Foxsports.com

The Cubs are confident of signing free-agent designated hitter Milton Bradley, but a number of teams remain interested in the free-agent designated hitter, including the Rays, Yankees and Nationals.

One slugger to watch: Pat Burrell. The Rays could sign either Burrell or Jason Giambi if Bradley lands with the Cubs. The Mariners also like Burrell, and the Rangers could view him as an option if they do not trade for the Tigers' Gary Sheffield. The Reds have publicly stated an interest in Burrell, but he likely will rise out of their price range.

Just sign Burrell already.

Ok, it's been an action packed four days of winter meetings. It's time to gather up everything in one nice recap and see where we stand.

 Day One

• The Rays were quiet until late afternoon Eastern Time when it was announced that Milton Bradley ate Pizza and French Onion soup with the Rays.
• The Rays also signed minor leaguer Paul Phillips, the pitcher.
• We learned that Griffey wanted to be the next Raymond.

Day Two

• Delmon Young coming back was the hot topic, but that was shot down quickly.
• The Rays and Cardinals had discussions. The suggested names were Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick
• Jason Giambi and The Rays chewed the fat at N9ne steakhouse.

Day Three

• The Rays liked Nelson Cruz, but so do the Texas Rangers.
• The Marlins offered Jeremy Hermida for two pitching prospects and got the no thx.
• The Rays have interest in Griffey. Position, DH or Mascot, unknown.
• Bobby Abreu's agent met with the Rays and it appears the Rays and the White Sox are the front runners for his services.
• In the biggest Rays news from the meetings, the Rays traded Edwin Jackson, who was proclaimed in 2003 as the best Dodger pitching prospect since Pedro Martinez, to the Detroit Tigers. It's only fitting that his last regular appereance came in Detroit and saw him blow a two-run lead only to get lucky enough to later win the game and tie the franchise record for wins in a season.
• The return for Jackson is Matt Joyce, a Tampa native with good power and is an above average corner outfielder. The Rays get six years of  team control for what Dave Cameron calls "essentially, a left-handed Werth - a guy who can play very good defense in a corner OF spot, has gap power and will walk occasionally, but whose lower contact rate will always keep his average down. "
• Oh and he rescues kittens. P Brady would be proud.

Day Four

• The Rule 5 Draft took place and as expected Eduardo Morlan was selected. Morlan is now property of the Brewers, but could still land back with the Rays at some point.
• The Rays selected RHP, Derek Rodriguez, who oddly enough could be the loogy the Rays need.  Here is what Andrew Friedman had to say about him.

"We feel like he’s got an advanced feel for pitching," Friedman said. "He changes arm angles, he changes speeds, he misses bats. We’ve got numerous reports that he makes hitters uncomfortable in the box with the different things that he does and we’re anxious to get him into big-league camp and get a look at him firsthand."

Friedman said Rodriguez will definitely be given a chance to make the team.

"I don’t think we would have taken him if we weren’t intrigued enough to give him a real opportunity," Friedman said. "What will happen remains to be seen, and some of that will be dictated by what we do between now and then. But as we stand here today we’re excited to add him and feel like he’s got a very legitimate chance to come in and earn a job."

• In news that just makes you smile, Marc Topkin shares this.

Probably the most interesting thing Friedman said is that he thinks the Rays can be "competitive" in bidding for the free-agent hitters. The Rays have not made a formal offer for any of them, thus far just talking parameters.

All in all it was a crazy rumor filled week. The Yanks got Sabathia and made offers to every possible free agent pitcher. The Mets got K-Rod and then traded for a better closer the next day, but will use him as a set up man. The Red Sox really didn't do anything and the Rays got stronger in two areas with one move.

The Rays still have a few holes, including DH, a possible right handed bat in the outfield, and maybe a bullpen arm or two, but do you know the best part of this whole week? The Rays are players, serious players. We all felt great after the successful on the field season, but hearing the words: Rays, competitive and free agents in the same sentences just makes it even better.

Overall Winter Meeting Reaction:

via cache.daylife.com

Time for the night cap of the day 2 thread or the mid-afternoon cap depending on where  you are.

What we know as of now:

• Milton Bradley likes Pizza and French Onion soup. He has also met with the Cubs as well as the Rays.
• Depending on who you speak to, the Rays are interested in re-acquiring Delmon Young in a three way deal involving the Twins and Rockies. Others say the Rays haven't even talked to the Twins or Rockies about a deal. Somebody is lying here.
• Jason Giambi may be returning to the A's and the Rays have shown "interest" in Garrett Anderson.
• The Rays and Cardinals have had discussions. Rick Ankiel or Ryan Ludwick?
• The team has no free agent meetings today.
• K-Rod to the Mets

Reaction to all this news:

What we learned from day one:

- The Rays might have a crush on Milton Bradley, take him to lunch. Ken Rosenthal says the Rays are the favorites to sign him, meanwhile the Rays don't seem to think they'll sign anyone during the meetings.

- The Rays have meet and greets planned with a few other free agents.

- Ken Griffey Jr. "would be thrilled" to play with Tampa Bay. Rays reaction:

- Rocco Baldelli is apparently going to Boston.

- The Rays signed Paul Phillips: looks like minor league filler.

- Orvella removed from the 40 man roster.

Free-agent outfielder Milton Bradley arrived at the winter meetings on Monday and promptly went to lunch with his agents and officials from the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays.

Fox Sports

It's not often (ever?) that one of the best free agents available meets first with the Rays. Not only does this suggest the Rays are interested, but that they've had previous dialogue with Bradley and his reps over the past few weeks. This also suggests Bradley's camp is at least a bit interested in playing for the Rays.

Reaction:

Lancaster:

“We have a tremendous amount of respect for Milton as a player and felt it was a good opportunity to sit down and learn a little bit more,” Friedman said. “It was a great meeting.”

Friedman also said the team was "unlikely" to sign anyone during the meetings and that they had a few other meetings planned. The Rays on the attack.

Post any rumors, tidbits, or thoughts here for conversation and digestion.

Here's a cheat sheet on the players the Rays are reported to be interested in, using Marcels and Chone projections.

If explanation is needed:

Position: COF - corner outfield

Age: Years.Months. For instance, Dunn turned 29 one month ago.

Proj. WAR:  Using Marcels/Chone a simple WAR estimate is made, which leads to...

Proj. 09$: Essentially, how much the player projects to be worth next season, when a single WAR is worth roughly 4.84 million. This is context free, what the Rays would pay for Bobby Abreu isn't the same as what the Orioles would or the Cubs, ect.

Also, answering a question sure to be asked: I included Hermida as a way of estimating how much talent the Rays would have to give up in return. Of course, this also opens a can of worms on how one should estimate prospect worth...

"There's no question this is a dual market situation," says one GM. "The corner bat/DH market is flooded, and the stock market is drowning. Not a good combination, not when pitching rules the market."

 

"The other thing is that teams are moving away from the base offensive statistics," says another GM. "They are pouring through defensive studies and seeing that below-average defenders like Ramirez and Burrell in the field depreciate their offensive numbers because of what they give up."

That is an excerpt from this piece written by Peter Gammons on the corner outfield/DH market which figures to be tops on the Rays priority list.

Gammons specifically mentions the Rays in this portion of the entry

Which is why the Tampa Bay Rays are in such a great position. They need a right field or DH bat. They have a terrific lineup in which to stack numbers. And a long list of names to consider, like Dunn, Jason Giambi, Burrell, Abreu, Raul Ibanez and Garrett Atkins from which to choose.

What once looked like a pipe dream, is now becoming a bright reality for the Rays. After the major pieces like CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira fall and set the market, the Rays will probably have three or four solid options for right field and/or DH. This comes without  trading Edwin Jackson, Andy Sonnanstine, Jeff Niemann or even Jason Bartlett.

This should give Friedman the flexibilty to pick and choose in a trade while supplementing whatever position he doesn't fill via a trade with a weakened market. Even if names like Dunn, Burrell, Ibanez, Bradley and Abreu get multi-year deals elsewhere it leaves guys like Giambi, Juan Rivera, Ken Griffey, Eric Hinske, Cliff Floyd and Rocco Baldelli with no place to go. Now some of those names(including the former Rays trio) aren't ideal, but for the potential price they maybe worth a shot. 

And that doesn't even bring in the trade market which could include guys like Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick and Jeremy Hermida among others.

In the beginning of this offseason most of us thought  talking about these guys was just wishful thinking. Now, we may infact just get what we wished for.

Ben Reiter on SI.com said this about Milton Bradley and the Rays being the best fit for each other.

Emotional and injury-prone, and most likely mainly a DH at age 30, but when he plays, he hits (.999 OPS in '08). Rays not inclined to sign or retain players who might become distractions (Barry Bonds, Delmon Young), but Bradley could be worth the risk, especially considering their lack of production from rightfield.

He also lists Rocco Baldelli and the Rays being the best fit, which is not a surprise, 

Admirably dealt with his mitochondrial disease in the post-season, but the energy-sapping disorder makes him necessarily a part-time player. Even so, was the best of the Rays' rightfield options down the stretch, and would be a fine reserve going forward.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ben_reiter/10/30/reiter.top.freeagents/index.html?eref=T1

Bradley would be worth it but could he play RF (20 games in the OF because of a torn ligament from last season) but he could be a good DH. How much would you guys give him?

RAYS 5, Texas 4 Rangers Ballpark Arlington, TX

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