Hot-Stove: David Price among other things

Andy Sonnanstine, David PriceDoom and gloom peppered the sports talk radio and the six o-clock news formats, following the announcement that the Rays and David Price were able to avoid arbitration. Just in case you just emerged from your December 21, 2012 doomsday bunker and missed the news, Price signed a one-year $10.1125MM contract earlier this week. Now that we’re back on the same page, that Price signed the aforementioned contract is not the bad news. This contract marking what could be construed as the death knell of Price’s long-term future with the Rays is.

Price is now the highest paid Ray in franchise history, and the tacit whispers over Tampa Bay being able to afford Price after the 2013 season have become audible. I’d have to say that the collective palpitations that we Rays fans may be feeling right now are warranted.

Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reported that he (David Price, not Smith…duh) would be open to a contract extension with Tampa Bay, but is also realistic when taking the Rays financial limitations into account.

“If it’s right, we’ll do it,” Price said. “If not, I have to understand it’s a business first and foremost. (The Rays) want to win this year but also be able to win in the future as well. They have to do what’s best for the franchise.”

The question begs: even with the projected increases in the Rays revenue in the next few years, could they afford to offer Price a Longoria like long-term contract? The answer seems hazy. Smith added in a separate article that,

With Price’s price going up, it would seem less likely for the Rays can sign him to a long-term deal, especially with their payroll situation.

“It’s a difficult thing to answer without all of the variables – term, money, all those things,” Friedman said. “It’s a difficult question to answer on any specific player. We could certainly add another larger contract, but… it puts a lot more pressure on our remaining funds, which would be much smaller to fill out 23 guys around (Evan) Longoria and whoever that contract is (for), to be able to win. Because, at the end of the day, that’s what motivates us, is winning, and having a competitive team that we can sustain. So it’s not an easy thing to answer in a vacuum.”

Suffice to say, Price’s long-term future with the Rays is a topic that will be left to conjecture and speculation, at least in the short-term. The Rays still need to fill some key positions on the roster as they continue their search for another bat or two and some bullpen help. It should be mentioned that Tampa Bay still has several remaining arbitration-eligible players (Matt Joyce, Sam Fuld, Jeff Niemann and Ryan Roberts) to deal with before they even tackle the long-term future of their ace.

Noteworthiness

  • It goes without saying that the Rays need a DH. Lance Berkman’s name has popped up, but he may not be what the Rays are looking for because of his potential price tag and injury concerns. DRaysBay thinks that Luke Scott (grrr…been there, done that) or Travis Hafner could suit the Rays DH needs. Then again, they don’t don’t answer the riddle that is hitting LHP, do they? Thome??
  • We posted a link to this article the other day, but it bears posting once again. The Rays really could use a couple more arms in the pen, though I’d reckon that Tampa Bay will lean on Cesar Ramos, and possibly Brandon Gomes, in 2013.
  • …which brings us to Alex Torres. More specifically, what do you do with a pitcher that is almost out of options? Would he fair well in the pen, at least for the time being? He is particularly good at pitching out of the stretch and could be used in high leverage situations.
  • Wondering who may still be on the market? Baseball Prospectus has their updated free agent list, available here. Who knows, maybe Friedman will sign Grant Balfour again.

Hot-Stove: David Price, among other things

Andy Sonnanstine, David PriceDoom and gloom peppered the sports talk radio and the six o-clock news formats, following the announcement that the Rays and David Price were able to avoid arbitration. Just in case you just emerged from your December 21, 2012 doomsday bunker and missed the news, Price signed a one-year $10.1125MM contract earlier this week. Now that we’re back on the same page, that Price signed the aforementioned contract is not the bad news. This contract marking what could be construed as the death knell of Price’s long-term future with the Rays is.

Price is now the highest paid Ray in franchise history, and the tacit whispers over Tampa Bay being able to afford Price after the 2013 season have become audible. I’d have to say that the collective palpitations that we Rays fans may be feeling right now are warranted.

Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reported that he (David Price, not Smith…duh) would be open to a contract extension with Tampa Bay, but is also realistic when taking the Rays financial limitations into account.

“If it’s right, we’ll do it,” Price said. “If not, I have to understand it’s a business first and foremost. (The Rays) want to win this year but also be able to win in the future as well. They have to do what’s best for the franchise.”

The question begs: even with the projected increases in the Rays revenue in the next few years, could they afford to offer Price a Longoria like long-term contract? The answer seems hazy. Smith added in a separate article that,

With Price’s price going up, it would seem less likely for the Rays can sign him to a long-term deal, especially with their payroll situation.

“It’s a difficult thing to answer without all of the variables – term, money, all those things,” Friedman said. “It’s a difficult question to answer on any specific player. We could certainly add another larger contract, but… it puts a lot more pressure on our remaining funds, which would be much smaller to fill out 23 guys around (Evan) Longoria and whoever that contract is (for), to be able to win. Because, at the end of the day, that’s what motivates us, is winning, and having a competitive team that we can sustain. So it’s not an easy thing to answer in a vacuum.”

Suffice to say, Price’s long-term future with the Rays is a topic that will be left to conjecture and speculation, at least in the short-term. The Rays still need to fill some key positions on the roster as they continue their search for another bat or two and some bullpen help. It should be mentioned that Tampa Bay still has several remaining arbitration-eligible players (Matt Joyce, Sam Fuld, Jeff Niemann and Ryan Roberts) to deal with before they even tackle the long-term future of their ace.

Noteworthiness

  • It goes without saying that the Rays need a DH. Lance Berkman’s name has popped up, but he may not be what the Rays are looking for because of his potential price tag and injury concerns. DRaysBay thinks that Luke Scott (grrr…been there, done that) or Travis Hafner could suit the Rays DH needs. Then again, they don’t don’t answer the riddle that is hitting LHP, do they? Thome??
  • We posted a link to this article the other day, but it bears posting once again. The Rays really could use a couple more arms in the pen, though I’d reckon that Tampa Bay will lean on Cesar Ramos, and possibly Brandon Gomes, in 2013.
  • …which brings us to Alex Torres. More specifically, what do you do with a pitcher that is almost out of options? Would he fair well in the pen, at least for the time being? He is particularly good at pitching out of the stretch and could be used in high leverage situations.
  • Wondering who may still be on the market? Baseball Prospectus has their updated free agent list, available here. Who knows, maybe Friedman will sign Grant Balfour again.

Hot-Stove: David Price and the Rays avoid arbitration (Updated)

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David Price (Courtesy of TBO.com)

MLB Trade Rumors has reported that 27 year-old LHP David Price has reached a one-year deal with the Rays, avoiding arbitration.

It was projected that Price would make just north of $9.5MM in 2013, more than doubling last years salary of $4.3MM. The terms of the deal have been released, and the Rays ace will receive just over $10MM next season, making him the highest paid Ray on the roster.

This is the second time that the left-handed 2012 Cy Young award winner has been arbitration eligible, thanks to his Super Two status. Price could hit the open market after the 2015 season if the Rays don’t find a way to lock him up in a long-term contract.

Price, 27, is 61-31 with a career 3.16 ERA in the big leagues. He has made the All-Star roster in three consecutive seasons, going 20-5 with a league-leading 2.56 ERA last season, while narrowly edging out Justin Verlander for the Cy Young Award.

Noteworthiness

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk5fNZaK8_w]

Wanna build a new stadium for the Rays? Here’s your chance!

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Is it your intent to make it out to a few games, but that loooong bridge stands in the way? Do you wish the Rays were playing in your own backyard so you could make it to the ballpark consistently? Do you wish that you could replicate that ballpark experience without having to lose the ability to watch the game on the tube…or without having to lose your ability to complain about where the Trop is located?

Well kids, now you can create a new Rays facility from the comforts of your own living room without even having to lose your whiny integrity. With MLB Ballpark Empire, you can have your whiny petulant cake, and eat it too! Sure, it’s not like you’re actually building a new facility or rehabbing their current digs. But let’s face it, those folks weren’t going to make it out to the ballpark anyway, new stadium or not.

Hot-Stove: Of big sticks and stadiums

Berkman or Kubel? Anyone?
Lance Berkman and/or Jason Kubel, anyone?

It goes without saying, the Rays could really another bat (or two) in the lineup, especially if they’re going to be competitive in the AL East in 2013. And if that player could fit their DH/OF/1B needs, all the better. But as MLB Trade Rumors recently put it,

The choices available are somewhat limited at this stage of the offseason.

However, there are two intriguing possibilities out there that could fit the Rays needs, Jason Kubel and Lance Berkman.

The recent signing of Cody Ross whipped up a fury of speculation that the Diamondback may be willing to trade away 30 year-old left handed OF/DH, Jason Kubel.

Kubel hit a career-high 30 homers in 2012 while posting a .253 BA/.327 OBP/.506 SLG/.833 OPS slash line, with 90 RBI. He has now hit 20 or more homers in four of his last five seasons and is signed for a team-friendly $7.5 million next year, plus an option worth $7.5 million in 2014. $7.5MM is a pretty steep price to pay for the Rays. It could be argued though, if the Rays were truly serious about trading for fellow Diamondbacks OF, Justin Upton, who’ll be making north of $9MM in 2013, they’d be able to afford Jason Kubel. What the Diamondbacks may be seeking in return is also up in the air. It has been speculated that Arizona’s GM, Kevin Towers, likely would want pitching prospects for Kubel. Might the Diamondbacks be willing to eat some of Kubel’s contract like MLB Trade Rumors implied?

We first wrote of the Rays ‘tire-kicking’ interest in 36 year-old 1B/OF, Lance Berkman, back in November. Berkman hit .259 BA/.381 OBP/.444 SLG in 97 plate appearances for the Cardinals in 2012 but was hobbled by a pair of knee surgeries. He’s a career .296 BA/.409 OBP/.544 SLG hitter with 360 career homers between the Astros, Yankees and Cardinals. He hit 31 homers in 2011, and could fit the Rays DH needs. And since Berkman is an injury risk, using him in the DH role while also using him sparingly at first base could work out well for the Rays. How much money he’d be expecting is unknown. Berkman was quoted as saying,

I’m waiting to be blown away by an offer. If I’m not, I’ll be out here.

“Here” being Rice University where he’d serve as a volunteer assistant coach.

An artist's rendition shows Tropicana Field with an expanded concourse and retractable roof. (Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times)
An artist’s rendition shows Tropicana Field with an expanded concourse and retractable roof. (Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times)

In other news, the Tampa Bay Times reported the results of a survey that found the Trop as being the “single most popular stadium option (for the Rays)” in Tampa Bay, with citizens wanting to “simply to keep the team playing at Tropicana Field.” Though it was recently found that the both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties could afford to build a new facility without raising taxes, much of publics feeling that the Rays should stay in the Trop “Stems from (a) fear that public money would have to underwrite any new stadium.” According to the Times, the respondents of the survey opposed the idea of a new facility by a margin of 50 percent to 41 percent, even if their own taxes were unaffected. And yes kids, the aforementioned survey included Tampa/Hillsborough citizens. It can be assumed that the 36% of respondents that would like to see the Rays stay in the Trop, combined with the 22% of citizens that would like to see a new facility built in Carillon, represent a large constituency that would have the Rays staying on this side of the bay.

In my opinion, this article should at least spark (anew) the conversation on whether rehabbing the Trop could be a viable option. True, it has been traditionally seen that rehabbing Tropicana Field would not be a prudent course of action. It’s been long seen that an overhaul of the Trop may cost upward of $471 million. That overhaul would be complete with a retractable roof, supersized concourse and upgraded seating.

It’s well known that Tampa’s mayor, Bob Buckhorn, thinks that a stadium in downtown Tampa would spur development. You know…development that downtown St. Pete has quietly and consistently seen over the past four years or so; development that really hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. If the survey is indicative of anything, Tampa’s citizens want nothing to do with the traffic woes that will be inflicted on Tampa. It’s been widely speculated that a new suburban facility near the Hard Rock is out of the question as well. In the end, new stadium sites in Pinellas or Hillsborough will be a very tough sell to citizens on both sides of the bay who, time and again, have (and continue to be) been largely against building a new facility. With all of this in mind, why can’t we revisit the idea of overhauling the Trop?