No teams have formally inquired about trading for Andy Sonnanstine, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. However, the right-hander could become the topic of a few trade rumors before the season begins, given Tampa Bay's surplus of starting pitching.
Morosi tweets a few teams that could use another starting pitcher: the Diamondbacks, Mariners, Mets, Twins, Dodgers and Nationals. That list could easily double by Opening Day, with spring performances and injuries potentially raising depth concerns for a few more clubs.
The Rays shouldn't feel any pressure to deal Sonnanstine though. Even if there's no room for him in their rotation, their starting pitching depth is a luxury. As the FOX report suggests, the Rays could use Sonnanstine out of the bullpen as a long reliever, or even send him to Triple-A to start the year, since he has options remaining.
If you were running the Rays, what's your move here? Would you start shopping Sonnanstine, hoping to get some value in return? Or would you keep the right-hander around, providing insurance in case youngsters like Wade Davis and Jeremy Hellickson struggle?
This goes both ways. Given an injury to one of our pitchers, we most likely should keep him. However, we have a surplus in fielders as well. This Rays team has one of the greatest depths in the MLB. We (Rays) should only deal him unless they receive someone in particular that they want. I don’t feel they should shop him just yet, but only listen to some offers.
agreed completely, Sonny last his trade value last year. The Rays have to hold on to him to get anything of value. Lets not forget Sonnanstine posted a 3.91 FIP and a 4.26 FIP (’07 and ’08) before last years abortion. Andy is an above average pitcher and can throw 200 innings, which is very valuable and should prove to be a valuable trade chip.
The Dodgers have a half dozen guys in camp that could do better than Sonnenstein’s 6.77 ERA! I doubt they are interested.
I don’t think sonnastine would be good as a long reliever, in the AL east at that. He just doesn’t have that one pitch to put him over the top. I think the rays should take the chance to trade him since there’s a little buzz going around. Maybe trade him for some prospects to a NL team where he might be a little more successful.
You definitely shop surplus talent at any position, but there’s no need to move him. Barring any really strong offers, keeping him makes sense.
I think you have to at least keep him around to start the season. I would think he’s first in line for spot starts in case of injury. But as the deadline approaches, you know more about how Hellickson is handling AAA this season, hopefully Sonny’s trade value has gone up in the eyes of some team looking to make a move, and you can assess the options then. The fact that he has minor league options and the fact that the bullpen to this point in spring hasn’t exactly set the world on fire makes keeping him now and reassessing later a no-brainer.
I agree with other commenters so far. I wouldn’t trade him before the season starts because you definitely don’t know what pitchers are going to pan out or not. If they hold onto him for a couple months and see that they don’t need him, then start shopping him around.
I have wanted him on the Dodgers for about a year now.
if he can find consistency again he’s got appeal as a younger (way cheaper) Jon Garland-type innings eater at the bottom of a good to strong rotation
so, yeah, hang onto him for now until the Rays develop a hole a trade can fill.
that and the injury equation. they may need him
If he returns to 2008 form, he could be a pretty good bargain. Especially for NL teams.
I would move him; they will be in contention either way for at least the wild card. They could get some good return for a guy with a few years before free agency from alot of the teams that can’t usually afford the guys that usually become available.
Twins, Rangers, D’backs, Marlins, Nats. would be able to bid against the sox, yanks, angles, mets etc.
Almost any team has a fifth starter with less potential for 2010 than this guys. I would definitely put him on the market.
Interesting how depth is measured these days. #3 and 4 starters that made 1 start in the majors prior to ’09, a #5 that has 6 majors starts under his belt, and absent Sonnanstine, the next guy Hellickson has 9 AAA starts under his belt. Of course, I’m clearly forgetting NRI and AAA’s Carlos Hernandez and his 9 starts in his last majors action – in 2004.
Not denying the talent, but injuries do happen to pitchers, young ones and old ones. That the Rays have been virtually immune to such in the last 2 years has no bearing on whether that will continue. Playoff contention requires depth, and I don’t see majors ready SP depth here, especially if Sonnanstine is traded. Great depth in SP prospects in their system, but somebody’s got to be available to step in in case of injury.
The Rays do have good depth, but they could certainly afford some position players from AA down to Low A, levels in which they are far from loaded aside from starting pitchers.