Hot Stove: Davis, Upton, Price, and Damon

According to MLB Trade Rumors (see quote below), the Rays are reportedly looking at the possibility of trading Davis to an, as of now, unspecified team.

When all is said and done, the Rays are expected to be willing to deal right-handerWade Davis this offseason.  A major league source says that while Tampa Bay will listen on James Shields, Davis is the pitcher they will likely end up dealing for an outfielder or a catcher.

That begs the question, would BJ Upton be included in a package with Wade Davis? I’m intrigued. After all, why would the Rays look for an outfielder if BJ was expected to be a Ray in 2012? Even with the Joyce/Zobrist platoon in RF, the Rays have a solid outfield With Desmond Jennings and Upton holding down the fort in LF and CF respectively. Two that end, Tampa Bay also has two capable fourth outfielder candidates in Sam Fuld and Justin Ruggiano in case an injury pops up, etc. Fuld and Ruggiano aren’t everyday players, and I can’t conceive that Tampa Bay would be looking for another outfielder if they weren’t intending on making a hole open up somewhere for one. Me? I’d prefer to see a package made up of Niemann, Upton, and Elliot Johnson.

Why Niemann? Simply put, he was the Matt Garza of the 2011 season; a liability, not an asset. To give him credit, when he was healthy and kept his pitches down, he could hold his own ground. But, his lingering health and control issues made him inconsistent at best. Maybe it’s not fair to compare him solely to Garza because after all, Garza was a walking, talking head case. Nevertheless, you know what I mean. Why Johnson? Must I really defend myself on Elliot Johnson? I’ll throw one stat at you if I must: .197 BA.

David Price’s name has popped up lately as a potential trade candidate, though I don’t see him going anywhere in the near future. Price is still under contract until the end of the 2012 season. He’s also only projected to make $1.5 million this year, so he’s still relatively cheap. In all honestly, if Price is going to go anywhere this year, it will be after the 2012 All-Star break in my opinion. Why? The Rays presumably would want to see how much trade value could be accrued in him in 2012, after a slightly off 2011 season.

There is still no word on Johnny Damon, but that’s to be expected. Over the course of the last two off-seasons (2009 when the Tigers picked him up and 2010) Damon wasn’t signed until just prior to the start of spring training. If his comments while in a Rays uniform are anything to hang hope on, he’ll be a Ray again in 2012. Then again, his agent is super agent, Scott Boras, so making predictions aren’t really the best means to determine what’s or if’s.