Tuesday, December 02, 2008

[THE HANGOVER]
Percival Set For Surgery, Out Until At Least March
Troy Percival will have surgery on his back after all. The surgery is scheduled for today and he should be back throwing by early March.

In other words, Percy took a month to figure out if he needed surgery. Two months if you consider he was back home in California for the month of October watching the Lifetime Supply of Midol channel. And now, if there is even a slight setback or if rehab takes a little longer than expected (and why wouldn't it, Percival is only about 40 pounds overweight) he could end up missing the first month of the season.

At this point we would be surprised if Percival is not on the DL to start the season. At best, Percival is going to miss the beginning of camp and the first couple of weeks of spring training. And while Percy normally needs little work in the spring (8 appearances in '08), we think he might need a little more than normal coming off back surgery.

If Percival does miss any of the regular season, it would open an extra spot in the bullpen. This could give the team more time before deciding how to handle Edwin Jackson or Jeff Niemann. Jackson figures to be bumped from the rotation and Niemann is out of minor league options. Both need to find a home in the bullpen or be traded. A stint on the DL for Percy at the start of the season could give the Rays a chance to evaluate one of the starters as a potential bullpen option.

Rays closer Percival set for Tuesday surgery [The Heater]

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA...
  • Andrew Friedman expects the winter meetings to be "fairly action-packed" considering how little movement has occurred to date. [Tampa Tribune]
  • Here is a list of all the free agents that were offered salary arbitration by their former teams...Players that are Type A or Type B free agents must be offered arbitration if the former team wants to receive compensation for losing the free agent. Of course, the risk is a player the team no longer wants or can afford, could accept the arbitration from the team and sign a 1-year contract. Teams that lose a Type A free agent will receive a first round pick from the team that signs the free agent (or 2nd round pick if the team picks in the top 15 selections of the draft) and a compensation pick between the first and second round. Teams that lose a Type B free agent only receive a compensation pick after the first round. The Rays did not have any free agents that were Type A or Type B, so there was no need to offer Rocco Baldelli, Trever Miller or Cliff Floyd arbitration. However, if the Rays choose to sign one of the 15 Type A free agents that were offered arbitration, it will cost the club their 2009 first round pick. Signing a type B free agent will not require the Rays to give up any draft picks. [MLB Trade Rumors]
  • NY Baseball Digest says the Mets are rumored to be interested in Eddie Morlan in the Rule 5 draft. [Mike Silva's NY Baseball Digest]
  • Rays Digest takes a look at some more hitting prospects in the Rays' system. [Rays Digest]

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1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

anyone else annoyed, that they left morlan off the 40 man roster? I understand the rational, but they already lost a GREAT player due to the same rational, at somepoint that just have pony up and put one of these borderline guys on the 40 man roster.

10:48 AM  

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