It’s been mentioned on a few occasions now, that the Rays will be raising their payroll from $42 MM, to somewhere in the range of $50-$55 MM, at least for the next couple of seasons. Interestingly enough, in a tweet from DRaysbay Andrew Friedman has suggested that the Rays “do not work on a hard and fast payroll number. Flexibility to spend future dollars on today’s’ payroll”. I like the cut of his jib! Also worth mentioning, the Rays are in talks with Kotchman regarding his future at 1B with the Rays. Friedman noted that there is “little chance of Zobrist (moving) to 1B.”