Dec 02
According to Danny Knobler of CBS Sportline, a baseball official says the Rays talked to the Twins about reacquiring Delmon Young.
…the Rays have also discussed trying to reacquire Delmon Young, the outfielder who they traded to the Twins last winter to get Bartlett and Matt Garza…It doesn’t appear that the Young talks got very far, and neither did Tampa Bay’s efforts to acquire Denard Span, another Twins outfielder.
It makes sense that the Rays would inquire about Young, as the Twins have an abundance of outfielders and have been rumored to be willing to move Young. However, a deal with the Rays seems unlikely as it would be an indictment of Twins’ general manager Bill Smith. Trading Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett for Young was Smith’s first major move as GM.
Knobler also notes that the Rays may be willing to include Bartlett in a deal this winter. This does not come as a surprise as Bartlett is arbitration-eligible for the first time and is in line for a large bump in salary. With Reid Brignac waiting in the wings, the Rays have a player who was voted the top defensive shortstop in the International League in 2008 and offers a higher upside than Bartlett with the bat at a much lower cost.
And if Brignac is not ready to handle an everyday job in the big leagues, the Rays could conceivably move rookie of the year Evan Longoria to shortstop and start Willy Aybar at third base. This last scenario offers the Rays a vast improvement offensively with only a slight downgrade defensively.
[CBS Sportsline]
Nov 07
Scottsdale 1, Phoenix 0.
Reid Brignac went 0-4 and is now 12-84 (.143), and he is 1 for his last 31. Evan Meek pitched 2 perfect innings to pick up the win.
DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…
- The “Cork Board” on the right side of the page has been updated to reflect minor league free agency.
- Andrew Friedman met with Twins GM Bill Smith yesterday at the GM meetings in Orlando. The Twins have young pitching and are in search of a young slugger. When asked if Delmon Young was discussed, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune was told they were “on the right track”. [Star-Tribune]
- Somebody with the Rays (Andrew Friedman?) met with somebody from the Mets (Omar Minaya?) yesterday at the GM meetings in Orlando. [New York Post]
- Andrew Friedman reiterated what should already be known by all…the Rays do not have anybody on their roster that is untouchable. What good does it do a franchise to say somebody is “untouchable”? If the Yankees offered Phillip Hughes and Joba Chamberlain for Scott Kazmir or the Giants offered Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, would the Rays say ‘no’ just because Kid K was untouchable? Not likely. [tampabay.com]
“We’re not good enough as of (today) to say that anyone is untouchable,” Friedman said. “Obviously, there are players that we’re much less likely to talk about, and it would be much harder for us to deal. That being said, we have to listen to anything and everything. And if there is a team that wants Player X and is offering, in our opinion, a good deal more than Player X, we can’t be afraid to pull the trigger.”
- He doesn’t even have a roster spot yet, but The Sporting News is darn near guaranteeing that Evan Longoria will win AL Rookie of the Year. [The Sporting News]
- Major League Baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays are open to the idea of an April series in Orlando at the oxymoronically named “Champion Field” with the Rays. [tampabay.com]
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