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Rays acquire Rob Refsnyder from Cleveland; new food and fun options at Tropicana Field

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The Tampa Bay Rays acquired UTL Rob Refsnyder from Cleveland for cash considerations on Tuesday. (Photo Credit: Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays came one step closer to solidifying their Opening Day roster on Tuesday, acquiring utility-player Rob Refsnyder from Cleveland for cash considerations.

Out of options and holding a needed spot on Cleveland’s 40-man roster, Refsnyder has played parts of three seasons in the big leagues with the Yankees and Blue Jays in right and left field, as well as first and second base.

The 27 year-old Refsnyder once was a well-regarded prospect in New York’s farm system, although he hasn’t produced at the Major League level, performing to just a .233 BA/.306 OBP/.311 SLG/.617 OPS line over 320 career plate appearances. More recently, he had a rough spring, slashing .191 BA/.298 OBP/.362 SLG/.660 OPS in 58 plate appearances.

Refsnyder, however, offers the Rays a versatile glove and gives them another multi-position bench option next to Daniel Robertson. Tampa Bay had been looking for a right-handed outfield bat, so Refsnyder fills that need (by definition, of course) even if his offensive peripherals have lagged.

After the Grapefruit League finale, the Rays reassigned to minor-league camp the other two outfield candidates, Brandon Snyder and Johnny Field, alongside Curt Casali.

Tampa Bay’s roster now sits at 27 pending a trade or release of RHP Daniel Hudson and putting RHP Jose De Leon on the 60-day DL. The Rays have until 11:30 Thursday morning to submit a complete 25-man roster.

What’s new at the Trop this season?

Fans attending Thursday’s home opener against those Massholes will find plenty of new stuff at the Trop. As St. Petersburg’s mayor Rick Kriseman put it, the food offerings at the Trop this year are very St. Pete…(a) nice showcase of just some of what we offer in the Sunshine City!

What follows are Marc Topkin and Christopher Spata’s (Tampa Bay Times) tweeted dispatches of the new what next from the official unveiling on Tuesday.

Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays fall 5-1 to the Giants before a packed house

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The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated unity and inclusion at Tropicana Field on Friday. (Photo Credit: Anthony Ateek/X-Rays Spex)

The Tampa Bay Rays celebrated unity and inclusion at Tropicana Field on Friday. (Photo Credit: Anthony Ateek/X-Rays Spex)

Chris Archer put the Rays behind early on Friday, as Tampa Bay fell to the San Francisco Giants, 5-1. The Giants have won six straight, while the Rays fell to 4-3 on their current homestand.

The loss came on Pride Night before a sellout crowd at Tropicana Field. All told, the team raised more than $300,000 for the victims of the Pulse Night Club tragedy.


Source: FanGraphs

Aside from Brad Miller’s two-out solo shot in the ninth (seen below), the Rays managed just three singles — two of which came in the bottom of the second inning after Logan Morrison and Steve Pearce went back-to-back with base hits to right and center (respectively). Unfortunately Corey Dickerson popped out to short, Desmond Jennings struck out, and Jaff Decker flew out to the wall in center field, ending the threat. That became the only real scoring opportunity against Jeff Samardzija through the front eight innings.

From the third inning on Samardzija allowed just a Jennings single until Miller spoiled the shutout in the ninth. The luck dragons were strong with with the tall righty, who collected an obscene .133 BABIP against.

Click the photo to see video of Miller's solo shot. (Photo Credit: Chris O'Meara)

Click the photo to see video of Miller’s solo shot. (Photo Credit: Chris O’Meara)

Manager Kevin Cash noted that the fielders behind Samardzija had a lot to do with Tampa Bay’s inability to manufacture runs.

On the flip side of things, Archer made quick work of the first two batters before walking Brandon Belt, and allowing a double to right by Buster Posey. Brandon Crawford put San Francisco on the board early with two-run double to left center. The rough go of things in the first highlight Archer’s first inning troubles, as the Rays’ ace has now allowed 16 first inning runs over his last 15 starts (extending back to April 3). Compare that to last season, when he allowed just 14 first inning runs over 34 total appearances.

I think if I don’t walk that guy then things are a little bit different, Archer said after the game. But Buster Posey hit a good pitch there, and the pitch they scored on was not a very well-struck ball. …I felt like if I forced them to put the ball in play, I’m able to minimize the damage and keep it a little closer from the beginning.

The Giants blew the game open in the fourth inning, and it all started with a leadoff walk of Crawford. One out later, Angel Pagan reached on catcher’s interference — a costly mistake on the part of Casali.

A bonehead move on my part, said Casali after the game.

After a wild pitch moved runners up 90 feet, Jarrett Parker worked a bases loading walk. Gregor Blanco followed with a two-run single to left-center, giving San Francisco a four run advantage.

The Giants capped their scoring against Enny Romero in the seventh, after Belt went yard with a two-out solo shot.

Let us not forget that when all was said and done, it was more than just a ball game — it was a time to mourn, a time to come together, and a time to heal.

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(Photo Credit: Adam Kuhn)

Casali said it best in his postgame interview:

It actually brought a tear to my eye. …Today was more than baseball, it was about honoring those who were taken from us too early in a terrible scenario that nobody can really put in words.

The New What Next

The Rays and Giants play game two of a three-game set on Saturday. LHP Matt Moore will get the start opposite of RHP Albert Suarez, who will make a pinch start for Jake Peavy, who is suffering from neck soreness. Moore, who is making his first appearance against San Francisco, is 2-3 with a 5.65 ERA in nine career interleague starts. The southpaw is coming off his best start of the season vs. the Astros. Suarez, a longtime Rays minor-leaguer, spent seven years with the organization and never got above Double-A. He has appeared in eight games in 2016 (two starts). You can read about the Rays and Giants in our series preview.

Rays 6/18/16 Starting Lineup

Forsythe 2B
Miller SS
Longoria 3B
Morrison 1B
Pearce DH
Dickerson LF
Mahtook CF
Decker RF
Conger C
Moore LHP

Noteworthiness

— It bears mentioning, the Trop could have been the Giants’ home if a 1992 deal to buy the team and relocate it to St. Petersburg hadn’t been rejected by major-league owners. Conversely, the Giants would be the team seeking a new stadium had the deal gone through.

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I grew up in that wasteland of a city, one absent of a Major League Baseball team. And while the St. Petersburg Cardinals scratched my baseball itch to a certain degree, it just wasn’t the same. I think a certain segment of the population takes for granted that we are but one city, out of 30 total, that is fortunate enough to be the home of an MLB franchise. I’d prefer to not regress and lose my small market team, after all there is a certain amount of community pride and esteem that comes with having a big league ball club. How about this: let’s all do a better job in making it out to the Trop to show our appreciation for our current team before it’s too late. It’s time to rally around the Rays, people.

The New What Next: Rays vs Yankees ― a series preview

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Logan Morrison celebrates a two-run homer in the sixth inning on Wednesday. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

Logan Morrison celebrates a two-run homer in the sixth inning on Wednesday. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

The Tampa Bay Rays will hit a prove your mettle part of the schedule on Friday, when they kick off a three-game series against their AL East rival New York Yankees at Tropicana Field.

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The Rays looked as though they were turning things around after collecting 38 runs during a four-game win streak, yet they have gone 1-5 since while allowing just over six runs per game in that span. Tampa Bay fell a half-game behind the Yankees after dropping three of four in a home/home series against the Miami Marlins.

Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) wrote about the struggles among the front five on Friday, saying,

And when the front four to their touted rotation — Chris Archer, Drew Smyly, Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore — has a combined 8-16 record, a 4.46 ERA and has allowed 216 hits in 220 innings, the job is not getting done.

Topkin also included a rather telling quote from the Rays skipper,

We came in, a lot of hype about our pitching staff,” manager Kevin Cash said. These guys take a lot of pride in what they do. They’re going to figure it out, and when they do, we’re going to get hot. …But we need them to pitch better. We need them to get going. They’re fully aware of that.

And while the starters have collected just 26 quality starts in 44 games, the hope is that they can snap out of this funk, starting now.

The Yankees dropped two straight following a six-game win streak ahead of a lengthy 10-game road trip. And while they continue to receive stellar pitching, logging seven quality starts in their last eight games, their offense hasn’t been so hot ― especially on the road. New York is putting up a lackluster combined .234 BA/.297 OBP/.344 SLG/.641 OPS/.283 wOBA/-20.2 wRAA slash line away from new Yankee Stadium.

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Kevin Cash will throw Chris Archer (3-5, 5.16 ERA), Matt Moore (1-3, 5.47 ERA), and Jake Odorizzi (2-2, 3.46 ERA) over the holiday weekend. Joe Girardi will counter with Masahiro Tanaka (2-0, 3.24 ERA), Michael Pineda (2-5, 6.24 ERA), and Nathan Eovaldi (5-2, 3.95).

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Rays series starters

Archer lasted just three innings on Sunday, allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk while fanning four in a 9-4 loss to the Tigers. The righty appeared to be turning things around, posting a combined 3.18 ERA in his first three starts in May, yet he flopped in the less than ace caliber start. While his impressive 11.18 K/9 is a career high, so are his 4.47 BB/9, 1.72 HR/9, and 3.50 BABIP. Archer will take another stab at righting the ship against a Yankees offense that hasn’t been very good on the road this season.

Archer maintained a positive mental attitude about his struggles, telling MLB’s official website,

I’ve kept the team in the game. So mechanical, there’s no adjustments. Just need to throw pitches in better locations.

Curt Casali, whose caught Archer over the last handful of games, also waxed positive,

He was nasty. But sometimes it’s too nasty. Sometimes his stuff is so good it’s hard to control. And I completely get it. He gets it, too. He knows he needs to be better. The team needs him to be better. He’s going to get back to the drawing board tomorrow and get back to work and help us in his next start.

Moore gave up five runs on 10 hits and a walk with just three strikeouts over five innings on Monday. The southpaw allegedly worked with pitching coach Jim Hickey to address a hitch in his delivery, yet the results suggest otherwise. Moore wasn’t very whiffy (seven whiffs in 88 pitches) and allowed three extra-base hits, including a home run. He allowed fewer than one long ball per nine innings in his first three starts of the season, however, he’s given up 17 in just 109 innings (1.4 HR/9) since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2015. His ERA is now up to 5.47 (4.52 FIP), and don’t expect things to get better until he can figure out how to efficiently put batters away, and keep the ball in the yard.

Odorizzi blanked the Marlins on two hits and three walks while striking out seven to earn his second win of the season on Tuesday. Be that as it may, he threw 107 pitches which forced an early exit, while the bullpen barely held onto to lead as the Rays narrowly eked out a victory. We all miss the efficient Jake of 2015.

Yankees series starters

Tanaka scattered five hits, an earned run, and two walks over seven strong innings on Saturday. He fanned four. Tanaka was efficient, needing just 92 pitches (13 pitches per inning, 64 strikes) overall, collecting first-pitch strikes on 16 of 28 batters. This after he allowed 15 hits and 10 earned runs in his previous two starts. Tanaka Stymied Tampa Bay on April 23, allowing just two runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings, striking out seven. Key matchups: Corey Dickerson (2-3, 2B, RBI), Brandon Guyer (1-2, 2B)

Pineda earned his second win of the season on Sunday, when he allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts across six innings. Despite collecting his first quality start since May 6, Pineda is still owns a gaudy 6.34 ERA, although his 11.88 K/9 in a three start stretch is impressive. The Rays beat up on the righty on April 24, tagging him for seven runs on 10 hits including four home runs. Key matchups: Corey Dickerson (1-3, HR, RBI), Desmond Jennings (3-8, 2B), Brad Miller (2-7, 2B, RBI, 2 BB), Steve Pearce (3-10, HR, RBI), Steven Souza Jr. (6-12, 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI)

Eovaldi limited Toronto to two hits and three walks over six innings Tuesday night, collecting five strikeouts along the way. The two hits surrendered by Eovaldi were singles. The three walks, however, tied a season high for Eovaldi, although he’s done a decent job of limiting his free passes this season ― 5.9% over 54-2/3 innings. In 2016, he has relied primarily on a blazing 98 mph four seam fastball that generates a lot of grounders, and an 89 mph worm-burner of a splitter. He’s also mixed in a whiffy 89 mph slider and an average 76 mph curveball bereft of movement. Key matchups: Hank Conger (2-6, 2B, BB), Evan Longoria (1-4), Steve Pearce (1-3), Steven Souza Jr. (2-4)

Noteworthiness

― Despite outscoring the Yankees 13-10, the Rays are 1-2 this season against New York.

― RBI Machine Logan Morrison is 16-31 with three homers and 10 RBI over the last 10 games.

― Mark Teixeira will miss at least the first two games of the series after receiving cortisone shots in his neck.

― Alex Rodriguez pulled an 0’fer in four at-bats Thursday in his first game back from the disabled list.

― Jacoby Ellsbury is a staggering 16-24 against Archer.

Stadium Saga: St. Petersburg City Council approves of Rays stadium proposal

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St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman with Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg before Thursday's City Council meeting. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman with Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg before Thursday’s City Council meeting. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

St. Petersburg appears to be ready to move forward.  By a 5-3 vote Thursday afternoon, St. Petersburg City Council approved Mayor Rick Kriseman’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will give the team permission to explore new regional stadium sites within Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

Varying opinions on a suitable location range from the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, to the Toytown landfill site. However, leaving the city of St. Petersburg certainly isn’t a foregone conclusion. In fact, Mayor Kriseman still contends that the best location for a new stadium happens to be, well…the current one.

I want to thank our City Council for approving this important Memorandum of Understanding with the Tampa Bay Rays, wrote Kriseman on his official Facebook page. This agreement is good news for baseball fans, for our taxpayers, for the city of St. Petersburg, and for our entire region. I still believe the team’s current site, reimagined and redeveloped, is the best place for a new stadium, and I look forward to making the case for the Sunshine City.

The team previously considered the construction of a new facility at Al Lang Stadium, along St. Petersburg’s waterfront. More recently, a proposal to construct a mixed use stadium in Carillon never gained traction. Yet with the current incentive laden proposal, both parties may be able to capitalize on the recent economic development in downtown St. Petersburg.

For his part, Rays Principal Owner Stu Sternberg ― who was once famously quoted as saying “Baseball will not work in downtown St Pete” ― spoke in a more conciliatory tone Thursday afternoon, conceding that the “pitch perfect” site, indeed, could be a mere 12 inches from Tropicana Field:

Major League Baseball released a statement, that acknowledged the work of all the parties involved, following the vote:

MLB appreciates this step forward taken by the St. Petersburg City Council and remains fully supportive of Stu Sternberg’s vision to bring this stadium process to conclusion. Mr. Sternberg’s patience and persistence throughout the franchise’s long-standing efforts have illustrated his commitment to the fans of the region. We look forward to further progress in the weeks and months ahead as the Rays strive to ensure the future of the franchise with a first-class ballpark in the region.

So, what’s next?

As I wrote earlier, for St. Petersburg, the focus will shift toward keeping the Rays within city limits. Mayor Kriseman will announce the formation of a Baseball Forever Campaign to include St. Pete­based fans of the team, business leaders, and elected and government officials. The goal will be to pitch the city to the team by (in the words of Mayor Kriseman) “demonstrating future fan and corporate support and the many benefits of remaining on the current site, perhaps on the site’s eastern half closer to our bustling downtown and waterfront.”

On the other side of the bay, Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan has already formed a committee of government and private sector leaders, and is hoping for the opportunity to sit down with Rays officials within a matter of weeks.

You can read the MOU in its entirety below.

We’ll continue to update things as the details unfold.

Rays Reject St. Petersburg’s Counter-Offer

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St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman met with the press outside of Tropicana Field Thursday afternoon. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman met with the press outside of Tropicana Field Thursday afternoon. (Photo Credit: Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times)

On Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays rejected an offer from the city of St. Petersburg that would have allowed the team to search for a new stadium site regionally in exchange for an exit fee.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman met with Rays officials, including president Brian Auld, for an hourlong meeting at Tropicana Field, where he discussed the deal which passed city council approval a week ago.

Drafted by council member Jim Kennedy, the plan would require the team to pay around $33 million if it left in 2020, however, that price tag would drop by half if the Rays stayed in Pinellas County. The team wouldn’t be on the hook for anything if they came to an agreement on a new stadium location in St. Petersburg.

Kriseman’s spokesman, Ben Kirby released a statement following the meeting:

Mayor Kriseman is disappointed but not surprised that the Tampa Bay Rays are not in agreement with City Council’s proposal. The mayor will continue to work with the leadership of the Tampa Bay Rays and our City Council to find common ground and resolve this issue. Mayor Kriseman is dedicated to keeping the Tampa Bay Rays in the city of St. Petersburg in the long term.

Moments later, Auld issued a statement on the Rays behalf:

Although we appreciate the time and attention that Mayor Kriseman and the City Council have dedicated to this issue, we do not agree to this proposal. We remain open to pursuing a cooperative path forward.

While Thursday’s outcome is disappointing to some, that the team rejected the offer is not shocking in the least. Council member Charlie Gerdes, who also drafted a counter-offer, said he wasn’t surprised by the end result, however, it was good news that the two sides were talking again. Noah Pransky (Shadow of the Stadium) also pointed out that Auld’s statement was rather quick, and questioned if it may have been pre-planned.

What happens next? Pransky offered his take:

So now, we’ll all wait until Tuesday’s city election to see which candidates are elected to council. If the Rays’ preferred choice, Lisa Wheeler-Brown, doesn’t beat Will Newton, the team may be forced to negotiate with less leverage than it’s ever had before.

If Wheeler-Brown wins, St. Pete council will get yet another “last chance” to save the ballclub that’s locked into a stadium contract for 12 more years.