Post by Fish Troll on Feb 10, 2007 0:14:29 GMT -5
Rays not rushing to restock bullpenThe Rays - most likely - will open spring training on Feb. 17 with the 57 players they now have on the roster.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published February 4, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays likely are going to have to wait a while to get any relief.
The Rays - most likely - will open spring training on Feb. 17 with the 57 players they now have on the roster.
Team officials remain committed to upgrading the bullpen but are more interested in doing so by trade than picking through what's left on the free-agent pile.
Though executive vice president Andrew Friedman has a "never-say-never" approach, it's unlikely they'll make a deal anytime soon. At this point in the baseball calendar, most teams want to get to spring training and see exactly what they have, getting a sense for how injured players are feeling, for who might be impressive and for what areas need to be addressed.
So as the Rays look at a bullpen that struggled much of last year and has few sure things - Shawn Camp, Seth McClung and Dan Miceli may be the best of it - they are going to have to wait, possibly until mid to late March.
But that might not be all bad, either, as it will give them time to see how Jorge Cantu has come back from his injury-marred season, what position is best for Japanese import Akinori Iwamura and where - if anywhere - B.J. Upton best fits, all decisions that could impact whom they may trade.
RAYS RUMBLINGS: At Saturday's USF-Notre Dame men's basketball game, former managing general partner Vince Naimoli had nice things to say about the team: "I think the new group is terrific, I really do." ... Josh Paul's arbitration hearing is Friday in Arizona; general counsel John Higgins and director of baseball operations Dan Feinstein will represent the team, which offered $625,000. Paul seeks $940,000. ... With the top pick in the June draft, Friedman and senior VP Gerry Hunsicker on Friday will scout Vanderbilt left-hander David Price against Rice. ... New reliever Scott Dohmann is the focus of the Web site sdfansite.blogspot.com, on which he is known as The Dohbermann. ... Plans will be unveiled soon to significantly liven up the exterior of the Trop. .... The Countdown to Opening Day radio show launches Monday at 7 on 620-AM. Dave Wills and Andy Freed host; LHP Scott Kazmir, manager Joe Maddon and team president Matt Silverman are guests. ... The new FieldTurf may be installed in time for the Feb. 24 Fanfest. ... The Rays should consider Gov. Charlie Crist's willingness to help the Marlins finance a new stadium a good precedent. That Crist is from St. Petersburg shouldn't hurt either. ... ESPN.com/Scouts Inc.'s Keith Law has three Rays among his top 21 prospects: Delmon Young No. 2, Evan Longoria No. 13 and Reid Brignac No. 21.
MISCELLANY: The best baseball player in the Super Bowl? Probably Bears running back Cedric Benson, a 12th-round pick of the Dodgers in 2001 who played outfield briefly in the Gulf Coast League. ... Jim Parque, whose career certainly seemed over when he pitched briefly for the 2003 Rays, signed a minor-league deal with Seattle.
Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com and 727 893-8801.
[Last modified February 3, 2007, 23:22:03]
By MARC TOPKIN
Published February 4, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays likely are going to have to wait a while to get any relief.
The Rays - most likely - will open spring training on Feb. 17 with the 57 players they now have on the roster.
Team officials remain committed to upgrading the bullpen but are more interested in doing so by trade than picking through what's left on the free-agent pile.
Though executive vice president Andrew Friedman has a "never-say-never" approach, it's unlikely they'll make a deal anytime soon. At this point in the baseball calendar, most teams want to get to spring training and see exactly what they have, getting a sense for how injured players are feeling, for who might be impressive and for what areas need to be addressed.
So as the Rays look at a bullpen that struggled much of last year and has few sure things - Shawn Camp, Seth McClung and Dan Miceli may be the best of it - they are going to have to wait, possibly until mid to late March.
But that might not be all bad, either, as it will give them time to see how Jorge Cantu has come back from his injury-marred season, what position is best for Japanese import Akinori Iwamura and where - if anywhere - B.J. Upton best fits, all decisions that could impact whom they may trade.
RAYS RUMBLINGS: At Saturday's USF-Notre Dame men's basketball game, former managing general partner Vince Naimoli had nice things to say about the team: "I think the new group is terrific, I really do." ... Josh Paul's arbitration hearing is Friday in Arizona; general counsel John Higgins and director of baseball operations Dan Feinstein will represent the team, which offered $625,000. Paul seeks $940,000. ... With the top pick in the June draft, Friedman and senior VP Gerry Hunsicker on Friday will scout Vanderbilt left-hander David Price against Rice. ... New reliever Scott Dohmann is the focus of the Web site sdfansite.blogspot.com, on which he is known as The Dohbermann. ... Plans will be unveiled soon to significantly liven up the exterior of the Trop. .... The Countdown to Opening Day radio show launches Monday at 7 on 620-AM. Dave Wills and Andy Freed host; LHP Scott Kazmir, manager Joe Maddon and team president Matt Silverman are guests. ... The new FieldTurf may be installed in time for the Feb. 24 Fanfest. ... The Rays should consider Gov. Charlie Crist's willingness to help the Marlins finance a new stadium a good precedent. That Crist is from St. Petersburg shouldn't hurt either. ... ESPN.com/Scouts Inc.'s Keith Law has three Rays among his top 21 prospects: Delmon Young No. 2, Evan Longoria No. 13 and Reid Brignac No. 21.
MISCELLANY: The best baseball player in the Super Bowl? Probably Bears running back Cedric Benson, a 12th-round pick of the Dodgers in 2001 who played outfield briefly in the Gulf Coast League. ... Jim Parque, whose career certainly seemed over when he pitched briefly for the 2003 Rays, signed a minor-league deal with Seattle.
Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com and 727 893-8801.
[Last modified February 3, 2007, 23:22:03]
www.sptimes.com/2007/02/04/Rays/Rays_not_rushing_to_r.shtml
I believe their starting pitching rotation are also a mess.
