Two years ago on Rays Index we were very critical of the local newspapers for the way in which they handled a few quotes from BJ Upton, Delmon Young and Elijah Dukes in a national publication.
The Irresponsible Reporting Of The Tampa Tribune And The St. Pete Times [Rays Index]
David Price once almost quit baseball in college to go work at a McDonalds. Seriously…You can’t make this shit up. That is just part of the story in the upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated about Price and being a black baseball player in this day and age.
IN JANUARY 2005, during his freshman year at Vanderbilt, David Price decided to drop out of school, quit baseball and work at McDonald’s. He picked his preferred location, near his home in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He told his father, Bonnie, about his plan. Then he informed Vandy coach Tim Corbin of his intention in a tearful meeting in the Commodores’ locker room. Sure, Price was a 6’6″ lefthanded pitcher who could throw upward of 90 miles per hour and seven months earlier had been drafted in the 19th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. But he had also just been shelled in a preseason intrasquad game, clearly a call to the Golden Arches. “It was definitely kind of out there,” Corbin recalls, “but I couldn’t laugh because he was so serious.”
The issue about so few African-Americans in baseball always seems very foreign to us. For one, the Rays are one of the top teams when it comes to African-Americans on the roster. And for us personally, we were a childhood friend of Bruce Thompson, whom some of you may be familiar. Bruce was the most talented high school player we ever saw. He was the Carl Crawford of Florida high school baseball.
Damn it! We really got our hopes up about Jason Bay…Arrgggggg.
Young, Gifted And Black [SI.com]
Today is the non-waiver trading deadline in baseball and this post will be dedicated to all the rumors and moves as they happen throughout the day. So keep checking back from time-to-time. We will keep this going until a little after the 4pm deadline...
[5:17] The Pirates are getting Craig Hansen, Brandon Moss, Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris. You can’t blame the Pirates or the Rays here. That is a much bigger package than what the Rays were offering even if you believe the rumors that Reid Brignac was included. The only way the Rays may have possibly trumped this deal is if they included Wade Davis and that is just too big a price for 1.3 years of Jason Bay.
In the end, the Red Sox are a weaker team with Bay than with Ramirez, so this deal still helps the Rays.
[4:37] No Bay for the Rays. Jon Heyman is saying that Jason Bay has been traded to the Red Sox. The deal is a 3-team deal with Manny Ramirez going to the Dodgers.
[4:10] And 10 minutes later Ken Rosenthal says the 3-team deal is dead…again. Does this reopen the door for the Rays? Do the Rays really think they can get Bay for just Niemann?
[3:59] This is crazy. Now Ken Rosenthal is saying that the 3-team deal is back on the table…Sounds like the Pirates are trying to pressure the Rays into adding Brignac. Can’t imagine the 3-team deal can be completed in such short time period.
[3:49] Now we have a report that the deal is not done and it may be because the Rays have not OK’d Brignac in the deal…Might the Rays be holding out for Grabow?
[3:45] Jayson Stark is now saying that both teams are denying the deal is done. Our guess is that the Pirates finally chose the Rays over other suitors. They accepted Niemann and Brignac BUT the two teams may still be discussing what the other lesser pieces will be. If that is the case, the deal will get announced, as there is no chance either team will walk away bickering over a low-A pitcher or two.
[3:39] We have a second source saying the deal is done…Also, we are assuming that unless another trade is made, Gomes is going to be demoted to make room for Bay.
[3:16] FINALLY! The Deal is done. The Rays have traded Jeff Niemann and Reid Brignac to the Pirates for Jason Bay. No word on the exact details. (Hat tip to MLBTradeRumors)…Now the question is: Are the Rays done? Will they be able to grab a relief pitcher in the last 40 minutes before the deadline? We are of the feeling that the Rays do not need a relief pitcher. There is plenty of insurance in Durham (Salas, Talbot, Thayer, etc.)
[3:11] Jayson Stark says (on ESPN) Bay-to-Tampa Bay is still alive as both teams are still talking…Our question is: Is Grabow coming back to the Rays also? Nobody is saying that, but the Rays want a relief pitcher also and Grabow was to be included in the 3-way deal earlier. It would not surprise us if the Pirates are dangling Grabow as a piece to try and entice the Rays to change their insistance on not including Davis in any deal.
[2:39] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is saying that everything looks status quo right now. The Rays are offering Niemann and Brignac. The Pirates want Brignac and Davis. Right now, it looks like this will go right down to the wire with the Pirates having to choose between the Rays offer and not trading Bay.
[2:10] Jayson Stark just reported on ESPN that the Pirates are now talking to the Rays again about Bay. Stark says the Rays are offering a package built around Niemann and Brignac. Peter Gammons says that Niemann will not get the deal done and the Pirates are still demanding Wade Davis…If the Pirates are insisting on Davis, the deal won’t get done. Might the Rays be able to sway the Buccos by adding Mitch Talbot? [HERE is a link]
[2:00] Ken Rosenthal is saying the 3-way deal dead “for now”. Rosenthal thinks this will give life to the Bay-to-Tampa Bay deal. Rosenthal is still reporting that the hold-up for the 3-way deal is what the Pirates are receiving and makes no mention of the money going to the Marlins.
[1:30] Now the Pittsbugh Post-Gazette is saying that the Pirates have agreed to the prospects in a 3-way deal to send Bay to Boston. Looks like that deal might finally happen. Now the hold-up might be the amount of money the Red Sox send to the Marlins. The Sox are already paying the remainder of Manny’s contract for ’08 (~$7MM), but the Marlins want $9MM. [Ed. note: It looks like all of these rumors are killing the Post-Gazette's website]
[12:55] Peter Gammons is saying the Bay-to-Boston 3-way deal is “close to dead.”…While Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the deal is “closer to completion.” You have to love these deadline deal rumors. Here we have two of the best and they are saying the exact-opposite of each other…Meanwhile, Jayson Stark is saying the Rays are “unlikely to make any trades.” He is saying the Rays have backed-off of Dunn and apparently they have been told by the Pirates that Bay is going elsewhere…Truth be known, this does not bother us. But if the Red Sox deal dies, where is Bay going?
[12:24] Jonny Gomes on the move? We have a minor note here (via MLBTradeRumors). The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that the Rays may be after Craig Monroe of the Twins. The feeling is Monroe would provide the Rays with a right-handed bat off the bench…Might Monroe be in the cards should the Rays acquire Dunn (left-handed bat) instead of Bay (right-handed bat)? This also might mean that Gomes would be included in another deal as Monroe is essentially a poor-man’s Gomes with a little better glove. We can’t imagine the Rays have room on the bench for both…Monroe is a free agent at the end of the year and is hitting .2028-29 with a .274 OBP in 58 games.
[11:50] The Boston Globe is reporting that the 3-way deal for Manny and Bay is close, but there is still one major hurdle that needs to be overcome and the deal could still fall apart. Apparently the Pirates want at least one more prospect and nobody is sure if they deserve one or if it should come from Boston or Florida.
[11:35] Jon Heyman says that the Reds would want Hellickson and Niemann for Dunn. Is 2 months of Dunn, a mid-first-round pick and a sandwhich pick between the first and second round worth the price of Niemann and Hellboy? HAHAHAHAHA. Um, no.
[10:50] The Marlins have now acquired lefty relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes from Seattle. Could this mean that the Marlins are no longer interested in Grabow from the Pirates? If so, that throws another wrench in the Bay-to-Boston deal.
[10:45] Earlier we said that the Pirates had 3 options, with one being to keep Bay. Dejan Kovacevic is now saying that the Pirates are open to moving Bay to either Boston or Tampa Bay. Jayson Stark is saying that a Manny-to-Miami deal is now “50-50″. The deal could fall through if the Marlins are not willing to part with prospect Mike Stanton. Also Stark says that reliever Grabow would go to Miami, not Boston.
[10:35] Another “plan B” for the outfield could be the Phillies Jayson Werth. One Rays scout told ESPN Radio that he is scouting Werth. Werth is a right-handed hitting outfielder that is hitting .272-14-40. Werth is arbitration-eligible after the season and is set to be a free agent following the ’09 season.
[10:24] The relievers that the Rays may be targeting include Wil Ohman a lefty from the Braves and John Grabow of the Pirates, who could be part of the Bay deal. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Rays are one of 5 teams that have talked to the Braves about Ohman. Of those teams, the Sox would get Grabow in the Bay deal and the Tigers just landed Kyle Farnsworth, leaving just 3 teams that may be interested, including the Rays. The Newark Star-Ledger notes that the Rays are one of 4 teams to talk to the Mets about Scott Schoeneweis, another lefty.
[10:18] Peter Gammons is reporting that the Pirates are “not satisfied with the players they were receiving in exchange for sending Jason Bay to Boston.” This opens the door to the possibility once again of the Rays obtaining Bay. Obviously, in a dream world, the Rays get Bay and Boston trades Manny away without receiving a bat in return, but that is not likely to happen.
[10:08] With the Red Sox still trying to move Manny Ramirez, the big rumor is that Manny is headed to the Marlins in a 3-way deal that would send Jason Bay to the Red Sox. The Rays are said to have an offer on the table for Bay, and are waiting for the Red Sox deal to either go through or fall apart.
Jayson Stark is reporting that if Bay does go to Boston, it now appears as though the Rays may consider Adam Dunn their backup plan. Stark notes that the Rays and Reds had conversations yesterday but nothing of substance. Dunn is intriguing in that he is a left-handed bat. Dunn is also a free agent at the end of the year.
As we stated last night, the Rays are now just waiting for the Pirates to either accept the Red Sox-Marlins offer, accept the Rays offer or decide not to trade Bay. It is believed that the Rays are not offering any of their top prospects with the Pirates asking for Jeremy Hellickson and or Reid Brignac. The Ray are likely offering a package revolved around Jeff Niemann.
THE BAD: BJ Upton. We have been hesitant to bash Upton and his lackadaisical play at times. We are of the belief that it is easy for a very athletic person to look like they are giving less than 100% just as it always seems like people that are not very gifted athletically are giving their all because their movements are less “natural” and look more labored. Well, Upton gave the naysayers some ammunition yesterday almost turning a routine flyball into a double or triple. In the bottom of the 3rd, Upton nonchalantly went straight back on a flyball. As he drifted to the wall, Upton acted as if this was a very routine play. At the very last moment, Upton had to stretch and reach for the ball as it almost went over his head. He barely avoided giving the batter at least 2 bases.
THE TELLING: The Red Sox lost again last night and for the second time since the All-Star break, they have been swept by the Angels.
DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…
Buffalo 8, Durham 5. Wade Davis pitched 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks and 2 hit batters. He struck out 6. He gave up a 2-out home run in the first, after which he loaded the bases with 2 walks and a hit batter before getting the 3rd out. In the 2nd he gave up a leadoff home run. This time he reacted better, striking out the next 2 batters. In the 4th, he gave up a leadoff double and one out later the runner scored on a single. Davis did not have a 1-2-3 inning…Ben Zobrist was 3-4 with a home run and 2 RBI…Dan Johnson finished with 2 singles and a double in 5 at bats…Joel Guzman was 0-4 with a strike out and Reid Brignac hit his 26th double and 9th home run in 4 at bats. He also struck out twice.
Montgomery 3, Huntsville 2. Gaby Martinez broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the 9th with a leadoff home run. It was his first hit of the game after striking out his previous 3 at bats…Jino Gonzalez allowed only 2 hits over 5 innings, but 1 was a solo home run for the only run he would give up. He struck out 4 and walked 3…Rocco Baldelli DH’d again and went 0-3 with a walk…Rashad Eldridge went 2-4 with a double and his 16th stolen base…Chris Nowak added his 14th home run and finished 2-4 with 2 RBI.
Jupiter 6, Vero Beach 4. Wilton Noel dropped to 1-5 after giving up 6 runs (4 earned) in 6 innings…Matt Fields went 3-4 with a double. He has 7 hits, including a home run in the last 3 games…Ryan Royster was 1-4 with a double and an RBI.
Augusta 7, Columbus 4. Jesse Darcy started and allowed 5 runs in 5 innings. He struck out 6 and walked none, but did get touched for 3 home runs among the 7 hits allowed…Reid Fronk was 3-5 with a double and Chase Fontaine drove in 2 with a triple in 4 at bats.
Tri-City 5, Hudson Valley 4 (13).
Johnson City 14, Princeton 11. Tim Beckham did not play for the 3rd straight game.
NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…
[Update 8:40pm] Jayson Stark is reporting that the Rays and Pirates had “very little dialogue” today. This is not surprising and supports the notion that the Rays have made their “final” offer and the Pirates are shopping for better deals. Stark mentions that the Pirates may seek a better deal from the Red Sox who may target Bay if they trade Manny Ramirez…The stare-down continues.
Up until now, we have shied away from most of the trade rumors surrounding the Rays, because most have just been writers telling us what the Rays should or should not do. But for the first time, we are hearing rumors involving the Rays and these rumors seem to have teeth.
If reports are correct, the Rays are having serious conversations with the Pirates about acquiring Jason Bay, who is signed through ’09 and is set to make $7.5 million next season.
The Pirates and Tampa Bay continue to discuss Jason Bay, a process that became deep yesterday, and two prospect names known to be in the mix on the Rays’ end are shortstop Reid Brignac and pitcher Jeremy Hellickson...To be clear, although these names have come up, that does not mean they could be lumped together. Brignac was ranked No. 3 in the rich Tampa system by Baseball America, Hellickson No. 8, and early indications have been that Bay will reap no bounty of prospects.
One can read between those lines and it seems pretty clear the Pirates want Jeremy Hellickson or Reid Brignac. However, most people in the know are saying Hellboy and Brignac are untouchables. We agree the Rays won’t even discuss David Price and Wade Davis, but we have a feeling Hellickson or Brignac could be had in the right deal.
Later in the same piece, Dejan Kovacevic updated the article with this item…
An American League team source just called from Toronto (where the Rays are playing): Says Brignac and pitcher Jeff Niemann are the names coming up most often.
In other words, the Rays are sticking to their guns and insisting the Pirates take Jeff Niemann over one of the top prospects.
Jon Heyman has one source saying the chances of a deal are “50-50″. He also indicates that the Rays offer is the best available, even though Kovacevic says that the Rays have not offered an elite prospect.
No truly elite prospect is being offered for Bay, and no bounty — say, four of a team’s top 10 prospects — is expected, either, as some teams have expressed concern that Bay’s 2008 revival is not far enough removed from his disappointing 2007. That has not stopped management from entertaining offers, though, and doing so seriously…The chance that Bay will stay with the Pirates, the source said, still is better than 50-50.
Right now we have a good old fashioned trade deadline stare-down. Everything we have ever seen from this new Rays’ front office suggests that they will not be the one to blink first. That means no Hellickson. no Brignac.
So now, it seems that the only question is whether another team steps-up and trumps the Rays offer of Niemann (and?) or if the Pirates decide not to trade Bay.
Pirates, Rays, Cardinals discussing Bay [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
Five players that could be dealt by deadline [ESPN]
Trade Report Blog [SI.com]
Pirates Notebook [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
The Rays Confidence Graph will appear every Wednesday and is a look at how much confidence Rays fans have in the Tampa Bay Rays. The graph is designed to give us a look at how our emotional bias as Rays fans fluctuates through time. The “confidence” in the team is an inexact measure of how fans feel about the team’s current strength as well as how much confidence fans have in the franchise for the next 3-4 years. Notes on this weeks agida-level can be found after the graph..
Notes on the RI Confidence Graph…
Two years ago on Rays Index, we relayed a story about BJ Upton in which he apparently was more concerned about his “walk-up” music during a triple-A game, and decided to call the pressbox to relay his “frustration”.
Those Crazy Kids Just Can’t Keep Their Mouths Shut [Rays Index]
THE BAD: Somebody missed a sign in the 5th. With Dioner Navarro on first with no outs, Eric Hinske took a called third strike with Navi on the move with the pitch. Navarro was thrown out stealing to kill a potential rally.
THE TELLING: With the Angels running away with the West, it is looking more and more like 5 teams remain in contention for the final 3 playoff spots, with the Rays, Red Sox and Yankees in the East and the White Sox holding a half-game lead in the Central over the Twins. The Twins are 1 game behind the Red Sox in the Wild Card. No other teams are within 5 games of a playoff spot in the AL (division or wild card). Detroit is an outside possibility, 5.5 back in the Central, but the Rays could add a nail to their coffin this weekend at the Trop.
DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…
“I am [surprised at the Angels making a big deal],” Maddon said. “They’ve never been one to part with youth. And so this is a bit of a radical departure from the past. While I was with the Angels there were no real significant acquisitions. No real names like a Teixeira. We got Alex Ochoa one year. We got Jimmy Abbott one year, though he was kind of on the back side of things. So we never really got that. As much as they hate to see Casey go, they know it’s going to augment them.”
Buffalo 8, Durham 7. Jeff Niemann didn’t do the Rays any favors in his last start prior to the trade deadline. In 4.2 innings, he gave up 5 runs on 5 hits and walked another 6 batters with only 3 strike outs. Niemann dropped to 7-5 with a 3.53 ERA…Justin Ruggiano was 3-4 with 2 doubles and a solo home run. He had 2 RBI…Fernando Perez went 1-3 with 2 walks and his 34th stolen base…Reid Brignac added a double and a home run in 5 at bats, driving in 3. It was his 25th double and 8th home run.
Montgomery 2, Huntsville 1 (gm 1; 
. Jeremy Hellickson was dominant, but did not get the win. He struck out 9 in 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits and a walk. After giving up a solo home run and a single in the 2nd, Hellboy retired the next 12 in a row, with 7 Ks before giving up a single in the 6th….Chris Nowak was 2-4 with a solo home run in the top of the 8th inning…Rocco Baldelli DH’d, going 1-4 with a double.
Montgomery 4, Huntsville 2 (gm 2). Stephen Andrade filled in as a spot-starter in the nightcap and threw 3 scoreless innings…Eddie Morlan gave up 2 runs in 2 innings of relief…Rashad Eldridge went 2-4 with a double and is hitting .297 with a .395 OBP.
Vero Beach 6, Jupiter 3. Ryan Morse gave up 3 runs (1 earned) in 5 innings…Cesar Suarez broke a 3-3 tie in the 9th with a sac fly, and Matt Fields followed with a 3-run home run.
Columbus 6, Augusta 4. Jeremy Hall struck out 5 in 6.1 innings, and gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and no walks…Greg Sexton was 1-5 with a 3-run home run…Stephen Vogt added 3 hits in 4 at bats with a walk and an RBI.
Princeton (off-day)
NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM…
Maddon said Baldelli wouldn’t need to move up first to Triple-A Durham. “He would come here whenever that moment is” and get readjusted to major-league pitching, Maddon said.
