Rays Sign Lance Cormier
According to Marc Topkin, the Rays signed pitcher Lance Cormier to a $675K deal. They designated Dewon Day for assignment to make room. Cormier, 28, posted a 4.02 ERA in 71.6 innings for the Orioles in ’08. He did a fine job getting groundballs. Cork Gaines offers thoughts on the signing over at Rays Index.
Odds and Ends: Putz, Mitsui, Varitek
Links for Friday…
- Jacob Jackson proposes a new, simpler free agent compensation system.
- Jon Paul Morosi says the Mariners wanted Fernando Perez from the Rays in the failed talks that would’ve brought J.J. Putz to Detroit. The Rays were unwilling to do this in part because B.J. Upton will be unavailable to start the season.
- Koji Mitsui again failed to garner a bid from an MLB team.
- Aaron Gleeman discusses the Twins’ decision not to use certain advanced statistics.
- Tony Massarotti and Curt Schilling talk about the Jason Varitek situation.
- Former GM Woody Woodward is back with the Mariners, as a scout. The Pirates added former Tigers GM Bill Lajoie as a senior advisor to Neal Huntington.
- The Nationals have done little in the Japanese market, and they were never involved on Koji Uehara.
Rays Avoid Arb With Grant Balfour
According to Marc Topkin, the Rays avoided arbitration with reliever Grant Balfour by signing him for ’09 at $1.4MM. Balfour posted a 1.54 ERA in his breakout season.
Padres Claim Jae Kuk Ryu Off Waivers
The Padres claimed 25-year-old righty Jae Kuk Ryu off waivers from the Rays; here’s the MLB.com story.
On his personal blog, Padres executive Paul DePodesta writes that he likes the pickup because Ryu’s got good enough stuff to compete for a job in the Padres’ rotation or in their bullpen.
DePodesta writes that there’s "more activity forthcoming." Ken Rosenthal heard the Padres are likely to pass on Omar Vizquel.
Griffey Talking To Four Teams
John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer talked to Ken Griffey Jr.‘s agent, Brian Goldberg. They’re talking to four teams, two in each league. The Mariners are one; the Reds and Rays are not. Nick Cafardo suggested the Nationals back on December 7th.
Fay believes Griffey could be signed for $3-4MM on a one-year deal. His knee is said to be healthy now following offseason surgery.
Rays Avoid Arb With Gabe Gross
According to Marc Topkin, the Rays avoided arbitration with outfielder Gabe Gross by signing him to a one-year deal worth $1.255MM.
Paul Byrd To Sit Out First Half
According to Ken Rosenthal, free agent starter Paul Byrd will sit out the first half of the season and then possibly join a contender. Byrd said he had "nice, competitive" offers to play all year but wants to spend more time with his family.
It’s uncertain whether Byrd will draw interest midseason, but I imagine he will. Remember how many teams were eyeing Freddy Garcia last year? The Braves, Rays, or Marlins woud be Byrd’s preference.
Rays Sign Gabe Kapler
According to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays signed outfielder Gabe Kapler to a one-year, $1MM deal. An hour earlier, Tommy Rancel of DRays Bay wrote that the two sides could be close to a deal.
Hard not to like the signing. Kapler, 33, hit .301/.340/.498 while playing all three outfield positions in his comeback season (he spent ’07 managing in the minors). ESPN’s Keith Law suggested Kapler showed enough to merit an everyday job in center field.
Rays Claim Dewon Day, Padres Take Virgil Vasquez
According to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays claimed pitcher Dewon Day off waivers from the Red Sox. And the Padres snagged Virgil Vasquez from Boston, as their Brad Penny signing was made official.
Heyman On Manny, Lowe, Crede, Redding, Hinske
The latest from SI.com’s Jon Heyman…
- The Giants "look like a major threat" to the Dodgers for Manny Ramirez and are "making a serious run at him." Former teammate J.T. Snow apparently raved about him. Nonetheless Heyman says the Dodgers are "probably still considered the favorite." Heyman lists the Rangers as "intrigued." He believes Ramirez will get three guaranteed years somewhere.
- Heyman says Derek Lowe is "quite possibly" in play for the Phillies, though we heard from Ken Rosenthal today that the team denied interest. Heyman also sticks with the Brewers and Angels as outside possibilities despite reports to the contrary. He believes Mets GM Omar Minaya prefers Oliver Perez to Lowe.
- The Giants, Twins, and Rangers are in on Joe Crede.
- Players said to be in on Freddy Garcia: the Mets, White Sox, and Rangers. We can probably cross off the Mets with their Tim Redding signing.
- Heyman believes the Dodgers want to replace Brad Penny with Randy Wolf.
- Heyman says the Pirates offered more guaranteed money than the Red Sox to Rocco Baldelli. Dejan Kovacevic had this first in an article published early this morning.
- The Red Sox were looking at Eric Hinske but with Baldelli and Mark Kotsay in tow it’s unlikely. A Japanese team has "allegedly shown interest" in Hinske.
- Before signing with the Rays for two years and $16MM, Pat Burrell was getting offers in the one-year, $5MM range.