Tampa Bay Rays Deadline Deals And Rumors
Today is the non-waiver trading deadline in baseball and this post will be dedicated to all the rumors and moves as they happen throughout the day. So keep checking back from time-to-time. We will keep this going until a little after the 4pm deadline...
[5:17] The Pirates are getting Craig Hansen, Brandon Moss, Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris. You can't blame the Pirates or the Rays here. That is a much bigger package than what the Rays were offering even if you believe the rumors that Reid Brignac was included. The only way the Rays may have possibly trumped this deal is if they included Wade Davis and that is just too big a price for 1.3 years of Jason Bay.
In the end, the Red Sox are a weaker team with Bay than with Ramirez, so this deal still helps the Rays.
[4:37] No Bay for the Rays. Jon Heyman is saying that Jason Bay has been traded to the Red Sox. The deal is a 3-team deal with Manny Ramirez going to the Dodgers.
[4:10] And 10 minutes later Ken Rosenthal says the 3-team deal is dead...again. Does this reopen the door for the Rays? Do the Rays really think they can get Bay for just Niemann?
[3:59] This is crazy. Now Ken Rosenthal is saying that the 3-team deal is back on the table...Sounds like the Pirates are trying to pressure the Rays into adding Brignac. Can't imagine the 3-team deal can be completed in such short time period.
[3:49] Now we have a report that the deal is not done and it may be because the Rays have not OK'd Brignac in the deal...Might the Rays be holding out for Grabow?
[3:45] Jayson Stark is now saying that both teams are denying the deal is done. Our guess is that the Pirates finally chose the Rays over other suitors. They accepted Niemann and Brignac BUT the two teams may still be discussing what the other lesser pieces will be. If that is the case, the deal will get announced, as there is no chance either team will walk away bickering over a low-A pitcher or two.
[3:39] We have a second source saying the deal is done...Also, we are assuming that unless another trade is made, Gomes is going to be demoted to make room for Bay.
[3:16] FINALLY! The Deal is done. The Rays have traded Jeff Niemann and Reid Brignac to the Pirates for Jason Bay. No word on the exact details. (Hat tip to MLBTradeRumors)...Now the question is: Are the Rays done? Will they be able to grab a relief pitcher in the last 40 minutes before the deadline? We are of the feeling that the Rays do not need a relief pitcher. There is plenty of insurance in Durham (Salas, Talbot, Thayer, etc.)
[3:11] Jayson Stark says (on ESPN) Bay-to-Tampa Bay is still alive as both teams are still talking...Our question is: Is Grabow coming back to the Rays also? Nobody is saying that, but the Rays want a relief pitcher also and Grabow was to be included in the 3-way deal earlier. It would not surprise us if the Pirates are dangling Grabow as a piece to try and entice the Rays to change their insistance on not including Davis in any deal.
[2:39] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is saying that everything looks status quo right now. The Rays are offering Niemann and Brignac. The Pirates want Brignac and Davis. Right now, it looks like this will go right down to the wire with the Pirates having to choose between the Rays offer and not trading Bay.
[2:10] Jayson Stark just reported on ESPN that the Pirates are now talking to the Rays again about Bay. Stark says the Rays are offering a package built around Niemann and Brignac. Peter Gammons says that Niemann will not get the deal done and the Pirates are still demanding Wade Davis...If the Pirates are insisting on Davis, the deal won't get done. Might the Rays be able to sway the Buccos by adding Mitch Talbot? [HERE is a link]
[2:00] Ken Rosenthal is saying the 3-way deal dead "for now". Rosenthal thinks this will give life to the Bay-to-Tampa Bay deal. Rosenthal is still reporting that the hold-up for the 3-way deal is what the Pirates are receiving and makes no mention of the money going to the Marlins.
[1:30] Now the Pittsbugh Post-Gazette is saying that the Pirates have agreed to the prospects in a 3-way deal to send Bay to Boston. Looks like that deal might finally happen. Now the hold-up might be the amount of money the Red Sox send to the Marlins. The Sox are already paying the remainder of Manny's contract for '08 (~$7MM), but the Marlins want $9MM. [Ed. note: It looks like all of these rumors are killing the Post-Gazette's website]
[12:55] Peter Gammons is saying the Bay-to-Boston 3-way deal is "close to dead."...While Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the deal is "closer to completion." You have to love these deadline deal rumors. Here we have two of the best and they are saying the exact-opposite of each other...Meanwhile, Jayson Stark is saying the Rays are "unlikely to make any trades." He is saying the Rays have backed-off of Dunn and apparently they have been told by the Pirates that Bay is going elsewhere...Truth be known, this does not bother us. But if the Red Sox deal dies, where is Bay going?
[12:24] Jonny Gomes on the move? We have a minor note here (via MLBTradeRumors). The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that the Rays may be after Craig Monroe of the Twins. The feeling is Monroe would provide the Rays with a right-handed bat off the bench...Might Monroe be in the cards should the Rays acquire Dunn (left-handed bat) instead of Bay (right-handed bat)? This also might mean that Gomes would be included in another deal as Monroe is essentially a poor-man's Gomes with a little better glove. We can't imagine the Rays have room on the bench for both...Monroe is a free agent at the end of the year and is hitting .2028-29 with a .274 OBP in 58 games.
[11:50] The Boston Globe is reporting that the 3-way deal for Manny and Bay is close, but there is still one major hurdle that needs to be overcome and the deal could still fall apart. Apparently the Pirates want at least one more prospect and nobody is sure if they deserve one or if it should come from Boston or Florida.
[11:35] Jon Heyman says that the Reds would want Hellickson and Niemann for Dunn. Is 2 months of Dunn, a mid-first-round pick and a sandwhich pick between the first and second round worth the price of Niemann and Hellboy? HAHAHAHAHA. Um, no.
[10:50] The Marlins have now acquired lefty relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes from Seattle. Could this mean that the Marlins are no longer interested in Grabow from the Pirates? If so, that throws another wrench in the Bay-to-Boston deal.
[10:45] Earlier we said that the Pirates had 3 options, with one being to keep Bay. Dejan Kovacevic is now saying that the Pirates are open to moving Bay to either Boston or Tampa Bay. Jayson Stark is saying that a Manny-to-Miami deal is now "50-50". The deal could fall through if the Marlins are not willing to part with prospect Mike Stanton. Also Stark says that reliever Grabow would go to Miami, not Boston.
[10:35] Another "plan B" for the outfield could be the Phillies Jayson Werth. One Rays scout told ESPN Radio that he is scouting Werth. Werth is a right-handed hitting outfielder that is hitting .272-14-40. Werth is arbitration-eligible after the season and is set to be a free agent following the '09 season.
[10:24] The relievers that the Rays may be targeting include Wil Ohman a lefty from the Braves and John Grabow of the Pirates, who could be part of the Bay deal. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Rays are one of 5 teams that have talked to the Braves about Ohman. Of those teams, the Sox would get Grabow in the Bay deal and the Tigers just landed Kyle Farnsworth, leaving just 3 teams that may be interested, including the Rays. The Newark Star-Ledger notes that the Rays are one of 4 teams to talk to the Mets about Scott Schoeneweis, another lefty.
[10:18] Peter Gammons is reporting that the Pirates are "not satisfied with the players they were receiving in exchange for sending Jason Bay to Boston." This opens the door to the possibility once again of the Rays obtaining Bay. Obviously, in a dream world, the Rays get Bay and Boston trades Manny away without receiving a bat in return, but that is not likely to happen.
[10:08] With the Red Sox still trying to move Manny Ramirez, the big rumor is that Manny is headed to the Marlins in a 3-way deal that would send Jason Bay to the Red Sox. The Rays are said to have an offer on the table for Bay, and are waiting for the Red Sox deal to either go through or fall apart.
Jayson Stark is reporting that if Bay does go to Boston, it now appears as though the Rays may consider Adam Dunn their backup plan. Stark notes that the Rays and Reds had conversations yesterday but nothing of substance. Dunn is intriguing in that he is a left-handed bat. Dunn is also a free agent at the end of the year.
As we stated last night, the Rays are now just waiting for the Pirates to either accept the Red Sox-Marlins offer, accept the Rays offer or decide not to trade Bay. It is believed that the Rays are not offering any of their top prospects with the Pirates asking for Jeremy Hellickson and or Reid Brignac. The Ray are likely offering a package revolved around Jeff Niemann.
[5:17] The Pirates are getting Craig Hansen, Brandon Moss, Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris. You can't blame the Pirates or the Rays here. That is a much bigger package than what the Rays were offering even if you believe the rumors that Reid Brignac was included. The only way the Rays may have possibly trumped this deal is if they included Wade Davis and that is just too big a price for 1.3 years of Jason Bay.
In the end, the Red Sox are a weaker team with Bay than with Ramirez, so this deal still helps the Rays.
[4:37] No Bay for the Rays. Jon Heyman is saying that Jason Bay has been traded to the Red Sox. The deal is a 3-team deal with Manny Ramirez going to the Dodgers.
[4:10] And 10 minutes later Ken Rosenthal says the 3-team deal is dead...again. Does this reopen the door for the Rays? Do the Rays really think they can get Bay for just Niemann?
[3:59] This is crazy. Now Ken Rosenthal is saying that the 3-team deal is back on the table...Sounds like the Pirates are trying to pressure the Rays into adding Brignac. Can't imagine the 3-team deal can be completed in such short time period.
[3:49] Now we have a report that the deal is not done and it may be because the Rays have not OK'd Brignac in the deal...Might the Rays be holding out for Grabow?
[3:45] Jayson Stark is now saying that both teams are denying the deal is done. Our guess is that the Pirates finally chose the Rays over other suitors. They accepted Niemann and Brignac BUT the two teams may still be discussing what the other lesser pieces will be. If that is the case, the deal will get announced, as there is no chance either team will walk away bickering over a low-A pitcher or two.
[3:39] We have a second source saying the deal is done...Also, we are assuming that unless another trade is made, Gomes is going to be demoted to make room for Bay.
[3:16] FINALLY! The Deal is done. The Rays have traded Jeff Niemann and Reid Brignac to the Pirates for Jason Bay. No word on the exact details. (Hat tip to MLBTradeRumors)...Now the question is: Are the Rays done? Will they be able to grab a relief pitcher in the last 40 minutes before the deadline? We are of the feeling that the Rays do not need a relief pitcher. There is plenty of insurance in Durham (Salas, Talbot, Thayer, etc.)
[3:11] Jayson Stark says (on ESPN) Bay-to-Tampa Bay is still alive as both teams are still talking...Our question is: Is Grabow coming back to the Rays also? Nobody is saying that, but the Rays want a relief pitcher also and Grabow was to be included in the 3-way deal earlier. It would not surprise us if the Pirates are dangling Grabow as a piece to try and entice the Rays to change their insistance on not including Davis in any deal.
[2:39] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is saying that everything looks status quo right now. The Rays are offering Niemann and Brignac. The Pirates want Brignac and Davis. Right now, it looks like this will go right down to the wire with the Pirates having to choose between the Rays offer and not trading Bay.
[2:10] Jayson Stark just reported on ESPN that the Pirates are now talking to the Rays again about Bay. Stark says the Rays are offering a package built around Niemann and Brignac. Peter Gammons says that Niemann will not get the deal done and the Pirates are still demanding Wade Davis...If the Pirates are insisting on Davis, the deal won't get done. Might the Rays be able to sway the Buccos by adding Mitch Talbot? [HERE is a link]
[2:00] Ken Rosenthal is saying the 3-way deal dead "for now". Rosenthal thinks this will give life to the Bay-to-Tampa Bay deal. Rosenthal is still reporting that the hold-up for the 3-way deal is what the Pirates are receiving and makes no mention of the money going to the Marlins.
[1:30] Now the Pittsbugh Post-Gazette is saying that the Pirates have agreed to the prospects in a 3-way deal to send Bay to Boston. Looks like that deal might finally happen. Now the hold-up might be the amount of money the Red Sox send to the Marlins. The Sox are already paying the remainder of Manny's contract for '08 (~$7MM), but the Marlins want $9MM. [Ed. note: It looks like all of these rumors are killing the Post-Gazette's website]
[12:55] Peter Gammons is saying the Bay-to-Boston 3-way deal is "close to dead."...While Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the deal is "closer to completion." You have to love these deadline deal rumors. Here we have two of the best and they are saying the exact-opposite of each other...Meanwhile, Jayson Stark is saying the Rays are "unlikely to make any trades." He is saying the Rays have backed-off of Dunn and apparently they have been told by the Pirates that Bay is going elsewhere...Truth be known, this does not bother us. But if the Red Sox deal dies, where is Bay going?
[12:24] Jonny Gomes on the move? We have a minor note here (via MLBTradeRumors). The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that the Rays may be after Craig Monroe of the Twins. The feeling is Monroe would provide the Rays with a right-handed bat off the bench...Might Monroe be in the cards should the Rays acquire Dunn (left-handed bat) instead of Bay (right-handed bat)? This also might mean that Gomes would be included in another deal as Monroe is essentially a poor-man's Gomes with a little better glove. We can't imagine the Rays have room on the bench for both...Monroe is a free agent at the end of the year and is hitting .2028-29 with a .274 OBP in 58 games.
[11:50] The Boston Globe is reporting that the 3-way deal for Manny and Bay is close, but there is still one major hurdle that needs to be overcome and the deal could still fall apart. Apparently the Pirates want at least one more prospect and nobody is sure if they deserve one or if it should come from Boston or Florida.
[11:35] Jon Heyman says that the Reds would want Hellickson and Niemann for Dunn. Is 2 months of Dunn, a mid-first-round pick and a sandwhich pick between the first and second round worth the price of Niemann and Hellboy? HAHAHAHAHA. Um, no.
[10:50] The Marlins have now acquired lefty relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes from Seattle. Could this mean that the Marlins are no longer interested in Grabow from the Pirates? If so, that throws another wrench in the Bay-to-Boston deal.
[10:45] Earlier we said that the Pirates had 3 options, with one being to keep Bay. Dejan Kovacevic is now saying that the Pirates are open to moving Bay to either Boston or Tampa Bay. Jayson Stark is saying that a Manny-to-Miami deal is now "50-50". The deal could fall through if the Marlins are not willing to part with prospect Mike Stanton. Also Stark says that reliever Grabow would go to Miami, not Boston.
[10:35] Another "plan B" for the outfield could be the Phillies Jayson Werth. One Rays scout told ESPN Radio that he is scouting Werth. Werth is a right-handed hitting outfielder that is hitting .272-14-40. Werth is arbitration-eligible after the season and is set to be a free agent following the '09 season.
[10:24] The relievers that the Rays may be targeting include Wil Ohman a lefty from the Braves and John Grabow of the Pirates, who could be part of the Bay deal. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the Rays are one of 5 teams that have talked to the Braves about Ohman. Of those teams, the Sox would get Grabow in the Bay deal and the Tigers just landed Kyle Farnsworth, leaving just 3 teams that may be interested, including the Rays. The Newark Star-Ledger notes that the Rays are one of 4 teams to talk to the Mets about Scott Schoeneweis, another lefty.
[10:18] Peter Gammons is reporting that the Pirates are "not satisfied with the players they were receiving in exchange for sending Jason Bay to Boston." This opens the door to the possibility once again of the Rays obtaining Bay. Obviously, in a dream world, the Rays get Bay and Boston trades Manny away without receiving a bat in return, but that is not likely to happen.
[10:08] With the Red Sox still trying to move Manny Ramirez, the big rumor is that Manny is headed to the Marlins in a 3-way deal that would send Jason Bay to the Red Sox. The Rays are said to have an offer on the table for Bay, and are waiting for the Red Sox deal to either go through or fall apart.
Jayson Stark is reporting that if Bay does go to Boston, it now appears as though the Rays may consider Adam Dunn their backup plan. Stark notes that the Rays and Reds had conversations yesterday but nothing of substance. Dunn is intriguing in that he is a left-handed bat. Dunn is also a free agent at the end of the year.
As we stated last night, the Rays are now just waiting for the Pirates to either accept the Red Sox-Marlins offer, accept the Rays offer or decide not to trade Bay. It is believed that the Rays are not offering any of their top prospects with the Pirates asking for Jeremy Hellickson and or Reid Brignac. The Ray are likely offering a package revolved around Jeff Niemann.
posted by The Professor at 10:17 AM
26 Comments:
"Jonny Gomes on the move?"
good riddance
ESPN is posting that the deal is close to dead, saying that the teams dont know who is to blame, but that the Marlins and Pirates are blaming eachother. This is getting ridiculous. Pirates should just take Niemann and Brignac and count their blessings.
I think the package has to be Niemann and Talbot, Niemann and Perez, or some other lower ranked prospect. If we were willing to give up Brignac the deal would have already been made.
right now i envision all three teams agreeing to keep feeding bad info to the media to keep other teams from making deals (Rays) and they will announce the 3 team deal at 3:59pm
most sources say that the Rays HAVE offered Niemann and Brignac, but they want Niemann and Hellickson instead.
after losing Jake McGee for 1-2 years, i can't see the Rays trading Niemann AND Hellboy. It wouldn't kill me to see Hellickson go, but if they get Hellboy, then NO Niemann and NO Brignac.
where the hell are Topkin and Lancaster today?!?!? This is ridiculous. Neither has reported anything today.
Niemann would improve the Pirates rotation this year and Brignac is one of the top position player prosepects in baseball. Add to that the fact that the Pirates have no SS prospects in their system and I dont see how they could turn the deal down.
i am glad that they are off of Dunn. Never understood that rumor. To me, the Niemann/Brignac deal sounds fair, considering we get Bay for next year also. Not sure either player has a future with Rays. Wish i knew who the "lesser" names in the deal are.
Nick Barnese? Ryan Royster? Matt Fields? Mike McCormick? Good bet one or two of those guys are in the deal.
Post is now saying a deal could happen for Bay that does not include any of our top prospects, including Brignac. I go back to what I said before, it has to be Niemann, Talbot, and some other prospect, maybe Perez.
I think I may shed a tear of joy. This front office is making me proud.
nice pickup for the rays! they didnt give up that much and the pirates get two very good prospects, nice on both sides
Has this been confirmed by anyone?
Lets hope this is finalized. You never know if these rumors are false. I have a good feeling that the pirates realized it was now or never to trade Bay though.
this is getting retardiculous
now it sounds like tampa bay people think that somehow bay is goin to go through LA or Boston last minute (according to peter gammons). This is def getting ridiculous.
Do you think anyone in the pirates front office has a watch? they could be ruining the deadline for 3 or 4 teams by going back and forth, and prob hurting themselves most if nothing gets done.
Any notion that the Red Sox blocked the Rays from getting Bay last minute?
One does have to wonder, but I have to feel that the Pirates are using Boston more than the other way around at this point
Flipping Yankees and Red Sux....they were all scared that we were going to make a move and push further ahead in the AL EAST to win the division. They had to cXXck block us from getting Bay.
Red Sox = Cowards
Yankees = Cowards
The radio here in Boston just announced that Manny was traded to the Dodgers. No details yet.
Whether Boston tried to block us, or the Pirates tried to use the Sox as leverage, one has to think that the Pirates screwed up again, this time with new management. Not getting a deal done w Bay seems to be a mistake at this point. If they were in fact offered Niemann and Brignac, then they dropped the ball.
SI is reporting Bay to Boston, Manny to LA in a three way deal?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/07/31/manny.sweepstakes/index.html?eref=T1
Bay to BoSox, Manny to Dodgers...
this isn't the news i was hoping to hear if indeed its true.
Good job trying to follow it, I had my story written on the "trade" but couldn't confirm it, The rays will be fine , but losing to the Sox in this thing sux
Well boys & girls, this means it's Rocco time. Hopefully he'll do as well as he's done in rehab.
Post a Comment
<< Home