Let's start with Jayson Stark's latest column which involved two Rays related tidbits. First up:

Whither Junior, 2009 edition: But if you're looking for a destination Griffey could land in next year, once there are no worries about surrendering prospects or picking up a $16-million contract, here's a club we've started to hear some guesswork about: Tampa Bay.

The Trop is an easy commute from Griffey's home in Orlando. It's a fun team on the rise, with a chance to win. And it's an AL team that could mix in some DH-ing opportunities. So why not?

"If I were them, I think it would be a great move," said one veteran baseball man. "You run him out there with his big smile and his sweet swing, and it's a drawing card. And even if he's slipped, you're putting another left-handed bat in the middle of that lineup. Could be scary."

Let me be the first to say no. I grew up with Junior being one of the, if not the, best players going. I'm sure we all have memories of his highlight reel catches and homeruns, but at the same time his injuries are just as prevalent in my present day evaluation. Acquiring Griffey in free agency would make little sense for the Rays, especially with Barry Bonds sitting as a free agent and Cliff Floyd, who is amazingly younger than Griffey, sitting on the roster. This simply doesn't smell like a Rays move and I'm always timid with ambiguous sources named like "veteran baseball man".

From that same piece.

Rays of hope: Speaking of Tampa Bay, we continue to see no reason to assume the Rays will be coming back toward what they used to know as earth. One scout's review: "Here's the thing. [Evan] Longoria and [B.J.] Upton are guys who can hit good pitching. There are a lot of hitters out there who hit average pitching. But this club, if they can get to the playoffs, can do some damage because they can handle the good pitchers."

If you say so.

We now turn our attention to something a bit different: Latin American amateur free agents, first a run down provided by ESPN including commentary on Michael Inoa, a 16 year old pitcher who apparently could net more than four million dollars from the Oakland Athletics of all organizations.

Inoa (6-foot-7, 210 pounds) is a right-handed hurler with a three-pitch repertoire consisting of a fastball (93 mph), changeup and curve.

"His most attractive asset is the fact that he has a lot of control for such a tall guy, and he knows what to do once he gets on the mound," said Ezequiel Sepulveda, a scout for the L.A. Dodgers in the Dominican Republic. "Inoa is every scout's dream. He has it all."

Amongst other notable international free agents from the Rays-centric Venezuela:
Venezuela: C Jackson Valera, LHP Ismael Guillon, RHP Alvin Mejias, C Oscar Perez, SS Luis Cortes, RHP Jose Perdomo, SS Luis Villogas, RHP Josue Castellanos

Perhaps the team makes a run at one of the players, maybe not. Despite that I do encourage everyone to read over this piece in the new edition of Vanity Fair from Moneyball author Michael Lewis concerning Cuban baseball players. If nothing else it should give some perspective on their journeys.