X-Rays Spex

A Below Average Rays Fan Blog

LBWMF: staying alive, Tampa Bay Rays defeat Baltimore, 8-3

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Wilson’s second inning grand slam was the difference in last night’s ball game. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Wilson Ramos hit a second inning grand slam, the difference in Friday night’s game, while Alex Cobb battled through six innings, as the Tampa Bay Rays pounded the Orioles, 8-3, in Baltimore. Evan Longoria’s third inning solo shot tied the club record for home runs set last season. Tampa Bay starts the day still hanging on to its slim postseason chances, five games back of the last Wildcard spot with eight games left to play.

After a pair of 1-2-3 frames by Ubaldo Jimenez and Alex Cobb, Logan Morrison started the Rays’ second inning rally when he was hit by an 0-2 pitch. The HBP came just one pitch after Morrison painfully fouled a ball off his ankle. Suffice it to say he was in a lot of pain following that plate appearance, yet he stayed in the game. Steven Souza Jr. and Corey Dickerson went back-to-back with seeing eye singles (to center and right, respectively) loading the bases for the Buffalo. Ramos didn’t waste any time, and belted a first-pitch fastball 439 feet into the left field seats for an early four-run lead.

It was the fourth grand slam for Tampa Bay this season, and the 10th homer for Ramos in 2017.

Yet Baltimore answered in the bottom of the frame against Cobb, loading the bases on a pair of seeing eye singles, and a walk. Austin Hays hit a sacrifice-fly to center to put the Orioles on the board, while their second run crossed the plate on the first of two wild pitches by the right-hander.

Determined not to have their death warrant signed on this fateful evening, the Rays bounced back with two more runs in the top of the third. Evan Longoria homered to start the inning, his 19th of the season and the 216th of Tampa Bay’s 2017 campaign, tying the franchise record set last year. After Morrison and Ramos reached on a couple of base hits sandwiched around a couple of outs, Adeiny Hechavarria drove in the second run of the frame on a base hit to center, chasing Jimenez.

The run support was more than enough for Cobb, who battled throughout his start — only collecting one clean frame in the first. Yet the right-hander made the all important big pitches when he needed to, while also benefitting from his defense. For example, in the third inning, with a runner in scoring position, Dickerson threw out Manny Machado at the plate as he attempted to score on an Adam Jones single, cutting down a potential run.

Baltimore got one run closer when Chris Davis hit a solo homer in the fourth, however, Dickerson’s fifth inning RBI double, scoring Souza, again gave Tampa Bay a four-run lead.

Steve Cishek took over for Cobb in the seventh inning and worked around a single, while Tommy Hunter fanned the side in the side on 15 pitches in the following inning.

The Rays scored one last run in the ninth on Lucas Duda’s double to right-center — snapping an 0-20 skid, and scoring Kevin Kiermaier, who was hit by a pitch.

Finally, Brad Boxberger worked around a one-out walk in the ninth inning, fanning the side and putting Baltimore out of its misery.

The New What Next

Jake Odorizzi (9-8, 4.46 ERA, 5.72 FIP) will take the mound for the Rays in the third game of four, pitching opposite of former Rays right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (2-5, 7.29 ERA, 6.57 FIP).

Odorizzi no-hit the Red Sox into the sixth inning on Sunday before he allowed a walk and a two-run homer to Jackie Bradley Jr. The right-hander had a live fastball, coaxing 15 swings-and-misses on his 96 pitches, including 10 on his 61 fastballs. Odorizzi has now allowed just three earned runs across 16-1/3 innings in his last three starts.

Hellickson, in his last start against the New York Yankees on Sunday, was shelled for six runs on four hits (including two home runs) and four walks over just three innings of work. The former Ray has given up three runs or fewer in only four of his nine starts as an Oriole, while performing to a 7.28 ERA/6.16 FIP since the All-Star break. Suffice it to say, the right-hander hasn’t looked nearly as good as he did in his year and a half stint with the Phillies. Key Matchups: Lucas Duda (7-14, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB), Wilson Ramos (3-10, HR, 3 RBI)

You can read about the series in our preview.

Rays 9/23/17 Starting Lineup

Kiermaier CF
Duda 1B
Longoria 3B
Morrison DH
Souza Jr. RF
Dickerson LF
Ramos C
Miller 2B
Hechavarria SS
Odorizzi RHP

Noteworthiness

— Adeiny Hechavarria has been a very good acquisition for the Rays. How good? Hechavarria hasn’t committed an error since August 1. Compare that with Orioles SS Tim Beckham, who has committed 9. Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) during that time, Hechavarria ranks first in the league at the position with a 1.000 fielding percentage; Beckham is 25th of the 27 qualifiers at .959. I’d argue that it would be wise for the Rays to offer Hechavarria a long-term deal — or in the very least a contract extension — move Miller off 2B, and allow Willy Adames and Daniel Robertson to platoon the middle infield. Then again the Rays ownership is notoriously cheap, so…

The New What Next: Rays Vs. Orioles — the penultimate series preview

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The Tampa Bay Rays split the season series with the reigning World Series champs after they beat the Cubs 8-1 on Wednesday. (Photo Credit: Anthony Ateek/X-Rays Spex)

After beating the reigning World Series champs Wednesday night, 8-1, the Tampa Bay Rays will duel it out with the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, in Baltimore. The Rays have won two of the last three, but just four of the last 10. The Orioles have lost three straight and six of the last seven. The season series is tied at six apiece.

(Stats: MLB.com)

The governor has yet to sign the Rays’ death warrant.

Tampa Bay’s offensive outburst Wednesday night kept the team’s improbable postseason* hopes alive going into this four-game set. Their attack was three-fold, and something they must continue to hone over the waning schedule, starting a month ago … erm, now.

First, say what you will about Chris Archer, however, he limited the mighty Chicago Cubs — a team that had averaged 5.33 runs per game in the previous series against the Cardinals — to just two runs. Furthermore, the pitching staff as a whole gave up only three combined runs over the last two games.

Simply put, the Rays pitching staff must continue to keep its team in ball games.

(Stats: FanGraphs)

Second, Tampa Bay’s defense has been solid of late, punctuated by the play of Kevin Kiermaier and Adeiny Hechavarria. The Orioles may be a shadow of their former selves, however, they can and will punish mistakes. In short, pitching and defense are critically important.

Finally, the offense must perform as it had on Wednesday and Friday (September 15), when the Rays plated at least four runs in each game. Two and three run games likely won’t cut it, as evidenced by the fact that Tampa Bay had won just four of the last 11 games when the team scored three runs or fewer.

We gotta get back to doing that a little more often than maybe once every so often.
— Kevin Cash, on the Rays’ offense breaking loose to score some runs Wednesday night

(Stats: FanGraphs)

Over the next four days Kevin Cash will lean on Matt Andriese (5-3, 4.63 ERA, 5.05 FIP), Alex Cobb (11-10, 3.63 ERA, 4.15 FIP), Jake Odorizzi (9-8, 4.46 ERA, 5.72 FIP), and Chris Archer (9-11, 4.02 ERA, 3.38 FIP). Buck Showalter will counter with Gabriel Ynoa (0-2, 5.00 ERA, 2.27 FIP) and Ubaldo Jimenez (6-10, 6.93 ERA, 5.89 FIP), and also likely with former Ray Jeremy Hellickson (2-5, 7.29 ERA, 6.57 FIP) and Dylan Bundy (13-9, 4.24 ERA, 4.38 FIP).

Asterisk denotes assumed starters. (Stats: FanGraphs)

Pitching Matchups

Andriese lasted 4-1/3 innings in his last start Friday vs. Boston, the fifth time in 15 starts this season he did not finish five innings (two were injury-shortened starts). He, however, yielded two earned runs or fewer for the ninth time in 15 starts. Andriese is 1-3 with a 7.50 ERA in three games (two starts) against Baltimore. He has not faced the Orioles this season.

Ynoa is winless in two starts since joining the starting rotation in early September, and has yet to pitch into the sixth inning. He is aiming for his second win of the season against the Rays. This season he has relied primarily on an 85mph 12-6 slider, a 94 mph four-seam fastball with depth, and a 95mph sinker with run. The right-hander also has mixed in an 86mph changeup with arm side fade. Key Matchups: Adeiny Hechavarria (1-1, RBI), Wilson Ramos (1-1, RBI, BB)

Cobb took a loss to Boston on Saturday, in a 5.1 IP/3 ER outing. That prevented him from becoming the first Rays pitcher with four wins over the Red Sox in a single season. Nevertheless, the right-hander he has a 2.98 ERA in 16 starts since June 9, allowing three earned runs or fewer in 14 of those 16 starts.

Jimenez fanned 10 batters and allowed just one earned run over five solid innings in his last turn. It was the second-most strikeouts he’s had in a game this season. He, however, is 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in three starts against Tampa Bay this season, while averaging under four innings of work in each outing. Key Matchups: Adeiny Hechvarria (4-7, 2B, RBI), Kevin Kiermaier (3-12, 2B, HR, 2 RBI), Evan Longoria (7-22, 2 HR, 8 RBI), Logan Morrison (6-14, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB), Wilson Ramos (1-2, 2B), Daniel Robertson (1-2)

Odorizzi no-hit the Red Sox into the sixth inning on Sunday before he allowed a walk and a two-run homer to Jackie Bradley Jr. The right-hander had a live fastball, coaxing 15 swings-and-misses on his 96 pitches, including 10 on his 61 fastballs. Odorizzi has now allowed just three earned runs across 16-1/3 innings in his last three starts.

Hellickson, in his last start against the New York Yankees on Sunday, was shelled for six runs on four hits (including two home runs) and four walks over just three innings of work. The former Ray has given up three runs or fewer in only four of his nine starts as an Oriole, while performing to a 7.28 ERA/6.16 FIP since the All-Star break. Suffice it to say, the right-hander hasn’t looked nearly as good as he did in his year and a half stint with the Phillies. Key Matchups: Lucas Duda (7-14, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB), Wilson Ramos (3-10, HR, 3 RBI)

Archer went six innings Tuesday against the Cubs, his longest start since August 27 (vs. St. Louis) — snapping a streak of three consecutive starts of four innings pitched or fewer. He has lost four straight decisions for the third time in his career, although considering that Archer’s last three appearances had seen him give up 13 runs (11 earned) in a grand total of seven innings, this represents a big leap forward.

Bundy, like Hellickson before him, was lambasted in his last start, allowing six runs on seven hits and a walk over 4-1/3 innings, while fanning just a pair. The right-hander is 1-1 but with a 5.19 ERA in three starts against the Rays this season. Key Matchups: Kevin Kiermaier (2-7, HR, 3 RBI, BB), Evan Longoria (5-15, 2 HR, 3 RBI), Brad Miller (2-8, HR, RBI), Logan Morrison (5-12, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB), Mallex Smith (2-5, BB), Steven Souza Jr. (3-10, 2B, HR, RBI)

Noteworthiness

— *Adam Sanford (DRaysBay) writes that there are a few scenarios which could net an AL Wildcard berth for the Rays, one of which involves a six-way tie between the other contenders.

— Former Ray (and current Oriole) Tim Beckham told Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) he’s more focused on the “start of a new journey” with Baltimore, and that his career with Tampa Bay is “in the past.”

— The Rays activated Xavier Cedeño from the 60 day-DL Thursday afternoon.

Hot-Stove: Jeremy Hellickson Dealt to the Diamondbacks (Updated)

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The trade of Jeremy Hellickson is the first big move for Matt Silverman. (Photo courtesy of Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The trade of Jeremy Hellickson is the first big move for Matt Silverman. (Photo courtesy of Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

News broke late of Jeremy Hellickson’s trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks — the first big move of each team’s respective new General Manager. The deal, described by many as addition by subtraction, netted Tampa Bay a pair of minor league prospects, INF Andrew Velazquez and OF Justin Williams from Arizona.

Matt Silverman, President of Baseball Operations, thanked Hellickson for his time with the Rays,

“As we thank Jeremy for his contributions to the Rays organization and wish him great success in Arizona, we are pleased to receive two talented young prospects in return. They have the potential to become impact players at the major league level, and we are excited to add them to our player development pipeline.”

Hellickson is coming off two rough seasons, culminating in a combined 13-15 record and a 5.00 ERA. Moreover, many have insisted that he fell out of favor with the organization after waiting until after his arbitration was settled to report elbow discomfort prior to the 2014. The discomfort resulted elbow surgery to clear out bone spurs, delaying his return to the rotation until July.

The move clears approximately $4M in salary, also opening a spot in the rotation for Nate Karns or Alex Colome while Matt Moore continues to mend from Tommy John surgery. It does, however, stack the 40-man roster constraints, necessitating roster moves in the near future.

(Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays)

(Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays)

The Rays released a full writeup on the newly acquired prospects,

Velazquez, 20, enjoyed a breakout season in 2014 for Class-A South Bend, and was named Midwest League Prospect of the Year in addition to a midseason and postseason All-Star. The switch-hitter led the Midwest League with 50 stolen bases, 94 runs scored and 15 triples. In 134 games (129 at shortstop), he recorded a .290 (158-for-544) batting average, .367 on-base pct., .428 slugging pct., 18 doubles, nine home runs and 62 walks. His 50 steals ranked seventh among all minor league players. From April 22 to July 16 he reached base safely in 74 consecutive games.

Following the season, Velazquez was named the No. 12 prospect in the D-backs system by MLB.com and the No. 16 prospect in the Midwest League by Baseball America. The Bronx, New York native was selected by Arizona in the seventh round of the 2012 June Draft out of Fordham Prep School.

Williams, 19, hit a combined .351 (102-for-291) between Short-Season A Missoula and South Bend in 2014, and won the Pioneer League batting title with a .386 (73-for-189) mark for Missoula. At the time of his August 3 promotion, he had compiled a Missoula-record 28-game hitting streak, batting .443 (51-for-115) during that time. He recorded 52 hits in the month of July, most of any professional hitter at any level. After the season, Williams was named a postseason Pioneer League All-Star, the league’s No. 7 prospect by Baseball America, and the No. 14 prospect in the D-backs system by MLB.com. He finished the campaign with a combined four home runs, 46 RBI, .403 on-base pct. and .467 slugging pct.

Williams, a left-handed hitter, owns a .351 career batting average over two professional seasons. He was selected by Arizona in the second round of the 2013 June Draft out of Terrebonne High School in Houma, Louisiana.

Scott Grauer (DRaysBay) put together an excellent breakdown of the prospects the Rays received.

Noteworthiness

  • Two things, per Brad Johnson of MLB Trade Rumors: 1. The Rays have concluded the first round of interviews for their open manager position, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Barry Larkin was the last of ten interviewees in the initial round. The club will step back before deciding how many candidates to bring back for a round of in-person interviews. 2. Andrew Velazquez and Justin Williams – the players acquired in the Jeremy Hellickson trade – were immediately ranked as the ninth and tenth best prospects in the Rays system by MLB.com, Topkin notes.
  • This article touches on something we previously brought up, if Stu is vying for a new stadium in Hillsborough or Pinellas, he’s going to need to sell it to the taxpayers.

    • Baseball is Good Business Dispels Myths on the Rays, Smyly’s Arbitration Status, Hellickson News, Etc

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    Drew Smyly (pictured above) qualified for Super 2 arbitration status, and is expected to receive a projected $3MM. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Griffith/USA Today Sports)

    Drew Smyly (pictured above) qualifies for Super 2 arbitration status, and is expected to receive a projected $3MM. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Griffith/USA Today Sports)

    With the recent news that the stadium stalemate may finally be coming to a conclusion, Baseball is Good Business delved into three of the most popular myths about the Rays and Tampa Bay. Though a few points could be debated — they acknowledge as much below — kudos to Baseball is Good Business for putting something out there for you, dear readers, to ponder.

    Tampa Bay can’t sustain a MLB team?

    If the Rays weren’t winning so much, we probably wouldn’t be having this issue. It took the Yankees 21 years to get to the World Series, we did it in 10.

    Historically, most teams have horrible numbers in their beginning years. Fact is, we aren’t doing bad for a team that’s been here for only 16 seasons. (our television numbers are tops in the league!)

    When you talk to the larger attendance area fans, after all the rhetoric, most will admit the same thing…

    My dad was a Yankee Fan.
    My dad was a Sox fan
    My grandfather was a Dodger fan.

    There is NO grandfather, father and son sitting in a row at the Trop rooting for the team that they grew up with. That’s called “Generational Fan Base”. If our neighbors don’t wake up, we may never get that chance.

    The team is moving to Tampa?

    Although possible, not likely. If the Rays are not sure about the area, that includes Tampa also. The price that the Rays would have to pay in penalties and attorney’s fees would make them at least consider several “plug and play” options. The demographics are no secret for top areas with built in fan base. Just visit the US Census Bureau.

    Don’t think other cities are looking? See for yourself . . .

    Which name do you like better? If you owned the Rays had just got out of a long dogfight with an area, you may prefer any of them.

    Mexico City Rays
    Montreal Rays
    Indianapolis Rays
    Charlotte Rays
    Brooklyn Rays

    Those markets and their fans would fall over backwards to get the billion dollars revenue that a MLB team could bring. Most of them have a plan with money set aside.

    And don’t kid yourself, MLB isn’t going to expand to 10 cities in the next 20 years. May not expand to ANY. The easiest way to get a team is to lure one using HUGE incentives for the team ownership. Remember, one of the main reasons that we have baseball today is because WE were prospecting teams with a new stadium. What do you think these cities are going to offer the Rays? Because we are doing so well as a team, stockbrokers would say that we are “ripe” for a takeover. If the Rays determine that the area won’t support the team, it will be too late to change their minds. You’ll know when you see the moving trucks.

    Rays can’t leave the area because of their contract?

    That’s what Montreal, Washington D.C. and Brooklyn thought. If we continue to fight among ourselves and not improve attendance, we are playing with fire.

    Does the truth hurt? It’s has to be better than the lies, lack of knowledge, rumor and innuendo.

    There is good news. We have an awesome team. Let’s face it, we can all agree that the Rays have done their part. The recent renovations are a tremendous investment that the Rays made for the fans. So let’s stop bickering over where the team is going to play and start making lemonade. LET’S NOT FIGHT EACH OTHER! Leave that up to the dopey media in other cities. Lastly, the Rays don’t want to leave. But they are entitled to prosper just like any other business in this great country of ours.

    You don’t have to agree with what we share. One thing We know is that WE all have one thing in common. WE love our team. There are things WE can do and WE need to do them now! At BaseballisGoodBusiness.org, WE have a specific plan and WE’RE not going to keep it a secret. The leaders in this group are ready to do whatever it takes to ensure that our team is here for our children and their children and grandchildren. WE believe that as a group, WE cannot lose. Please join us.

    Moving forward.

    Per Marc Topkin, Drew Smyly qualified for Super 2 arbitration status (with 25 others in MLB), and projects to get around $3MM. This news, however, does not push ahead the need to trade Jeremy Hellickson — Smyly’s Super 2 status was no surprise, therefore it shouldn’t make any difference.

    The Rays interviewed Indians bench coach Kevin Cash Wednesday for the managerial position. Cash is a Tampa native who played briefly for the Rays. He was also a finalist for the Texas Rangers job. Left to be interviewed for are Barry Larkin and Doug Glanville.

    Major League Baseball salary commitments by team. (Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors)

    Major League Baseball salary commitments by team. (Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors)

    Would you believe it if I told you the Tampa Bay Rays are 20th in salary commitments? The payroll chart above was compiled by MLB Trade Rumors using the Cot’s Baseball Contracts database and the arbitration projections from MLBTR/Matt Swartz. Of course, teams can still trim from these obligations not just by trading players, but also by non-tendering those who are arb-eligible

    Finally, as we near the end of the week, the focus will likely shift back toward the trade rumors surrounding Jeremy Hellickson. On Monday, Joel Sherman broke the news that the Rays are aggressively shopping Hellickson around, with the potential of a trade taking by weeks end. The question begs: following a pair of down seasons, what trade equity — if any — does Hellickson possess? The simple answer, not much. Ever since 2010, when HellBoy posted an impressive 22.2% K%/5.4% BB%/.267 BABIP/3.47 ERA/3.88 FIP, his numbers have fallen off thanks to an increased number of home runs, walks, and poor sequencing among other things. Ian Malinowski at DRaysBay summed things up well,

    If Matt Silverman is able to trade Helly for useful piece, good job by him. The strong minor league career and the FIP-beater reputation may help him do so. My hopes aren’t all that high though, since by this point, Hellickson seems like a known quantity — known to be able to provide fewer than 200 innings of below average pitching.

    Hmph. Still Hellickson, paired in a package deal, could pull something worthwhile. On the same day as the abovementioned tweet, Sherman reported that they (Tampa Bay) would also like to move Matt Joyce or David DeJesus. Interestingly enough, the Braves are open to shopping Evan Gattis in their search of an apt replacement for Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang. What they’d lose in Gattis could be made up for by Joyce or DeJesus. The caveat, Atlanta probably isn’t one of the teams vying for Hellickson. With the loss of Santana and Harang, the Braves need to get “sure IP” for the rotation — Hellickson may be too risky. And so it goes….

    The Stadium Stalemate Could Be Coming to A Close, Rays Interviewed Charlie Montoyo, Hellickson Deal Pending, and More

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    Evan Longoria celebrates his grand slam, which gave the MLB All-Stars a 6-0 lead. (Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Kyodo)

    Evan Longoria celebrates his grand slam, which gave the MLB All-Stars a 6-0 lead. (Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Kyodo)

    To think this was going to be a fairly quiet news day…

    Not only did the Rays interview Charlie Montoyo, managerial candidate number six of 10, rumor has it the Rays are trying to deal RHP Jeremy Hellickson, and the stadium stalemate could be coming to a close.

    Times staff writers Stephen Nohlgren and Charlie Frago broke the news Tuesday afternoon, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and the Tampa Bay Rays are nearing an agreement granting the team’s long-standing wish to explore new stadium sites in Hillsborough County, people who have talked recently to the mayor say.

    Council Chairman Bill Dudley indicated a deal should be done “within the next month but definitely before Christmas,” with the hope of bringing it to the City Council for approval before the holidays.

    Other sources names report:

    Council member Charlie Gerdes said Kriseman told him about two weeks ago “that talks are going very well.”

    St. Petersburg developer Craig Sher, who chaired a stadium advisory committee for Kriseman, said this week, “I have been led to believe that there is an agreement in principle.”

    The next step is for St. Pete’s lawyers to settle on a monetary fee if the Rays leave for Hillsborough before 2027, when their contract to play at Tropicana Field expires. That number is unknown at the moment, however former mayor Bill Foster reportedly sought about $5 million for each season lost, in the city’s previous proposal.

    With the continued rumors of the potential for a move to Montreal, the timing couldn’t be better for the Rays to find traction.

    Sourcing newspapers from Montreal, DRaysBay brought to light the specific investors interested in purchasing the Tampa Bay Rays and moving them to Montreal, including son of the Expos’ original owner Stephen Bronfman, and the Bell corporation — each powerful voices.

    The estimated cost of bringing an established franchise to Montreal to be about $1.025 billion: $500 million for a new stadium, and $525 million for the team. That’s about four times the amount of money Canadian investors are willing to spend, and that number could grow.

    However, Nohlgren and Frago were quick to note,

    Apartment complexes, micro-breweries and restaurants are already going up on nearby properties. Ending the stadium stalemate could help the city unlock the Trop’s development potential — with or without a new stadium, Dudley said.

    His preference is for a new stadium at the eastern end of the Trop property, combined with a hotel and small convention center for gatherings of 2,000 to 3,000 people. The city could sweeten the pot by giving the Rays full development rights on remaining Trop land, Dudley said.

    If that’s not possible, he said, he would like to proceed with developing the Trop acreage without a stadium.

    “We are being held hostage” with an undeveloped Trop, Dudley said. If the Ray “are not going to use it, then we want to. If you are not going to use it, it’s best to get on with it.”

    Gerdes thinks the Rays will not find what they are looking for in Hillsborough County. Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik has locked up prime land in the Channelside district of Tampa and has given no signs that he is eager to devote 10 or 12 acres of his land to a baseball stadium.

    Even without land costs, any stadium would cost $500 million to $600 million — and Gerdes doubts that Hillsborough taxpayers would want to shoulder much of that load.

    With many of the locations in Tampa no longer available, the chances of keeping the Rays in Pinellas County are increasing.

    In other news, the Rays interviewed Triple-A Durham’s manager Charlie Montoyo Monday for the managerial job, as well as Giants bench coach Ron Wotus — candidates six and seven of ten to go through the process so far. Montoyo was interviewed in person with at the GM meetings in Phoenix, near his off-season home. As Marc Topkin asserted, with the other interviewees talking by phone, it would seem the front office gave the two in-house guys, Martinez and Montoyo, the benefit of in-person interviews. Interviews with the final four (Cash, Glanville, and Larkin) are expected to come in the near future. After the first round of interviews are complete, Tampa Bay will cut the field down and conduct a second round of longer, face-to-face interviews.

    Per a tweet from Joel Sherman (seen below), the Tampa Bay Rays are moving toward a deal for RHP Jeremy Hellickson to an as of now unspecified National League team. Sources say he will be dealt by weeks end.

    While word that the Atlanta Braves are pushing C/OF Evan Gattis hard (the Rays could use another catcher and DH option) Sherman was quick to point that Atlanta probably isn’t one of the teams vying for Hellickson. With the loss of Santana and Harang, the Braves need to get “sure IP” for the rotation — Hellickson may be too risky.

    Finally, Major League Baseball sent a contingent of stars to Japan this month to take on a combination of different teams throughout the country. Representing the Rays on this trip are Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist, and reliever Jeff Beliveau, and all three players came up big in the MLB victory.

    Longoria golf-swung his fourth career grand slam to center field, Zobrist hit a ninth inning one-out single, and Beliveau notched his second save of the 2014 season (technically speaking, of course). Now, if Evan can continue that type of production going into the 2015 season.

    An open letter to Stu Sternberg

    Dear Stu,

    While you’ll deny the rumors you’ve been in contact with New York investors regarding a potential relocation to Montreal, you’re adopting the same tactic other owners have used for years now: Exploiting another city — in this case Montreal — as leverage in the fight for a publicly financed stadium. Is Montreal a legitimate threat? Who can really say?

    What I will say, you’re not making the organization that I love very likable. Perception is everything, and if the Bay Area perceives you to be less than honest — especially since you haven’t come forward with any evidence the organization is losing money — there’s no way that either side of the bay will vote in favor of a new facility for the Rays.

    (And yes, I believe they deserve a new stadium)

    In the end, if both Pinellas and Hillsborough voted down their respective publicly funded mass transit referendums, there’s no way a publicly funded stadium will be approved if the organization isn’t up front and honest.

    Best,
    Anthony

    Noteworthiness