Friedman Speaks On Offseason Moves

by Tommy Rancel on Dec 5, 2008 9:21 AM EST Comment 16 comments

The Rays(Andrew Freidman) held a little pre-winter meetings news conference yesterday. Marc Lancaster has some highlights on his blog Rays Report. Here are the one's I found interesting or at least worthy of posting here:

Friedman said the team’s first priority this winter is improving the offense, with the focus on the right field/DH slot. He said he doesn’t know if that slot will go to one player or two, but he doesn’t consider it realistic to bring in two “impact-type guys” for those spots.

Jason Giambi would do just fine, but so would Adam Dunn, Pat Burrell, Miltion Bradley or Bobby Abreu for that matter.

While Friedman considers pitching the Rays’ greatest area of depth, he said that doesn’t necessarily mean the Rays feel like they need to move anyone to make room in the rotation or bullpen.

GM speak here. I'm guessing this is Andrew's way of saying to GM's that if you want what we have you're going to have to pay our price, otherwise we'll just keep all the arms.

Jeff Niemann and Jason Hammel, who will be out of options in 2009, will get a look in the bullpen.

I don't see Hammel making this team, but Niemann is interesting. On one hand, I think he could be a future closer, but others have told me he takes too long to warm up or he's just not durable enough to throw out there 50+ times a year. He could just take Hammel's role as the long man and be much better at it than Hammel was.

The Rays remain in touch with the agents for free agents Rocco Baldelli, Cliff Floyd and Eric Hinske, and depending on how things break there’s a chance they could return.

Doesn't sound good for Rocco fans.

The team doesn’t expect B.J. Upton, who recently underwent shoulder surgery, to be ready to play in time for the first spring training games. But with exhibitions running from Feb. 25-April 4, the Rays believe he’ll have plenty of time to gear up for the season. In fact, look for the Rays to take it slow with all of their regulars early in spring training given the length of the spring schedule next year.

Take it easy with B.J. and let Perez get a nice look in Spring Training.

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Regarding Niemann...

It is difficult to judge Niemann as a reliever, because he has NEVER done it before. Some say it takes him too long to warm up. Others say he cant go out there 50+ times. All of those things may be true, but they are based on Niemann “The Starter”, as opposed to Niemann “The Reliever”.

A pitcher must train his arm differently as a starter and reliever. As a starter you must train to have the longevity to throw 110 pitches every 5 days. As a reliever, your arm needs to be trained to become accustomed to throwing 2 of ever 3or4 days. This isnt something that happens overnight. It will take Niemann 2 solid months to get his arm in this shape. Hopefully the Rays have informed him that his only shot is as a reliever, so he must get himself in “reliever shape”. Once he does this, he probably will be able to loosen up quicker. Athletes are creatures of habit. Niemann is used to the long bullpen session prior to Starts.

It will be interesting to see how Niemann responds to being a full time reliever…

by td32 on Dec 5, 2008 10:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

He could be such a studly reliever...

Imagine a 6’9 beast dialing it up to the mid-nineties with a few other pitches to work off of. Any idea which pitch he’d likely scrap in becoming a reliever?

by rglass44 on Dec 5, 2008 10:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

John Rauch?

Rays 2009 Slogan: "Come back with your shield or on it"

by PriceMultiCyYoungs on Dec 5, 2008 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From what I have read

Its not that he would fail as a reliever, but that he doesnt have the type of delivery that allows him to add a couple ticks on the fastball in relief. However, thats not what I saw last year. In his few brief appearances, his fastball was up around 98 and he looked good. I do know one concern with pitchers that tall is their ability to repeat their delievery consistently and that can be hard to do out of the pen, opposed to starting when you get as long as you need to warm up. If we dont trade him, its definately worth a look in spring training.

by BossmanJunior333 on Dec 5, 2008 10:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

His change

He has two fastballs and a curve that are all plus. That should be enough for relief, if he’s able to relieve.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 5, 2008 12:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

They tried to use him as a reliever last year

And he almost never got the call because it took him 20 minutes to warm up. Maybe if he practices warming up as a reliever, he can improve his time, but if that’s the case, then using him as a reliever (other than closer) just isn’t that feasible.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 5, 2008 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It takes time to get your arm acclimated to that role...

Obviously some may take longer to adapt then others. I would imagine that if he prepared himself in the off season to become a reliever, he could speed up his warm up period significantly. Trying to do this in season is difficult.

by td32 on Dec 5, 2008 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 5, 2008 4:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

reading into things

bq.I don’t think it’s realistic to add two impact-type guys. It may be two, with one we feel helps our offense tremendously and another one who fits in well as an interchangeable part who complements the rest of our guys well. That said, in an ideal world we’d like to add two but it’s probably just not that realistic with the guys who are out there and also factoring in the rest of our personnel.

Reading into this, I think he expects to add one everyday impact player, something along the lines of a Bradley or Giambi, and one platoon player, likely through a trade (just guessing). Probably a left handed batter to platoon with Aybar or a right handed batter to platoon with Gross. Personally, I would really like a left handed bat to platoon with Aybar in right field.

by BossmanJunior333 on Dec 5, 2008 11:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I would really like a left handed bat to platoon with Aybar in right field.

We already have one…

by rglass44 on Dec 5, 2008 11:19 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd like an improvement over Gross

by BossmanJunior333 on Dec 5, 2008 11:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Any significant improvement would be a full-time player.

And that might count as an impact bat.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Dec 5, 2008 12:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Personally I would like a full time right fielder.

by Erik Hahmann on Dec 5, 2008 11:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

completely agree

In all honesty, if we sign a Bradley/Giambi type for DH, I dont see why we cant acquire an everyday rightfielder with all of the trade pieces we potentially have (Jackson, Niemann, Bartlett, Wheeler, Bradford, etc). Even if its someone not too flashy, ala Gutierrez. Jackson for Gutierrez?

by BossmanJunior333 on Dec 5, 2008 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Me, too, although a Gross/Perez type platoon really is pretty solid.

.250/.340/.430 with +5 fielding is at least league-average. Ethier/Kemp isn’t as much of an upgrade as Giambi/Bradley/Burrell would be at DH.

Can I mention my hope for Nelson Cruz as the RH platoon-mate and potential full-time stud once again? Guess I just did.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Dec 5, 2008 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm fine with a full-time DH

Doesn’t matter to me which one gets platooned. Makes more sense to have a platoon in RF honestly, because that way you don’t need to carry an extra player for 4th OF.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Dec 5, 2008 12:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs