Tank: Starting a trade tree

This Date in Team History!

In 2006, the Rays dealt two former all-stars, Lance Carter and Danys Baez, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for prospects, Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany who were ranked third and tenth in the Dodgers' system respectively. Jackson certainly has had the best career of any of the players involved as he served as a somewhat dependable starter, while Carter was only able to appear in 10 games for L.A. and Baez was only with the team until July when he was traded to Atlanta. Tiffany would never rise higher than Double-A.

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Trivia Time! (Ian)

The answer to yesterday's question was Fernando RRodney

The fastball averaged 92 mph and the slider 82 mph, which was disappointing, as the fastball had been reported on in the minors as a 95 mph pitch.

And here's a snippet from a Baseball America scouting report on this player:

Already large, this player is continuing to mature physically, which should enable him to hit for above-average power once his body fully develops. He also has a cannon attached to his right shoulder and good range at third base. His inexperience at the plate was apparent at times, but he showed at Hudson Valley that he learned from his mistakes and took his game to a higher level by the end of the season. He still strikes out a lot because he is a free swinger.

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There are 80 days until Opening Day!

That's the same number of starts made by Andy Sonnanstine in his career.

One of those starts, saw him batting third in the Rays line-up.

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Links! (Ian)

- In another slow day for Rays winter league action, Jose Alvarado did not record an out while being charged with a run on a hit, and Armando Araiza appeared as a defensive replacement.

- Really good work from Jason Hanselman on evaluating pitchers using ball-in-play data, based on some really good work by reillocity in a fanpost over at Minor League Ball. Hanselman focuses on major league players. The fanpost gives some love to Blake Snell.

- Topkin wrote about Brent Honeywell, and how the Rays are looking for maturation from him this season.

- The physics of broken bat homers -- it matters where on the bat the ball hits.

- There's a cricketer trying his hand at baseball.

- The Padres and the Astros will play spring training games in Mexico City.

- Slow day for links. Please add in comments if you've got any.