After a few weeks of inactivity, the Rays have settled on the back burner of the Major League Baseball's hot stove. However, Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas reports that there may be some embers burning between the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays. Durrett says the Rangers, desperate for a back-up to Taylor Teagarden, remain interested in Dioner Navarro.
The Rangers interest in Navarro is nothing new. Even before Navarro was re-signed to a one-year deal worth $2.1 million dollars, Texas was rumored to be kicking tires. Instead of non-tendering Navi and giving him away, the Rays bought themselves some time, and avoided a second straight arbitration hearing with Kendall Almerico, Navi's Agent, in the process with the one-year deal.
Like the Milton Bradley deal, I'm assuming any deal would have to happen on the Rays terms. There is no pressing need to trade Navarro, and his $2.1 million dollar salary isn't handcuffing the team. However, if the Rangers decide to throw a decent arm with controllable years, I'm sure the Rays wouldn't mind freeing up some salary room. If that were to happen the search for a back-up catcher would begin. Whether that would come within the organization or from outside remains to be seen.