Tampa Bay Rays news and links: The market for Steve Pearce

Well, the Rays can finally cross this one off their bucket list.

You’d think an accomplishment like that —joining a club that every one else is already a part of—would make a manager happy. But it didn’t. Kevin Cash made that very clear when he said “"We're not good enough right now."

What does it mean to be “good enough?” Maybe it means more diving into the stands.

In the rehab report section of Topkin’s notes, Alex Cobb is set to start a new rehab assignment after halting his first one. Chase Whitey’s rehab continues on schedule, but Desmond Jennings was scratched from his start with neck stiffness.

Trade Stuff

Okay, now we can get to what people actually care about.

• Mike Petriello of MLB.com wrote about the market for Steve Pearce, citing the Mets, Indians, Red Sox, and Nationals as the most likely trade partners.
• MLBTR also discussed the Pearce to Cleveland possibility.
• The Rangers made a trade for more pitching, but it’s not the type of headliner deal that would keep them away from also trying to acquire some Rays pitching.
• Steve Adams of MLBTR analyzed the third base market. In there is a discussion of Logan Forsythe, and a grudging mention of Evan Longoria.
• Eno Sarris had baseball players tell him what it was like to be traded. Quotes from Drew Smyly and Sam Fuld. Fuld on the Rays:

Once I figured out that they didn’t wear green-and-purple uniforms anymore, I really felt like I had a feel for what the Rays were all about.

• Prompted by the trade deadline, Trevor Strunk wonders if the MLB Players’ Association is representing and protecting the interests of minor leaguers.

Other Stuff

• I missed it when it came out a couple days ago, but Jason Collette wrote something good about his dad.
• As Ichiro approaches his, here’s some other 3,000th hits. Tip your caps.
• Baseball America made their list of the youngest players in each league. Double-A Montgomery is where the Rays have their youngsters these days.