The Rays have one clear priority for the offseason, writes MLB Insider Jim Bowden (via Twitter). They’ve let the other 29 teams know: they need catchers. That’s been the case for the Rays most offseasons. Tampa has long been unable to find a long-term solution at the catching position. Rays catchers (Mike Zunino, Michael Perez, and Kevan Smith) finished 25th in the Majors by bWAR in 2020 with -0.3 bWAR. None of the three are currently employed by the Rays, as Perez was selected off waivers by the Pirates, and Zunino and Smith are free agents. Ronaldo Hernandez currently sits atop their depth chart, and while the Rays have high hopes for the slugging 23-year-old, he has yet to appear above High-A. The free agent market isn’t likely to offer a ton of options for the Rays’ price range. Speculatively speaking, if they do go the free agency route, a reunion with Zunino might make the most sense. Other options they could consider include Matt Wieters, Tyler Flowers, Sandy Leon, Robinson Chirinos, and Alex Avila.
- Bowden (via Twitter) also enumerates the Royals plan for the winter: acquire a starting pitcher, middle-of-the-order bat, and centerfielder. They also want to improve their overall on-base percentage, notes Bowden. The Royals tied with the Mariners for 25th in the Majors with a .309 OBP. A team 7.8 BB% also tied for 25th in the Majors. To this point, Hunter Dozier (.344 OBP) and Salvador Perez (.353 OBP) were the only Kansas City regulars with an on-base percentage over .330. Outfield prospect Khalil Lee might provide an internal solution. The 22-year-old walked at a rate of 11.9% in Double-A in 2019, and the oganization holds him in high regard.
- The Rangers will give Sherten Apostel a look at first base in the lead-up to the season, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Apostel has come up as a third baseman, though at 6’4″, 235 lbs, there’s at least a question of whether he’d fare better defensively at first. Still, the Rangers believe he can stick at third, per Wilson. The issue is more that Isiah Kiner-Falefa is fresh off a Gold-Glove-winning season, and in the long-term, top prospect Josh Jung profiles for the hot corner. In the short term, Ronald Guzman could be unseated at first after slashing just .230/.308/.417 over 809 plate appearances the past three seasons. His 0.9 bWAR per 650 plate appearances doesn’t scream stability at first. Apostel, 22 in March, got a cup-of-coffee in 2020, though he’s likely to start the year in Triple-A. If he starts hot, however, the Rangers could make room for him at first.
Rays should sign Austin Romine. Still possibly underrated despite the rough 2020 season.
Actually, they should work out a trade with the Cubs for Contreras. They have the prospects to trade and he’s not on too expensive of a salary yet. The Cubs are looking to shed salary and build prospects.
except they have their long term C in Hernandez so that woudlnt be a good use of assets for a smaller market team
@Darkside Contreras is under contract for 2 more seasons. Hernandez won’t be ready for 2021 and in 2022 having an experienced, elite catcher like Contreras to help show Hernandez the ropes on the big league level is extremely valuable.
I agree. If Robinson Chirinos, who once was in the Rays system, was not also a right handed batter, I would pair him with Romine. Chirinos wouldn’t be a bad fallback option as a right handed portion of a catcher platoon.
Reese McGuire for a bullpen arm from the Rays, although he might not be much of an upgrade based off of last years results.
And keep him out of the parking lot…
I hope the rays sign tyler flowers so Atlanta doesn’t. I hate to sound negative but it seems like he drops pitches right down the middle all the time and has a noodle as an arm
No he doesn’t.
K. Lee (just like Isbel) is still a year away. Even though both were at camp throughout the season, lack of competition hurt their development & it’s still some time away. Also, considering starting rotations aren’t 13 men deep, maybe they should make a trade to free up the organization logjam cause truth be told, they could trade multiple quality pitching prospects (like Bowlan, Cox, Marsh) to address their position player needs and still have mega depth thus not missing a beat when you look at Lynch, Lacy, Kowar, both Hernandez’s, Bolanos, Del Rosario, and Heasley still to come.
They’re deep as all get out…
Khalil Lee seems like a pretty interesting, potentially underrated prospect. Will have to keep an eye on him.
I think the middle of the order bat will only happen if we do trade from the depth. However, I am sure that most teams will look at your 2nd list of guys more then the first list. I might be on the short list but Bolanos would go on the first list for me.
Flowers and Romine do indeed look to be nice bargain rentals for TB to explore.
Rays need a Catcher, Flowers or Chirinos would be the better options of the players listed. Wieters and Avila are backup/platoon players at best and Leon though he is solid defensively is about as offensively gifted as former Rays Catcher Jesus Sucre
Bowden with the insider info. A starting pitcher, a middle of the order bat and a middle of the field player?! Is there a team that isn’t looking for those things?
My first thoughts also.
Jim Bowden is a clown. I can’t listen to him when he’s on MLB Sirius/XM Radio.
Wait..is this the same bowden (a failed GM) that keeps suggesting in his articles on “the athletic” that the Royals trade whit Merrifield to the Cubs?
There’s a lot of good relievers in the free agent market and they’re interested in someone who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2016? That shows you how cheap they are.
Oops wrong post.
If the Rays can’t afford a decent catcher then MLB should force the team to move. McCann isn’t going to cost a lot of money as baseball salaries go or for too many years.
I’d even make the case that a team this good should be considering JTR bc their payroll is so low and he could legitimately be a last piece towards winning the WS.
This situation is a ridiculous case of fiscal constraint and the team should be moved to a market that will provide better support.
And somehow they are one of the best teams in baseball. I’m not a rays fan but I respect them for contending despite financial limitations so no they shouldn’t be forced to move. They are a great organization
No chance they’re in on JTR. And I think it’s silly to say that the defending AL Champs ought to be forced to move because one position is weak and may not be addressed by adding a star.
McCann wolnt be that cheap
The Rays signing a “decent’ player is no different than any other club signing a ‘decent’ overpriced player that never pans out. There is nothing wrong with fiscal constraint. The Rays just happen to be more frugal & don’t waste money. The MLB is not forcing anything on the Rays. If that were the case they would be in Montreal already. Imagine all those teams with all that money but still couldn’t get to the WS. Should MLB do something with those teams bc they didn’t get there with there deep pockets? Sounds as ridiculous as your comment.
Because there’s…6 quality starting catchers in mlb year over year? But if you don’t have one, no team for you!
McCann is going to get $10M-$12M per year is my guess. That seems to be out of Tampa’s typical FA price range but I agree that he would be an excellent addition to the AL Champs’ roster. If they do end up trading Snell then they could afford him, especially with Morton’s salary coming off the books too.
All things considered, James McCann is the best catching option for the Rays
He’s a good option, but he’s also more expensive than Romine and Flowers would be. I have a hard time seeing the Rays forking over $8M+/yr to get him.
No they are not a great organization. They are an organization that is having some notable success over the recent past, but have a subpar stadium, fanbase and media contract. They have no possibility of retaining talent, longterm, on ether the field or in the FO.
A great organization builds a large fanbase and shows continued success towards winning championships and pennants. They generate excitement, respect, rivalries and attendance nationally. Players and FO staff aspire to play / work for great organizations. The Dodgers, St Louis, Boston, etc are those types of teams.
They’ve existed for twenty-two years, competitive for about half those years–really, not competitive in three of the last thirteen years. Not every team is big market–a great organization succeeds within their constraints. They actually have a large fan base, just not many in St Pete’s, and not many who attend games.
Why are you so angry? Did a Ray steal yr lunch money? Calm down.
Do not confuse ‘historic’ franchise with being a ‘great organization’
The rays are how old? At the approximate age of the rays organization, how did the vaunted red sox treat a guy named babe ruth?
The old franchises have a fan base cemented as part of having been around so long. Kids will root for the team of their dad, uncle, grandfather, etc as generations stack. Rays are just hitting those marks.
I think the rays are a great run organization. How many pennants have the yankees won in the last 20 season, 2001-present? Are they not a great organization?
The fact is, bigger market with more population equals more fans. Those markets are long since taken.
How many rays execs are leading other ball clubs? How many of the ‘great organizations’ you list are led by former rays trained executives? The rays must be doing something right to cast that diaspora.
Year in, year out. The rays have been in the thick of things near the top of their division, one containing two of the richest teams in baseball. Not an easy place to contend let alone thrive as a smaller revenue club.
Let’s see – Great organization, large fanbase, continued success winning championships, For example, Yankees? They are the most hated teams in bb, again deep pockets but in 2020 no division win, no AL East win, didn’t make the WS. WHO DID? Right the team with no money, no fans, no stadium. The RAYS.
bit.ly/3977Q62
Front Office #1 Dodgers – Andrew Friedman,prev. GM for the RAYS
#2 RAYS – Erik Neander
#3 Yankees
You noted Red Sox in this article is TBD but also run by a previous Rays
Rays also have the #1 farm system. Yankees #22, Boston #25
Don’t speak. You just make yourself look like an idiot.
They’re an incredible organization. They play in one of the hardest divisions in baseball, always having to compete with two teams with deep resources. The only problem with the Rays is that their stadium is 30 miles further west than it should be.
The problem with Tampa is that their stadium is not only awful, it’s in a terrible location too. People don’t like driving there and their attendance shows that. I do believe that they can stay in Tampa and triple or quadruple their average attendance if they build a new stadium in a better location within Tampa. If they can’t get a new stadium deal then they should definitely look to relocate to a place like Nashville.
Totally agree with everything you said Dorothy. A ballpark in Tampa, on the water, would instantly change their attendance woes. The current stadium couldn’t be in a worse location. Sitting on those bridges during rush hour isn’t worth making it to a game in St Pete.
You’re comparing 130 year old teams to a 22 year old franchise
What a comparison for then complaining they don’t have the same deep roots. Cmon. The fact that the Rays feed so many FO (including LA) is the sign they are a great organization. Oh and they compete with the Yankees..and Boston.. and were better than STL.. and were in the WS vs LA… for 25% the cost..
Brac2brac is doing a poor job disguising the fact that he is part of the prospective ownership group in Montreal. Guy comes on every Rays post and demands someone take away the team
Dodgers crank catchers out like most teams crank out LFers
Want a great fielding, meh bat- that can get hot, 30 year old catcher still making pennies, Austin Barnes?
Want a young and up and coming 22 year old, great receiver, great bat to ball skills but power needs to develop? Keibert Ruiz. 6 years of control, debuted with a HR this year
Will smith is looking like a superstar so good luck on that one. Lad has guys in lower minors but that doesn’t help TB in 2021
Rays fans, what would you give up?