Hot-Stove: The Rays Have Had Discussions with Colby Rasmus

(Photo courtesy of Andrew Stoeten)
(Photo courtesy of Andrew Stoeten)

By now you’ve heard the rumors, the Tampa Bay Rays have had discussions with free-agent outfielder Colby Rasmus. Jon Morosi was the first to break the news via Twitter, adding Tampa Bay could use Rasmus’ bat if they trade Ben Zobrist. You can see the tweet below.

Morosi never implied the intent to sign Rasmus, and the odds are things won’t progress further than the initial talks. After all Rasmus is reportedly seeking more money than the Rays would be comfortable dishing out. Furthermore, Rasmus comes with baggage associated with character issues, his overall production is average at best, and it doesn’t seem wise to replace an infielder with an outfielder — assuming the Rays’ interest is predicated on the trade of Zobrist… That is, unless Matt Silverman is quietly trying to deal another left-handed outfielder, David DeJesus.

In the pre-offseason predictions, the contract for Rasmus ranged anywhere from one year and $9 million, to four years and $50 million (see Heyman, Cameron, and FanGraphs crowdsourcing). Each extreme seems a bit silly — it would be plausible to assume that Rasmus is seeking a three-year $33-$36 million contract; well outside of what the Rays would be willing to offer. There is a school of thought that since Rasmus would like to find an environment in which he can thrive, he may be willing to cut a deal with an interested team — an idea that becomes all the more intriguing when you consider that he is player from a former Kevin Cash team.

Still, as Jeff Todd (MLB Trade Rumors) opines,

Two years seem undesirable from Rasmus’s perspective, though he could field such offers.) One other factor to bear in mind is that Rasmus should be able to take his time seeing how interest develops in a multi-year scenario, fairly confident that a solid one-year option will be around at the end of the day.

Ultimately, I believe Rasmus will prioritize finding the right fit over maxing his earnings, whether on a one-year or multi-year deal. I do find a make-good contract to be the likelier outcome, and think that Rasmus will be able to reach $12MM on a one-year deal. But I would not be surprised if he ultimately scores a three-year pact.

There are other factors when talking about Rasmus.

Rasmus comes with his own set of character issues, including disagreements with coaches, and a father who tends to overstep his boundaries, causing his own trouble with staff. Then again, similar to former Ray BJ Upton, Rasmus’ relaxed approach has ruffled many a feather, and his critics might be the biggest instigators in the scheme of things. In a lengthy interview with TSN, Rasmus spoke about his approach to the game,

I think it’s just my nature. I’m a little more relaxed. I’ve always been that way. I’ve always had people wanting to push me and prod me to do better and to try to light a fire under me. With that happening as I’ve grown up it’s kind of let my flame out a little bit and I’ve lost a little bit of that drive sometimes just because so many people are always just poking and prodding at me and I felt at times like an animal at the zoo. You know, you just keep poking at it until one day they bite back at you. It’s just my nature. I think it comes off to people like I don’t care. In the outfield I run smooth and people have always told me that I run smooth but at the same time they think I’m not trying at times when really I’m playing as hard as I can and playing through pain a lot.

The Rays skipper knows a lot about Rasmus, after all he has first-hand experience with the left-handed outfielder. It isn’t a stretch to assume that Cash is one of the biggest proponents pushing for any discussions. Could the loose environment in Tampa Bay be one in which he would thrive? Yet one can’t help but wonder how the implied baggage may affect the clubhouse — would the Rays be willing take the risk?

Performance wise, Drew Fairservice offered an excellent synopsis of Colby Rasmus in an August 2014 piece for FanGraphs, calling him “an enigma.” On one hand, Rasmus is a former top-tier prospect who hit 23 home runs and posted 4.8 WAR in 120 games with Toronto in 2013. He looked like the future star the Blue Jays traded for at the 2011 trade deadline. Yet he put together a hot and cold 2014, which resembled the forgettable seasons sandwiched in between his 2010 breakout campaign with St. Louis and the aforementioned 2013 season.

Credit where it’s due, the 4 and 4.8 WAR seasons in 2010 and 2013 made Rasmus look like a superstar on the cusp, yet there has been lack of consistency, and he has otherwise performed just above replacement level. In all fairness, it’s kind of hard to argue with a .438 SLG over the span of his career (.501 in 2013, .448 in 2014) and a meaty .225 ISO in 2013 (.192 overall)… and that .356 BABIP in 2013 would be pretty impressive in the middle of the lineup. In the end however, Rasmus depreciated himself with a very high K% (33% in 2013), a low BB% (7.7% in 2013), and a below average OBP (.287 in 2013).

Finally, though linked with Zobrist, the acquisition of Colby would, presumably, be about more than just simply dealing Ben. The outfield looks set, rotating between Desmond Jennings, the recently acquired Steven Souza, Wil Myers’ heir apparent Kevin Kiermaier, and David DeJesus. In this model, the fourth outfielder would be the DH. Removing Zobrist would do nothing to open up a spot in the outfield for Rasmus. Likewise, Brandon Guyer is the right-handed (bench-depth) compliment to the lefties (batting, or otherwise) on the roster — DeJesus and Kiermaier. I cannot for the life of me see the Rays replacing an infielder with an outfielder, and the possibility of replacing — or platooning, for that matter — either Souza, Kiermaier, or Jennings with Rasmus is slim to none.

That potentially leaves DeJesus in limbo. I’ll let Danny Russell (DRaysBay) speak to that,

The Rays are constantly juggling trade scenarios for pretty much every player on the team, particularly in the off-season and at the trade deadline mid-season. It’s possible the Rays simply see a back-up plan in Rasmus if another outfielder is dealt from the roster – like another lefty in the outfield mix, David DeJesus (comparison here). Rasmus is younger and probably cheaper, but far more volatile at the plate and (historically) in the clubhouse.

It goes without saying, acquiring Rasmus would be an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle — a short-term proposition; another risk/reward situation we’ve grown accustomed to in Tampa Bay. If the coaching staff can help tweak things on both sides of the plate, the Rays could acquire a player who, as Fairservice put it, could develop into a player the likes of B.J. Upton, Curtis Granderson, and Carlos Gomez. I just don’t see Silverman taking this much of a risk.

Noteworthiness

  • Matt Silverman recently sat down with MLB.com to answer a few questions about his new role with the team and about the direction the team is headed.

    • Hot-Stove: Four Teams Listed as Potential Trade Suitors for Zobrist

    (Photo courtesy of Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America)
    (Photo courtesy of Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America)

    By this point, most of you are well versed in the trade rumors swirling around Ben Zobrist and Yunel Escobar. In short, with the $8M acquisition of Asdrubal Cabrera, paired with the presence of middle-infield depth represented by Nick Franklin and Logan Forsythe, someone will be dealt somewhere — that is, unless the Tampa Bay Rays plan to lean upon Cabrera as the primary DH. The question remains, who may be going where?

    The tough decision may boil down to a pair of factors, which Roger Mooney (Tampa Tribune) highlighted in a Twitter conversation with me, Sunday: the trade market, and who would bring the best return.

    In a weekend column for the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo defined exactly what that market looks like, naming the Giants, Nationals, Angels, and Cubs as the top suitors for Zobrist. Grant Doepel of the Fansided powered Blog Red Machine speculated the Reds would make a good trading partner for Escobar.

    According to Cafardo, the Rays demands for Zobrist are said to be “at least one top prospect and a mid-level one” — something along the lines of the Howie Kendrick deal which brought pitching prospect Andrew Heaney to the Angels. While lacking a definition for a “mid-level” prospect, it could be assumed the Rays would be seeking a player near the bottom of a Top-100 list.

    When looking at the four possible landing places for Zobrist, only one appears to be the better suited trading parter — that ball club on the north-side of Chicago.

    …And no Bruce Levine (CBS Sports), not just because,

    There are the geographical coincidences – Zobrist is a Eureka, Illinois native and is represented by Chicago-based agent Alan Nero. There is history – Zobrist has played his entire career for Cubs manager Joe Maddon. More to the point, there is a need. Zobrist’s versatility would improve either club, although they both would lean upon his ability to play multiple positions rather than handing him a steady home.

    I digress.

    With the help of our friends at DRaysBay, I attempted to sort through the above named teams to show why the Cubs might be the best trading partner for Zobrist. To be clear, I still contend a trade of Escobar would make the most sense for a myriad of reasons (listed here).

    Giants

    According to MLB Trade Rumors and Peter Gammons, San Francisco’s interest in Zobrist has been well known — especially after the loss of Pablo Sandoval, and the inability to acquire Chase Headley. The Giants were able to snag Casey McGhee which alleviated some of the offensive and defensive pressure placed on the reigning World Series champs. Still, Zobrist could provide some help in the outfield corners, thus the ongoing rumors.

    There is a caveat for the Giants, however; San Francisco doesn’t have the top prospect billing the Rays are seeking. They do have a quality defensive catching prospect in Andrew Susac, and Kyle Crick (a Top-50 pitching prospect) — both of whom come close to Zobrist’s market value. Yet, it is a stretch to assume the Giants would be willing to move either prospect.

    Nationals

    Washington was reported to have inquired on Zobrist during the Winter Meetings, however the Nationals were rebuffed by a high asking price. As Danny Russell (DRaysBay) contends,

    Top-10 prospect Lucas Giolito is out of the question, as is up and coming center fielder Michael Taylor; however, a bidding war among National League clubs could lead Washington to put most other pieces on the table. The Rays could build around fringe Top-50 pitcher A.J. Cole, whose fastball and change look to be big league. You can never have too many quality arms, but Cole would only add to the traffic jam in Triple-A. The Rays recently completed a far more expensive trade with the Nationals in the Steven Souza deal last month.

    Angels

    The Angels would have been an obvious fit for Zobrist if they hadn’t already traded for infielders Josh Rutledge, Johnny Giavotella, and Taylor Featherston who are slated to fill the void at second.

    While the Angels might be looking to improve their offense, which would make this specific trade rumor plausible, their roster is already loaded. Moreover, Anaheim’s prospect list is lacking with the exception of Heaney. Unless they are willing to deal some of their big league talent to compensate for what the Rays may seek, don’t expect Tampa Bay to take the bait.

    Cubs

    The Cubs would be the obvious fit for Zobrist. First off, Joe Maddon would know exactly how to us the utility man. Chicago also has the money to hand a qualifying offer to Zobrist at the end of his tenure which Ken Rosenthal (Fox Sports) thinks would make him even more valuable to an interested team. But (and it’s a big but) Javier Baez would likely play every day at second base, Zobrist’s presumed position of choice.

    Still, the Cubs are equipped with a mouth watering list of prospects, like outfielder Albert Almora, catcher Kyle Schwarber, and 22 year-old Florda born DH/1B prospect Dan Vogelbach. The question remains, while the Cubs have what the Rays want, do they need Zobrist? You can see a list of some of the Cubs’ prospects, and their JAVIER ratings, below.

    You’re looking at are the positions, JAVIER scores, and JAVIER categories for each of the top prospects in the best farm system in the game. (Courtesy of Dock of the Rays blog)
    You’re looking at are the positions, JAVIER scores, and JAVIER categories for each of the top prospects in the best farm system in the game. (Courtesy of Dock of the Rays blog)

    Poll: Who Will Get Traded — Ben Zobrist or Yunel Escobar — and Why?

    I posed the question above Sunday, and a handful of you had your say. Thank you for that! The poll is still open and you can place your vote below. FYI, while the majority of what was written above dealt with Zobrist, there are a more than a few solid reasons the Rays should trade Escobar. I re-listed them below. 

    • Trading Zobrist now is, essentially, conceding the 2015 season before it even starts.
    • Steamer projects that both Escobar and Cabrera will produce similarly, culling a 1.5 +WAR. He also projects to a 100 wRC+ in 2015 — a shade ahead of Escobar — with a higher ISO (.146 vs .090) and possibly twice the home run tally. With a career .307 BABIP (.283 in 2013, and .272 in 2014), Cabrera pans out to be a middle infielder who, when compared to Escobar (.300 career, .281 in 2013, .282 in 2014), is more productive.
    • Relying upon Cabrera, while trading Escobar, gives the Rays flexibility to shed $19MM from the payroll over the next three seasons, while creating another spot in the middle infield for the tandem of Nick Franklin and Logan Forsythe — and creating room for Ryan Brett, Hak-Ju Lee, or Tim Beckham in 2016.
    • The Rays also lose the risk of decline associated with Yunel’s age.
    • Finally, a great point was written on another blog: the Rays will pay $3MM (the difference between Cabrera and Escobar’s contracts) for the ability to acquire $7 million value (in the form of either a fringe-top-100 pitching prospect or several lower-ranked prospects).

    [poll id=”4″]

    Noteworthiness

    • Per Steve Adams (MLB Trade Rumors), Emilio Bonifacio is expected to sign with the White Sox for $4M. If you recall, the South Siders were linked with Ben Zobrist. It sounds like ChiSox went to the free-agent market instead of putting together a trade package with the Rays, because of Tampa Bay’s exceedingly large return for Zobrist. 
    • The Rays have inquired about Colby Rasmus, according to Steve Adams (MLB Trade Rumors). Adams reports, “Rasmus, of course, seems a bit of a curious fit for what appears to be a Rays team that is re-tooling, if not rebuilding. The team traded David Price in July before moving Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Joyce, Cesar Ramos and Wil Myers this offseason. They did, however, recently add Asdrubal Cabrera to play second base and still can trot out a rotation consisting of Alex Cobb, Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Drew Smyly and (eventually, once he is recovered from Tommy John surgery) Matt Moore. In the meantime, Nate Karns and Alex Colome represent suitable solutions in the fifth spot of the rotation.”
    • DRaysBay wrote about the Rays/Rasmus inquiry. I’ll post more on the subject in a bit.
    • We’re still in the search for writers. Read about what we’re looking for (in a writer), and get in touch!

    Poll: Who Will Get Traded — Ben Zobrist or Yunel Escobar — and Why?

    Trade Candidate, Yunel Escobar.
    Trade Candidate, Yunel Escobar.

    As the title suggests, because the Tampa Bay Rays acquired Asdrubal Cabrera earlier in the week, it’s easy to assume that someone in the middle infield will be shipped elsewhere prior to Opening Day. The question is, who — Yunel Escobar or Ben Zobrist?

    While Zobrist could net more going into this, his contract year, one would imagine that any of the teams connected with Zo (Cubs, Giants, Nationals, etcetera) might be hard pressed to pony up a combined $25M (Zobrist’s accrued value) worth of players — prospects or otherwise. Then one wonders if any team would be willing to part with a league ready, +WAR player to compensate for the loss of Zobrist in the lineup?

    In my opinion, and as I’ve mentioned before, it makes more sense to trade Escobar:

    • Trading Zobrist now is, essentially, conceding the 2015 season before it even starts.
    • Steamer projects that both Escobar and Cabrera will produce similarly, culling a 1.5 +WAR. He also projects to a 100 wRC+ in 2015 — a shade ahead of Escobar — with a higher ISO (.146 vs .090) and possibly twice the home run tally. With a career .307 BABIP (.283 in 2013, and .272 in 2014), Cabrera pans out to be a middle infielder who, when compared to Escobar (.300 career, .281 in 2013, .282 in 2014), is more productive.
    • Relying upon Cabrera, while trading Escobar, gives the Rays flexibility to shed $19MM from the payroll over the next three seasons, while creating another spot in the middle infield for the tandem of Nick Franklin and Logan Forsythe — and creating room for Ryan Brett, Hak-Ju Lee, or Tim Beckham in 2016.
    • The Rays also lose the risk of decline associated with Yunel’s age.
    • Finally, a great point was written on another blog: the Rays will pay $3MM (the difference between Cabrera and Escobar’s contracts) for the ability to acquire $7 million value (in the form of either a fringe-top-100 pitching prospect or several lower-ranked prospects).
    • While the want for Escobar is less than that of Zobrist, Yunel is desired by a few teams, including the Cincinnati Reds. Grant Doepel of Blog Red Machine touched on that very subject,

    Considering the Reds’ stable of young arms in their farm system, Tampa Bay could target a young pitcher in trade talks and continue doing what they prefer – obtaining and cultivating young talent. With top shortstop prospect Willy Adames making his way through Tampa’s lower minor leagues, it has become evident that Escobar is not in the long-term plans for the Rays. However, at 32-years old, he still has plenty of productive years to give.

    Combining Escobar with the previously acquired Byrd would provide the Reds with the deepest, most complete lineup they have had in years. In doing so, the Reds could give their pitching staff something they haven’t been accustomed to in quite some time – adequate run support.

    With all of that said, what do you think? Who is more likely to get traded and why? Take the poll below, and leave your thoughts in the comments section.

    [poll id=”4″]

    DRaysBay: Evaluating Asdrubal Cabrera, the Defender

    Asdrubal Cabrera with the Washington Nationals in 2014. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada/USA Todays Sports)
    Asdrubal Cabrera with the Washington Nationals in 2014. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada/USA Todays Sports)

    I wrote about the acquisition of Asdrubal Cabrera the other day, and how the deal might be better than the initial gut reaction might assume — that is, supposing the Rays can cobble together a trade of Yunel Escobar. I included an offensive analysis of Cabrera in that article, while also incorporating a piece from Dock of the Rays blog which went into great detail on that very subject. Danny Russell (DRaysBay) took a look Cabrera the defender Thursday, and I thought I’d re-post that article below. After all, a complete view of the newest Ray must include all facets of Cabrera’s game. And without further adieux,

    Evaluating Asdrubal Cabrera, the Defender

    by: Danny Russell (DRaysBay)

    Asdrubal Cabrera doesn’t have world beating defense, but that’s not an indictment. Most of the negative reports out there come from his days at short stop, which may not be his position in the future.

    Cabrera was acquired last season by the Nationals at the trade deadline to play second base in their playoff push. The acquisition was an immediate upgrade for Washington, but the results for the Nationals were not what shows up in the spreadsheet.

    The story on the field differed from the numbers you might find on Fangraphs, but there’s room to wonder how much of that discrepancy was merely transitional struggles.

    Cabrera was credited with -10 defensive runs saved at the second base last season, comparable to Ben Zobrist’s +1, but given Cabrera’s more positive performance at short stop earlier in the season (-7 DRS over twice the innings played), there’s a reasonable expectation that a full season at second base would score higher.

    If you extrapolate -10 DRS over a full season the picture is ugly, but that’s not great science. Second base is a markedly easier position to field than short stop, but when Cabrera was sent to Washington to fill their void at second, he had not played the position since 2009. It’s probable that he scored low at the position due to awkwardness more than talent.

    So let’s rewind to Cabrera’s comfort zone. Consider how the three starting middle infielders on the Rays roster performed against each other at short stop in 2014, in out-of-zone scores for range and defensive runs saved.

    Player Position Innings DRS OOZ OOZ/150
    Asdrubal Cabrera SS 824 -7 52 85
    Ben Zobrist SS 236 0 14 80
    Yunel Escobar SS 1183 -24 66 75

    That’s a small sample size for Zobrist, but when league average OOZ/150 is a score of 77 at short stop, this glimpse is respectable for all three.

    Adding some context: Zobrist is aging and has spent most of his career on turf, and Escobar is coming off a season seemingly full of mental blunders. If the Rays had to choose a short stop, 29-year old Asdrubal Cabrera looks more reliable, based on 2014 data.

    Now let’s take a look at the depth at second base, including Nick Franklin and Logan Forsythe, who are an option to platoon at second base next season. Franklin really only had numbers from 2013, so I used his last two seasons if data, but rest are 2014 numbers:

    Player Position Innings DRS OOZ OOZ/150
    Asdrubal Cabrera 2B 432 -10 13 41
    Ben Zobrist 2B 625 1 27 58
    Nick Franklin (13-14) 2B 924 0 70 102
    Logan Forsythe 2B 553 2 35 85

    What should jump out immediately, if the eye test hadn’t already told you, is that the two guys on the bench have some serious range. League average here is a 55 OOZ/150, and for those curious, the league DRS count was 3 runs saved at second base last season, and -5 at short stop. DRS isn’t kind to Cabrera during his time at second base, but he scored near average at short, the more difficult position.

    Cabrera’s arm grades well for the middle infield, that’s not a concern, and his defensive range should play well toward the right side, given what we observe at short stop. My immediate reaction to the Cabrera signing was to wax-poetic about the step down in defense, at either middle-infield position, but after a longer look at the numbers above — and then some tape — I’m not so sure. Particularly if the Rays follow the Nationals in deploying him at second base. Just take a look at this:

    On paper, Cabrera’s numbers weren’t shiny in 2014, but his performance was not below standards to be a starting positional player in the middle-infield. He was top-rated among free agents at 2B/SS for good reason. Then take into account how nice his play looks on the field, and suddenly this move is a lot better than we gave credit just days ago.

    The signing of Cabrera was clearly a preemptive move by the Rays to allow a trade of one of their middle infielders. Having taken a look at his play on either side of the bag over the past few days, I’d be comfortable with him taking over either side.

    DC’s announcers in the video above were quite pleased with Cabrera’s performance, and they were watching him turn and burn day in and out for a few months. With defensive gems like that, it might be easy for Rays fans to get excited too.

    A full off-season of preparation for second base may yield quality results for the Rays next season, or at least league average play at short. Even if it doesn’t show in the spreadsheet, there should be a lot to like.

    Hot-Stove: Rays to Acquire INF Asdrubal Cabrera

    1306208579Asdrubal-Cabrera-2
    Meet the newest Ray, Asdrubal Cabrera.

    Charlie Wilmoth (MLB Trade Rumors) is reporting that the Rays have signed 29 year-old middle infielder Asdrubal Cabrera. Though all the specifics of the contract have not been announced, the initial reports have pegged the acquisition as a one year deal, which would typically require a higher dollar amount hence the $8MM figure Joel Sherman reported earlier (Twitter link).

    Both Yunel Escobar and Ben Zobrist have been tied to trade rumors, and this move could signal that a deal is in the works for either player. Personally, I see the former getting dealt over the latter — Escobar has been seen as former Manager Joe Maddon, and former President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman’s pet project. The Rays also explored a deal with the Athletics for Escobar last season, yet they inevitably withdrew his name from the waiver wire at the last minute.

    It was written elsewhere at the beginning of the month,

    Should he be dealt, Escobar’s removal from the roster would not be entirely painful. He could be functionally replaced by Nick Frankin or Logan Forsythe, or maybe even 33-year old Ben Zobrist. The first two, acquired in 2014, will be riding rookie contracts in a possible platoon role unless one can pull ahead of the other, and the Rays would likely try to keep their youth on the left side of the infield, and allow Zobrist to continue to showcase his defense at second.

    Framed in the context of trading Escobar, this move seems sensible — especially when you consider the following:

    • Trading Zobrist now is, essentially, conceding the 2015 season before it even starts.
    • Steamer projects that both Escobar and Cabrera will produce similarly, culling a 1.5 +WAR. He also projects to a 100 wRC+ in 2015 — a shade ahead of Escobar — with a higher ISO (.146 vs .090) and possibly twice the home run tally. With a career .307 BABIP (.283 in 2013, and .272 in 2014), Cabrera pans out to be a middle infielder who, when compared to Escobar (.300 career, .281 in 2013, .282 in 2014), is more productive.
    • Relying upon Cabrera, while trading Escobar, gives the Rays flexibility to shed $19MM from the payroll over the next three seasons, while creating another spot in the middle infield for the tandem of Nick Franklin and Logan Forsythe — and creating room for Ryan Brett, Hak-Ju Lee, or Tim Beckham in 2016.
    • The Rays also lose the risk of decline associated with Yunel’s age.
    • Finally, a great point was written on another blog, the Rays will pay $3MM (the difference between Cabrera and Escobar’s contracts) for the ability to acquire $7 million value (in the form of either a fringe-top-100 pitching prospect or several lower-ranked prospects).

    On its own, however, the deal doesn’t entirely make sense. The Rays are a team that place a great amount of emphasis on defense, and well…Cabrera is not known for his fielding work. Per FanGraphs, Cabrera totaled -7 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) last season between the middle infield positions, -16 as a shortstop in 2013, and an average of -22 overall. Despite the -24 DRS last season, Escobar is still on the positive end of things when you look at his career numbers.

    To be frankly honest, Cabrera’s .241 BA/.307 OBP/.387 SLG/.684 OPS combined line in 553 plate appearances with the Indians and Nationals last season really doesn’t bolster the Rays roster. And when you consider there is no clear platoon advantage with the switch hitting Cabrera, his role in the lineup becomes murky.

    The only seeming connection between Cabrera and the Rays, is the recently hired Kevin Cash, who was part of the Indians coaching staff previously. Then again, as with Yan Gomes before him, perhaps the Rays new skipper see’s something in Cabrera that we may not.

    In the end, Danny Russell (DRaysBay) summed things up well,

    If the Rays are nearing a trade of Ben Zobrist or Yunel Escobar the signing receives more credence, but that wouldn’t appear to make the Rays better or cheaper next season.

    Noteworthiness

    • I wrote about the trade rumors swirling around Ben Zobrist the other day.
    • It was written around Thanksgiving, the Rays are able and willing to move Escobar because they have several players capable of playing shortstop on the 40-man roster (Tim Beckham, Hak-Ju Lee, Nick Franklin, and Ben Zobrist). The free agent market for shortstops still isn’t very strong, while the cost to acquire one — in terms of prospects or having to take on salary plus a prospect — is high. A team would have the opportunity to acquire Escobar for far less than say a Starling Castro, Didi Gregorious, or Zobrist and the fiscal impact would be minimal.
    • It is common knowledge that Asdrubal Cabrera fell off the last few seasons. His wRC+ dropped below league average over the past four seasons — from 119 and 112 in 2011 and 2012, to 94 and 97 in 2013 and 2014. Meanwhile he started hitting a lot more catchable fly balls and his strikeout rate went up, due in part because he started swinging at more balls up and outside the zone. The running theory, if Cabrera can tweak his swing and change his approach at the plate, he could be a real presence for the Rays next season. Jason Hanselman (Dock of the Rays blog) took a look at Cabrera at the plate, giving the readers an in depth analysis of how he’s fared against certain types of pitches, among other things. It’s worth the read.