Mar 31
Gary Sheffield, who was released earlier today by the Detroit Tigers, told Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press (via MLB Trade Rumors), that his first choice would be to join the Tampa Bay Rays.
Once he clears waivers, Sheffield will be able to sign with another team. He said he’d give preference to the Tampa Bay Rays, who play close to his home.
If the Rays had not been able to sign Pat Burrell, this off-season, picking up Sheffield might be a no-brainer. As it stands now, the Rays just don’t have any room for Sheffield unless the team were suddenly find a way to move Gabe Gross, release Gabe Kapler and deem Matt Joyce not read to play at all in 2009. That, and take a significant step backwards defensively, which goes against just about everything the Rays have tried to accomplish in the last few years.
Tigers Release Gary Sheffield [MLB Trade Rumors]
Tigers release DH Gary Sheffield [Detroit Free Press]
Tigers release Gary Sheffield [Detroit News]
Mar 31
[UPDATE: 11:00am] Ken Rosenthal says the Rays are in a “position of strenth,” noting that the Rays could choose to cut Lance Cormier and keep both Niemann and Hammel. Rosenthal is reporting that six teams, including the two listed below, have shown interest in either Niemann or Hammel or both.
The Rays would like to move right-hander Jason Hammel or Jeff Niemann, both of whom are out of options. But the team could keep both pitchers and cut right-hander Lance Cormier if it does not receive an attractive trade offer…A number of clubs have shown interest in Hammel and/or Niemann, including the Rangers, Nationals and Indians; published reports indicate that the Padres, Pirates and Rockies also are in the mix, and the Brewers are yet another possibility.
[10:45am] 
Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that the Padres have inquired with the Rays about Jeff Niemann, but so far the asking price has been too high. Read the rest of this entry »
Mar 31
Recently we wondered aloud if Wade Davis might actually be closer to being ready for the majors than David Price. Buster Olney spoke with one AL official who makes it sound as if Davis is ready for the big leagues right now.
Wade Davis of the Rays was the most impressive young minor leaguer I saw this spring. He throws 95 mph, and one of the days I saw him, he was unhittable. And right now, all of the Rays’ young players look pretty good.”
At this point Davis has more experience, is more polished and will be able to throw more innings in 2009. Obviously a lot can change if Price establishes better command of his fastball in the next month or two, but we still feel Davis will get the first call when and if the Rays make a change to the rotation.
Is Wade Davis Closer To The Majors Than David Price? [Rays Index]
Mar 31
Time to bring back the GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
THE GOOD: Matt Garza. The Garza Complex rebounded from his dead arm issues to throw 6 strong innings, giving up 3 runs, striking out 5 and walking only 1…Troy Percival. Another day, another perfect inning from Percy…Carlos Pena. Pena hit his first home run of the spring and finished 2-3.
THE BAD: Ben Zobrist. Zorilla can occasionally be feast-or-famine. Yesterday it was all famine as he went 0-4 with 3 Ks.
THE TELLING: For the first time this spring, most of the regulars worked the entire game as Joe Maddon moves to get everybody into game shape…Akinori Iwamura continues to lead off since his return from Japan. When BJ Upton returns, we expect Aki to drop to the bottom of the order, but to start the season, he will lead off.
The GBT’s for the rest of the weekend games can be found below the Webtopia, after the jump.
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- This should come as no surprise, but Joe Maddon reiterated that he will not skip the fifth starter early in the season. With the number of off-days in April, some managers choose to skip their fifth starter occasionally to keep the rest of the staff on normal rest, something Maddon has never done. In year’s past he has always made it clear that does not like skipping starters and prefers to give the rotation an extra day of rest. [MLB]
- John Romano takes a look at the four pitchers (Jeff Niemann, Jason Hammel, Jason Isringhausen, Lance Cormier) vying for the final two spots of the pitching staff. Romano feels it will be Niemann and Cormier that win the jobs, meaning Hammel has to be traded and Izzy either has to be patient in the minors or be released. [St. Pete Times]
- Jeff Niemann pitched well in a minor league game, throwing 6 shutout innings, striking out 6 and walking none. He only needed 68 pitches. [The Heater]
- Joe Maddon called the competition for the final spot “damn close.” Also, Matt Garza said his arm felt “live again” in his latest outing. [St. Pete Times]
- Jason Hammel says that the competition for the final rotation spot won’t strain the friendship between him and Jeff Niemann, noting that they “will always love each other.” [Montgomery Advertiser]
- Stuart Sternberg does not see the payroll remaining in the $60 million range next season stating that the team “borrowed from the next couple years,” to get it that high this season. He also notes that the Red Sox comeback in the ALCS, forcing games 6 and 7 at the Trop increased revenue significantly and that “there’s probably a middle reliever or two that wouldn’t be here, or we’d have a different bat.” [St. Pete Times]
- In another unsurprising move, the Rays have released Morgan Ensberg who now goes the way of Hee Seop Choi, and Roberto Alomar as big-named signees that never played a regular season game with the Rays. And let’s not forget Shinji Mori. The Rays gave that tool a lot of money. [MLB]
- In an effort to find more playing time for Willy Aybar, Joe Maddon had Pat Burrell take reps at first base and indicated he will play there during the season. Burrell played 58 games at first as a rookie in 2000, but hasn’t appeared there since. [The Heater]
- Joe Maddon spoke highly of Matt Joyce’s potential, saying he sees him as a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future, but that he would hit 6th or 7th now. Maddon said, “But, I mean, this guy has some kind of potential with the bat.” [Tampa Tribune]
- We now know that the opening day pitching matchup will be James Shields against Josh Beckett. [Providence Journal]
- Rocco Baldelli still hasn’t played back-to-back days but so far he has done everything that has been asked of him. [Boston Herald]
- Around the Majors takes a look back at the Delmon Young-Matt Garza/Jason Bartlett trade. [Around the Majors]
- #129 on the list of “The Top 177 Devil Rays Ever.”…For the first time, we don’t have a clue. [Bugs and Cranks]
- Jeff Ridgway, the left-handed pitcher the Rays traded for Willy Aybar, has been released by the Braves. [Biscuit Crumbs] Read the rest of this entry »
