With the signing of Hank Blalock, I can’t help but think that Willy Aybar could be traded? Does he have value?
Last season, Willy Aybar proved that he’s, at best, a corner infielder and designated hitter. He couldn’t play second base to save his life.
To me, Willy Aybar equals Hank Blalock. Of course, Aybar is a switch hitter while Blalock bats from the left side. But, to be fiscally savvy, shouldn’t the Rays put their toe in the water and see if Aybar has any value on the trade market?
This season, Aybar will make $1.35 million while Blalock will earn $950K with another $325K in incentives. If the decision is that Hank stays, you would have to assume that he’ll hit the incentives. Regardless, it’s a savings. Beyond that, Willy has a club option for $2.2 million for next year. Do you really think the Rays have that salary on their radar screen going into 2011? I don’t think so.
Statistically, Hank Blalock projects more power. Willy Aybar is probably the better everyday hitter. But, in the end, I still say they are the same player. If, today, it’s all about winning in 2010, an argument can be made that you’d rather have Hank Blalock on your roster than Willy Aybar.
Stuart Sternberg’s proclomation that salary will decline in 2011 makes me think that every second of every day will be spent thinking on the future. Willy Aybar is probably not part of the future. If the Rays can get something of value for him today, I’m thinking the Rays will pursue it.
One of a pitcher’s worst fears is something flying at them from home plate. Today, David Price couldn’t quite dodge the shattered bat of new Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre. The bat caught Price on the right hand, leaving a cut that apparently will not require stitches. While I’m sure the Rays will be cautious, Price expects to make his next start.
“I don’t really remember what happened to be honest. It could have been a lot worse.”
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And then there’s Desmond Jennings. For the second time this spring, Jennings will lose time to injury. A week ago, he sat out with a sore elbow from being hit by a pitch. And yesterday, he sprained his wrist sliding into second base against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is in a splint and is expected to miss about a week of camp.
Coming into spring, most felt he was a longshot to make the opening day roster. This should pretty much cement that.
“We try to get our own seeds, throw them in the dirt, watch them rise up and become something good. I like that.”
Followed up by this to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times:
“I should have been an agronomy major at some point.”
In context, he’s referring to the Rays’ home-grown talent that exists in their farm system. Centered around the belief that ownership will significantly cut payroll after this season, the youth like Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Hellickson should play a big part in keeping this team competitive.
The Rays opened their 2010 season in Sarasota this afternoon and I’m sure nobody wants this to be signs of things to come. They were drubbed by the Baltimore Orioles 12-2. Much of the damage was done in later innings, as projected opening day starter James Shields pitched one scoreless inning to start the game. Matt Garza pitched two innings, allowing three runs.
Offensively, the Rays managed only five hits. In the battle for second base, Sean Rodriguez hit a solo home run while Reid Brignac drove in the other Rays run on a single.
Adding insult to the opener, ex-Rays minor league first baseman Rhyne Hughes hit a pair of two-run home runs. The Rays traded Hughes to Baltimore last season in exchange for catcher Gregg Zaun.
As has been reported by Marc Topkin in the St. Petersburg Times, Rocco Baldelli has rejoined the Tampa Bay Rays as a roving instructor focusing on outfield and baserunning play. A shoulder injury prevents him from playing at this time, but the door is open for a potential return down the road.
Says Rocco:
“I’m going to have fun with it. I think I’m going to have fun being out on the field again and having the Rays jersey on and going out and trying to do anything I can to help the young players in the organization.” I don’t think I’d want to do it in any other organization than this. I feel like this is my home.”
The Rays have a new season slogan this year: W.I.N. No more math. Now we have an acronym. Last year’s slogan didn’t work, and 9=8 was the best, now I am just feeling this one. Joe Maddon is at it again with this acronym: W.I.N.- What’s Important Now.
This is a great motto for the season because this is the year. The Rays need the playoffs and World Series now. The front office have spent the money on this season, so the players need to perform to make it happen, or in other words, WIN.
Cliff Floyd appeared today on MLB Homeplate. He gave his take on the Carl Crawford contract situation:
My feeling is I think he will outprice himself in Tampa. Of course, it’s a win-win for CC. My advice to him would be to stay with Tampa because it makes him a ten-five guy and then he can pretty much pick anywhere he wants to go as opposed to being a free agent. But he’s a smart young man and I think the biggest thing he’s got going for himself is the game has changed right into his corner.
Am I the only one that thinks he will stay in a Rays uniform? I guess I just don’t want to see CC anywhere else but in St. Pete.
Today could quite possibly be my favorite day of the year. Today marks the start of workouts down in Port Charlotte for the Rays. The baseball season will be no longer at any point than it is today. Today marks the start of non-stop baseball talk until October and, hopefully, beyond. I know, no actual games will not be played until later this month, but we have made it through another offseason, and it only gets better from here.
Now, you may be saying that some Rays have been working out at the Trop for a couple weeks and the actual reporting day for pitchers and catchers was yesterday, but today is the first mandatory workout for pitchers and catchers and a voluntary workout for position players, so this is the first day I will count as the first day of the baseball season.
The Rays will hold FanFest again this Saturday and it will mark the first time since October many of us have been to the Trop. I was one of the lucky ones who went to a football game at the Trop, but this is different. The whole thing will be about the Rays. It is time to see our Rays in person for the first time since the disapointing end to last season.
Let’s all hope this will be another great season in Rays baseball and we will be covering it all right here on Rise of the Rays.
Here’s to another great baseball season!
NOTE: There is still time to sign up for the Rise of the Rays fantasy baseball league. If you are interested, please email me at devonrogers@tampabay.rr.com.
Buster Olney got into the Super Bowl hype by posting his list of baseball players who would make good football players. And the top of the list really wasn’t a shocker.
Carl Crawford is well known for his high school football prowess. Heck, he could have been someone in three major sports. No word on his hockey skills, but Nebraska saw an option quarterback and UCLA saw a point guard vanish to the Rays. Says Olney:
He is 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds and built like Larry Fitzgerald. He has the speed of Chris Johnson.
The San Diego News Network has a follow-up story posted about the fatal auto accident involving Rays pitching prospect Andrew Bellati. SDNN spoke with Bellati’s agent, Jonathon Weisz, who shared the following:
“He’s devastated. His parents are devastated. I was with his parents [Monday]and to see his mother and father, they’re devastated because they understand that two families’ lives have changed forever.”
According to the story, charges are still pending against Bellati. As mentioned previously, his speed has been estimated as high as 80 mph when he crossed the double-yellow line and struck a mini-van head-on, killing the driver and seriously injuring the driver’s son.
In an official statement from the Rays, they too are taking a wait-and-see approach before commenting further on the tragedy.
