Article

 

Rays See Relievers As Bait For Trade

 

By SCOTT CARTER [email protected]

Published: Mar 14, 2005

 

ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays have been impressed with the progress of their young pitching staff this spring. Apparently, so have other teams. If the right deal comes along, the Rays hope to acquire a left- handed bat or an extra middle infielder in a trade, most likely for one of their young pitchers.

 

``Our pitching is here,'' Manager Lou Piniella said before Sunday's 5-0 loss to Toronto. ``We're not going anywhere for pitching. What we have here is what we are going to leave with. We might leave with our [current] offense here, but I think we need to add another bat. Remember, we're very thin, and one injury will really create a big problem for us.''

 

Piniella lobbied for a left- handed bat last season, too, but the Rays never made a move and the offense struggled after the All-Star break. The Rays finished with a .258 team batting average, 12 points below the league average.

 

General Manager Chuck LaMar said he expects to pull the trigger on some kind of trade before the regular season to boost the offense.

 

``We could use another infielder, and we could use a left- handed bat,'' LaMar said Sunday. ``Those two would top the priority list for the rest of spring training.

 

``Historically, there are not a lot of trades during spring training. With that said, I think we'll make at least one trade before the end of this spring training to try and make this club better.''

 

LaMar said young position players Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli, B.J. Upton, Delmon Young and Aubrey Huff are off limits - for now.

 

``Most of the discussions have centered on our young arms,'' LaMar said.

 

With 26 pitchers still in camp, and several competing against each other for spots on the club, the Rays do have options when it comes to the pitching staff. Several young relievers could be used as trade bait, including left- hander Bobby Seay, right- hander Jorge Sosa, or right- hander Jose Diaz. Of the more experienced pitchers, situational lefty Trever Miller and right-hander Rob Bell could draw the most interest.

 

Seay, 26, has shown a renewed commitment since being passed through waivers and going unclaimed last season.

 

``He is going to compete for a job right down to the end here,'' LaMar said. ``And the way left-handed pitching is, I'm sure we'll have some trade discussions over the last couple of weeks [of spring] as well. He has grown up and proven to everybody he is a major- league pitcher.''

 

As for Miller, 31, he could be the most likely to go if the right deal comes along. Miller is making $1.1 million this season, and with good situational relievers always in demand, he could help a contending team more than a young team like the Rays.

 

No matter who leaves, Piniella wants to add some pop to the lineup and depth to the club, especially with veteran second baseman Roberto Alomar's durability a question mark. In the offseason, Washington's Nick Johnson and Baltimore's Jay Gibbons were mentioned as possible candidates.

 

``We're talking about a front-line bat,'' Piniella said. ``We're not talking about released players. We're talking about a guy who can come in here and swing it. I think that's what we need more than anything else.''

 

The Rays have room in the budget thanks to the trade that sent outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. to Arizona for pitcher Casey Fossum. After the Super Bowl Sunday trade and the signing of first baseman Travis Lee for $1.3 million, the Rays saved between $1 million and $2 million.

 

``We have some flexibility,'' LaMar said. ``It freed up some money so we could go and get a player in spring training. If someone does become available, we do have some wiggle room budget-wise.''

 

Of course, when you are the Rays, there are limits, too.

 

``I don't want to make it out when I say that we're going to make a trade that it's going to be this blockbuster,'' LaMar said. ``This time of year, those guys aren't out there. You are looking for probably a veteran bat of some type, and I don't think you're going to be too choosy on whether he's a power guy or an average-type of guy.''

They can use another infielder? Upton and Cantu probably won't even have regular jobs this year after the atrocious Gonzalez and Alomar signings and they have Lugo and Lee, not too mention Huff can play 1B and 3B if need be. Seems like plenty of infield depth to me.

 

It's really a shame that the Rays are run by such a bafoon as Chuck Lamar. This team has the chance to be special within 2-3 years but with the moves they make they keep reducing the chances of that happening. Kids like Upton and Cantu need to play NOW so they can be good/great MLB regulars before Baldelli, Huff and Crawford start becoming FA's.

Who are these guys?

The problem with the D-Rays whole pitching staff is that there doesn't seem to be a mix of talents. These guys all seem to be nearly at the same level, and minus a few, aren't going to improve much more. They are a staff just swimming in mediocrity, which is a shame.

Sosa, Colome, Carter, Walker all are above average or have a chance to be above average to great relievers, Colome getting it up to 100mph, Sosa throwing mid 90s with 4 or 5 pitches, Miller with the great season last year, im not sure who Diaz is and havnt seen but heard of Seay...

Colome seems to me to be a future setup/closer