Baltimore Sun reporter Rich Kubatko offered a small take on the Rays today:
The Rays are expected to increase payroll from $24 million last Opening Day to about $40 million. That's big news in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, where players and strippers are paid in folded $1 bills.
The Rays remain in the market for a left-handed reliever. Maybe they can trade for Jamie Walker at the deadline as they try to fend off the Yankees and Red Sox in the AL East.
Two things: the strippers line unfortunately made me smirk a bit and the Jamie Walker idea is actually somewhat interesting. I know he makes 4.5 million for this and next season - which for a LOOGY is nuts - but still, it's at least a bit encouraging that beat writers are talking about us trading for their better players rather than suggesting the Orioles should trade Radhames Liz, Adam Loewen, and Hayden Penn for Carl Crawford.