Hot-Stove: Tampa Bay close to a deal with SS Yunel Escobar (Updated)

Former Jay and current Rays SS, Yunel Escobar
Former Jay and current Rays SS, Yunel Escobar

Update: Rays beat writer Marc Topkin tweeted that the Rays have acquired former Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar late last night. Topkin also confirmed what we speculated, “With Escobar as the every day SS, the Rays will restore Zobrist to the multi-position role, playing OF, 2B and some SS.” We’ll have more on this acquisition later. -Schmitty

According to Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors, Tampa Bay is close to a deal with the Marlins recently acquired shortstop Yunel Escobar. In return, the Rays are exoected to send middle infield prospect, Derek Dietrich, to Miami.

The 30 year-old shortstop hit .253 BA/.300 OBP/.344 SLG/.644 OPS in 608 plate appearances for the Blue Jays 2012. His season wasn’t without controversy. Escobar was suspended for three games in September after displaying an “unacceptable message” on his eye black. He was subsequently shipped to the Marlins as part of the November blockbuster trade.

Sure there are some lingering questions about Escobar’s, ahem…maturity, especially following the eye black incident and the suspension that followed. However, this could be a good move for the Rays. With Escobar as the primary shortstop, Tampa Bay has more flexibility with a player like Ben Zobrist. This could, effectively, solve the outfield conundrum, with Zo platooning at second base and right field, Desmond Jennings shifting to center, and Matt Joyce shifting to left field, platooning the position with Sam Fuld. And the Rays, presumably, wouldn’t have to give up any starters to get him. Win/win?

20,000 views and counting!

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This is pretty great. Thanks, folks!

Thank you all, for the 20,000+ views of this here blog! I, for one, think it’s pretty cool that you all consistently read the mediocre drivel that I crank on a semi regular basis. We’ll be changing up the design in the forthcoming months. In the meantime, we’ll continue our efforts of keeping you up to date on all things Rays, among other things. Thanks again…your readership means a lot!

 

 

Hot-Stove: Sean Rodriguez and the Rays come to terms without entering arbitration

MLB Trade Rumors has reported that Sean Rodriguez has come to terms on a new contract with the Rays without having to enter arbitration. Rodriguez signed a one-year, $1MM deal, tweeted Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune.

Rodriguez was projected by MLBTR to earn about $1.2MM  in his first year of arbitration. A $1MM salary for 2013 seems reasonable considering that he posted a .213 BA/.281 OBP/.326 SLG/.607 OPS slash line in 342 plate appearances last season.

James Loney and the Rays agree to a one year deal

James Loney at bat against the Tampa Bay, courtesy of Kim Klement/US Presswire
James Loney at bat against the Rays, courtesy of Kim Klement/US Presswire

Updated: Maddon on Loney below.

It didn’t take long for the Rays to make their presence known at the 2012 Winter Meetings. The Rays made the biggest news of the day, signing 27 year-old first baseman, James Loney, to a one year, $2MM contract which could net him $3MM once incentives are taken into consideration. Pending his physical, Loney could take over the first base duties from Carlos Pena. Loney earned $6.375 million last season.

Loney is a career .282 BA/.339 OBP/.419 SLG/.758 OPS hitter, with seven years in the bigs under his belt. Initially acquired by the Red Sox in the Nick Punto trade with the Dodgers, Loney had a lackluster 2012 season, posting the worst numbers of his career with a .249 BA/.293 OBP/.336 SLG/.629 OPS line, 41 RBI, and seven homers in 465 at-bats.

After finishing sixth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2007, much has been made of his dwindling offensive production, especially over the last four seasons where his wOBA has dropped from .355 to .343 to .337 to its current .329 mark. Why would the Rays sign a player that Ben Buchanan of Over the Monster Blog calls, “(a) guy you hope never to see in your lineup as a contending team?” The answer to that is three fold.

Loney’s splits against righties are good. According to Daniel Russel of DRaysBay, “In 2011, he held a .350 wOBA and 125 wRC+ against righties, and may not have a problem reaching those numbers again – his career splits include a .341 wOBA and 111 wRC+.”

What’s more, Loney is a very good defensive first baseman, posting a career high 12.1 UZR/150 in 2012, with a career .994 fielding percentage. And if he sounds eerily reminiscent of a former Rays first baseman, (ahem Casey Kotchman) it should be noted that Loney also has an excellent (read: low) strikeout rate at 12.2% over the course of his career.

And with the news that the Rays could send a starting pitcher to Washington for right handed first baseman Danny Espinosa and outfielder Michael Morse, we could see a platoon situation with Loney starting at first when there is a right handed pitcher on the mound.

In short, this seems like another of Tampa Bay’s famous low-risk moves that work out well for the Rays.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uU7d0Qw8yE]

(Video courtesy of Marc Topkin/Tampa Bay Times)

Rays trade Burke Badenhop to the Brewers

This just in, the Rays have traded ground-balling RHP reliever, Burke Badenhop, to the Brewers for 20 year-old OF, Raul Mondesi Jr. Tampa Bay tendered Burke’s contract just last night, presumably with this move in mind. Badenhop is expected to make $1.6MM following arbitration.

As we mentioned earlier, the Rays were/are in the market for an outfielder. It is unclear whether the Rays view Mondesi as an outfield candidate for 2013, or if he is a prospect that needs to be groomed. In either case, Mondesi posted a .231 BA/.282 OBP/.374 SLG line with five homers and eight steals in 298 plate appearances in Rookie ball this summer. By virtue of Mondesi needing to work on his base running skills, (exemplified by this) I’d imagine that the Rays are still in the market for an outfielder in the short-term.

This move opens the door to questions surrounding whomever may be taking Badenhop’s place in the pen. Will they now re-sign JP Howell? Does this open the door for Cesar Ramos or Brandon Gomes?