Adding a credible voice to what we at Raysbaseball.co believe about the prospects of both 2011 DH Johnny Damon, and first baseman Casey Kotchman returning for the 2012 season, Rays beat writer, Marc Topkin, had this to say in a Heater (the Times Rays blog) piece today, Friedman maintained his off-season long position that both [...]
Archive for the ‘Hot-Stove’ Category
Hot-Stove: Topkin on the Return of Both Kotchman and Damon
Posted: January 7, 2012 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, Tampa Bay Rays0
Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs, Off of the Market and the Rays Radar
Posted: January 6, 2012 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, UncategorizedIt was just announced that Anthony Rizzo, the recently displaced (by Yonder Alonso) Padres first baseman, has been acquired by the Cubs for RHP Andrew Cashner, and outfielder Kyung-Min Na. Josh Byrnes, the Padres GM was quoted as saying, “The acquisition of Yonder Alonso provided us the flexibility to make this trade and acquire a quality, young power arm in Andrew [...]
Hot-Stove: The Rays and Fernando Rodney, an Update
Posted: January 4, 2012 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, Tampa Bay Rays2:55 PM: The finalized terms of the Fernando Rodney, 34, contract have been released. Rodney will reportedly make $1.75 MM in 2012, with a $2.5 MM option in 2013. There is also $25o K buyout in his contract. My first thought? I’m not a huge fan of one year contracts, especially with players who, as one Angels [...]
Alright folks, it’s a new year, and along with all of the excitement that a new year brings, so too does it bring the excitement of the promise of a new baseball season. As of today, we’re only a mere 50 days away from the unofficial start of Spring Training: when the pitchers and catchers [...]
Hot-Stove: Randomness and Other Unfocused Thoughts
Posted: December 27, 2011 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, Tampa Bay RaysNow that the excitement surrounding the Winter Meetings has faded away, we Rays fans find ourselves in a very familiar, yet rather irritating, place. That place? The annoying one between the Winter Meetings, and when Andrew Friedman seems to come alive, prior to the reporting of pitchers and catchers. We’ve seen it before, and we [...]
Hot-Stove: Rays Payroll, Kotchman
Posted: December 22, 2011 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, Tampa Bay Rays, UncategorizedIt’s been mentioned on a few occasions now, that the Rays will be raising their payroll from $42 MM, to somewhere in the range of $50-$55 MM, at least for the next couple of seasons. Interestingly enough, in a tweet from DRaysbay Andrew Friedman has suggested that the Rays “do not work on a hard [...]
Hot-Stove: Rays Avoid Arbitration with Joel Peralta
Posted: December 20, 2011 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, Tampa Bay RaysThe Rays agreed to on a one-year deal with reliever Joel Peralta, avoiding arbitration. Peralta made $925,000 while having a strong first season with the Rays in 2011, posting a 2.93 ERA in 67 2/3 of work in 71 games, with an 8.1 strikeout per nine innings ratio, a 2.4 walks per nine innings ratio, [...]
Hot-Stove: One Outta Two Ain’t Bad & Shoppach (Updated)
Posted: December 13, 2011 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, Tampa Bay RaysAccording to a tweet from Tampa Bay Rays beat writer, Marc Topkin, the Rays have non-tendered Andy Sonnanstine’s contract. Conversely, Tampa Bay has tendered the contracts of their newest acquisition, RHP Burke Badenhop, as well as JP Howell (D’oh), Jeff Niemann, Joel Peralta, David Price, and BJ Upton. All of the above are arbitration eligible. [...]
Hot-Stove: Rays Lock Up Matt Moore
Posted: December 9, 2011 by Schmitty in Hot-Stove, Tampa Bay RaysThe Rays just locked up former uber-prospect and current rookie sensation, Matt Moore, to a five year, $14 million deal. Reminiscent of the 2008 deal with Evan Longoria, Moore’s deal is precedent setting because it is the first deal of its kind for a pitcher with less than a years service time, and tops any [...]
Both Carlos Pena, who turned down arbitration today, and Casey Kotchman are currently on the market. The Rays have mentioned that they’d prefer to have a lefty at first. Who will they sign? Any thoughts?
