The Rays Tank: The Michael Wuertz Is Free!! Edition

by Steve Slowinski on Oct 26, 2011 8:07 AM EDT in The Rays Tank

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 23: Michael Wuertz #48 of the Oakland Athletics pitches in the eighth inning during the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium on May 23, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

MLB Chatter

The big news yesterday was that Theo Epstein formally joined the Cubs and had his first press conference. Just a few hours later, news came out that John Lackey was going to have Tommy John surgery and miss the entire 2012 season. I'm trying to draw up some conspiracy theory that links the two events. Maybe some sort of divorce joke about Lackey and Epstein?

Apparently Octavio Dotel really doesn't like issuing intentional walks. This article is worth checking out for the .gifs alone.

Rays Talk

Over at ESPN Florida, Tommy wrote a bit on Dan Feinstein's move back to the A's. At the bottom of the article, he switches gears and talks about a potential bullpen target that had his option declined yesterday: Michael Wuertz. Wuertz is a reliever that's always intrigued me, and he has shutdown potential when he's healthy. The big question is, how healthy is he? And will other teams make a run for him as well?

Bloomberg Sports recently created a list of the "smartest spenders in sports" and the Rays came in #3 on their list. The methodology isn't anything earth-shattering; they calculated the dollars per win for all the major sports teams, and of course the Rays are going to rank well in a list of that nature. It is still fun to see the list, and the comparison across other sports is an interesting addition.

If you missed it yesterday, over at SBN Tampa Bay, Brad reevaluated the Jason Bartlett trade from last year. Was it actually a good move?

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Comments

John Lackey in 2013 will be fatter than CC Sabathia

No pitching, no wife, and no rules restricting his beer/kfc intake. That said, I can’t say I’m too excited about the Sox losing him for a season. They’re probably worse off with him.

Am I the only one flagging this guy?
Seriously, do we have to wait for the money shot or a "F*** THE SOXXXXXX!" before we ban him? Doubleteapot… BAN HIM!!

by AlohaSox on Sep 28, 2011 10:20 PM CDT

by SandalsNoPants on Oct 26, 2011 8:22 AM EDT reply actions

Beckett Lester Buchholz DiceK Doubront(?)

Not awful but no depth and you know two of Beckett, Lester, Buchholz are missing time

Vroom vroom party starter
www.raysprospects.com

by Imperialism32 on Oct 26, 2011 8:47 AM EDT reply actions

Don't the Sox

Have to at least consider Aceves as a starter in 2012?

Depth is weak, but I can see them kicking the tires and considering going after Jake Peavy.

I believe the main motivation for the deal wouldn’t be top level prospects but how much of the salary Boston would be willing to take on.

by MrNegative1 on Oct 26, 2011 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Cherington Bear is making a splash, #believedat

and there goes our season

OTM's biggest Clutch Carl fan.
by gizmosandy on Sep 11, 2011 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

by Sandy Kazmir on Oct 26, 2011 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Plus Beckett is scheduled for the down year turn of his alternating good/bad seasons since 2005

by Ben Tumbling on Oct 26, 2011 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

they're definitely signing someone...

I could care less about your graduate degree-I was a full professor at Harvard at 34 and am a full professor at Columbia now in a theoretical field whose main tool is statistical mechanics. So can can come down from your high place.

by Buzzy on Sep 24, 2011 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

by pudieron89 on Oct 26, 2011 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

I expect them to trade for Jon Danks

by raysfaninminnesota on Oct 26, 2011 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Wuertz Home/Away Splits

are horrid. Looking back from his time in Oakland, his away ERA was a full 2 runs more. The other interesting number was his success on turf. Depending upon cost and health, Wuertz would be a great bounce-back candidate and for his career can handle lefties and righties.

by raysfaninminnesota on Oct 26, 2011 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

I'd like to welcome King Felix and CJ Wilson to the AL East

by Dome Biscuit on Oct 26, 2011 11:25 AM EDT reply actions

and Yu Darvish

at probably Matt Garza and Francisco Liriano while we’re at it.

The sad fact of the matter is that the Yankees and Red Sox are each going to try to add the two best starters they can find this offseason (and that’s after the Yankees pay C.C. Sabathia more than the GDP of Luxembourg).

Now, the Red Sox will probably be a little gun-shy in going after Darvish after the Matsuzaka Experience. But I think you can expect that C.J. Wilson will get some insane contract north of 5/100 as the Red Sox and Yankees try to outbid each other (and a few other optimistic teams stick their toes in the water as well).

The silver lining — or at least, the slightly less gray lining — is that all of these players (except Felix) have serious question marks about them, and Hernandez a) will cost the Yankees or Red Sox an ungodly amount of talent while b) setting the market for a Shields trade. When every non-Yankees-or-Red Sox team in baseball realizes they have no shot at signing even a single decent starting pitcher this offseason, the market for Rays’ pitchers should skyrocket.

So I expect (hope?) that the Rays will sign Wuertz and Michael Gonzalez, trade BJ for Billy Butler, and then sit back and wait for teams to panic and offer the moon for Shields/Niemann/Davis/Cobb.

by AndrewTorrez on Oct 26, 2011 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions

OT Self Promotion

I wrote an article for the Jewish Daily Forward about Jews in Baseball and the MVP race: http://www.forward.com/articles/144879/

It talks about WAR and doesn’t mention Sam Fuld.

by Whelk on Oct 26, 2011 12:10 PM EDT reply actions

OT: Has anyone thought of potentially looking at JD Drew as a DH option?

Coming off the worst year of his career, he could definitely be a high risk high reward type of guy. The fact that he is a Boras client could hinder any really cheap deal, but that didn’t stop us from signing Damon, and Drew’s career 14.0 BB% looks more appealing than most of Damon’s career numbers.

You heard it from me.

by multiple sources on Oct 26, 2011 1:57 PM EDT reply actions

ive actually read that from multiple sources

by rglass44 on Oct 26, 2011 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm sure he's an option

depends on how everything shakes out. Rays like to wait everything out after the initial price gouging and once the market settles, see what’s still available. This means, barring a trade for someone like Carlos Quentin, free agency means most likely no Ortiz, Willingham, and maybe not Kubel. But options like Drew, Thome, and resigning Damon are the most likely options.

by raysfaninminnesota on Oct 26, 2011 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't forget about compensation

Ortiz, Willingham, are type As. Kubel, Thome, Drew aren’t going to cost us a pick, and therefore way more likely.

by benderbrodriguez on Oct 26, 2011 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions

God no, Drew looked terrible at the plate last year for the Sox.

I’d rather have Damon; Drew seems to be seriously falling off at this point in his career. Plus his health is starting to catch up with him.

by TBRaysfan009 on Oct 26, 2011 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Still walked 11% of the time despite not being healthy all season

SSS, I know, but ol’ Johnny’s rate at 7.9 didn’t look any better. Speaking of looking terrible at the plate, Damon having a career high O-Swing% in a Rays uniform was by no means a pleasant sight.

Once again, this move would have to be done at the right price, There is no way he receives a deal worth more than the one we signed Damon to, and to be quite honest, I can’t see him having any worse of a year than the one Johnny had with us.

You heard it from me.

by multiple sources on Oct 26, 2011 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions

gotta swing if you're chasing records, baby

by Buzzy on Sep 24, 2011 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

by pudieron89 on Oct 27, 2011 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions

count me in as one who doesn't think we add anyone to the pen next season not already in the organization

maybe 1 guy at the most but I think it shapes up

Davis/Torres/Sonny
Gomes
Mcgee
Howell/Ramos
DDLR/Russell/Bush
Farnsworth

maybe we try to find someone for the 8th inning (I still like Gomes in that role) but I think we have options already on the roster and I would rather spend what little money we have on 1B/C/DH/SS or however the holes get filled on offense.

by Dbullsfan on Oct 26, 2011 4:43 PM EDT reply actions