Offseason Outlook: Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays won 96 games to return to the postseason in style, defeating the A’s in the wild card game and then taking the Astros to five games in the ALDS. Tampa Bay will now look to put the final touches on a roster that can get the franchise back into the World Series.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Blake Snell, SP: $46MM through 2023
- Kevin Kiermaier, CF: $36MM through 2022 (includes $2.5MM buyout of $13MM club option for 2023)
- Brandon Lowe, 2B: $23MM through 2024 (includes $1MM buyout of $10.5MM club option for 2025)
- Charlie Morton, SP: $15MM through 2020 (plus vesting option for 2021)
Arbitration-Eligible Players (projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Mike Zunino – $4.9MM
- Matt Duffy – $2.9MM
- Tommy Pham – $8.6MM
- Chaz Roe – $2.2MM
- Jesus Aguilar – $2.5MM
- Guillermo Heredia – $1.1MM
- Oliver Drake – $1.1MM
- Tyler Glasnow – $1.9MM
- Daniel Robertson – $1.1MM
- Non-tender candidates: Zunino, Aguilar, Duffy, Heredia
Free Agents
The Rays suffered one major departure before the offseason even began, as senior VP of baseball operations Chaim Bloom left the organization to become the new Red Sox chief baseball officer. Losing a longtime member of the front office is a blow, and losing Bloom to a deep-pocketed division rival is an even tougher pill to swallow, though the Rays will look to fill the void with internal promotions.
In a way, it’s not unlike how the Rays have historically dealt with losing a big name on the field — simply rely on the organizational depth and try to keep moving forward. We saw that philosophy in action in 2019, as the Rays tied for the second-winningest season in franchise history even while missing key players like Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, Joey Wendle, and Matt Duffy to the injured list for extended periods of time.
With so much talent already in place and (in theory) better health, it’s possible this winter might not feature quite as much roster churn as past Tampa Bay offseasons. That said, GM Erik Neander and his staff are forever mindful of maximizing their talent core and managing the payroll at the same time. As per Roster Resource, the Rays currently have just under $73.8MM committed for 2020 salaries, something of a high figure by Tampa’s standards — the Rays’ Opening Day payroll has exceeded the $70MM mark only five times in club history.
That projected payroll will be lowered due to at least a couple of non-tenders, with Zunino and Duffy standing out as the most obvious candidates. The former lost his starting catching job to Travis d’Arnaud and the latter struggled through yet another injury-plagued year.
A case could also be made that Guillermo Heredia or Jesus Aguilar could be non-tendered or perhaps traded prior to the arbitration deadline. The Rays could feel they can do better than Heredia in the backup outfield role, and Aguilar could be expendable with both Ji-Man Choi, Nate Lowe and perhaps another acquisition (more on that shortly) in the first base/DH mix. Since the Rays are also facing a 40-man roster crunch in advance of the Rule 5 Draft, they could be aggressive in their non-tender decisions as a way of both creating roster space and saving a few dollars at the same time. The Rays could also explore bringing back any non-tendered players on lower salaries later in the offseason.
Looking around the everyday lineup, the trio of Tommy Pham, Kevin Kiermaier, and Austin Meadows will return in the outfield. Pham and Meadows were big pluses for the Rays last year, though Kiermaier struggled through his second consecutive subpar year at the plate. Given that Kiermaier is Tampa’s highest-paid position player but has constantly been plagued with injuries and an inconsistent bat, it wouldn’t be outlandish to imagine that the Rays would explore trade possibilities, if any reasonable offers could be found. However, the likelier scenario is that Kiermaier returns, as the Rays don’t have any other real center field candidates in the offing.
Around the infield, Willy Adames is locked in at shortstop, though super-prospect Wander Franco could potentially start to make his presence felt by late 2020. Diaz and Brandon Lowe are respectively penciled in for the bulk of third base and second base duties, with Joey Wendle bouncing between the two positions and Lowe also capable of seeing some time at first base or in the corner outfield. If Duffy returns, he’d be deployed at third base, opening Diaz up to spend some time as a right-handed counterpoint to Choi and Nate Lowe at first base and DH. Daniel Robertson and Mike Brosseau would also be hand for bench roles.
It isn’t a bad unit, though in the wake of 2019’s injuries, the Rays might prefer the stability of adding a big bat who can play every day. The first base/DH spot is the most logical space for such a player, particularly a right-handed bat. A player with multi-positional versatility would fit the Rays’ model, and Florida native and World Series hero Howie Kendrick is an interesting option on the free agent market.
If the Rays were content with a strict first baseman/DH, however, and were open to spending a bit more as they chase a potential championship, a free agent like Jose Abreu or Edwin Encarnacion could potentially be in play. It wouldn’t even be out of the question to see either Abreu or Encarnacion get only one-year offers given how the market has treated veteran first basemen in recent years, making such players more enticing to the Rays as a one-year splurge.
To address depth needs, the Rays haven’t ruled out reunions with free agents Avisail Garcia or Eric Sogard, depending on how the market shakes out for either player. Re-signing Sogard to the infield mix could push Diaz into the role as the right-handed complement to Choi and Lowe. Instead, Garcia could see some time at DH or in right field, allowing for Meadows or other players to cycle through the DH slot on partial rest days.
Travis d’Arnaud is another player the Rays would like to have back, though he might have priced himself out of Tampa’s range after a career-reviving 92-game stint with the team. d’Arnaud was both productive and healthy in 2019, and now looks to be the second-best option on the free agent catcher market after Yasmani Grandal.
Catcher has been enough of a problem area for the Rays over the years that they might be willing to engage in a minor bidding war if they like what they’ve seen in d’Arnaud, as otherwise, the club will again be looking for answers behind the plate. d’Arnaud signing elsewhere would make it perhaps almost a necessity that Zunino be retained, as otherwise, Michael Perez would be Tampa’s top in-house choice as the starting catcher, leaving the Rays sifting through the second- or third-tier options on the free agent or trade markets.
Tampa Bay’s bullpen pitched very well last season, and the team will bring just about its entire crop of arms back for another year of constant restocking and reshuffling between the majors and Triple-A Durham. Emilio Pagan had a big year and is again slated to receive the bulk of closing duties, though the Rays are flexible enough with their bullpen usage that Diego Castillo, Colin Poche, or perhaps a variety of other pitchers could receive save chances depending on the situation. The Rays are likely to add at least one veteran arm to their mix, though perhaps even just on a minor league contract.
One area that isn’t likely to receive much attention is starting pitching, as the Rays are tentatively hoping that a healthy rotation of Charlie Morton, Snell, Glasnow, Yonny Chirinos, and Ryan Yarbrough can be one of baseball’s best. It’s worth noting that even with all the injuries, the Rays already had one of the sport’s top rotations in 2019, as the Rays continued to achieve great results with their use of the opener for (as it turned out) multiple turns in the starting five. Chirinos and Yarbrough were both “promoted” to regular starter roles after being primarily used as bulk pitchers behind an opener, so the Rays could continue using them as normal starters, or perhaps again turn to an opener given how successful the strategy has been.
Top prospect and two-way player Brendan McKay made his MLB debut in 2019 and is an intriguing wild card for both the rotation or even the DH mix. Midseason pickup Trevor Richards, Austin Pruitt, or former top prospects Anthony Banda and Jose De Leon could also factor in as further depth options, or bulk pitchers.
The Rays’ playoff success isn’t likely to lead to any uncharacteristic spending, as the club’s last big splurge in the 2013-14 offseason (when Andrew Friedman still ran the baseball operations department) backfired, and indirectly contributed to four straight losing seasons from 2014-17. That said, after signing Morton to a $30MM deal last winter, one can’t deny the possibility that Neander could have another bold move or two in store in order to put the Rays over the top in the AL East.
Latest On Rays’ Free Agents
The Rays have begun the offseason facing the potential exits of three notable free agents in catcher Travis d’Arnaud, outfielder Avisail Garcia and infielder/outfielder Eric Sogard. The low-budget club’s interested in re-signing all three, though any new deal would have to come at the right price, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Among the trio, it may be d’Arnaud who’s in line for the richest contract. A somewhat lucrative offseason payday for d’Arnaud looked highly unlikely when the Rays acquired him from the Dodgers for $100K back on May 10. D’Arnaud was then coming off a fleeting run in Los Angeles, which claimed the former star prospect off waivers from the Mets after a disappointing, injury-filled tenure in New York.
Once d’Arnaud got to Tampa Bay, not only did his health hold up, but he gave the team a solution behind the plate. The 30-year-old slashed a respectable .263/.323/.459 with 16 home runs in 365 plate appearances as a Ray. He also threw out 28 percent of would-be base stealers, though Baseball Prospectus graded d’Arnaud as a below-average overall defender. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see d’Arnaud land a two-year contract worth at least $5MM per season in the coming weeks, especially considering he’s among the most impressive choices in a so-so class of free-agent catchers.
Aside from d’Arnaud, Jason Castro and Robinson Chirinos, it’s slim pickings beyond the undisputed top backstop available, Yasmani Grandal. The lack of appealing and affordable alternatives could make it all the more important for the Rays to re-sign d’Arnaud, as Mike Zunino may be a non-tender candidate after a horrid year and Michael Perez has just 135 big league plate trips to his name.
Meanwhile, even if they lose Garcia, the Rays look to be in better shape in the corner outfield than they are at catcher. Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham should make for a more-than-capable top two in 2020, though Garcia looks like a solid option in his own right. After signing a $3.5MM guarantee with the Rays last winter, the former White Sox outfielder batted .282/.332/.464 with 20 homers and 10 steals across 530 PA. Along the way, the 28-year-old, righty-hitting Garcia held his own against both same-handed and southpaw pitchers alike. He was also something of a Statcast favorite, evidenced in part by a .344 expected weighted on-base average (compared to a .338 real wOBA) and a sprint speed that surprisingly ranked in the majors’ 90th percentile. The big-bodied Garcia’s athleticism helped him log quality production in the outfield, where he accounted for a pair of Defensive Runs Saved, a 2.2 Ultimate Zone Rating and three Outs Above Average.
Despite his strong work as a Ray, Garcia’s likely to face skepticism on the market from at least some teams. Age and 2019 performance are on Garcia’s side, but he hasn’t been particularly steady during his career. The White Sox, despite obvious holes in their outfield, non-tendered Garcia just a year ago. It was an understandable decision at the time, as Garcia was then coming off a replacement-level 2018 showing. Furthermore, in five of his seven extensive major league seasons, Garcia has racked up less than 1.0 fWAR. On the other hand, he was a 4.2-fWAR player in 2017. And while this year’s 1.8 doesn’t look spectacular, it’s satisfactory in light of the relatively low-cost deal Tampa Bay gave him.
Garcia’s now a member of a free-agent corner outfield class that also features the likes of Nicholas Castellanos, Marcell Ozuna, Corey Dickerson, Yasiel Puig and Brett Gardner. Sogard, meantime, is part of a jam-packed group of noteworthy unsigned players at the keystone, but he quietly enjoyed one of the best 2019 seasons of any free-agent second basemen. The 33-year-old easily recorded a career campaign, hitting .290/.353/.457 with 13 HRs and 2.6 fWAR over 442 PA. While Sogard did see his offensive production dive after the Rays acquired him from the Blue Jays in July (.839 OPS versus .732), he was still an adequate option in Tampa Bay.
Sogard’s just an offseason removed from having to settle for a minor league contract, but he just made a legitimate case for a guaranteed deal this winter. Whether the Rays will be the team that gives Sogard his next pact is up in the air, though. Brandon Lowe‘s sure to start at second for the club in 2020 after an excellent but injury-plagued rookie season, but there could still be room for Sogard in a multi-positional role.
Coaching Notes: D-backs, A’s, Rays, Indians
The latest notable coaching news from around the majors…
- Diamondbacks bench coach Jerry Narron has elected to leave the team’s staff, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com tweets. Narron spent the previous two-plus years as manager Torey Lovullo’s top lieutenant in Arizona, though the club moved Luis Urueta into that role after the season. It’s unclear at this point if Narron has an opportunity lined up elsewhere. Now 63 years old, Narron’s a former big league catcher who has managed the Rangers (2001-02) and Reds (2005-07).
- The Athletics have made a few changes to their staff, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle details. First base coach Al Pedrique is moving across the field to take over for third base coach Matt Williams, who will manage in Korea next season. Matt Aldrete will go from assistant hitting coach to first base coach to fill Pedrique’s void. Meanwhile, Eric Martins will assume the role of assistant hitting coach after coaching in the A’s minor league system for half a decade.
- Longtime Rays coach Tom Foley has decided to retire at the age of 60, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Foley, a professional infielder from 1983-1995, spent a combined 16 years in multiple coaching positions for the Rays. He worked as a special assistant with the club over the previous two seasons.
- Along with the previously reported decision to promote Brian Sweeney to bullpen coach, the Indians have moved Ruben Niebla to assistant pitching coach, Mandy Bell of MLB.com relays. A former minor league right-hander, Niebla will enter his 20th year as an Indians coach in 2020. He spent the previous seven seasons as the Indians’ minor league pitching coordinator. Niebla’s “big on analytics” and widely respected in the organization, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic.
Rays Outright Hoby Milner
The Rays have outrighted Hoby Milner off of their 40-man roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (via Twitter). The left-hander will reject his outright assignment to the minors and instead become a free agent.
Milner, 28, posted a 3.06 ERA, 6.85 K/9, and 13.0 K/9 over 61 2/3 bullpen innings for Triple-A Durham in 2019. Despite this impressive performance, Milner only tossed 3 2/3 Major League innings, with injuries perhaps keeping him from getting more of a look once the minor league season was over. Milner was placed on the 60-day injured list in September due to a cervical neck injury.
Assuming good health, one would assume Milner’s impressive Triple-A track record would net him a new contract with another team. Originally a seventh-round pick for the Phillies in the 2012 draft, Milner has a 3.40 ERA over 42 1/3 career innings in the big leagues.
Rays Outright Johnny Davis
The Rays have outrighted outfielder Johnny Davis to Triple-A Durham, reports Juan Toribio of MLB.com (link). As a player with fewer than three seasons of major league service time who has never been outrighted, Davis does not have the ability to reject his assignment.
This marks the latest chapter in the baseball odyssey of Davis, whom Bob Nightengale of USA Today profiled in a biographical piece back in September (link). After growing up in hard circumstances in South Central Los Angeles, Davis embarked on a six-season minor league career beginning with his selection as a 22nd-round pick of the Brewers in 2013. The speedy outfielder spent portions of 2018 in independent ball and the Mexican league, before spending the majority of the 2019 campaign playing south of the border. The Rays picked up the switch-hitting Davis on Aug 29 of this season and quickly brought him up to the big league roster, largely utilizing him as a pinch-runner across eight games in their Wild Card stretch run.
Davis, 29, has recorded just 22 plate appearances above Double-A in his affiliated career, lining him up for some welcome seasoning at the game’s penultimate level in 2020. Davis’ removal from the 40-man roster gives the club some flexibility as it faces several offseason decisions regarding out-of-options players and prospects in need of protection from the Rule V draft.
Rays Will Not Hire External Executive To Replace Chaim Bloom
The Rays have decided not to hire an executive from outside the organization to replace the departing Chaim Bloom, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Rather, the club will deploy a trio of top lieutenants under the leadership of senior VP/general manager Erik Neander.
Bloom, who was just named chief baseball officer of the division-rival Red Sox, had worked alongside Neander to lead the Tampa Bay baseball operations group. That partnership of youthful execs had gone quite nicely for the club, but Bloom was targeted repeatedly for top positions with other organizations in recent years.
The Rays were hardly blind to the situation, with Neander saying in an appearance on RaysRadio (audio link) that “we had been preparing for this possibility for several years now.” While Bloom had a “wide-ranging impact,” says Neander, the club felt ready to fill in — and do so entirely from within.
Neander discussed the group of executives that will be stepping into expanded roles. James Click will continue to serve as VP of baseball operations, with broadened responsibilities for representing the Rays with teams, agents, and league officials on a day-to-day basis. Carlos Rodriguez, the VP of player development and international scouting, will continue in the same direction he had already been headed with his recent promotion.
Peter Bendix will make for a trio of personnel a tier down from Neander. Bendix was boosted from director of baseball development into a VP role of his own. He’s a data-oriented executive, though his role is more about making the analytics work for the organization than simply working the numbers. As Neander describes it, Bendix is responsible for making “effective connectors between perspectives,” in addition to “bigger picture strategic thinking” and broad “player personnel” input.
Clearly, the loss of Bloom will present some challenges to a Rays organization that is constantly striving to adapt. While it’s surely a net loss, Neander does note that there’s a silver lining. For those execs that are climbing into larger roles, it’s “energizing” to have an “opportunity to step up,” he says.
Quick Hits: JDM, White Sox, Rays, d’Arnaud, 2011 Draft
As we all look forward to Game 5 of the World Series, let’s run through some noteworthy items from around the baseball world…
- Should Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez elect to opt out of the three years and $62.5MM remaining on his deal, the White Sox look like the “consensus” top suitor for the 32-year-old’s services, Rob Bradford of WEEI relays. At this juncture, it seems unlikely that NL teams would enter the Martinez sweepstakes given his shortcomings as a defensive outfielder. Of course, the lack of an NL market severely restricts the potential market for Martinez, a factor that he’ll surely consider as he weighs whether to enter free agency. What’s more: if he does, he’ll come with a qualifying offer attached, meaning that a signing team would have to surrender a draft pick to sign him. All those things make it markedly more difficult to identify realistic landing spots for the hitting virtuoso, though the White Sox may stand above the rest.
- As the Rays prepare to embark on the offseason, they’ll have to evaluate Travis d’Arnaud‘s role in their 2020 catching situation, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The ex-Met emerged as a surprising offensive contributor after he was acquired in a nondescript May trade, ending the season with a .782 OPS for the Rays. Fellow catcher Mike Zunino‘s fate might depend on what happens with d’Arnaud, who has a chance to earn a two-year deal at a $6MM or $7MM AAV. If the Rays choose to keep him around at that price, Zunino may become expendable after a disappointing offensive season. Meanwhile, letting d’Arnaud walk would put pressure on Zunino to improve on the dreadful .544 OPS he posted in his first season with the Rays. Otherwise, the team could once again turn to external options.
- When it’s all said and done, the 2011 first-year player draft may go down as one of the best in baseball history, writes Dan Connolly of The Athletic. It’s a timely retrospective, with the stars of the class on full display in this year’s World Series: the Astros’ George Springer and Gerrit Cole, as well as the Nationals’ Anthony Rendon, all came from the 2011 first round (Cole and Rendon, it’s worth noting, will also be the offseason’s two most sought-after free agents). Trea Turner, meanwhile, was a 20th-round choice the same year. And that’s not to mention the bevy of stars that play elsewhere in the Majors: Mookie Betts, Trevor Bauer, Francisco Lindor, and Javier Báez all come from the ranks of the 2011 draft, which also featured “what-if” stories like Dylan Bundy and the late José Fernández. Connolly also considers the pivotal selection of Danny Hultzen by the Mariners, which could have had a profound effect on the rest of the draft had they instead opted for Rendon, their second choice. The 2011 draft has already earned its place among the all-time great draft classes, which is doubly impressive considering that it’s collectively still in its prime years.
Pirates Interview Matt Quatraro, George Lombard
10:40am: Pittsburgh has also interviewed Dodgers first base, outfield and baserunning coach George Lombard, per SiriusXM’s Craig Mish (Twitter link). Lombard, 44, played parts of six seasons as an outfielder in the Majors and has been in his current role since 2015. He was briefly named the Braves’ minor league field coordinator before accepting his current post with the Dodgers and has also served as a minor league outfield coordinator, hitting coach and manager in the Red Sox organization.
10:04am: The Pirates have interviewed Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro as part of their search for a new manager, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets. Quatraro has also reportedly interviewed with the Giants organization.
Quatraro, who’ll turn 46 next month, served as a minor league hitting coach, manager and hitting coordinator in the Rays’ system before being hired as the Indians’ assistant hitting coach in 2014. Tampa Bay hired him back and installed him as their third base coach a year later, and he ascended to his current position of bench coach once the Blue Jays hired Charlie Montoyo away from the Rays last winter. A former catcher who played parts of seven minor league seasons in the Rays organization, Quatraro has also worked as a catching instructor in the minors with Tampa Bay.
If Quatraro does land with the Pirates (or with the Giants), it’ll mark the third consecutive offseason in which the Rays have had at least one member of their coaching staff hired away by another organization. Manager Kevin Cash enjoyed three years of continuity from 2015-17 but has since seen Rocco Baldelli hired as the Twins’ new skipper in addition to Montoyo’s hiring in Toronto.
Quatraro joins a list of Pirates interviewees that includes Twins bench coach Derek Shelton (also a former Rays coach), Athletics bench coach Ryan Christenson and Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp (as can be seen in MLBTR’s 2020 managerial search tracker). Others rumored to be in consideration include Astros bench coach Joe Espada, D-backs director of player development Mike Bell, Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay and former Pirates bench coach/former Rangers manager Jeff Banister, who is currently a special assistant in the Pittsburgh front office.
Red Sox Likely To Hire Chaim Bloom
Oct. 25: Bloom is “likely” to be hired by the Red Sox, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman adds, via Twitter, that the Red Sox are “close” to appointing him as the new head of their baseball operations department.
Oct.24: Rays VP of baseball operations Chaim Bloom is among those to have interviewed for the Red Sox GM opening, according to reporting from Chad Jennings and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). The club’s hiring search has been notably quiet since the dismissal of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, but Jennings says the process “seems to be coming to an end.” ESPN’s Jeff Passan adds that “multiple sources” believe Bloom will ultimately get the job (Twitter link).
Bloom, 36, has been in the mix for several high-profile executive jobs in recent years. The Yale graduate was reported as the runner-up to Brodie Van Wagenen in the Mets search for a new GM last year, while San Francisco also considered him for the leadership position that ultimately went to Farhan Zaidi. The Twins and Phillies were also said to have considered Bloom for a GM role in recent seasons.
Though youthful by most standards, Bloom is a front office veteran with over 15 seasons of experience in the Tampa Bay front office. After beginning as an intern with the organization in 2005, Bloom worked in minor league operations for several years before being named as director of baseball operations in 2011. The Philadelphia native was promoted to the role of vice president of baseball operations in 2014, with a “senior” title being attached to that role in 2016 when the club also promoted Erik Neander to GM.
The Red Sox parted ways with Dombrowski on Sept 8 — less than 12 months after the club captured the 2018 World Series title. The organization has since entrusted operations to assistant GMs Eddie Romero, Zack Scott, and Brian O’Halloran, as well as senior vice president of major and minor league operations Raquel Ferreira.
AL Notes: Lindor, Oakland Stadium, Cash, Boone
In a lengthy piece for The Athletic, Zack Meisel charts the different courses the Indians could take with regard to the contract status of star shortstop Francisco Lindor (link). As Meisel takes pains to point out, Lindor has taken a chilly posture to the idea that he would offer his club a discount in potential extension talks. Besides speaking vocally in support of 2018 free agents Manny Machado and Bryce Harper securing “every single penny that they can get“, Lindor was blunt in stating during the 2019 preseason that Cleveland would need to pay him full value if the club is interested in preventing him from reaching free agency after the 2021 season. “Who knows?” Lindor replied to a gathering of reporters during Spring Training when asked if a longterm extension would interest him. “Can you afford to pay me? If you pay me, I’ll stay.” Noting that the Indians have never signed a contract north of $60MM (Edwin Encarnacion in 2016), Meisel wonders if the time may be ripe for the club to consider trade options involving the 25-year-old shortstop.
While the writer ultimately seems to lean toward the idea of keeping Lindor, allowing him to play out his last two arb years, and then living with the possibility that he leaves in 2022, it is tantalizing to imagine the interest Lindor’s name could stir up on the trade market. As a mid-20s, up-the-middle player with five consecutive seasons of four-plus fWAR valuations, Lindor remains one of the game’s steadiest producers and most marketable stars.
More notes from around the American League in advance of Game 2 of the World Series…
- In an attempt to rid themselves of the current legal quagmire surrounding their new ballpark project, the Athletics have offered to either buy out the city of Oakland’s half share in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum site for $85 million or enter into a long-term lease, per Phil Matier of The San Francisco Chronicle (link). The team has offered a “community benefits package” to the city that includes affordable housing provisions and apprenticeship programs, with the expectation that the city drops its lawsuit against Alameda County in return. Alameda County, which holds the other half share of the Oakland Coliseum site, recently offered to sell its own half share to the A’s, but a city-initiated lawsuit has stalled that potential agreement. Work on the new Oakland Ballpark is expected to begin in the city’s Jack London Square area in 2021.
- Rays manager Kevin Cash was honored as one of Sporting News’ several award recipients today, with the outlet naming Cash as American League Manager of the Year (link). Cash was tasked in 2019 with a roster chock-full of trade acquisitions and overlooked players, ultimately leading Tampa to a 96-win season and an ALDS berth. Cash also deserves credit for getting his guys to surmount injury trouble–just two Rays players appeared in over 140 games–although there was another manager in his division who was tasked with some truly Herculean challenges with regard to roster management in 2019. Yankees manager Aaron Boone could be seen as something of a snub for this honor (which is not to be confused with the BBWAA awards that receive far more coverage and recognition) after his Bombers sent an MLB-record 30 players to the injured list en route to an AL East title in 2019.