH that will only play against left handers is a huge waste of money.
Burrell is really the next Kevin Mench. I don’t get the lack of interest in Park, unless his price is still sky high, or, he is looking for a starting gig
Burrell has was a stiff in his first year in the AL, but Mench had brief success his entire career. Burrell has had a solid career. Mench had a few solid months