View from the Catwalks: Nate Lowe Trade Reactions; Sternberg transcript released after alarming comments

Yesterday we reacted to some alarming comments from the Rays owner made about the team and region in his first sit down since the World Series.

This morning, the Tampa Bay Times has added some positive comments also made by Stu Sternberg that help cushion the blow for the section about his players, including this initial reaction to Marc Topkin’s question about the deciding Game 6:

It’s nothing but pride. I had pride in the seventh inning in that game, I had pride on the bus ride back to the hotel, I had pride the next day. I still feel it, and it’s the word that I’ve used all along.

The transcript, behind the paywall, also has Sternberg on record saying his team has, “tremendous players” even if, “it’s not like we’ve got this group of Hall-of-Famers and All-Stars,” adding:

[...] if we didn’t like them as players we wouldn’t have them on the team, they wouldn’t be here and we’d have different guys.

Added context for his comments about his employees, the region, or the three-to-five year financial smokescreen were... uh, not available.

Rays News

• Rays weren’t leaving the Winter Meetings without making a move:

• Rays trade first baseman Nate Lowe to Rangers - Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times: Marc has a good write-up on the Rays first big trade of the offseason.
• Rangers Pay a Steep Price to Add Another 1B/DH in Nate Lowe - Eric Longenhagen, Fan Graphs: Longenhagen is always excellent when it comes to evaluating trades where most of the pieces are prospects. He is also probably the highest on Heriberto than any analyst, so really interesting to read his thoughts on him in this trade.
• Rays Send Nate Lowe To Rangers In Exchange For Heriberto Hernandez, 2 Others - Josh Norris, Baseball America: For more prospect focused view, check out Josh’s write-up at BA.
• Thoughts on the Nate Lowe trade - Adam J. Morris, Lone Star Ball: Adam has the view from the Rangers perspective.
• Rays take two players, lose seven in Rule 5 drafts - Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times: Moderately eventful Rule 5 draft day.
• Heriberto Hernandez Deserves Our Attention - Jamie Sayer, PitcherList: Get to know the newest Ray!

• Marlins selected Rays RHP Paul Campbell in Rule 5 Draft - Joe Frisaro, MLB.com: Marlins continue to achieve Rays South status. Excellent pick by Miami, and Campbell has a real shot at sticking there.
• Rays passed on the major league Rule 5 selection, but went back to the reliever well in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft:

We’ll have analysis on all things Rule 5 shortly.

• What is ‘spin efficiency’ and why do the Rays have it in spades? - Eno Sarris, The Athletic: A good time to re-read this excellent article from Eno about what the Rays are looking for and leaning hard into when it comes to pitchers.
• Wander Franco has a Rays themed basketball court!

• Neil Solondz has a massive Winter Meetings wrap up podcast that’s worth your time!

Around the League

• Daniel Bard wins maybe the most earned Comeback Player of the Year award after years and years of the yips, and struggle, and fighting his way to being able to just throw a ball where he wanted it to go:

• Daniel Bard’s Long Road Back From the Yips - Stephanie Apstein, Sports Illustrated: Good time to re-vist this excellent article on the comeback of Daniel Bard.
• Phillies on verge of hiring Dave Dombrowski - Jason Stark, The Athletic: Dealing Dave might be back!