As a team with neither a proven closer nor much money on its books, the Rays theoretically make sense for free agent Craig Kimbrel, the premier reliever on the open market. Reigning American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell agrees, having lobbied the Rays to sign Kimbrel, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. However, officials from the low-budget Rays “have seemed adamant” that they’re not planning to pursue Kimbrel, Topkin writes. On whether Kimbrel would be worth it for Tampa Bay, Snell said: “I think so; I don’t know what they’re thinking. I’m pushing money. I want us to push as much as we’re able to. As much as we can get rid of, let’s go dump it into his hands.’’ Despite Snell’s hope that the Rays will splurge on Kimbrel, Topkin is careful to point out that the left-hander likes the team’s roster as is. Moreover, Snell’s not going to complain if the Rays don’t sign Kimbrel, Topkin adds.
Here’s more on Tampa Bay and one of its division rivals:
- Rays third baseman Matt Duffy is dealing with left hamstring tightness, though the club’s not “overly” concerned, according to manager Kevin Cash (via Topkin and Eduardo A. Encina). However, given that it has been an ongoing issue for Duffy this spring, it’s cause for wariness, Topkin and Encina observe. Duffy, 28, was one of the Rays’ most valuable position players in 2018, when he hit .294/.361/.366 and accounted for 2.4 fWAR over 560 plate appearances.
- Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia will “most likely” make his spring debut next weekend if he gets through his workout unscathed this Monday, manager Alex Cora said Saturday (via Christopher Smith of MassLive.com). The workout will include “everything. Ground balls, hit, run, everything,” Cora revealed. Although the Red Sox won their third championship of Pedroia’s career last season, their success came without the 35-year-old, who only appeared in three games as he battled left knee problems.
- With a reunion appearing unlikely between Kimbrel and the Red Sox, whose bullpen looks like their weakest area, pitching coach Dana LeVangie & Co. are searching for hidden gems from within, Jen McAffrey of The Athletic details (subscription required). Specifically, the Red Sox are hoping to stumble on the next Ryan Brasier, a minor league addition a year ago who went on to enjoy a breakout season at the age of 30. During its bullpen bargain hunting this past offseason, Boston acquired one reliever via trade and another 10 on minors deals, notes McAffrey, who goes on to break down all of the 20 relievers who are currently in camp with the club.
Do Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg still exist? Though guys were major trade acquisitions, they could be good for them if they have gotten healthy at all.
Those two guys are in the mix for Bullpen jobs. That’s about it.
still can’t believe they gave up travis shaw got thornburg
And I still can’t believe they brought back Smith this offseason either. Dude hasnt shown ability lately, has major attitude problems – injures himself throwing his glove and attacks the team and staff because of it?
I know we should hope he and the others show some major stuff this spring, but I can’t help but root against him and wish him off the team
Well at the time is was a good deal, Thornburg was coming off one of the best season of any RP and Shaw was just a 20hr 240avg guy which are a dime a dozen with so so Defense, and devers beating on the door. Also hindsight is 20/20. Now the deal looks awful I agree
Why? You can’t tell me that at the time that didn’t look like a great deal. A spare part in Shaw that came out hot at 3B but totally flopped after a hot start (hitting under .200) for a reliever who was top 5 in the NL that season.
A lot of trades end up poorly for one team over another but these hindsight hot takes are so boring.
Mejia has upside but what an ugly story. He’s had more than his share of chances and I for one am rooting for one of the other 19 signed to a minor league contract.
The rays can’t afford most players. If they are going to win, it generally will be because of organic growth or low key trades of players they can turn around. That’s just how it is down there
Ryan Brasier has 42.2 career innings pitched, only 33.2 coming last year – he has no proven track record. Relievers are unpredictable beasts and the Sox will regret disregarding their bullpen.
It does seem super risky to go into a season with the two back relievers leaving, and not even really making an effort to replace. Mejia?
Kimbrel wants big years and big money. I don’t think they should give it to him. He slipped last year he’s 30. Let’s find a closer who’s 25 up and coming. Not give big money to a 30 year old pitcher which seems to always be a mistake in Major League Baseball.
Joe Kelly? The guys era was North of four wasn’t it? You can’t count on him though he had a decent ending to the season. Good for him he got money in LA.
Kelly was horrible last summer until the playoffs n FA lurking after. He turned it up when it counted n deserved the ring, but he’ll! How many games did he mess up for the team? Maybe they would’ve won 118! In the reg season!
He actually lost favor and wasn’t used a ton after the break
I’m about 99% confident that the Sox will add someone around the trade deadline. If I were a Red Sox fan, I would not at all be concerned about their pen.
Cora is a very good manager, and I think he will be able to mix and match his way throughout the season enough to make up for their lack of big names in their pen.
Even still though, I’m sure Cora will express some concern moving towards the deadline, and I think Dombrowski will oblige him with an addition or two for their post-season and division title run.
Like every other season, there will be at least six to twelve quality bullpen arms available near the deadline, and I don’t see any reason why Boston wouldn’t be able to get a deal done..
Yes that’s exactly correct. In the meantime let’s find a guy who’s young and in the system who can be our Craig Kimbrel for the Braves 8 years ago.
We got a few guys in the system they are high on that could emerge. If it doesn’t happen trade deadline pick up two guys and we’re set. Piece of cake.
Ask any Tigers fan about the last time Dombrowski assembled an outstanding team with 3 eventual CyYoung winners and a bullpen full of retreads. Did not end well for us, either time. Beginning to look like his MO. Gut the farm system and go cheap on the bullpen
Early and often.
Kimbrel is on the wrong side of 30 for an athlete requesting an elite in their prime contract. He wasn’t exactly nails in the post season either, giving up 7 earned runs. If any team acquiesces and gives him a deal North of $80M, they are going to regret it. I read he was seeking a 6 year deal with over $100M guaranteed which is looney.
not to mention giving up some picks and international money
Thank you Johnny Superscout
You’re welcome!
If Snell is talking like this now, how long before he is demanding a trade to an organization that will surround him with proven talent? Yes they won a lot of games last year, but it seemed a lot more like smoke and mirrors than a quality long term winning team. I doubt they win 81 this year.
I would say the Rays, Sox, and yanks all benefitted a solid 10 extra wins based on the condition of the Os last season. Add a few more on top of that courtesy of the bluejays.
You take all that into account, sox were a near 100-win team, yanks around 90, Rays about .500 level… and really, that sounds about right.
The Rays were 9-9 against the Os, White sox won a lot of games as well. But we beat and swept boston last year!
Go ahead Blake, spend other people’s money and dis your relievers…..
Have you heard him talk? He’s not the brightest player and only has a high school education. Education doesn’t always demonstrate intelligence, but Snell isn’t fully operational upstairs.
Since when do baseball players or any professional athletes really need to be fully operational upstairs? No offense, but it’s not really a profession that requires you to be a Rhodes scholar. Just think back to high school and the intelligence of the average “jock.” These guys worked their whole lives to become the pinnacle of the physical world and well that means they didn’t spend as much time honing their mental skills. It’s the same reason that you don’t see hear about NASA scientists being former Olympians. Sure there are exceptions, but for the most part you can’t have it all.
Add college for that matter. Dexter Manley “graduated” supposedly with a 4y degree from OSU and could not read and write functionally. How much has really changed for pampered collegiate athletes?
That’s how you find relievers, in the bargain bin…..
I think there’s an MLB Groupon offer as well, with so many of them still free agents.
That is exactly correct jorge. Typically, teams find quality pen arms as cast-off starters from other teams, failed starters in their own system, or relievers that the team drafted and move quickly through the system..
Rarely, when a team spends big in their pen, does it work out how it should on paper. More often than not, those big bullpen signings end up not working out for the team, and they end up being a sunk cost. Just ask the Cardinals and Rockies about how their own big bullpen additions went..
Maybe you add an arm here and there through free agency, but the majority of your pen is going to made up of guys from within, failed former starters, and low-cost claims/signings that they pickup from other teams. A team gets that player in their system, makes a few changes based off their previous failures, and then that team ends up with a valuable arm that revitalizes his career for a couple seasons while putting up either average or slightly above average numbers..
Idk about the vast majority of other teams, but this is how the Braves have consistently built up their bullpens throughout the years, and they’ve ended up having countless success stories by making a ton of these claims/signings..
Even just last season, they were able to revitalize the careers of Jesse Biddle, Dan Winkler, Shane Carle, Sam Freeman, etc.
Come on Conner… Kimbrel to the Rays makes zero sense, why even try and spread that rumor?
Anything is possible. Nobody thought they’d sign Charlie Morton and they did so anyways, besides they have plenty of money to spend. They can afford Kimbrel.
Boston’s so far ahead of the crowd, they can afford to wait and see how the bullpen works out. I’m sure DD will make moves as needed.
The Rays have more regression candidates than can be counted; 80 wins is going to be tough. And while I’d agree Snell might not be the brightest tool in the shed, he’s right. They’ll enter 2019 with a lower payroll than they did last year, and really didn’t make the plunge needed to really get into the playoff party. I expect the regression will happen, and by July 31 Pham, Duffy (if he’s healthy), Morton (same) and KK (same) will be gone. It’s always dream of tomorow in Tampa, but tomorow never really comes.
The Sox could win 115, the Yanks 105. The gap in the AL East is HUGE.
While those players are still on the Rays they will win 90 or more, The Sox and Yanks always cringe when the Rays are their opposition. They might suprise us and be buying in late july deadline. Never assume with Rays management. Yanks 100 wins, Sox 90, Rays 92. Eovaldi to close games?
Duffy, Pham, KK, and Morton could be gone and they still be competitive. They’re window just opened and will be open for the next five years or so with Franco opens up for a few more around three from now.
A basic case of Rays-itis. And while Franco, Brujan et al work their way to Tampa, the Red Sox/Yanks will say “Oh, the Rays will be too good; guess we’ll go into tank mode”. Sure.
And by the time the Bowling Green crew (which I agree is exceptional) gets to the Trop, Snell will be replacing Kershaw in the Dodger rotation. And D-Rob will be a Cardinal.
There are no “windows”; that’s just PR. They had a shot this winter to build on 2018; Goldy (who they had more than enough prospect capital to get) would have changed the entire complexion of the team, and brought it to the next level.
But they REALLY don’t want to get there, do they……Any revenue they achieve by being competitive gets washed away by decreased Revenue Sharing…..that’s just paying a higher rent for the apartment you’re already living in….it’s why they REALLY don’t want a new stadium…..they make more money keeping things the way they are….
Until the next CBA, anyway.
Very accurate statement Tillman. Rays ownership is cheap and is in baseball to make as much money as possible. The days of having baseball ownership for a tax deduction from their gum or beer profits are over. Sadly, our Rays ownership is a leader in profiteering and handouts at any cost. However,They are the most intuitive team that gets more with less in all baseball! Next project, Is Yandy Diaz as good as Rays management think he is?
fully expected kimbrel to sign and allow the sox to match. why they’re relying on a proven failure technique of reliever by committee is beyond me. blown games left and right
How about a Swihart/ Nunez salary dump? Moreland trade with Chavis playing first? Sign Tony Sipp for a 1.5 million minor league deal. I wished DD signed Adam Warren for his current contract. Warren is solid + cheap. Time to get creative for a Swihart deal. I would prefer to dump No hit Sandy Leon to save money. Swihart to Kansas City for SS Nicky Lopez. Lopez is major level ready + he would a better backup than Lin or Nunez. Holt can not play SS as well.