The Rays Tank: Friedman’s Priorities

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At the GM’s Meeting in Orlando yesterday, Andrew Friedman discussed the Rays top offseason priorities with Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

"First base is obviously an area that we’re going to need to focus on, catcher to go along with Lobaton, another reliever, and then rounding out our bench depending on the handedness of our first baseman." Friedman told Topkin.

We can make a lot of inferences here, but it certainly sounds like James Loney and Jose Molina will not be returning to the Rays in 2014.

As far as the reliever goes, the Rays GM told Adam Berry of MLB.com, "we're not looking as much at we need to get a closer as I'd really like to add another high-leverage, late-inning option. How that shakes out, we'll figure out in Spring Training."

Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Tribune suggested that Jake McGee and Joel Peralta are two candidates who could likely step into the closer role next season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Inhouse candidates to close next season for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rays&amp;src=hash">#Rays</a> would be McGee and Peralta</p>&mdash; RMooneyTBO (@RMooneyTBO) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMooneyTBO/statuses/400396067780317184">November 12, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Links:

-ICYMI yesterday, Ian examined rookie of the year regression, and found winning the award doesn't necessarily mean great things for a player's future.

-Jose Bautista could be leaving the AL East and heading to Philly, according to this wild rumor. The Phillies signed OF Marlon Byrd to a two-year, $16 million deal yesterday, so Joey Bats may end up playing third base if this is all true.

-The Yankees and Marlins will play two exhibition games in Panama during Spring Training as a tribute to Mariano Rivera.

-Joe Torre discussed instant replay at the GM Meetings yesterday and noted that the trial run in the AFL was very promising.

-Terry Francona and Clint Hurdle won the Manager of the Year awards yesterday. Joe Maddon finished in fifth place for AL MOY.

-Pat Borzi of Sports on Earth examines Joe Mauer’s move to first base.

-Seattle is looking to make it rain this offseason. The Mariners are interested in signing both Nelson Cruz and Carlos Beltran.

-Over in the NotGraphs section on FanGraphs, someone photoshopped a pizza onto the Trop.

-And finally, this captures how we all feel about the Silver Slugger, right?