Jim Hickey works with the pitchers after a rain delay in Port Charlotte, Thursday. (Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays)
Jim Hickey works with the pitchers after a rain delay in Port Charlotte, Thursday. (Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays)

After a brief rain delay, thanks to a passing cold front, the Tampa Bay Rays got to work on the fourth day of Spring Training. Eugenio Velez reported to camp, so only Boog Powell and Alex Colome (visa delay) have yet to arrive with the first full workout looming Saturday.

After a bit of confusion Wednesday, Drew Smyly threw a bullpen session a day later than his group, as did RHP Jose Dominguez and LHP Matt Moore. All three were the only pitchers expected to throw bullpen sessions Thursday, though a few others — like Ernesto Frieri — got sessions in after the rain cleared.

Rays manager Kevin Cash seems to be flexible with his pitcher’s schedules, as long as they get themselves ready for the season. Cash told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times),

We’re pretty open to whatever. They all know that we want them to pitch, ready to go. However we get there, that’s fine.

Pitchers will toss live batting practice Saturday, though few players, including OF Steven Souza, stood in during pitchers’ bullpen sessions to begin tracking pitches.

Michael Saunders, the Blue Jays’ recently acquired outfielder, was placed on the DL after he hurt his knee in Dunedin, Thursday. You may be asking, what does this have to do with Tampa Bay? The Rays have not shied away from the subject of trading David DeJesus, and he could be a good fit for Toronto.

DeJesus has a favorable contract ($5M for 2015, with a $5M option for 2016 or a $1M buyout), and is flexible on both sides of the plate. Jason Hanselman (Dock of the Rays) wrote about the potential of dealing DeJesus to Toronto,

…David DeJesus is coming off of a season where he was around 20% better with the stick than his peers. He can play around average in the corner, better in LF to hide his arm, and can fill in at CF in a pinch without sending you running for the hills. He hits righties. He does not hit lefties. He makes an interesting replicant for Michael Saunders and is on a contract that pays him around what he’s worth. It’s almost too obvious.

Hanselman further suggested a trade for former Ray Dioner Navarro may very well be a positive. Unlike DeJesus, Navarro can hit lefties, and both players have the same salary in 2015 — though Tampa Bay already has Bobby Wilson and Curt Casali in line on the depth chart behind the plate.  

Hanselman went on,

For a switch hitter Navarro has shown a pretty large split throughout his career. He’s been around 7% better than the league against lefties, but around 22% worse against righties. Being able to pair him with a guy like Jaso could lead to the best DH output for the Rays since the days of Jose or Jonny or Johnny.

You’re talking around 200 PA or so and you can probably get him another 200-250 in the games that he starts, so for Navarro in the last year of a two-year contract he should see more opportunity to get that next deal. More than he would have in Toronto, at least, where he is clamoring to be sent packing.

It’s an interesting proposition, yet, I distinctly remember a time when Navarro abandoned the Rays after being told he wasn’t going to be on the roster for the first round of the 2010 playoffs.

Noteworthiness

  • Four days into Spring Training, and Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey has already begun to help extreme fly-ball pitcher Ernesto Frieri make adjustments to his delivery. Charlie Wilmoth (MLB Trade Rumors) wrote about those early tweaks,

Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey is already helping new reliever Ernesto Frieri make adjustments, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune writes. “That’s why I’m here,” says Frieri. “He knows what he’s doing. He fixed a couple of guys before, and I hope I’m not the exception. I’m pretty sure he’s going to give me the right information and I’m going to take advantage.” The Rays have helped veteran relievers like Fernando Rodney, Kyle Farnsworth and Joaquin Benoit improve their stock, and Frieri hopes to be the next in line. The 29-year-old is coming off a terrible season with the Angels and Pirates in which he posted a 7.34 ERA and struggled mechanically. His 10.4 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and good velocity suggest he might have more gas in his tank, however, even if his fly-ball tendencies make him homer-prone, so he could be a bounce-back candidate if he can make the right adjustments. Here’s more from the American League.

Leave a comment