The Rays formally introduced Hideki Matsui today, but they face the possibility that their best player will hit the disabled list. The details…
- Rays executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he's had interest in Matsui in recent offseasons, according to Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter links). Though there's no formal out clause in Matsui's contract, Friedman said the Rays will treat the slugger with the respect he deserves. Presumably this means they'll release him if there's no room on Tampa Bay's roster and he asks to pursue other opportunities.
- Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times suggested earlier today that Evan Longoria could miss six to eight weeks with a hamstring-related injury, but Friedman says it's "premature" to assume he'll even hit the disabled list. Reid Brignac and Will Rhymes are among the team's internal options in case Longoria does require DL time.
- Jorge Cantu, who elected free agency yesterday, won't be a fit for the Rays, Topkin tweets. The Devil Rays signed Cantu as an amateur free agent soon after their inception in 1998, and the infielder played in Tampa Bay until 2007.
Oh yeah.. I can see Cantu signing with a team that has Longoria over a team like Oakland that was so desperate for a 3b that they signed discards like Brandon Inge… The Tampa tribune has some REAL winners as sports writers.. Glad discontinued the subscription when they went to that new format a couple of years ago. Half the info, but same $$$ and still useless sports writers since Tom McEwen retired.
Edit:
Before get hammered.. Nothing out yet on even if Longo will be disabled. He could only miss 3-5 games and Brignac can play 3b. Cantu can get pretty much guaranteed time if Beane will sign him.
Honestly, I would like to see if Matsui has anything left in the tank. Although, I am unsure if Tampa Bay is the place to decide that.
Hopefully, it’s nothing serious with Longoria, but if it is, boy do I have the answer for the Rays. The O’s will trade you Wilson Betemit, Kevin Gregg, and Mark Reynolds and all we ask in return would be Ben Zobrist.
What will the Rays do with Reynolds when Longoria returns?
Put him in the same place he should be while Longoria is out, on the Bench!
that’s your objection to this?
amazing
Awful trade. Zobrist is under control until 2013, with team options for 2014 and 2015. Betemit is old, overpaid veteran, Gregg hasn’t been nearly as good as he used to be, and the LAST thing we need on this team is a player who strikes with the frequency of Mark Reynolds.
Move Zobrist to SS and put Reynolds at 2B.
Mark Reynolds playing 2B? I think my brain just exploded.
I could only imagine what happened when you saw Aubrey Huff play 2nd
Please don’t imagine that. For the sake of the children!
Grk. Dammit Longoria. Can’t you go one season without needing an extended DL trip?
There goes the entire offense now that it’s official. Sure, Pena can hit for power and draw walks, but Longo is the only real threat on that team a pitcher has to fear.
This team is 90% pitching now to carry them for the next 6 weeks and *hope* Luke Scott can go on a VERY extended tear like he is capable of for 2-3 weeks. Scott right now is the best offensive threat on that team…
Deep doo-doo now Rays fans…
Their schedule isnt too difficult this month and they survived last year without him and won 90 games. Their team is better than last years. I think they can keep afloat until he returns then make a push post all star break, especially if the yanks/sox continue to not dominate.