Ray Durham?

With Iwamura and Bartlett going down (Iwamura for the full year), the Rays are a bit strapped in the middle infield.  There are three free agent second basemen who are still available and who are unsigned - Ray Durham, Mark Grudzielanek and Damian Easley.  Easley probably isn't much better than internal options, and Grudzielanek is about the same as some of our 2B internal options (i.e., will hit OK, but will stink at defense), so we can probably rule out those two as options for the team, but what about Ray Durham?

Durham would probably be a shoo-in if he didn't have a rotten 2007.  In 2008, his OPS was .813, and his UZR/150 was -0.9, meaning he doesn't really hurt you on the field.  In 2006, his OPS was .898 and his UZR/150 was -1.0.  However, in 2007, he was atrocious, with an OPS of .638 and a UZR/150 of -9.0.  Still, even when he's bad, he can be counted on to draw walks and hit with a little bit of pop.

The question is what do the Rays have to lose?  Sure, he would cost marginally more than using internal options, but does Brignac really seem so ready that he couldn't use some more development time in Durham the city?  Is Brignac's defense at a position he's rarely played so much better than Durham's that it makes up for the current difference in their bats?  Was Durham's 2007, far and away the worst year of his career both offensively and defensively, so bad that we don't want to risk signing someone who might be a black hole of suck?

Personally, I'm all for it.  I think the risks are greater if we leave the roster as it's currently set.  Based on his fielding at shortstop, Zobrist's fielding at 2B probably isn't very good.  Based on scouting reports, Aybar's fielding at 2B probably isn't very good either (and outside of Aybar's superstint while Longoria was injured last year, Durham's bat has always been much better than Aybar's.   From a developmental perspective, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to send Brignac down when Bartlett comes back, and to give him some more regular time at 2B, as well as allow him to adjust to killing marginal MLB pitching.  In the worst case scenario, Durham of 2009 looks like Durham of 2007, and the team ends up wasting $500 grand or so, and we're back in the same position that we're already in.  But in the best case, I believe that the combination of average defense with an above average bat at the position could make a difference that's measurable in wins.