The Tampa Bay Rays have money to spend and an uncharacteristic willingness to entertain higher profile free agents like designated hitter Nelson Cruz this offseason. The front office, however, does not feel any particular urgency to spend that nest egg. Working on a rolling five-year budget, the Rays won’t be shy about pushing this payroll space over to next season or later if they can’t get the players they want at a reasonable price, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Topkin pegs their current payroll at a meager $32MM (roster resource estimates closer to $37MM), more than enough space for additions even before reaching last season’s payroll number of $76MM. Still, their 90-win 2018 was an incredible achievement in part because of the large number of pre-arbitration players on the roster, but those same players won’t be inexpensive forever. Hence the willingness of the Rays front office to bank any remaining funds for future seasons if they don’t like the prices in free agency.
Speculatively speaking, that could point to contract extensions for pre-arb players like those they signed with Evan Longoria and Matt Moore in the past, or it could simply be language intended to prime their expectant fanbase for the eventuality of a disappointing winter. With the possibility of a splashy free agent signing on the table for the first time in a long time, the Rays are surely aware of the excitement forming around this offseason.
Some more notes from around the American League as teams prepare for tomorrow’s winter meetings…
- Speaking of Matt Moore, he and the Tigers found something in common: they both viewed Moore as a starting pitcher. He came out of the bullpen for much of last season, working to a 6.79 ERA over 102 innings (12 starts) for the Rangers, Moore’s primary motivation in choosing a new home in free agency was finding an opportunity to get back into a starting rotation, where he is most comfortable, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. The Tigers signed Moore to a one-year, $2.5MM deal with incentives up to $1MM more based on the number of starts he makes. Both sides are incentivized to turn Moore back into a serviceable rotation arm, Moore for his own sake, and the Tigers because he’ll be a more attractive trade chip as a starter.
- The Angels have mostly tinkered around the edges of their major league roster thus far this offseason in acquiring Tommy La Stella, Dillon Peters and Peter Bourjos, among others, but pitching remains their biggest area of need as GM Billy Eppler heads to Las Vegas for the winter meetings, per MLB.com’s Maria Guardado. It’s been addition by subtraction with the non-tenders of Matt Shoemaker and Blake Parker, freeing up additional funds in an effort to add durable arms to their pitching staff. With an Opening Day payroll that usually comes in at around $165MM, the Angels have at least $20MM and maybe as much as $30MM to build a winner around Mike Trout this winter. Fancred’s Jon Heyman names Marwin Gonzalez and Joakim Soria as two potential targets, though both players are sure to have their share of bidders.
- The Mariners may not be done shedding veteran contracts, per TJ Cotterill of the News Tribune. Nobody expects GM Jerry Dipoto to stop dealing, of course, as baseball’s most active GM has already made six trades this offseason. With the return in these deals leaning towards youth, Dipoto suggests the prospects imported this winter has transformed the Mariners’ farm into a top-10 system, but not everyone is equally optimistic, writes Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, who takes a look at the new Seattle youngsters. Heyman suggests they’ll be in on Japanese free agent Yusei Kikuchi, but the bullpen is the larger area of need, as tumbleweeds now populate a pen that has recently expelled Edwin Diaz, James Pazos, Alex Colome and Juan Nicasio.
I like Wu Tang Clams
Wu Tang Clams ain’t nothin to funk with
Keep feeding ya, and feeding ya, and feeding ya….
I’ll freakin, I’ll freakin, sew your a$$hole closed, and ……..
if the rays would spend some money and add to their never ending train of young talent, they could be dangerous. even in the ALE.
Yeah makes no sense to me to just sit on it. Other than they’re being cheap
We’ll that’s exactly what they are, cheap. They can’t take advantage because they refuse to spend money
Rays have a great ball club. In my opinion, the Rays need to do what the Brewers did last year. Sign 1 mid/high free agent, trade for one high tier player. A trade for Syndegaard and signing a guy like Daniel Murphy to DH would greatly improve the team.
It’s kind of hard to justify spending a lot when you can’t even draw 15K per game when you’re playing well.
Spending doesn’t equal winning. Being a goof and calling a owner cheap puts you in the company of the dumbest fans in the sport though.
What were the two payrolls of the teams in the World Series last year? Year before? Year before that?
you’re partially correct. spending doesn’t necessarily equate to winning. however, they wouldn’t be spending too try and offset a poor farm. they have talent even with a basement payroll. spending money WISELY to add to the talent is what is needed to win. you can’t win on sheer spending, nor can you win on sheer development. you need both.
With the National TV & rev. sharing $$$ the Rays turn a profit before they sell a ticket.
What would you expect from a Yankees fan? They complain that other teams don’t spend while their own continues to attempt to stock the team waste millions doing it.
All they need is a big bat, Im not sure why they let Cron go
They didn’t feel he was worth the money he’d make through arbitration.
The Rays WOULD spend money if they made money. Not even a winning product attracts local fans. A shame really.
Boo hoo, let’s take up a collection for Rays ownership.
According to Forbes, their revenue is over $200 million.
They can’t afford a Yankee, Dodger, or Red Sox payroll, but they are not losing money.
Least valuable club in the league and lost or barely made money most every year in existence
Rays are in bad shape (not quite as bad as the insane yearly loses of the Marlins pre-tear down, but still very bad shape)
$200 million in revenue?? That probably doesn’t net nearly as much excess as you believe.
According to Forbes, they were profitable last year.
They can certainly spend more than they do. I’m tired of owners who cry poverty and the fans who indulge them.
Also, the Rays ownership almost has the local population duped into buying them a new stadium. Last year, if they brought in a few pieces at the deadline they could of made the playoffs. But instead they maintained their cheapskate attitude. Dont buy these billionaires a new stadium so they can betray you like the Marlins.
Dipoto shredded the Mariners starting pitching over the last few years; now he has decimated the relief staff. He has turned a strength into a weakness.
What did this strength do for them?
Good point. The next question is………
What did Mr. Dipoto do for them?
He’s been GM with the Mariners for 4 years. With the Angels for 5, and the D-Backs for one. Why is it always someone else’s fault? The personality of a professional politician / bureaucrat does not work well in an extremely competitive private sector business…..unless……
My guess is that Mariner ownership has been making money the past 4 years. With this teardown imploding their payroll expense, they just need to sell a fraction of the fans to buy tickets and and watch on TV to continue to make a profit. Meanwhile, the value of their franchise continues to grow at a rate better than 98% of existing businesses in America.
Follow the money.
The Seattle Mariners hired Jerry Dipoto on September 28, 2015, barely three years ago.
In the three seasons since Dipoto’s hiring, the Mariners have a better cumulative regular-season record than 10 of the 15 teams in the American League.
Still Seattle has not advanced to the postseason.
…….and now they’re going backwards.
– –
“the Mariners have a better cumulative regular-season record than 10 of the 15 teams in the American League.'”
– – –
Many of those AL teams the past 3 years were, and/or are, in a rebuild playing youngsters that are making mistakes while learning to play in the major leagues
– – –
Not trying to be sarcastic, but what is your point?
I suspect Jerry Dipoto was brought in three (3) three ago in hopes that the Mariners could reach the postseason in the near future. In his attempt to achieve that goal Dipoto depleted the Seattle farm system by targeting undervalued post-prospect players with years of team control over narrowly defined prospects in a league that may overvalue farm systems.
The Mariners fell short of the postseason goal. In a league that annually invites five teams to the postseason, Seattle had the fifth-best cumulative record over those three seasons … the wins just weren’t effectively bunched together.
Coming off an 89-win season Dipoto apparently has made the tough but prudent decision to “step back” in a league filled with powerhouses and the unanticipated ascents of the Athletics and Rays.
This Seattle fan has grown accustomed to the Mariners exceeding low expectations. Next year may be the same as expectations continue to drop.
The Mariners are just following the trend. It won’t be hard for a scrap heap lineup to compete because all of their peers are fielding scrap heaps. 70-80 wins can be eked out even though we all know that the baseball product is not worthy of 70-80 wins.
What undervalued post prospect players did he nab? Gonzales? Healy? Haniger only had 129 ML abs at the time he got him so I can’t really say that was the case w him. Probably was undervalued though
Marco Gonzales and Mitch Haniger, who combined for 8.2 fWAR this year, were post-prospects when each was traded to Seattle with six years of team control. Ben Gamel, James Pazos and Daniel Vogelbach came with six years of team control.
“Tumbleweeds” is a nice way of putting it. Supposedly relief prospects was the prior “strength” of the farm so I guess that will be put to the test.
What is uncharacteristic about the Rays’ unwillingness to spend?
Try again.
^^^^^ Stuart Sternberg’s burner account
Angels biggest priority is pitching, but the first free agent name mentioned is Marwin Gonzalez. If you only have 20MM to spend on pitching, he won’t provide many innings.
Low risk – high reward on wade miley or matt harvey
Angels are screwed. The only thing that makes sense for them from a baseball perspective is to trade Trout now.
They would lose a lot of fans, but it’s a business. Only 2 teams I could see that has the prospects and the money to pay him, Phillies and Braves.
Trout will be a Phillie next offseason. I do a lot of work in Millville NJ where he is from. It is a small town where everybody knows everybody and all anybody that knows him says he can’t wait to come home when he is able to. He has season tix to the Eagles and is all about all Philly sports teams other than baseball. If the Angels were smart they would trade him now and start a rebuild. Phillies top 5 prospects Valasquez & Odubal.
I would honestly take Sixto Sanchez or Medina to start. Then add Odubal and maybe Bohem or Hasley then add another blue chip prospect. I would trade to the braves for Inciarte plus prospects. But philly is near his hometown.
wake up
Lol. That’s not a starting point. More like fillers.
You don’t know anybody. Trout isn’t leaving.
It may well be a bad business decision to dump Trout now, but it’s the only way they’ll get competitive. They’re going nowhere the next two years and then he’s gone.
Wonder if Stanton and Florial as a starting point for Trout is workable. Stanton gets to play in the west coast and Trout comes back to the east. Obviously more players on both sides are needed to make it work.
Trout is good as gone chump
If you ever been to the town he is from you would see it is the farthest thing from LA it could ever be
No way he likes it out there fo far from home & if he isn’t why does he spend so much time in Jersey in the offseason ?
Sorry to bust your bubble but he is Philly bound soon as possible
los angeles. sorry Angel’s play in Anaheim California. not los angeles. los angeles is on name cause nobody k knows where Anaheim is. so they picked los angeles. trout is going nowhere. hes the face of the Angel’s and the face of baseball.
I’ll explain. It’s common for players to live in a different place than the location of their team. Trout calls NJ home during the off season and has a place in Newport Beach during the season. He doesn’t “live” on the west coast, like many players who don’t live near their team.
No one knows where Anaheim is? Have you ever heard of Disneyland?
Been to Disneyland, located near Los Angeles, I think.
!
Baseballpun, I concur. This organization is lost and has zero direction. The standings and the scoreboard don’t lie year after year after year.
TrollShane strikes again.
For a guy with a handle that seems to indicate he’s a fan of the team, all he ever seems to do is come here to cry and talk sh*t
The yearly money tied up between Trout, Pujols and Upton (85 million in 2019, 89m in 2020, on a payrol of about 165m) ensures this club has its back flat against the wall trying to fill the other 22 (already harder to fill) positions
Trying to keep Trout will just mean they are running in place around the middle of the pack hoping to catch lightening in a bottle until he eventually leaves them with almost no compensation 2 years from now. It is foolish and will only hurt the club.
Instead, they could trade him now for pieces that could help, signe a couple higher level pitchers with his saved salary, and be much better position to compete both in 2019 and beyond
I can’t see the Angels going after Marwin. Their recent acquisitions cover his usefulness. Please Eppler sign Keuchel and Happ and a bullpen piece and ill be happy.
I would love to get Keuchel , but how much will he want and years. hopefully like 15-18 per year
That would make four lefties in the starting rotation that’s too many. Keuchel and Happ will both be overpriced. Eppler likes reclamation projects. I would prefer Eppler beefing up the pen with a couple of vets who are experienced in the late innings.
Please trade Bedrosian.
Andrew Miller or Britton. Maybe Joe Kelly for the pen. I would like them to take a low risk on matt harvey.
What does having 4 lefties in the rotation have to do with anything? If they make your team better get them!
You think they are going to sign Keuchel and Happ and a bullpen piece plus fill the hole at catcher, and all for about 25 million in 2019 salary?
Yeah, that’s not happening at all.
They might only be able to add 2 of the 4, then be forced to go super cheap on the other two holes
Lol top ten system lol
Do you not like facts? Lol. LMAO. HaHa
Aside from Klenick, what blue chips did they really get to vault one of the worst farms into a top ten? They don’t have a top ten farm. Maybe middle of the pack now but they have quantity not quality and that doesn’t put you near the top.
Sheffield is rated higher than Kelenic and Dunn is Top 100 too. Add those to White, Lewis, Gilbert that were already there.
Regardless, was mainly being snarky to the previous post with the LOLs
This is why the farm system rankings are so misleading…..
I read an article on MLB.com about 3 weeks ago. The writer proposed the Mets trade a veteran for 2 highly rated prospects. His reasoning was that it would move the Mets farm system rankings from the 20’s to the top 5. You get 2 quality prospects and zoom up that high? Really? So what? 80% of top 100 prospects last 3 years or less in the majors.
It’s always amazed me that after a team with a top 5 farm system ranking calls up 2-4 prospects, their ranking drops to between 15 and the high 20’s. To a novice, the inference of a top-tier farm system is that the team has 8-12 quality, future major leaguers on the way – at least a few can’t miss stars.
Terribly misleading.
Incredible that the Angles have a payroll that is $100 million more than the Rays but have a much less promising team.
The Angels don’t have much… Trout we all know is great, J-Up is a fine LF, Simmons is a nice SS to have, and Ohtani looks promising. Other than that what do they have on their MLB roster today?
Middleton looked really good last season before tj. Plus a nice assortment of other arms that COULD have made them an interesting team but as a whole the entire staff was a made of glass.
Look at the Giants. Much, much more payroll. Much, much less promise. Even though as a Giants fan I think our farm is underrated.
Angels should take a look at maybe giving a one year deal to Anibal Sanchez. Weird that I haven’t seen his name much after a nice bounce back year for him.
In a pitchers ball park, that would be a solid pick up. They haven’t had a veteran presence in the rotation since weaver left. I miss weaver, A shame that he fell off.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. I would think the Angels would be all over him haha. And I agree. Weav is hands down one of my favorite Angels and pitchers of all time. That dang windup of his really took a toll on his body over the years. He’ll be in the Angels HOF one day.
I always loved the intensity and fire he brought every home start, the way he got fired up. Sanchez would be nice, I said take a low risk high reward on matt harvey. or trade for sonny gray.
Yup, Weav was very old school gritty. I like the Matt Harvey idea. Funny that the angels drafted him awhile back. I wonder how his career would have turned out if he stayed with the Angels. To be honest I would obviously much prefer the angels to hit the open market than trade haha. I like Gray as a bounceback candidate.
If they put Gray back in a pitchers park , he would bounce back well. Maybe trade for Sonny Gray , sign matt harvey and anibal sanchez. I think that would fill the rotation well. Then add some bullpen, joe kelly and zach brittion or kelvin herrera.
I’m liking the looks of that as well^
I’m actually going to Vegas tonight for a few days. Hopefully I run into Billy and I’ll let him know what the deal is! Haha
I would let him know this , Pitching • Pitching • And more pitching and fill the bullpen.
And pray tell, what exactly do the Angels have to trade besides Trout!!!!!
The Yankees aren’t going to trade Gray for a bucket of balls!
Gray really doesn’t have any value like he did a couple years ago, plus he would be a rental. Prolly a mid level prospect and cash.
I hope he gets the message. Angels have a knack of watching other teams splurge on pitching. Every year I come up with scenarios and make offseason predictions I would think make sense, but the Angels always do the opposite haha. Hopefully it’s different this year!
Gray will be only slightly more than a bucket of balls.
Pick some run-of-the-mill 27 year old relief pitcher with a big arm and that’s probably the best the Yankees will do.
I read a report that the angels were interested in MadBum
I haven’t heard or seen that but I don’t doubt it!
I’m also not opposed to an Ervin Santana reunion. He would be cheap at a 1yr deal as well.
Rocky is an absolute clown. Gigantic yankee homer.
This might sound crazy, how about take on some of greinke’s contract and bring him back.
Angels apparently are on Greinke’s no-trade list.
In addition, even Arizona taking back $10M a year would eat up almost all of the “available” spending money for the Angels’ season.
The Angels should be carrying a huge check book for the next few years so we can see Trout in October. Please get Anibal Sanchez, great player with a fantastic positive attitude. Also, just eat Greinke’s contract. And use what’s left of the farm to bring in MadBum. I want someone, anyone, to make a go for the gusto move to challenge the evil empires in Boston and NY. And heck, we can all cross our fingers too and hope the Angels have a fairy tale season that ends with Pujols doing what’s right and retiring early. We don’t want our memories of the machine stained anymore with these images of the mighty Pujols grounding into the shift and pulling up at first on sure fire doubles because of foot problems.
Pretty much as I predicted, Rays- wise….gotta save the money for “tomorow”…..you know, the “tomorow” that never comes…..as if you can pick one year, sign 5 FAs, and everything will be rosey…… as if the Sox and Spanks (and Jays) are just going to sit there….I thought the new stadium, pressure from MLB/MLBPA might make it different this time around, but…..
Let’s hope the “future” comes before the inevitable trade of Snell et al…….
OTOH, I can see Cruz…fairly low cost alternative that they can do and accept accolades…..even with Nelson, it’s the lowest payroll in MLB…..
If Sternberg raises his payroll, how will he convince the citizens of Tampa that’s a poor, destitute owner who can’t put a product on the field and thus needs the city to buy him a stadium?
He’s pulling the wool over his fan’s eyes, and they defend it for the sake of winning games.
What will they do when they are on the hook for a state-of-the-art stadium that no one goes to?
They need to switch Miami and Tampa. Tampa in the NLE would make for the most exciting division in baseball.
That would be kinda cool but the downside is Miami would lose 180 games every year
See that’s where you are wrong. The problem with St. Pete is the fact that they are isolated from the main population of Tampa. St. Pete has about 600k people living within a 30 minute drive. In Tampa that nearly quadruples with 2.2M living within a 30 minute drive. They only get about 1.4% of that population to fill up the stadium to capacity. Besides Tampa has much more opportunities to make money, more corporate support, and a lot more Rays baseball fans.
This is the perfect storm for the Rays. Cruz would only require a 2 yr commitment. They could trade for Santana from Sea at 75 cents on the $. And sign a SP like Anibel Sanchez. If the young core does well they are in the race., if not all 3 would be easy to flip in July. If they make the playoffs, it would give impetus for a stadium.
Why would players sign up to play for a team who will most likely trade them away in July?
Why would anyone want to stay in Tampa?
There’s also that. But until Sternberg actually allows money to be shifted from his pockets to the players, I’m not buying that they will be “in” on big earners.
Vets sign because either way they are in a playoff race. Oak and SD did this for years. Vets came for the $$$ and the knowledge they would be traded to a contender. In Tampa’s case they are coming to a 90 win team.
Because contenders won’t sign them in FA and certain non contending teams will give them an assurance they’ll move them to a contender at the deadline…win win win for everyone.
Obviously you’ve never been to Tampa/St Pete! Awesome cities, beautiful beaches, Disney just an hour away. Plus no state tax! Who wouldn’t want to play there?
The Rays biggest loss is their inability to market to the nearby huge US military base. Thousands of sports fans there who dont even know the Rays exist because, from my experience, the owners just aren’t even trying to attract those fans. At Fort Hood TX, we have nightly blast media advertising discount trips to see AAA ball in Corpus Cristi. At McDill Airbase, Rays who? No ads. No out reach. I swear the owners have a long term plan. Buy the franchise cheap. Get the local population to buy them a new stadium. Then sell the franchise, collecting the rewards paid by tax dollars. Until then, hire brilliant managers who can get 85-90 wins out of a dumpster fire.
Not a bad gameplan at all (tho Goldy would have fit the bill)….but I think the only “perfect storm” for Stuie and the stadium is for him to come across with more than the 150M he’s talking about…..
How can you get the business community to commit to support your business when YOU won’t commit to support your business….
Stuie learned on Wall Street but there’s a lot of Broadway in the man…..
Rays win 90 games and still can’t get 90 fans per game. And there’s any question as to why they don’t (can’t) spend??
And, where did this Nelson Cruz rumor originate? A team that utilizes every defensive strength they have and has consistently developed super utility guys is now all of a sudden going to commit serious money they don’t have to a 1 trick offensive pony?! I’m betting against that heavy.
Deceit is a strength. Look over here while i make my move over there…
DH is literally a position created for one trick offensive ponies.
Not anymore. DH can be used to spell aging vets time in the field and keep their bat in the lineup. Wakey wakey.
So….. for the old guys who can’t run or field anymore? Basically proving his point?
The Rays have no aging vets to rest. So Cruz fits fine.
Some teams do that, sure, but defensively limited power hitters are pretty cheap to come by. That’s the Rays MO – cheap value. Wouldn’t surprise me at all for them to jump on Cruz.
They should definitely go after Santana though.
What about guys that have inherent injury risk? A day off in the field can be valuable.
Again , the Rays don’t have any of these types of players. If one of their regulars needs a day off Cruz DHing every day gives the regular a real day of rest.
You are missing the point, generally, in that the DH can be used for more than your 1 dimensional view of it. Here’s another advantage to not clogging the spot with 1 guy: favourable splits IE lefty and righty advantages. Still not sold? Please tell me that also doesn’t apply to the Rays…
You are missing the point. When you look at this Rays roster there is no one with better power numbers against RHPs than Cruz. This Rays roster is the most suited to a full time DH in MLB. And for his career Cruz kills it at Fenway. “Generally” is irrelevant in this case.
I love the DH, waiting for the National League to finally adopt it. Great offensive players are sometimes the same kind of players that you want to watch at bat but don’t want to watch on the field. Pitchers batting #8 or #9 is horrible to watch. Horrible to watch rally’s end that way, or pinch hitters come in, when a better hitter usually can DH year round where you would pinch hit some utility guy in the NL.
This is wrong.
Watching pitchers try to to hit is the most boring and ridiculous thing in baseball, plus a massive injury risk.
Rays need to relocate. Rays AND Marlins. Perhaps there would be a better draw for one team, too, at very least in terms of people following the teams (TV, merch, some attendance), if Florida was narrowed down to one single team. They are at a great distance from one another yet they are both unsuccessful. You’ve got Portland building a stadium, though that isn’t the best city to relocate to, it’s an option. If they announced an intention to move, there are some more dynamic potential fanbases around the country.
Amen!
You mean relocate to Tampa, because St. Pete clearly isn’t working out.
They won’t spend because Sternberg is a con man.
@coldbeer
The DH only player can provide offense at pennies on the dollar. For a team on a budget, going left when everyone else is going right can produce some bargains. Having a full time DH does not prevent a team from utilizing utility players. It just means the starter gets a full day off, instead of being the DH. If worried about platoon advantage, just fill the position with someone who hits well against both lefties and righties, like Cruz.
trying to make the angels with those pitchers? he will trade trout in ’20 if he has the job that long.
Would the NYY have any interest in acquiring Madison Bumgarner ?
Seems to me they may have the MilB depth Zaidi would covet
There needs to be punishment, including draft changes and monetary incentives, to stop tanking. There should be a bell curve, if you win a lot, you don’t get it great on taxes and the draft, but if you tank you get it just as bad. The owners spend those “rebuild” years cashing in on their baseball team. They make a fortune. This is a professional sport, the owners are no different from the players in that they have to be competitive or they can get in a different line of business. No leeches.
What about owners who win 90 games while cashing in on their baseball team by not paying anyone? Any penalties there?
Not really, because they put a good enough product on the field. If they don’t pay out they will eventually tank when they lose their homegrown talent and get punished.
Rays should sign Machado. Ten at 350 million gets him, and then of no one shows up he can save him self the trouble of building a new stadium. If they don’t see the increase in attendance and standings they just trade him off after two years. I’d personally take Harper, because he’s white, has better name recognition and is easier to be the face of the franchise. He’s left handed but shouldn’t actually make a big difference. In reality they should get both, trade Wendle, DRob, Castillo/Stanek, Beeks/poche, and a couple prospects for Posey, and a starting pitcher. You can’t tell me they can’t afford it especially since this year or the next will probably see KK and Pham both traded. They’ll draw a whole lot more fans and when they leave no one can legitimately blame the owner for fans not showing up. They also become instant favorites in the A.l.
Jesus. I hope it hasn’t been 5 minutes yet and you can delete this.
Not well written I agree but he can always recoup talent for the two in a year or two. It instantly does what you couldn’t do without another twenty years, finds out if baseball is viable in TB, and if they don’t draw it shows everyone that it isn’t. MLB instantly helps/allows them to relocate.
“…..but he can always recoup talent for the two in a year or two.”
– – –
Sure…..
Just pay $20-40m; attach a few star players; take on some some dead weight contracts for a couple of years; get 3-4 ordinary prospects and 1-2 good ones; then tell the fans that your farm system is elite. Send the overpaid former free agents on their way before a season-ending injury strikes them.
Dipoto just did that. Preller too.
Waiting for Godot.
Did you ever hear of a guy called Arod? Texas got Soriano back and his contract was worst than their will be. I understand they sent money with but they got a guy capable of 40 40, batting 280. What’s your silly comment now, bud?
You should probably have someone to check your comments before you post them from now on.
I could see the Rays as a dark horse candidate for Bauer. Trade for him and Edwin have to give up less in theory cuz of Edwin’s inclusion and they’re looking to upgrade the offense and have $ but wouldn’t want the commitment given payroll constraints.
The people circle jerking about the Rays not spending money are forgetting a key component here. The teams window isn’t fully opening until next year. Several guys coming back mid season from injuries, more prospect call ups at the end of the year. And possible extension offers all make it smart for the team to wait for the right deals.
The Rays need to move the team. I think Nashville is a great landing place for them.
Las Vegas (to the AL West). Then move Houston to the Central, and Detroit back to the East.
baronbeard;
You might be the only one commenting that read and understood the article – i.e. the “rolling five-year budget”.
Billion dollar businesses owners – especially those run by evil, greedy “Wall Street Guys” don’t wake up one day once a year, scratch themselves, and ask someone – “Yo, how much we got to spend this year?”. There is something known as a Business Plan – Short-Term, Intermediate-Term; and Long-Term.
It’s easier to call anyone that doesn’t spend money as irrationally as a drunken sailor on leave – “Cheap”.
Samuel, the “5 yr business plan” sounds great until you look back and see that for the last 15 yrs the plan has always been the same — don’t spend this yr.
The Rays window is now: 1. Everyone important back from a 90 win team; 2. A current payroll in the mid 30’s. 3. no FA’s in 2020. and only 2 for 2021. 4. Their need is 2 power hitters which are readily available and a starting P.
If they sign or trade for players like Cruz, Santana and A. Sanchez and it doesn’t work out the commitment is short term and they could even flip them for more cheap players.
Ken Rosenthal just reported that the Rays are trying to trade for Santana and sign Cruz and Morton.
Sounds about right to me.
Extension offers?
Please. The Rays trade any guy making more than a couple million.
Enjoy Blake Snell while he’s still under team control. Based on just about every decent player for the past several years, he’ll be traded the moment he gets “expensive.”
Circle jerking, Batman?…….
The Rays “window” really isn’t fully opening until the Bowling Green roster bubbles up to Tampa. But you see, by then (a) The Sox, Yanks and Jays would have yearly improved their rosters and (b) Snell will be in pinstripes.
There are no long term windows. Rather, the Rays window opened THIS year. By keeping Colome/Span, and adding on July 31 (more than Pham), they could have run at the Yanks.
But they shut that window, and now will likely regress until 2021 or so. The Rays dream on Brendon McKay, now at high-A trying to figure out if he’s a pitcher or hitter; he MIGHT be decent. Meanwhile, Kyle Wright, selected immediately after McKay, is already in a division-winning bullpen, and is likely the 3rd starter on a very good and young Braves team. And they’re the same age.
Other teams aren’t standing still while the Rays improve……
How much do you think they bring in a year? 3 million or 3.5 million tickets sold if they sign them two lots of extra talent for a couple major additions. The extra tickets and jersey sells alone pay for them two plus.
The Angels as the are constructed right now, are a 100 losses team. Skaggs is lucky if he makes it a month without landing on the DL. Heaney is just awful on the road and is scared to pitch inside on hitters. Cozart was an overpay, and will be the highest paid utility player in the majors next season. They have no bullpen. No starting pitching. Trout, Upton, Ohtani and Simmons will have to carry the offense, the entire season. This is absolutely pathetic, the way things are looking right now for next season.
OK, I’ll talk about the Tigers. Matt Moore will win 15 games, get traded to the eventually World Champs for a package that will included a Kaline and a Kuenn. 2020 brings up all those good pitchers and they win 108 games..
There. I feel better.
This is your brain on drugs… Any questions?
Stl’s Jose Martinez as DH
for
TB’s #17 prospect Joe McCarthy 1B/LF
Stl has FA’s-to-be at 1B and LF
Not a bad suggestion at all. McCarthy (a) is injury-prone and (b) like many Rays prospects, has some behavioral issues (he broke his hand in the AFL smashing the dugout wall), but Martinez doesn’t fit in a lot of places; Tampa is one of them. McCarthy has some upside; league-average bat, strong defense (tho more in a corner OF); Martinez is a DH only, but they could use him.