X-Rays Spex

A Below Average Rays Fan Blog

Hot-Stove: Rays trade Steven Souza Jr. to D-Backs in three-team deal

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The schadenfreude continued Tuesday, when the Rays traded MVP outfielder Steven Souza Jr. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays continued their schadenfreude offseason on Tuesday, trading 2017 team MVP Steven Souza Jr. to Arizona, in a three-team deal with the Diamondbacks and Yankees that brought them advanced level prospects.

In return Tampa Bay got 2B Nick Solak from the Yankees and LHP Anthony Banda from the Diamondbacks, plus two players to be named later from Arizona.

The trade continued the roster revamp which started when the Rays dealt Evan Longoria to the Giants in December, and continued Saturday night when Jake Odorizzi was shipped to Minnesota for a minor-league shortstop, and Corey Dickerson was designated for assignment.

The Rays have dealt a player that broke through last season with the kind of all-around performance the Rays sought when they acquired Souza from Washington in 2014.

The outfielder told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) he knows it’s hard for Rays fans with all these trades but they should have patience and faith in front office building for future. He was also thankful for the opportunity he received in Tampa Bay.

This is actually really, really hard, Souza said. There’s been a lot of emotional phone calls I’ve had from people. And I’m really going to miss a lot of people. I have nothing but great things to say about the organization and the way they’ve treated me and the patience they’ve given me and everything they’ve done. That being said, I’m extremely excited to go join a team that’s ready to contend for the World Series.

Yet in spite of the fact that the deal, on the surface, was not made to cut payroll — given the return — the deal continues an active drive to reduce the Opening Day price tag.

This was something that would be categorized much more as a baseball deal, said Rays GM Erik Neander.

Souza, who is set to make $3.55-million in 2018, indicated that finances likely were a factor in the decision, alluding to Principal Owner Stu Sternberg’s directive to cut the payroll which was pushing $80-million.

It’s a tough job that Erik really has, especially when the owner gives him the opportunity to meet a certain payroll, Souza said. They’re trying to do what’s best for the long-term future of the organization, and it’s not an easy job being the GM of a major-league team and there is a budget that’s not very realistic that they have to meet.

The trade creates a hole in the batting order — he hit 30 home runs and posted an .810 OPS last season — and in right-field, and the Rays do not have a player in the organization that appears to be the heir apparent to Souza. That is to say they will have to scour the market, free-agent or otherwise, for a right-fielder.

It, however, seems unlikely that Chris Archer or Kevin Kiermaier will be dealt to compensate for the loss, or to further reduce the payroll. Neander told Topkin (Twitter link) that they are confident they can still field a competitive team, noting there is time to make further additions. Per Topkin, they are not looking to further blow up a team that they still feel, despite the moves, can be competitive in 2018 — something Chaim Bloom reiterated with Jim Bowden:

As far as Archer and Colome, that’s not our plan. …We recognize, again, that we’re in a little bit of a transition phase as we focus on building up that young core, but we don’t want to ignore that we have a pretty dynamic group.

Neander’s message was the same.

I would say extremely unlikely. Our focus at this point is we’d like to add a little bit. We’re not looking to pull this thing back.

 

On Banda and Solak

Banda, 24, was ranked the Diamondback’s number two prospect by Baseball America. He made his big-league debut in 2017 and went 2-3, 5.96.

Erik Longenhagen (FanGraphs) scouted Banda:

In 2017, Banda struggled at notoriously unforgiving Triple-A Reno, where he posted a 5.39 ERA. He made a spot start in Arizona in July and then was up again in August for a three-start look before he finished the year in the D-backs bullpen. Despite his poor on-paper production in 2017, his stuff remains intact and he profiles as a No. 4 starter. Banda sits 92-95 and will touch 96 with his fastball. He has an above-average changeup that he should probably throw more often and an average curveball in the 77-82 mph range. In light of what’s going on with Tampa Bay right now, he’ll probably exceed rookie limitations in 2017. He’s a 50 FV prospect who appeared within the honorable-mention section of our top-100 list.

Solak, 23,  was ranked the 12th best prospect in the Yankees’ farm system. He split last season between advanced Class-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton, hitting .297 with 12 homers, 53 RBIs and an .835 OPS.

Longenhagen also scouted Solak:

Solak was a hit-first second-base prospect with elite makeup at Louisville and was targeted by the Yankees (and other teams) as a high-probability big leaguer who might also take an underslot deal. The Yankees signed him for $950,000, about $100,000 below slot, as a second-rounder in 2016.

After slashing .301/.397/.460 at High-A Tampa for much of the year, Solak finished 2017 with Double-A Trenton. He’s a plus runner and is at least an average defender at second base with a chance to be a 55. He puts a surprising charge into the baseball for his size, but his swing is flat-planed and leads to hard, low-lying contact. He’s a 45 FV prospect who either needs a mechanical tweak to tap into more power or to outhit the current 60 projected on his bat to soundly profile as a regular.

Both players will join Major-League camp in Port Charlotte, with Banda having the better chance of breaking camp with the Rays.

Archer again trade fodder, Baseball America Top-100 released, Rays spring broadcast schedule

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Per Jon Morosi (MLB.com) the Rays and other teams have been “engaged in consistent trade talks” on right-hander Chris Archer. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

The Hot-Stove period of the offseason is showing signs of heating up, and Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer appears to be in the thick of things once again.

On Friday, Rays’ beat writer for the Tampa Bay Times, Marc Topkin, speculated on the construct of the Opening Day roster, conceding that if they took the field today, they’d have a team with a higher payroll than last season — $75-million, some $5-million less than where they ended the 2017 campaign — yet with less talent.

However, Topkin opined that that’s not likely to be the squad that reports to Port Charlotte next month. Or, at least, when the team heads north to Tropicana Field for the March 29 opener.

Citing the ownership’s request to cut payroll and trying to fill some holes — like adding a true first baseman and some veteran relievers — it’s become glaringly obvious that the front office still has some work to do.

I think our to-do list is comparable to where we were earlier in the winter, general manger Erik Neander told Topkin. There is just less time available to accomplish it.

But that’s, I think, the same for many teams at this point and it just requires us an industry to get more done in a shorter period of time. Spring training is not moving.

That leaves a number of candidates who still could be traded in order to cut payroll for the team, including closer Alex Colome, the recently-acquired Denard Span, Jake Odorizzi, or if you are Jon Morosi (MLB.com) right-hander Chris Archer.

Morosi, while exploring Yu Darvish’s market, reported that Archer could be next:

One possible explanation for the lack of a Darvish deal is the availability of right-handers Chris Archer (Rays) and Michael Fulmer (Tigers) on the trade market. Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported last month that the Yankees had looked at both starting pitchers, and one source confirmed to MLB.com that the Tigers and Yankees have had trade discussions regarding Fulmer.

A separate source said the Rays have remained engaged in consistent trade talks regarding Archer in recent weeks. The Twins are viewed as a possible landing spot for Archer if they don’t sign Darvish. The Cardinals also have spoken with the Rays about Archer, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

If you recall, Archer was connected to the Twins at the end of December, in a deal that would have brought alleged sexual abuser Miguel Sano to Tampa Bay.

The sheer fact that Sano is an asshole likely put the kibbutz on those talks.

I digress.

A few days before that report, Ken Rosenthal (Fox Sports, The Athletic) postulated that the trade of Evan Longoria does not indicate the inevitability of trade for Archer, especially since he is under team control and affordable through 2021.

He also would require a heftier return than say Jake Odorizzi.

As it relates to other team’s apparent trepidation in cobbling together a beneficial trade package for someone like Archer, which would put Tampa Bay on the favorable side of a deal, three tacit reminders beg to me mentioned:

  1. The Pirates mustered Houston’s leftovers in the Gerritt Cole deal.
  2. NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton was dealt to New York for pennies on the dollar.
  3. The Rays had to send money alongside Evan Longoria to complete a deal for infielder Christian Arroyo.

As Danny Russell (DRaysBay) suggested, should a trade of Archer come into focus, the recently released Baseball America top-100 indicates the Cardinals — Alex Reyes (17), Jack Flaherty (53), Carson Kelly (55), Tyler O’Neill (86) — have more to bargain with than the Twins — Royce Lewis (24), Brent Rooker (92), Nick Gordon (93), Wander Javier (95), Stephen Gonsalves (97).

Conversely, Baseball America’s Top-100 also shows that a team that has long been interested in Archer, the Chicago Cubs, appears to lack any top prospects to make a deal; the North-Siders did not place a minor league prospect in the Top-100.

Sure, Archer could be traded, and the Rays certainly have the depth to fill his spot in the rotation. Yet the likeliest scenario is that Odorizzi will be dealt before good old number 22.

Baseball America’s Top-100 prospect list released

Baseball America released their annual list of the Top-100 prospects in baseball on Monday, and the Rays have six players in the top 100 — tied with the Brewers, Padres, and Yankees. You can read the list below (in parentheses, the prospect’s overall rank)

Brent Honeywell (14)
Willy Adames (19)
Brendan McKay (39)
Jake Bauers (45)
Jesus Sanchez (49)
Wander Franco (96)

Only the Braves have more at eight.

Now how many we may see in a Rays uniform this season is another question.

Rays 2018 Spring Training broadcast schedule

With the return of baseball just around the corner — pitchers and catchers report to camp on February 13, but who’s keeping track? — the Rays and FoxSportsSun announced their 2018 Spring Training broadcast schedule on Friday.

Tampa Bay will play 33 spring training games over a five week period, and of those 33, six are slated to be televised on FoxSportsSun:

Date: Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 1:05 p.m.
Game: Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins
Broadcast: Twins broadcast feed/Twins announcers

Date: Sunday, March 4, 2018 at 1:05 p.m.
Game: Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees
Broadcast: Yankees broadcast feed/Yankees announcers

Date: Sunday, March 11, 2018 at 1:05 p.m.
Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins
Broadcast: Rays broadcast feed/Rays announcers

Date: Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 1:05 p.m.
Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox
Broadcast: Rays broadcast feed/Rays announcers

Date: Sunday, March 25, 2018 at 1:05 p.m.
Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees
Broadcast: Rays broadcast feed/Rays announcers

Date: Monday, March 26, 2018 at 1:05 p.m.
Game: Tampa Bay Rays at Detroit Tigers
Broadcast: Tigers broadcast feed/Tigers announcers

Evaluating the Rays’ return prospects from the Evan Longoria trade

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The Rays new third baseman, Christian Arroyo? (Photo Credit: AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

The Evan Longoria trade caught many off surprise. In its wake many many have questioned who will play third in 2018, and whether the Tampa Bay Rays received enough in return for the former face of the franchise.

Neither answer is simple.

As it relates to the former, while it would be great to see Arroyo, a home grown product from Brooksville, step right in into Longoria’s spikes, that’s likely not going to happen. Matt Duffy, who was acquired from the Giants in 2016, is presumably ready to go. His 4.9 fWAR rating at the hot corner — a number that is better than Longoria’s 2017 Gold Glove campaign rating — makes Duffy the heir apparent.

Moreover, Arroyo broke his left hand on July 1, 2017 when he was hit by a pitch. He then re-aggrivated the injury in the Dominican Republic in October, and had to have surgery in which a stabilizing plate was inserted. He should be cleared for baseball activity in early January and be ready for spring training. Even then he is just 22 years-old.

And though he appeared in 34 games for San Francisco last season, he only stepped to the plate 102 times at the Triple-A level, having moved fairly quickly through the Giants organization after being drafted in 2013. Still, Dave Cameron (FanGraphs) tagged Arroyo with a $38-million surplus value, before his injury.

On Christian Arroyo

As Ian Malinowski (DRaysBay) suggested last week, “the mean projection for Longoria and Arroyo has them as likely to produce similar amounts of surplus value over the course of their remaining team control.” That is, while Arroyo might not appear in a Rays’ jersey this season, he could tally something to that of a later-era Longoria.

As it relates to the latter, Arroyo was the top prospect in the Giants system, and 57th overall. It should be noted that San Francisco has one of the weaker farm systems in Major League Baseball.

The infielder was ranked fourth in the recently released Baseball America list of prospects, down from second the previous season due to the aforementioned injury. Arroyo was given a 50 Future Value with medium risk in the 2017 Prospect Handbook:

Scouts have long been confident Arroyo will hit for average. He has a straightforward swing and has demonstrated time and time again he has the hand-eye and bat-to-ball skills of a pure hitter. At this point, the general consensus among evaluators is that 10-15 home runs is the most that can be expected from Arroyo — he’s yet to reach double digits in home runs in any season.

Arroyo earned his first big league callup in late April, although after just 70 plate Triple-A plate appearances it became abundantly clear that the (then) 21 year-old wasn’t ready to face Major League pitching. He slashed just .192 BA/.244 OBP/.304 SLG/.548 OPS/44 wRC+ in 135 plate appearances.

Arroyo is a polarizing prospect in that many believe he can be an everyday infielder, while others don’t feel he will hit enough to be more than a replacement level bench player.

As JT Morgan (DRaysBay) wrote, “if Arroyo can hit for enough batting average that makes his overall line around league average with above average defense at second base. That gives you a solid three win second baseman with six years of team control remaining. In order for the OBP and SLG to be high enough you’ll likely need to see the batting average close to .300.”

On Stephen Woods and Matt Krook

While intriguing, neither right-hander Stephen Woods nor southpaw Matt Krook project to crack the big leagues.

Woods is a hurler with control problems, but would have ranked 25th in the Giants Top 30. Chris Mitchell (FanGraphs) writes that it’s almost a certainty that the right-hander won’t crack the big leagues:

Woods pitched to a 2.95 ERA as a starter last year but did so as a 22-year-old in Low-A. Woods also walked a concerning 13% of opposing batters, which suggests luck played a role in his shiny ERA. Woods’ numbers have been fine but aren’t terribly impressive coming from a college draftee in Low-A.

Krook was graded favorably on his fastball and curveball, and boasts an above average slider. And though he has limited contact to grounders (+64.0% groundball rate through the minors), control problems have set him back:

Krook has good stuff but hasn’t had much luck using it to get batters out, writes Mitchell. Command issues have yielded walk rates well into the double-digits, including a 16% clip last year. Krook is a 6-foot-4 lefty who strikes guys out, which gives him a glimmer of hope, but 22-year-olds with crappy numbers in A-ball are a dime a dozen.

With all this in mind, the success of this deal is contingent upon Arroyo. He projects to be a league average hitter with a limited power potential and a low walk rate. At worst Arroyo will be relegated to utility infielder duty.

Critics of the deal — much like myself — would have preferred to see another quality prospect thrown in for good measure, especially since the Rays tossed in $10 to $15-million to cover a portion of Longoria’s remaining $86-million as well as a deferred $2-million trade bonus.

Hot-Stove: Rays trade face of the franchise, Evan Longoria

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Goodbye Evan Longoria, thank you for everything these last 10-years. Your presence will be missed. (Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski/USA Today Sports)

It has been a long, emotionally exhausting day for fans of the Tampa Bay Rays, many of whom were devastated by the news Wednesday, of Evan Longoria’s trade to the San Francisco Giants. Longoria was the longest tenured Ray, and the last remaining rostered player from the 2008 ball club. Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) was the first to break the news.

The Rays, in return, received 22 year-old infielder Christian Arroyo, pitchers Stephen Woods and Matt Krook, and veteran outfielder Denard Span. In addition to taking on Span’s contract — $11-million in 2018 with a $4-million buyout on his 2019 option — Tampa Bay will ship between $10-million and $15-million to San Francisco to cover a portion of Longoria’s remaining $86-million as well as a deferred $2-million trade bonus.

Put another way, the cost conscious Rays — whose owner, Stu Sternberg, tends to find a way to cry financial woe at any given opportunity — swapped Longoria for Span (and three prospects) for a net savings of -$7.5-million to -$12.5-million next season. Yes you read that correctly, a negative net amount of money.

I digress.

To be sure, there is quite a bit of risk for San Francisco in acquiring Longoria. The Giants are taking on a moderately-priced player who struggled to a career-low .261 BA/.313 OBP/.424 SLG/.737 OPS line in 2017 — adding to a roster of costly, aging veterans. From a performance point of view, Longoria has seen better days and his best years are behind him, both at the plate and in the field.

Evan Longoria’s wOBA by season. (Credit: FanGraphs)

Evan Longoria’s wOBA by season. (Credit: FanGraphs)

With the exception of a modest jump in production in 2015, not to mention a significant spike in productivity in 2016, Longoria has watched his wOBA drop pretty consistently in three of his past five seasons.

He also played through a rather startling drop in exit velocity last season, which Jeff Sullivan (FanGraphs) wrote about:

In 2015, he averaged about 90 miles per hour. In 2016, he averaged about 91. In 2017, he averaged about 87. There are 293 players who knocked at least 100 batted balls in each of the past two seasons. Longoria showed the eighth-greatest exit-velocity drop. And in case you’re wondering what that could mean, the 25 biggest drops between 2015 and 2016 averaged about -2.4 miles per hour. Come 2017, there was absolutely zero recovery, again on average. The exit velocities remained lower.

Something could be awry here, then. Longoria is missing some pop. He is, at least, coming off a career-high contact rate, and there’s value in balls in play, but the Longoria of old might be gone forever. He might now be a contact-hitting adequate defensive third baseman with roughly average power.

(Credit: FanGraphs)

Likewise, Longoria observed a downturn in the field starting around 2014, although he did post a +11 Defensive Runs Saved in his 2017 campaign.

His strong glove work in 2017 allowed him to accrue a 2.5 fWAR for the tenth consecutive +WAR season, yet when compared to Matt Duffy — who performed to a 4.9 fWAR at the hot corner in 2015 — it stands to reason that there should not be a reduction in quality at third in Longoria’s absence … that is, as long as Duffy is healthy.

But not all things can and should be quantified. Longoria represented something more than just numbers, and that’s why this trade hurts so much. He also was a leader off the field, positively impacting the communities on both sides of the bridge, which our good friend Ray Roa (Creative Loafing) noted:

Proceeds from a recent signature blend of Kahwa coffee went toward Hurricane Irma relief efforts. He once partnered with Red Bull to rehab the historic Belmont Heights Little League Fields, which produced four Little League World Series teams and played incubator to major-leaguers like Gary Sheffield and Dwight Gooden. In 2011, he teamed up with Moffitt Cancer Center to raise thousands of dollars for research and continued working with the organization in the years that followed. He donated $100 to St. Pete’s PetPal Animal Shelter every time he hit home run — as did Bright House (now Spectrum), the Rays and Ducky’s. To date, his home runs have raised $61,300 for Pet Pal.

Moreover, his family helped opened a new wing in Great Explorations Children’s Museum in St. Petersburg, and his restaurant sponsored sections at the Trop when vendor troubles impacted the facility. Pair all that with his humility and love for everything this area has to offer. It wasn’t uncommon to see him around town at the Banyan Cafe or Mazzaro’s Italian Market, or playing with his children at Crescent Lake Park.

Beer and art nerds rejoiced… Longoria supported the local craft beer community, partnering with Doug Dozark and Cycle Brewing to brew the signature beer, Ducky’s Pils, for his restaurant Ducky’s Sports Lounge, which also features a mural from local artist Bask painted on its facade.

It’s a sad, yet true, realization that in order to be a Rays fan, you must also be cognizant that change is always around the corner. Longoria acknowledged as much Wednesday afternoon, saying:

I have mentioned in the past that it would be tough for me to sit around and (theoretically) lose 100 games, and when you go through a rebuild there will be tough times, and I didn’t know if I was ready to go through that so that we had a chance to compete. I’ve never had meetings like this before. They were pretty pointed. It was much more real this offseason. I’ve always wished that maybe they would decide to commit to adding to the roster and trying to contend year in and year out. I understand that’s not the way the Rays have done it historically. There’s a part of me that is let down, but it’s been the way that its been as long as I’ve been here. So it’s not too much of a surprise.

We’ve been through this countless times, yet it doesn’t get any easier. This time feels different though. Longoria committed himself to retiring as a Ray, and he wanted to stay.

I think I’ve been pretty upfront about wanting to be in Tampa (Bay) for my whole career, but I realize that my window is getting smaller to win a championship, Longoria said. If they decide to rebuild completely and give everyone up, then I suppose my family and I will adjust.

Longo signed a pair of team-friendly contracts, and rewarded the team, and fan base, with name recognition that made the Rays more than a laughing stock within the AL East. Now, however, the Rays again look like a 4A breeding ground from which to pillage.

He was our Chipper Jones, our Derek Jeter, our Adrián Beltré. He was everything every Rays fan could hope for in a franchise player, but knew we could never have. We were spoiled for a decade, but now we know better than to hedge our bets on an ownership that frankly couldn’t care less for the fans. Perhaps it’s wiser to purchase nameless and numberless shirseys and jerseys from here on out.

Dare I say a tacit, yet deafening, message has been sent to any would be player who is mulling over the decision to sign a long-term contract with the Rays: don’t bother. After all, the team will probably trade you regardless of your commitment. I would imagine the same to be true for Kevin Kiermaier and Chris Archer, both of whom are locked up in team friendly contracts. Perhaps Jake Odorizzi and Alex Cobb had it right all along?

Sadly this decision could be a precursor to further action. The front office has been in talks on closer Alex Colome all winter, and many anticipate the trade of a starter, with Odorizzi representing the most realistic possibility. But all of that is just consternation at the moment.

Writing 1,200+ words on the subject hasn’t been easy, and I haven’t even scratched the surface on my personal thoughts or feelings on Longoria, or the package the Rays received in return. That will come once I’ve had a chance to completely digest everything. But for the moment irrational/emotional me has to settle a debate between rational me and analytical me. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I now know your internal conflict.

Hot-Stove: Tampa Bay Rays Winter Meetings update, day four

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“Have a Coke and a smile.” Coca-Cola t-shirt logo from the 1979 Baseball Winter Meetings – Toronto, Canada.

The biggest trade of the day came out of the Miami dumpster fire contingent, as Derek Jeter and his Marlins shipped OF Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis. There has been a measured amount of movement for the Tampa Bay Rays, including one small deal and the potential for others.

The Rays traded LHP Anthony Misiewicz, who was dealt to Tampa Bay from Seattle in August in the Ryan Garton deal. Now Misiewicz has been sent back to the Mariners organization. The deal allows Tampa Bay to net about $1-million in international cap space which likely will be used toward the acquisition of 16 year-old shortstop phenom Jelfry Marte.

Jesse Sanchez (MLB.com) initially reported that the Rays would sign the young shortstop out of the Dominican Republic. As I wrote yesterday, Marte is the third ranked international prospect behind Shohei Ohtani and Wander Franco, who signed with Tampa Bay in July. The cap space would also provide the Rays about $500 – 600 thousand more in international space to sign additional players.

We are excited about this one (trade), said Senior VP Chaim Bloom. Obviously the international market is someplace where you can get some really good upside, some high-end ability that is very far away but still has the ability to break through and really impact the club. We’re working on something that falls into that category.

Bloom also noted that the team has made progress on a few potential deals, and some conversations have reached more advanced stages.

We have a much better idea of what’s real and what isn’t, said Bloom. There’s nothing right at the finish line right now. I wouldn’t rule it out but there’s nothing at the one-yard line at this very moment.

The known known: Tampa Bay is at least listening to offers on most of its higher-paid players, although closer Alex Colome is expected to be the first to go, with the Cardinals a strong possibility. The Cubs, Mets and Rockies have also been among those interested.

The Twins and Rays have discussed right-hander Jake Odorizzi according to Mike Berardino (St. Paul Pioneer-Press), who added that Tampa Bay was not interested in Minnesota’s initial offer.

Meanwhile, Bill Brink (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) reported that the Yankees are “looking at” right-hander Chris Archer, but it is not clear whether the Rays will move him — especially to a division foe.

According to Bob Nightengale (USA Today) the Angels are close to acquiring a third baseman, and the reportedly have “strong interest” in new Padres third baseman Chase Headley. To that end, San Diego is “working very hard” to trade Headley, writes Buster Olney (ESPN), although he didn’t specify whether the Angels are involved. Why is this relevant? If the Angels ink a deal with Headley, they will definitely be out of the sensationalized running for Evan Longoria. I haven’t a clue why some writers feel the need to scrawl in hyperbole.

Finally, the Winter Meetings will come to an end Thursday with the Rule-5 Draft. Per Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) some projections have said the Rays will lose RHP Burch Smith and C Nick Ciuffo, while some believe Tampa Bay will just lose Smith.

We are braced for it, said Bloom. You never really want to believe anything is done until you hear the player’s name called.

Bloom told Solondz they prefer not to lose anyone, but when you leave someone off the 40-man roster you run that risk.

Should we lose someone (tomorrow) there’s still a chance we get them back, said Bloom. A big part of it is roster flexibility. You don’t want to get into next season and then need to create a roster spot for whatever reason and then you need to take someone off the roster who can be sent to the minor leagues by whomever wants to take him.

The Rays currently have 39 players on the on the roster, yet they have not decided whether to make a Rule-5 pick or not. That decision will depend upon how trade talks progress Thursday morning, ahead of the draft.