Brignac In, Blalock Out
Hank Blalock, Reid Brignac, Sean Rodriguez April 2nd. 2010, 4:05pm[Update] Roger Mooney reports that Blalock is now willing to accept a demotion to Durham if he is unable to find another big league job. Also, Joe Maddon says Reid Brignac will indeed start at 2B versus right-handed pitchers on most days.
[Update] Blalock has until Sunday morning to decide if he will opt-out of his contract or accept an assignment to triple-A.
[1:51pm] As we speculated yesterday, Reid Brignac has won the battle for the final roster spot according to Marc Topkin. That leaves Hank Blalock off the 25-man roster. He will have to decide whether to accept a minor league assignment or exercise his opt-out clause and become a free agent.
Now the question becomes: will Brignac platoon with Zobrist at second base or will Sean Rodriguez receive the other starts? Our money is on Brignac.
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Good decision!
For now I’m hoping for a Briggy/Rodriguez platoon with Zobrist the everyday RF, then a Rod/Zo/Joyce platoon when everybody’s healthy.
I hope this doesn’t haunt them. I thought Blalock would win since he can produce bench power but Brignac deserved it.
I understand the argument for both, but I think the Rays made the right move.
Just keep Joyce on the DL. That’s all he’s good for. Maybe we can ship him and Burrell off to useless island together. Where they can live and frolic in the grass
Brignac deserves the roster spot, I just hope the Rays can hold on to Blalock. I’d like to see Rodzilla at 2B, Zobrist in RF, and The Ragin Cajun as the super duper ultimate utility guy…
Joyce has done nothing to deserve a roster spot on a major league team. He’s Ruggiano/ Elliot Johnson V2.
The right move if winning is desired, I am very happy and hope Reid keeps the spring magic going. Hank did not look great from what I saw, Reid looked much improved with the bat and his glove is great. Joyce hit a homer last year that helped the Rays win the 1st series of the season at Fenway. Not sure what all the hate for him is about. He and Justin are very good players, I wish they would have kept Justin up and just released Pat. Anyway, I hope Reid is the 2nd baseman most days and Sean fills the utility role. Sean’s 2nd base defense worries me for everyday. Pumped up for the start and wish the Mets/Rays game was on tv since I live in Brooklyn and cannot go. I have been wearing my Rays inaugural season shirt and other gear and getting the usual double looks. Ready to go.
the hate is because other than a couple home runs the kid batted in the .100s other than that & we gave up a good pitcher for a kid that whines everytime something doesn’t feel exactly right. Longoria played in 157 out of 162 games last year with a strained hamstring & this kid has “sore ankle” “sore leg” “sore elbow” with no injurys on his MRIs. Rodriguez deserves this spot & can be our next Zorilla, y keep him on the bench for someone who obviously loves sitting on it?
I’m confused. Rodriguez was raking all spring. Guaranteed his spot on the team pretty much throughout the spring. Brignac is the last guy on the team and he’s getting the majority of the AB’s in the platoon? So what exactly was the point of the so called competition? It appears to me that Rodriguez didn’t actually stand a chance at winning anything other than a warm spot on the bench.
It’s really a shame that Blalock’s career seems to be on the decline at only 29, but I like that the Rays are continuing to develop their youth. Rodriguez and Brignac are going to contribute big this year
Good step in right direction…..
Just think of…. Zobrist at 1st, Brignac at 2nd, Rodz in RF….and Willie Aybar at DH….NOBODY beats them…Yankees/Red Soxs..NOBODY!