Wiggy is a Wanted Man

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 11:24 AM EDT

Boston wants him, Minnesota, the Yanks, and apparently one more team as reports say there are four teams showing deep interest, the St. Pete Times is saying the Dodgers. As far as who I would want: Scott Baker (duh), Craig Hansen (duh), then the myriad of Yankee castaways.

Also, maybe it's time to cash the chips in on Carl Crawford, he's lost all hustle, and yes I do blame that on him, he didn't have to sign that extension, but he did. How about living up to the expectations given when you signed for that money Carl, right now you're not worth big money, and after word came out a few years ago about how you ignored coaching advice I have to wonder in what tier of superstars you value yourself, because right now you're barely in the top five of this team, and that All Star bid you got probably should've went to Shields, Upton, Reyes, Pena, or Harris. Crawford wants to be a marquee player in the game, it seems his ego is all ready there. If we can get a young frontline starter (Ian Snell anyone?) I'd do it at this point, bring up Ruggiano or better yet Fernando Perez to play left field, at least they'd want to be here, and the world could use more of Perez' writing.

[editor's note, by R.J. Anderson] Let me clarify, the Crawford rant was me clearing steam rather than saying 'let's deal CC right now no matter what', I still hold be the belief that we should only move him if we get a young frontline pitcher (not you Dontrelle) otherwise hold onto him.

Tweet Comment 20 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Re: Wiggy is a Wanted Man

First off I wouldn't say that Carl is making big money. This is the sort of attitude that always kills the rays. Everyone always says that the rays have such a young team, with a great farm system, just wait until those guys come up, they are going to be stars. Well once they are up here, like crawford, wigginton, upton, shields, etc... and they start to get paid what they should, even though they should get paid more when compared to other teams. We decide to cash in chips and get more prospects before these guys reach full potential. Crawford is about as solid as we can get. Steady .290 hitter, with 15 homers, 80 rbi's and 50 to 60 stolen bases. That is pretty damn solid in my opinon. So, who should we cash him in for, another couple second to third tier prospects, so we can continue to look to the future.

This season, offseason, and next season will be the breaking point for many fans. Will they continue to put up with an organization that obviously doesn't care about its fans and attempt to win games, or will they attempt to be competitive. You can make cases all you want about how we have the ability to win any game at anytime against anyone, which I fully believe is true, but come on look at our record. It speaks for itself. At the beginning of this season, I made a bet with a co-worker that the devil rays would lose less than 100 games. What kind of faith is that on a team, and to be completely honest I thought that was a positive thing at the time, that this would mean there would be improvement. Sorry for the rant, but hey I'm currently very disgruntled and its not because we're losing, but its because it doesn't even seem like they are playing hard.

I'm telling you all, if wigginton goes to the yanks for those two losers, then i'm done.

Quite Disgruntled Asian Fan

We should not get rid of wigginton, he actually wants to be here, not many people would want to stay with an organization that consistently loses like us. Come on the guy is loyal and wants to see change. The hell with these rumors.

by mik3655h on Jul 26, 2007 11:47 AM EDT reply actions

Re: Wiggy is a Wanted Man

Wiggy isn't worth holding onto, if you can get a young reliever like Baker or Hansen you do it and you don't turn back.

As far as that first point, please name one player who when it was time to cash in we dealt, Huff? LOL he was making seven million last year and 4.9 the year before that, he's making four mil this year after being a FA.

Lugo? We offered him a 10 mil per year deal and he walked because of a NTC.

The Rays have NEVER traded a legit young star because of money concerns, never.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: Wiggy is a Wanted Man

But Lugo was traded after negotiations broke down. And Huff will be making 8 Mil in '08 and '09. His contact is just backloaded.

Not that either destination team is thrilled with these contracts, or that keeping them would have been a good decision in retrospect, but it does suggest an alternate view is at least plausible.

But I agree with RJ - if you can get a solid piece or 2 for the future for Wiggy, now is the time to strike. He's likely to cost a lot more in 08, his arb 3 year, and this might be as good as it gets with him. He'd could still fit as a solid DH, IF backup in '08, and there's something to be said for org loyalty. But what will he (and Reyes) be bringing to the table in 09, '10, & '11?

by nyyfaninlaaland on Jul 27, 2007 1:52 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm assuming you're being sarcastic.

"he's lost all hustle"

Shit I hope we can get David Eckstein to fix this problem ASAP.

Seriously, Carl Crawford makes $4.125 mil per, by far the most on this team. But in the grand scheme of things that ain't shit. Should I list out all the players in the MLB that make more than him? How about just the ones that are worth less than him?

To bad, because that would take forever. You're right that he isn't the best player on the team, but he is the face of the franchise. $4 mil per is not even remotely onerous in a baseball sense.

Plus he's got a sperm tattoo'd to his neck, and that's worth a lot.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 11:54 AM EDT reply actions

MY GOD

CRISTIAN GUZMAN MAKES MORE THAN CARL CRAWFORD. SALARY ARGUMENT IS COMPLETE

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: MY GOD

My points aren't even about salary, he's not getting paid like he should, no, but his numbers have declined in every category, and that power potential is seemingly doubles for the moment, which is fine with a guy like Delmon, but Carl is four years older, he should be in his prime at this moment, or at least showing signs of going into it.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: MY GOD

His numbers have declined in every category in 1 year. They improved every year before that.

His prime is when he is 28, two years away. He's never been a power guy, so I don't know why you're shocked at his warning track power.

As you pointed out earlier, aside from Abreu the Rays have never traded someone who went on to be anything more than marginally better, and 99% of them have been worse. Why should we break that trend now. I just don't think that you can say he won't get better. He's still only 26.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: I'm assuming you're being sarcastic.

You're right, it's not much in the baseball world, but he's about 1/6th of our payroll, which should raise, in a matter of two years he'll be making around 11 million a season, which is pretty decent coin.

Also I'm not refering to hustle as in 'scrappy' but rather last not on that blooper, he was jogging, allowing Harris to go full out for it, and yet Carl had the easier route and should've made the play.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: I'm assuming you're being sarcastic.

It's 1/6th of our pay roll because he's one of the few people who has been in the league for more than 2 years. Most everyone else is still on their rookie contract.

I'm not sure if he's worth 11 mil, but in 2 years (when he's hitting his prime, statistically) he just might be. Or he might not be. I'm sure we'll have some inkling one way or the other by that point. He's not going to get that much less tradable.

Also, hustle is hustle either way. When it refers to white players it means trying their best. Crawford wasn't trying his best on that play. I don't know how endemic it is of his entire play. While it's not an isolated incident, he does try hard more often than not, and as the team improves (god willing) his hustle will come forth more readily. He's frustrated. I wouldn't write him off because of it.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: I'm assuming you're being sarcastic.

I didn't write him off, just merely stated if we could get a young ace like Snell then we should look into it, same thing we've been saying for the last two years.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Is frontline pitching really a big concern?

Kaz Shields Price Nieman Talbot Sonny Howell Hammel McGee Davis etc etc etc

We can grab 5 guys out of that.

Is the deference between Snell and one of those guys greater than the difference between CC and Ruggiano? I'm not terribly sure about that.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Is frontline pitching really a big concern?

Excluding Howell, I'd say probably not.

I came off too strong, I was just blowing off some steam after this horrendous past two series. If history shows us anything it's the players make me look like a fool (more so than usual) when I go one a tangent.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Understandable

Why don't we look at possible Navi trade scenereos. That will give us a good laugh:

Navi to the Red Sox for that piece of pizza that the guy threw at the other guy.

Navi to the Angels for the Rally Monkey's soiled diaper.

Navi to the Cubs for the goat.

Navi to the Marlins for Dontrell Willis (wait, not this one)

Navi to Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburg, or Houston for some of their delightful blue-collar sensability.

Navi to the Royals for columnest Jason Whitlock

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Understandable

I'd do the last one so fast, I've been a Whitlock fan since he lashed Scoop Jackson.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, he's my dawg (not in the Dukes sense)

I just wish he'd stop with his "prison culture" rants. He's by far the best football writer in the country.

Also he reps severely underrated rapper Tech N9ne, who is amazing.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Correct on both parts

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Is frontline pitching really a big concern?

I wouldn't agree with trading Crawford yet but he is becoming kind of a bitch. You were right he didn't have to sign that new contract and I have seen a few plays this year that he could have gotten but didn't. All he is worried about is making it to the All Star game. Should he have gone that past couple of seasons? hell yeah he should have but he got snubbed...get over it. He donsn't get the credit he deserves but he is still 26. He used to get alot of credit for his baserunning but now Jose Reyes stole alot of his thunder.

Crawford hates to play center field. He hates to bat lead off. The only thing he wants to do is bat third and try to beat out Manny's batting stats.

by Elgrandeplatano on Jul 27, 2007 7:36 AM EDT up reply actions

RAP DISCUSSION DERAIL

RJ, have you heard Tech's new album (Everready)?

It's right up there with the new Clipse, the new EL-P and the new Lil Wayne (don't laugh, it's seriously really good) as far as best rap album of the year.

by Top Gun Numba 1 on Jul 26, 2007 12:40 PM EDT reply actions

Re: RAP DISCUSSION DERAIL

Nope, I've heard one song off the Wayne CD the 'Don't Forget' or something, where he uses the 'she's to me what I am to rap' line.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 26, 2007 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Wiggy is a Wanted Man

I don't know if I would be overly excited about Hansen because according to Baseball America he looks like a shell of his former self and they don't think he will rebound to live up to his once glowing Potential. The Red Sox though have alot of other pitching options that would be great for us if we can get them.

SC raysfan

by SC raysfan on Jul 26, 2007 7:38 PM EDT reply actions