By Tim Dierkes | at
12:11pm: The noon filing deadline passed without an agreement for Navarro or Aybar, so Marc Topkin anticipates hearings for both.
10:50am: According to Marc Topkin, the Rays avoided arbitration with shortstop Jason Bartlett by signing him at $1.98125MM for ’09. Bartlett is under team control through 2011. The Rays’ other two arb-eligibles are Dioner Navarro and Willy Aybar; they’re making progress with Navarro. The Rays have a policy of not negotiating once figures are exchanged.
By Tim Dierkes | at
According to Marc Topkin, three Rays players appear headed for February arbitration hearings: Willy Aybar, Jason Bartlett, and Dioner Navarro. The Rays have a policy of ending talks when figures are exchanged, and that happens Tuesday.
By Tim Dierkes | at
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.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Links for Friday…
By Tim Dierkes | at
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.
By Ben Nicholson-Smith | at
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.
By Tim Dierkes | at
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.
By Tim Dierkes | at
According to Marc Topkin, the Rays avoided arbitration with outfielder Gabe Gross by signing him to a one-year deal worth $1.255MM.
By Tim Dierkes | at
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.
By Tim Dierkes | at
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.
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