Rays Rumors

Gregg Zaun Would Prefer To Sign With Rays

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 9, 2010 at 3:56pm CDT

Gregg Zaun would like to return to Tampa Bay, according to Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio (on Twitter). Zaun said on Bowden's radio show that his first choice is to sign in Tampa Bay, where he played at the end of the 2009 season.

Zaun's 2010 campaign lasted just 28 games, so the Brewers recently declined their 2011 option for the catcher. He hit .265/.350/.392 before he tore the labrum in his right shoulder and missed the rest of the season.

Zaun signed a one-year $1.5MM deal with Baltimore before the 2009 season and a one-year $1.9MM deal with Milwaukee before the 2010 season. The 39-year-old is in line for another one-year deal, but could be available for even less than usual because of his injury-shortened season.

Dioner Navarro probably won't be back in Tampa Bay, but the Rays do have John Jaso and Kelly Shoppach, so they don't appear to need Zaun.

Odds & Ends: D’Backs, Red Sox, Simmons, Bush

By Mike Axisa | November 6, 2010 at 4:41pm CDT

We're now less than 12 hours away from the start of free agency. Here are some links to help you pass the time…

The Diamondbacks have outrighted pitchers Leo Rosales and Clay Zavada off the 40-man roster according to the team's official Twitter feed.
Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe places odds on each of the Red Sox's four free agents returning the team.
Larry Larue of The Tacoma Tribune reports that the Mariners have hired Ted Simmons as a senior advisor to GM Jack Zduriencik. Simmons was in the mix for various managerial jobs.
The Rays have added Matt Bush, the first overall pick in 2004, to their 40-man roster according to The Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). Bush would have been eligible for minor league free agency otherwise.
Joel Sherman of The New York Post hears from a source that Terry Collins is anywhere from "a strong candidate to the front-runner" for the Mets managerial job. Collins will interview with new GM Sandy Alderson this weekend, and has a backer in Fred Wilpon. He's also a favorite of Paul DePodesta, who Alderson is trying to lure to New York.
Don Wakamatsu has plenty of job opportunities these days. FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal tweets that he has an offer to become the Blue Jays bench coach, an interview for the Mets manager's job forthcoming, and is also in the mix to be Baltimore's bench coach.
Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik unsurprisingly declined to comment about Hisashi Iwakuma two days ago, according to Larry Stone of The Seattle Times. Last night we heard that the Mariners appear to be the favorites to land the righty.
Robert MacLeod of The Globe And Mail passes along a quote from Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos in which he indicates a willingness to bringing Kevin Gregg back. He just wasn't comfortable with the price of the reliever's options, which is why they were declined.
Scott Boras told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the Phillies "have the ability to do what they need to do to retain their players," referring to Jayson Werth. He compared Philadelphia's financial situation to that of the Yankees
Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News offers some good and bad news about the Rangers' catching situation.
Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle speculates that the Giants will keep an eye on Derek Jeter's negotiations with the Yankees. GM Brian Sabean ran New York's farm system when Jeter was drafted, so there's a connection there in the unlikely event that he can't work out a deal with the Yanks.

Pierzynski Yet To Hear An Offer From White Sox

By Mark Polishuk | November 3, 2010 at 8:36pm CDT

In an interview with Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio today, A.J. Pierzynski said that the White Sox have not made him an offer to return to the club in 2011. (Twitter link) Pierzynski doesn't specify if the club has made any contact with him at all, and it's worth noting that Chicago still has three days left of exclusive negotiating time for pending free agents. Given that Pierzynski said he would like to keep playing in Chicago "but they are going to have to want him first," however, it seems unlikely that the Sox have opened negotiations.

Pierzynski went into detail about his criteria for a new team (another Twitter link): in order, his new club must be a contender, be willing to give him a starting job, be located close to his home in Florida and along those same lines must also have their spring training camp in Florida and be a "quick flight home." He says the Marlins, Padres, Rangers, Rays and Red Sox "would all be good fits." All of these teams except the Rays were mentioned by MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith in his look at potential suitors for Pierzynski. All make some sense on Pierzynski's checklist, though the Rangers and Padres are in Arizona for spring training and San Diego is a cross-country flight away from his home.

Rays Decline Options On Aybar, Wheeler

By Mark Polishuk | November 3, 2010 at 5:18pm CDT

The Rays have declined their 2011 options on utilityman Willy Aybar and reliever Dan Wheeler, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.

Aybar's option was worth $2.2MM, and he will instead receive a $275K buyout from the Rays. As Topkin points out, Aybar is still under team control and has two more years of arbitration as a Super Two player. In three seasons in Tampa Bay, Aybar has a .715 OPS in 1007 plate appearances. He's filled in at first, second and third, though the vast majority of his plate appearances last year were as a DH or pinch-hitter.

Wheeler will receive a $1MM buyout of his $4MM 2011 option. The right-hander has pitched very well over the last three seasons in Tampa Bay (203 appearances, 3.24 ERA, 3.06 K/BB ratio, 7.5 K/9) but a set-up man earning $4MM is a luxury for a team that's planning to cut payroll. Wheeler is also a Type A free agent and thus if he turns down arbitration from the Rays and signs elsewhere, Tampa Bay will receive two high draft picks.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Braves, Rangers, Rays, Haren

By Mike Axisa | October 29, 2010 at 10:26am CDT

The Phillies won their second World Series in franchise history two years ago today, beating the Rays in the first suspended game in series history. Game Five started on October 27th, 2008, and the two clubs played to a 2-2 tie through the first five and a half innings before rain forced the suspension. The game didn't resume until October 29th due to the weather, but when it finallly did the Phillies outscored Tampa 2-1 the rest of the way for a 4-3 final score.

There's no weather-related delay for these links; here's the best from around the web this week…

Capitol Avenue Club provides a primer for the Braves' offseason.
Pine Tar And Pocket Protectors explains how Mark Teixeira built the AL Champion Rangers.
The Baseball Opinion re-lives Sandy Alderson's biggest trade.
DRays Bay compiles Andrew Friedman's offseason to-do list.
Meanwhile, The Process Report thinks about Nick Johnson as a cheap option for the Rays.
Drunk Jays Fans reacts to the John Farrell hiring and more.
Baseball Analytics breaks down Pat Burrell's resurgence.
Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness wonders if Ivan DeJesus should get a crack at the Dodgers second base job next year.
Disciples of Uecker says it's time for Josh Butler to put up or shut up. The Brewers acquired Butler for Gabe Gross in 2008.
Yankeeist wonders what would have happened if the Yankees managed to acquire Dan Haren this summer.
SPANdemonium compares the Rangers, Rays and Royals.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Cafardo On Greinke, Arroyo, Hall, Rays, Ortiz

By Luke Adams 2 | October 24, 2010 at 12:34pm CDT

In today's column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo examines the possibility of a Zack Greinke trade, noting that the Red Sox should at least inquire, given Allard Baird's history with the Royals and Greinke. Here are some of Cafardo's other notes:

One AL GM on Greinke vs. Cliff Lee: "There may not be anyone better than Lee right now, but how long is that going to last? …. If you’re looking to build around someone, you would roll the dice with Greinke and hope that what he showed this season is an off year and not a sign of things to come. You’d have to do due diligence, but the upside with Greinke is pretty good."
The Reds are attempting to work out an extension with Bronson Arroyo that would keep him in Cincinnati for a few years and slightly reduce his 2011 salary ($13MM). That way, the team could have some flexibility to add free agents this winter, and would lock up one of its best arms to a long-term contract.
Bill Hall will look to find a full-time job at one position this offseason, but "people around Hall" are suggesting the all-purpose utility role he played in Boston might be better suited for him.
The Rays are expected to field trade offers for B.J. Upton, Jason Bartlett, and maybe James Shields.
David Ortiz and the Red Sox have had some contract discussions, but there's no resolution yet on either an extension or Ortiz's 2011 option. Boston will have until three days after the World Series ends to decide on the $12.5MM option, last month, we heard the Sox were prepared to exercise it.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ichiro, Garza, Greinke, Bell

By Mike Axisa | October 22, 2010 at 12:38pm CDT

On this date two years ago, the Mariners named former Brewers vice president Jack Zduriencik as their new general manager. His defense-heavy approach resulted in a 24 win increase in his first season at the helm, though team scoring dropped by 31 runs. The Mariners won just 61 games and scored a mere 513 runs in 2010, the fewest by any team in the DH era. Unsurprisingly, there's already talk that Jack Z. is on the hot seat.

These links don't have to worry about being on the hot seat, they've made this week's edition of BBWI…

Speaking of the Mariners, Prospect Insider discusses the possibility of trading Ichiro.
DRays Bay speculates about what the Rays could get in return for Matt Garza.
Meanwhile, The Process Report looks ahead to Tampa's 2011 bullpen.
The Tao Of Stieb wonders if the Blue Jays should get involved in trade talks for Zack Greinke.
Redleg Nation asks the same Greinke question for the Reds.
The Friarhood debates whether the Padres should trade or extend Heath Bell.
Disciples of Uecker re-lives the history of Nelson Cruz.
Monkey With A Halo reviews Angels GM Tony Reagins' 2010 moves.
Royals Review wonders if Robinson Tejeda turned the corner in 2010.
Yankeeist breaks down Cliff Lee as he approaches his massive payday.
River Ave. Blues writes that Lance Berkman and Kerry Wood have gone from spare parts to important pieces for the Yankees.
Cubs Packs wants to know if Jim Hendry can fix the team's bullpen.
1 Blue Jays Way offers up a quick take on Toronto's options.
The Hardball Times looks at some players whose best position is DH.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Details Emerge On Greinke’s No-Trade Clause

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 20, 2010 at 3:27pm CDT

The Royals will listen to offers for the 2009 Cy Young Award winner, but not every club has a realistic shot at acquiring him. Zack Greinke will be able to block trades to half of the teams in baseball between now and the 2011 trade deadline, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Kansas City Star recently reported that Greinke would be able to block deals to eight to ten teams, but FOX Sports is reporting that he’ll have even more leverage.

Greinke’s contract runs through 2012, but he loses the right to block trades after next year’s July 31st trade deadline, according to Morosi. The right-hander could block trades to 20 teams including the Yankees and Red Sox during the 2009-10 seasons. Small market teams including the Rays were on Greinke’s list of acceptable destinations from 2009-10 (it’s possible that the list has since changed). Potential suitors will face a $13.5MM salary in both 2011 and 2012 plus the Royals’ asking price in prospects.

Odds & Ends: Wilson, Twins, Greinke, Dodgers

By Mark Polishuk | October 19, 2010 at 10:04pm CDT

As the Giants take a 2-1 lead in the NLCS, let's look at some news from around the baseball world…

Though C.J. Wilson will get a big arbitration raise, ESPN's Jason A. Churchill thinks the Rangers are more likely to keep the southpaw rather than put him on the trade market.
The Twins need another top-flight starter, and Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks the team should try to acquire Zack Greinke. His proposed offer of Delmon Young, Kevin Slowey and a prospect won't be enough to get it done, especially since Kansas City would be sending Greinke to a division rival.
Dodgers GM Ned Colletti says the club's payroll will increase in 2011, according to Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times. (Twitter link)
Detroit "will make [a] strong push" to sign Victor Martinez this winter, tweets The Denver Post's Troy Renck. The Rockies, meanwhile, are a "longshot" to sign the free agent catcher.
Also from Renck (via Twitter), Troy Tulowitzki isn't likely to give the Rockies a discount on his next contract since the six-year, $31MM deal he signed before the 2008 season has already proven to be very team-friendly. Tulowitzki is locked up through 2013 and the Rockies have a team option (for $15MM) on him for 2014, so it'll be at least a couple of years before Colorado thinks about extending the star shortstop.
PGP of the DRaysBay.com blog looks at why Tampa Bay might think about trading Matt Garza and what he could fetch in a deal.
If Cliff Lee signs a six-year contract with the Yankees this winter, he could earn close to $200MM in salary and endorsement deals, estimates Forbes Magazine's Patrick Rishe.
Magic Johnson owning the Dodgers? ESPN.com's J.A. Adande wants to see it happen.
Padres assistant GM Fred Uhlman Jr. will remain with the club, tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock. There were rumors that Uhlman could head to Arizona to work with former Padres general manager Kevin Towers.
The Cardinals need to patch up the "rift" that has developed in the front office in recent years, writes Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Gordon also looks at the Cardinals' minor league system and the team's last several drafts.
Fangraphs' Pat Andriola looks at which teams did and didn't benefit from "the old guy discount" last winter.

Odds & Ends: Ross, Hale, Daniels, Mets, Coaches

By Steve Adams | October 17, 2010 at 9:13pm CDT

Some links to check out as Cody Ross attempts to follow up yesterday's two-home run performance and the Phillies look to even the score…

Speaking of Ross, Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News reports that Giants GM Brian Sabean left a "clear impression" before tonight's game that the outfielder will be tendered a contract this offseason.
Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe tweets that Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale is getting a second interview for the Blue Jays managerial position.
SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that the Mets have been "asking around" about Rangers GM Jon Daniels, and things could get interesting. Daniels can opt out of his contract after the season since the team was sold.
Steve Popper of The Bergen Record says that the Mets might not be making the popular choices right now, especially with Francisco Rodriguez, Oliver Perez, Carlos Beltran, and Luis Castillo, but they're the right moves.
Popper also reports that the Tigers denied the Mets permission to talk to assistant GM Al Avila about their GM vacancy.
ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Eric Young will be named the D'Backs first base coach later this week. In a second tweet, he says Eric Wedge's former pitching coach Carl Willis will likely play a big role on his new staff in Seattle.
Despite the expected heavy interest from the Yankees and Rangers, Michael Silverman from the Boston Herald thinks the Red Sox should make a serious run at Cliff Lee.
In the second page of that same article, Silverman quotes an unnamed executive in saying that a package consisting of Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie, and prospect Anthony Rizzo wouldn't be enough to pry Adrian Gonzalez away from the Padres. He speculates the names that would be mentioned next would include Casey Kelly and Jose Iglesias.
Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports says it makes more sense for the Orioles to trade for a middle-of-the-lineup hitter and an ace starter than seek one in free agency, and asks readers whether or not the O's should pursue Zack Greinke. In his blog post earlier today, ESPN's Buster Olney didn't see Baltimore as a fit for the Kansas City ace.
Reduced payroll will force the Rays into some tough decisions, writes Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times. As Topkin points out, nearly the entire bullpen is entering free agency. Rafael Soriano, Grant Balfour, Randy Choate, Joaquin Benoit, and Chad Qualls are only signed through 2010, while Dan Wheeler's $4MM option will be declined and Lance Cormier could be non-tendered. Balfour and Choate are most likely to return, while Benoit will likely look to capitalize on his monster season.
Richard Griffin from the Toronto Star spoke with Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin, who could be a candidate for the Jays' managerial opening, about the difficulty of getting a foot in the door as a manager. As Griffin says, part of the reason they continue to interview candidates while other teams are filling their managerial positions could be because they have a high level of interest in someone like Mackanin, whose team is still playing.
The Phillies' worst nightmare isn't losing to the Giants in the NLCS or losing to the Yankees in the World Series, according FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. It's going to the World Series and facing the ace they traded away last offseason, who now sports a Rangers uniform — Cliff Lee.

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