Rays acquire Micah Johnson off waivers; on Shohei Ohtani and arbitration eligibles

INF Micah Johnson has gone from the Braves, to the Reds, to the Giants, to the Rays — all via claims off of outright waivers. (Photo Credit: Unknown)

The Tampa Bay Rays announced on Monday that they have claimed infielder Micah Johnson off outright waivers from the San Francisco Giants, who had designated Johnson for assignment last week prior to setting the 40-man roster. The acquisition filled the open spot on Tampa Bay’s 40-man roster, although they could release a player ahead of the Rule-5 Draft in order to clear more space.

Johnson was once considered the White Sox’s second baseman of the future, however, he went from the south side of Chicago to Los Angeles by way of a three-team trade that sent Todd Frazier to the ChiSox by way of Cincinnati. The infielder spent the 2016 season in the Dodgers’ organization, yet was flipped to Atlanta last January. He enjoyed a solid run with Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate in 2017, slashing a solid .289 BA/.377 OBP/.400 SLG/.777 OPS line, albeit over a small sample of 45 games and 155 plate appearances due to a fractured left wrist. He also played in 18 games for Atlanta, primarily as a pinch-runner or pinch-hitter, and went 2-for-10 with a stolen base.

Per Neil Solondz (Rays Radio):

Johnson has hit .292 (632-for-2,165) with a .761 OPS over six minor league seasons and 550 minor leagues. During that time he’s collected 101 doubles, 35 triples, 30 home runs, 218 RBI and 190 stolen bases. In the majors, Johnson has had just 131 MLB plate appearances over 61 games and three seasons, and hit .224. In addition to playing second base, Johnson also has played the outfield.

Johnson is a bit of an unknown quantity on the field, although he does have experience at second base — where he committed just three errors in 58 opportunities with the White Sox in 2015, but performed to a -7 DRS — and in the outfield. He is a lefthanded hitter, potentially giving the Rays an option if they shift Brad Miller to another position or trade him, or as Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) opines, if he has a setback in recovering from core muscle repair surgery.

Moving forward, the Rays — somewhat surprisingly — are in on Japanese two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani.

According to Topkin, Teams were asked, according to the Associated Press, “to evaluate Ohtani’s talent as a pitcher and as a hitter; to explain its player development, medical training and player performance philosophies and facilities; to describe its minor league and spring training facilities; to detail resources for Ohtani’s cultural assimilation into the team’s city; to demonstrate a vision for how Ohtani could integrate into the team’s organization; and to tell Ohtani why the team is a desirable place to play.”

Answers were to be provided in English and Japanese, and to be returned as soon as possible. Also, teams were instructed to not make mention of financial terms.

What could pique Ohtani’s interest, and make the Rays an appealing option? The team’s focus on development and willingness to allow top draft pick Brendan McKay work as both as a pitcher and hitter.

The 23 year-old is expected to go on the market by week’s end. Major League owners are expected to approve the rules of the posting system on Friday, with a 21-day window to negotiate with and sign Ohtani would open later Friday or Saturday.

Under the rules expected to be in play, teams will have to pay a $20-million posting fee to Ohtani’s Nippon Ham Fighters, then negotiate a deal with Ohtani. But they will be limited by the international spending caps, with the Rangers currently having the most available money, $3,535,000. Even in a best-case scenario no team could offer more than $10-million, writes Topkin.

Finally, this Friday marks the non-tender deadline, when teams have to decide whether to tender a contract to arbitration-eligible players. In the case of the Rays, there are 12 arbitration-eligible players on which to make decisions.

Tampa Bay has control of each of the arbitration-eligible players, and that remains the case if they are tendered a contract.

Listed below are the 12 arbitration-eligible players, and what MLB Trade Rumors estimates their 2018 salary will be:

Adeiny Hechavarria  —  $5.0MM
Dan Jennings  —  $2.5MM
Brad Boxberger  —  $1.9MM
Corey Dickerson  —  $6.4MM
Brad Miller  —  $4.4MM
Xavier Cedeno  —  $1.4MM
Jake Odorizzi  —  $6.5MM
Jesus Sucre  —  $1.3MM
Chase Whitley  —  $1.0MM
Alex Colome  —  $5.5MM
Steven Souza  —  $3.6MM
Matt Duffy  —  $900K

The 12 players above will earn roughly $40MM in 2018 if they all are tendered. Tack on roughly $38MM for the five players currently under contract, and that’s about $78MM for 17 players, leaving several areas still to improve upon in order to upgrade the team from an 80-win total.

It goes without saying, some players — most notably Jake Odorizzi, Alex Colome and Miller, of whom the trade rumors are circulating — will likely be traded before the start of Spring Training.

As Solondz noted, deciding to tender a contract is not about whether that player’s individual number fits into the Rays payroll. Rather there are a few factors to consider:

For one, is the player going to be an asset for the team in 2018? In some cases you have to read whether a player who was injured most of 2017 might be able to bounce back. Or whether someone who had a better than expected season can maintain or even improve upon that level. Or perhaps whether a player that’s underperformed can take a major step forward.

Another reason to tender a player is based on market value. If that individual were on the open market, would he receive more in free agency than he would in arbitration? In that case it’s hard to non-tender that player.

A third factor is whether there’s interest in the arbitration-eligible player around the league. If there is, you can tender the player to eventually fill another need. For instance, Jake McGee was tendered a contract, and the Rays dealt him more than a month later in the Corey Dickerson trade. The Rockies needed bullpen help, and the Rays needed a left-handed bat for the lineup. Each player was tendered, and each served a need for another club.

The Rays also did this in the prior season, when Matt Joyce was moved for Kevin Jepsen. In addition, moves can be made to open opportunities for younger players. Heading into 2018, the Rays have several young pitchers and position players ready to contribute.

Buckle up friends, we could be in for a wild ride!

Rays add seven prospects to the 40-man roster; AFL recap (via Neil Solondz)

Brent Honeywell was one of seven minor league prospects added to the Rays 40-man roster Monday evening. (Photo Credit: Baseball America)

The Tampa Bay Rays added seven players to the 40-man roster on Monday evening, protecting them in advance of the Rule-5 draft, which will take place during the 2017 Winter Meetings on December 14. First baseman Jake Bauers, outfielder Justin Williams, and pitchers Diego Castillo, Yonny Chirinos, Brent Honeywell, Jose Mujica, and Ryan Yarbrough were added to the roster, which now has 39 spots filled.

Tampa Bay started the day with eight roster spots remaining after releasing backup catcher Curt Casali and former first round draft pick Taylor Guerrieri.

The Rays left catcher Nick Ciuffo (a 2013 first-round pick) and right-hander Burch Smith (who is recovering from Tommy John surgery) off the roster, leaving them — as well as second baseman Kean Wong, outfielder Johnny Field, and southpaw Travis Ott — susceptible to being picked up by another team.

The absence of Ciuffo puts the team’s 40-man roster at only two catchers: Wilson Ramos and Jesus Sucre. As for Smith, even though he has big league experience and “made an impressive recovery” in the Arizona Fall League last month, “A lot came down to the depth that we do have in that area,” said Rays Senior Vice President Chaim Bloom.

Bloom also told Neil Solondz (Rays Radio) it’s important to continue to improve the minor league system, yet having tough decisions at the deadline makes it clear that growth has taken place over the past few years.

Bloom said a decision not to protect a prospect doesn’t mean they’re down on the player, rather it has more to do with measuring risk as to whether they believe that individual will be selected in the Rule-5 draft, and stick with another MLB club for the whole season.

Solondz gave some background information on each of the players added to the roster:

Bauers, 22, was the organization’s top unprotected position player. In his age 21 season, Bauers spent the entire year with Durham, where he had 45 extra-base hits, a .368 on-base percentage, and a .779 OPS. The first baseman set career highs in walks (78) and stolen bases (20). He also hit better than .370 in a post-season championship run for the Bulls. Bauers was acquired from the Padres in 2014 in a three-team deal that also brought Tampa Bay Steven Souza Jr.

Bloom says Bauers really impressed in his first Spring Training in March, and “we look forward to an encore.”

Castillo, the organization’s minor league reliever of the year, had an impressive 2017 that wrapped up in Durham. Castillo also set a career high in innings pitched (78 including the playoffs). The righty, who can reach triple-digits with his fastball, earned 15 saves in the regular season and four more in the playoffs. All told, Castillo struck out 99 including the post-season. He also gave up just 59 hits and 21 walks. Castillo pitched in the AFL in 2016, and also limited the home-run ball, giving up just three.

Chirinos: The Rays Pitcher of the Year in 2017 blossomed after not being a Rule 5 pick the year prior. Including two playoff starts for Durham, Chirinos threw 180.1 innings, a new high. Most impressive was that he walked only 29 batters in as many appearances (28 starts) and struck out 146. He increased his strikeouts per nine innings to 7.5 (up from 6.9 the previous year) and his fastball was often clocked in the mid 90s. The 23-year-old Chirinos was originally signed by the Rays out of Venezuela. This year’s reliever of the year, starter of the year, and Player of the Year were homegrown talents from Latin America.

Honeywell: arguably the top prospect in the organization (along with already-protected Willy Adames), Honeywell started the season with Double-A Montgomery, but was promoted to Triple-A Durham after just two starts. Including the playoffs with the Bulls, Honeywell struck out 186 batters in a career-high 151 innings. Honeywell was 13–9 in the regular season, compiling a 3.49 ERA. He was particularly sharp after the break, collecting a 2.03 ERA after mid-season, 3.54 before it.

When asked about Honeywell, Bloom says “where do you start? You could take away his screwball and he’d still be an elite pitching prospect.”

Mujica: Just 21 years of age, the righty excelled primarily at Double-A for Montgomery. Mujica was an innings eater, going 171.2 frames including a playoff start for the Biscuits. While he collected just a 3.04 ERA with just 7.6 hits and 2.4 walks per nine innings, the big question is whether he will collect enough swings and misses. Mujica struck out only 96 hitters, or less than six per nine frames. The challenge will be whether his secondary pitches will get sharp enough to upgrade that number. That said, Mujica had a fastball in the mid-90s, and had a propensity to get weak contact.

Bloom says that Mujica has great feel and pitchability for his age, and that “his arm strength, mound presence and poise really impressed the staff.”

Williams: One of two players acquired from Arizona in the Jeremy Hellickson trade, Williams excelled last season. He finished the year with Durham, but spent the entire regular season in Double-A Montgomery. The 22-year-old outfielder had his best season at the full-season level, hitting to an .853 OPS with 14 HR, 72 RBI, as well as an improved walk (9.0%) and strikeout (16.9%) rate. Williams, who had his first-ever three-homer game this season, also drew raves for improved outfield play, as he collected nine outfield assists.

Yarbrough: in his first year in the Rays system, the lefty from Lakeland excelled in Triple-A Durham. Yarbrough improved his secondary stuff and threw just shy of 172 innings including the post-season with the Bulls. Yarbrough struck out nearly a batter an inning, and was 13–6 with a 3.43 ERA for the Bulls. In moving from Double-A to Triple-A Yarbrough saw his walk rate stay low(2.2 per nine innings) and strikeout rate improve (6.9 to 9.1). Yarbrough did allow 20 homers, after giving up 15 in the seasons prior.

The Rays elected to leave one roster spot open, with Bloom saying the decision gives them immediate flexibility for the 2018 season.

Arizona Fall League wrap-up

The Arizona Fall League came to a close on Saturday, with seven Rays prospects having participated. Solondz also wrote a brief recap of how each player fared:

Brandon Lowe — last year’s MVP of the Florida State League didn’t hit for a high average in the AFL (.224), but had a solid .762 OPS. Lowe had three doubles, a triple and two homers, while also drawing nine walks. One would expect Lowe, a second baseman, would return to Montgomery next year, as he finished the 2017 season there. The 23-year-old was drafted out of the University of Maryland in 2015.

Kevin Padlo — the corner infielder missed much of the regular season because of a hamate injury. While he hit .259 (22-for-85) over 22 games with just a .664 OPS in the AFL, Padlo did drive in a team-best 14 runs, and had three doubles and two triples. Padlo was in Charlotte last year, so it will be interesting to see whether he repeats the level due to injury or if the AFL experience allowed him to catch up and start 2018 in Montgomery.

Brett Sullivan — in limited time Sullivan had the best numbers of any Rays position player prospect. Over 14 games, the catcher hit .313 (15-for-48) with an .833 OPS. As expected, Sullivan excelled in two areas, driving in runs and putting the ball in play. Sullivan struck out just five times in 53 plate appearances, drawing only four walks, while driving in 11 runs. The 17th round pick in 2015 still has room for improvement behind the plate, but continues to excel next to it. Sullivan was converted from third base to catcher shortly after being drafted.

Spencer Jones — the Fall League was a learning experience for Jones, a 6–5 righty who just completed his first full year in the Rays system. Jones, who finished last year with Charlotte in the Florida State League, made nine appearances with Surprise. Jones had an ERA of 8.10, allowing 15 hits and five walks in 12.1 innings while striking out 11. Jones did improve as the season went on. The 2016 draft pick threw scoreless ball in his last four outings, covering 6.2 innings.

Benton Moss — Moss missed part of the season due to a back injury, so he was sent to the AFL to gain additional innings. Moss made five appearances, two as a starter, and was 0–1 with a 3.18 ERA. Moss surrendered 15 hits in 11.1 innings, but just one walk while striking out seven. Moss pitched primarily in Double-A Montgomery in 2017. Including the playoffs and the AFL, Moss, chosen out of UNC in 2015 by the Rays, saw just over 100 innings this year.

Roel Ramirez — Ramirez filled in for Dalton Moats, who was a late scratch from the AFL. Ramirez, who split time between the two Rays A-ball affiliates, struggled in his 9.2 innings in relief. Ramirez surrendered 19 hits and four walks, striking out seven. Ramirez finished with a 10.24 ERA.

Burch Smith — After missing the better part of the last three seasons due to injury, Smith was second in the league in strikeouts. He fanned 29 batters in 20.1 innings, allowing 12 hits and 11 walks. Of the nine runs he gave up, seven came in the first two appearances over 4.1 innings. After that, Smith gave up just five hits over the next 16 frames with a fastball in the upper 90s.

Rays willing to listen to offers on Evan Longoria; More on Sternberg’s lowball offer

Post GM Meetings reports find the Rays listening to offers on Evan Longoria. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

Less than a week removed from the 2017 GM Meetings, the trade winds swirling around the Tampa Bay Rays have picked up. Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) wrote on Sunday morning that the Rays soon will launch their offseason mission of trading at least a couple of veterans to reduce payroll, noting that the team is willing to listen to offers on Alex Colome, Jake Odorizzi, Chris Archer and Evan Longoria, among others.

The question begs: How far they will go? Some, like the writers at DRaysBay, argue that after missing the postseason by just five games, a slight retool is needed going into the 2017 Winter Meetings. In other words, the rational way of building a roster when you are this close to being competitive. However, others have the Rays selling the house, the car, the kids and the face-of-the-franchise.

As I wrote at the end of September, Stu Sternberg intends to “absolutely” drop the payroll from its current $80MM range, although he doesn’t “anticipate” an enormous payroll dropoff or a shift towards a rebuild.

Sternberg doesn’t anticipate an enormous payroll dropoff for the 2018 Rays

That alone suggests that the team is comfortable with its core of players, which was mirrored by GM Erik Neander last week:

We believe in the core of players we have. Our farm system is as strong as it’s been in quite some time, with a lot of players I think are close to graduating, Neander said. So there is optimism for some of the players we have here and our chances to compete. But we’re not that close at the same time.

We need to be open and cognizant of that and try to do the best we can to provide opportunity to our young players, to provide the right opportunity to our veteran players and leaders of the club. But it could go in a lot of different directions in terms of how we ultimately find our way to get there.

The team has already shed $16.5MM thanks to players who either were released from their contracts, or were lost to free-agency: Alex Cobb, Logan Morrison, Lucas Duda, Steve Cishek, Tommy Hunter, Sergio Romo, Peter Borjous, Trevor Plouffe, and Curt Casali.

Yet with five players expected to earn half of the Rays payroll 2018 — Longoria, Archer, Odorizzi, Colome and Wilson Ramos — paired with the fact that the team has pitching to burn, they may shed more than a few players to save money; an all too familiar reality faced by fans of this small market team.

How far might they go? Topkin writes that the sequencing may hold the key:

If the Rays can make a couple of initial deals that cut salary and yield the right return, they could halt the sale and pivot to seeking a couple of additions and fielding an improved team. For example, even if they traded Longoria, Archer and Colome (shaving $25.5 million), they could try to fill in the pieces between what they have (Matt Duffy at third, young arms) and low-cost additions.

He added a caveat, however:

Or they may start out and find the market robust to go for a total rebuild, dumping five or six veterans, opting for a young team with little chance to win now (with no apparent concern that doing so could impact stadium discussions) while looking to the future.

Two other mitigating factors are in play.

  1. The Rays don’t know, here in mid November, where they are going to end up in March.
  2. Despite the fact that there doesn’t seem to be an apparent concern otherwise, a rebuild of the roster could impact stadium discussions … especially for a fanbase that already feels as though the ownership cares more about the bottom line — even though Sternberg has never given any conclusive evidence to support his claim that the team is hurting financially — than it does fielding a competitive ball club.

Speaking of stadium discussions, Noah Pransky (Shadow of the Stadium blog, WTSP) brought up a few good points missed by yours truly in my last piece about the Stadium Saga. Sigh … Such is the life of a full-time teacher, and part-time blogger, who has to split his time thinking about work as opposed to digging up dirt.

I digress.

Ybor City: an excellent site for the Tampa Bay Rays, theoretically speaking (alternately not really)

Pransky wrote that three conclusions can be drawn from Sternberg’s comments:

  1. Commissioner Ken Hagan has repeatedly said there would “never again be a sweatheart deal” like the one the Glazers got at Raymond James Stadium.  Except the Rays’ stadium is likely to be WAY more expensive, even when adjusting the Buccaneers’ 1998 haul for inflation.
  2. There is no way Hillsborough (or even the deeper-pocketed Pinellas) is coming up with $650 million in public cash for a new stadium, so they two sides had better start hawking peanuts to private donors who may have a sweet spot for baseball.So why did he hit everyone with the sticker shock of $650 million this week?

    Either because it’s the next step in Sternberg’s exit plan, finally coming clean that not even a new ballpark means significant new revenue unless someone else pays for it (as this blog has written dozens of times)…

    And/or he’s setting public expectations high – and his initial offering low – so that coughing up $350-400 million in public money later may seem like a deal.  It’s a topic this blog covered in 2016:

    This way, the Rays are now perfectly set up to “settle” sometime down the road for a fixed-roof stadium at a much lower overall cost…once the public has committed its chunk of the cash.

    We should end the conversation about a retractable roof right now.  The Marlins’ don’t use theirs, the region can’t afford one, and the technology has come a long way since the Rays’ last stadium foray in 2008.

    But Sternberg knows there is no appetite to fund major subsidies for a new stadium in Tampa: not on Hillsborough’s county commission, where four of seven commissioners have already spoken out against any tax funding for a stadium;  not in Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s office, where he just had to fight for a controversial tax increase to pay for basic city services and wastewater upgrades; and not in the statehouse, where several bills aim at banning all sorts of stadium subsidies and the biggest proponent of stadium investment, State Sen. Jack Latvala, is sitting on the sidelines as allegations of sexual misconduct play out.

    So what does Sternberg do with that?  Well, a savvy negotiator creates leverage.  And he’s doing his best.

    Sternberg is well-aware there are at least 14 different types of public subsidies the Rays could target to subsidize a new home.

  3. Sternberg said the $150 million figure was based on the team’s estimated revenues from a new stadium – something he told me five years ago the Rays don’t do.So, I guess now in 2017, the team all of a sudden knows what kind of ballpark they want to build and generally what kind of revenues it can expect from it?  Does that mean the Rays will finally be a little more forthcoming about financial issues?

To put things in layperson’s terms, do not expect a deal to be completed in Hillsborough County before the 2019 deadline set by the city of St. Petersburg.

Even if the $800MM price tag was reduced by $150MM — accounting for a fixed ETFE roof, as opposed to one that is retractable — and, even if Sternberg committed to chipping in $250-$300MM total, we are still talking about a $350-$400MM facility. Hillsborough does not have that money in its coffers even with the 14 public subsidies listed by Pransky. Not to mention that the probability of the county scaring up that sum of money for a stadium, in lieu of things like road and sewer improvements, is slim at best.

A few other factors to consider:

  1. The purchase cost of the land in Ybor City.
  2. The cost to be incurred by the team when Rays attempt to buy their way out of their current contract with St. Petersburg.
  3. The demolition cost of Tropicana Field.

All three will drive up the amount of money Sternberg has to contribute to the overall project, while potentially driving down the money the team is willing to put toward the cost of a new stadium.

But yeah, BASEBALL IN TAMPA, am I right?!

Ybor City: an excellent site for the Tampa Bay Rays, theoretically speaking (alternately not really)

Tampa Bay Times Aerial view looking to the Southwest of the proposed baseball stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays in Tampa. (Photo Credit: Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times)

Allow me to be the first to congratulate the city of Tampa for momentarily winning the Tampa Bay Rays stadium lottery! Your prize? The Hillsborough County Commission and the team has assembled an impressive prize package — well, for them — where Hillsborough’s taxpayers get the privilege of paying for 81% of the projected cost of an $800-Million stadium!*

Assuming the team and Hillsborough can come to terms on a deal, the presumed facility will be located on a cramped plot of land that cannot support ancillary development, miles from the nearest I-275 on-ramp/off-ramp, and about 1/2 mile from that of I-4.

Fans from outside the general vicinity of the stadium likely will not be willing to spend 45 minutes to one hour getting to the stadium during rush hour traffic, only to find that surface parking could be more than a scenic walk from the stadium.

But hey, the vacuum created by the loss of some fans will be filled by others who currently find the 30 minute drive over a bridge and into St. Peterburg — where the ingress and egress into and out of the Tropicana Field site actually is efficient — too daunting.

Wait! What is that you said, dear citizen(s) of Hillsborough County? You personally prioritize things like infrastructure and mass transportation improvements, public safety, and waste water management — all of which Hillsborough doesn’t have any money for, much less a new stadium? Tough! County Commissioner Ken Hagan and Sternberg are fairly confident they can rake you over the coals.

Fret not though, you can worry about things like the effect of sea level rise in the more flood prone areas of your community after the 30 years it will take to pay off the shining beacon in your baseball panacea … you know, once those areas are swamped without the critical means necessary to pump the water out. But baseball in Tampa, am I right?!

Pop those bottles, and light those cigars!

On Wednesday afternoon, Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) reported that Rays principle owner Stu Sternberg is both “genuinely excited” about the proposed Ybor City site for a new stadium, and more than “cautiously optimistic” the project can be completed.

However, Sternberg also suggested that, based on initial projections, the team might only cover $150 million of the estimated $800 million cost — just under 19% of the total cost. That number was also bandied about in 2008 when the Rays sought out a waterfront stadium in St. Petersburg, yet Sternberg noted that it could go up or down based on revenue projections.

I would say our contribution could be largely based on the support that gets drummed up by specific municipalities or groups and us as well, Sternberg said. And if this falls on a lot of deaf ears then I have my answer.

The article also made mention of a certain level of disunity within the Hillsborough County Commission, not to mention the difficulty in figuring how to make up $650-Million difference without handing the team a sweetheart deal much like that of Raymond James Stadium and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Hagan acknowledged negotiations over who will pay for a new stadium could take a year and won’t be easy.

I don’t know if we’ll ever get there, Hagan conceded.

As proof, three commissioners made sure to announce at the meeting they opposed taxpayer money for a ballpark.

While insisting the team is “going to go to great pains not to play them (St. Petersburg and Tampa) off each other,” and that they see it more as “put your best foot forward,” Sternberg positioned himself ahead of the long predicted tug-of-war between the two municipalities, saying that the the Rays “haven’t dismissed by any means” staying in St. Petersburg at a new stadium on the Tropicana Field site, and that they plan to continue to explore Baseball Forever’s plan to build a new stadium.

This is a daunting task. There needs to be support from the community in order to be successful in completing it, said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred from the GM Meetings this week.

In other words, do not expect Major League Baseball to chip in any money, leaving the likely burden on the taxpayers of Tampa. Sternberg, Manfred, and Hagan made their intentions clear: If you want the team to move across the bay, you may have to leverage the future of your community.

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In the shadow of Citi Field. It’s safe to say the blighted community in the foreground truly has benefited from the development of the plot of land that houses the Mets, am I right? (Photo Credit: Michael Ballaban/jalopnik.com)

It’s worth it though, right? I mean Big Poppa Sternberg is going to make everything all right, similarly to how the Mets vastly improved the surrounding neighborhood just blocks from Citi Field.

In the end, these are the things that make me hate the sport and team I so dearly love. If the idea is to improve attendance — theoretically speaking of course, because the Rays clearly are more interested on increasing future revenue streams — these tactics may have the opposite effect on a fan-base that has supported the team from the jump … this humble blogger included.

If I may, there is a reasonable solution to the saga … one that has been discussed many times on this site — build the stadium where there is money to burn: the Tropicana Field site. But if there is one criticism of my fellow Baseball Forever campaign members, it’s that the business community, by way of the CEO’s within the campaign, had not done more. It’s plainly obvious that Sternberg is seeking the support of that particular lot, and it’s time for the CEOs of Jabil Circuit, Compulink, Duke Energy, John Hopkins, Bayfront Health, Raymond James, Franklin Templeton, L-3, Ceridian and Allstate among others, as well as major players in the community, like Bill Edwards and Rick Baker, to step to the plate and rally the troops.

* Well, that is unless Hillsborough County somehow finds $650-Million in the coffers and/or couch cushions, but don’t count on it.

Alex Colome trade rumors, Upton interested in returning, Cobb set to decline offer

The St. Louis Cardinals have reported interest in right-handed pitching reliever Alex Colome. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

As expected, the Tampa Bay Rays front office staff left the 2017 GM Meetings without making any big deals, although they are more educated about the possibilities that lay before them.

For the most part, we’re exiting here with a better understanding of what teams are trying to address, so it’s certainly helpful to have that information in hand, said Rays GM Erik Neander. Now it’s a matter of processing it, figuring out what kinds of fits in to where we are and what we want to accomplish, and see where things go from there.

Three possibilities rose to the surface Wednesday afternoon.

St. Louis is in need of arms — which makes Tampa Bay a popular target — and is flush in young position players. Because of it, there is reported speculation about the two clubs matching up at different levels.

Jon Morosi (MLB Network) broke the news of one discussed trade scenario that could send right-handed relief pitcher Alex Colome to the St. Louis Cardinals — a team in need of a closer after they released Trevor Rosenthal following Tommy John surgery.

Colome is projected to earn $5.5-Million and can be retained for two additional seasons through the arbitration process. While he led the AL in saves last season, Colome regressed from his prior campaign. After performing to a 1.91 ERA with 11.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 2016, the right-hander’s ERA rose 133 points to 3.24 in 2017 with just a 7.8 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 (2.52 K/BB).

Who might the Rays be targeting? Tampa Bay is in need of a right-handed hitting outfielder; aside from Steven Souza Junior, the team doesn’t have any realistic big league ready options available for the foreseeable future.

JT Morgan (DRaysBay) made mention of five players that the Rays could target: Dexter Fowler, Tommy Pham, Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk and Jose Martinez.

Whether something will get done between the two fails to be seen at the moment, although the groundwork for a potential deal has been laid.

Former centerfielder Melvin “BJ” Upton spoke with teams at the meetings hotel Wednesday, as he continues his search for a job after missing all of last season due to injury. Upton told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) he would be interested in coming back to the Rays.

The Rays had rumored interest in Jose Bautista in 2016, and surprise surprise, those rumors have continued into the 2017 offseason. Morosi reported the Rays are interested in adding the veteran outfielder to the fold for the 2018 season. If a deal were to get done, Bautista would likely be relegated to DH duty.

Noteworthiness

— Per Topkin, Alex Cobb is set to decline the Rays’ one-year, $17.4 million qualifying offer by today’s 5 p.m. deadline. That allows him to pursue a longer and more lucrative deal elsewhere, with the Cubs and Twins most rumored, and the Rays to get a compensatory draft pick when he does.