Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting (via MLB Trade Rumors) that the Pirates are very interested in signing Rocco Baldelli.

The Pirates have had several conversations with Baldelli's representatives, according to one high-ranking team executive, and their pursuit is serious. General manager Neal Huntington has acknowledged wanting a right-handed power bat for the outfield -- Nate McLouth, Brandon Moss and Nyjer Morgan all are left-handed -- and Baldelli could fit that, the Pirates believe, even if he continues to require regular rest.

Despite the recent upgrade in Baldelli's medical prognosis, there are still questions about how much of a recovery can be expected and how quickly he can recover.

And herein lies Rocco's Dilemma...Rocco almost certainly would prefer to play in the American League, but a National League club is more likely to pursue him.

In the AL, Rocco could DH on a regular basis. But unless a team has a need for a full-time DH, Rocco could handcuff a team's roster. With only four bench spots, an AL club may not be able to risk having a player on the bench that can't play the field regularly should an injury to a position player occur.

On the other hand, a young NL ball club like the Pirates or Reds, that doesn't expect to compete for a couple of years, can more easily hide Rocco with the extra bench spot.

In the worst-case scenario, a NL club could use Rocco as part of a platoon, giving him 2 starts a week in the outfield against lefties, and utilizing him as a pinch-hitter in the remaining games. The upside for the team is that Rocco could become healthy enough to once again become an everyday outfielder in 2010 or 2011 when those clubs are ready to compete. But for Rocco, that would mean 50 starts in 2008 with a mediocre club instead of 100 with an AL contender.

In the end, Rocco may have to decide between the security of a long-term deal from the Pirates or Reds, or an incentive-laden contract with the Red Sox or Rays.

Pirates pursue recovering Baldelli [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
Pirates Pursuing Rocco Baldelli [MLB Trade Rumors]

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA...

• The Rays are one of the five choices for Joe Nelson a free agent relief pitcher that was non-tendered by the Marlins. Originally a fourth round selection in 1996, Nelson has played in six organizations, including a short stint in the Rays' system, at Durham, in 2005. Last season, Nelson posted a 2.00 ERA with 60 strikeouts and 22 walks in 54 innings...In the same piece Marc Topkin is reporting that Dave Wills and Andy Freed signed new contracts to return to the Rays' radio booth in 2009. Wills received the highest approval in our Media Approval Ratings. [The Heater]
• Dayn Perry is the latest to say the Yankees still haven't done enough to overtake the Rays and Red Sox. [Fox Sports]
• Baseball Analysts break down the AL East. [The Baseball Analysts]
  
• Rays Prospects compares the organizations of the Rays and the Astros. [Rays Prospects]
• David Chalk of Bugs and Cranks is nearing the end of their all-time Devil Rays Advent calendar. Today is #23. [Bugs and Cranks]
  
• Rays Prospects takes a look at the 2008 performances of the Vero Beach hitters. [Rays Prospects]
  

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DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA...

• Another day, another feature piece on the Rays in the New York Times. This time they take a look at the staying power of the team in the AL East, noting that core of the team could be unchanged in 2009 and beyond. However, Gerry Hunsicker reiterated that due to financial limitations, the team is always "trying to trade people a year too soon than a year too late.". The piece also speculates that Scott Kazmir could be traded along with one or more of the arbitration-eligible players (Edwin Jackson?)...In the piece it is indicated that the Rays likely turned a profit for the first time under Stuart Sternberg thanks to reaching the World Series. [New York Times]
• Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald says the Rays have "started - and are winning - a war for supremacy with the Red Sox" in the AL East and that the rivalry between the Sox and Yankees has been put on ice for now. Silverman says the Rays are good for baseball and refreshing for the Red Sox. [Boston Herald]
  
• Eric Hinske gets to face Brad Lidge again. They are in a Fantasy Football league together. Seriously. [Fanhouse]
  
• There is a rally tentatively scheduled for 4:30pm on Friday at Straub Park in St. Pete. [MLB]
  
• We wish we could have muted Tim McCarver and Joe Buck and instead listened to Sully's wife. She had more insight...Speaking of which, did any of you watching on TV know that Jason Bartlett ran through a stop sign in the 7th inning? Us neither. We listened to Dave Wills call during the Rays' radio broadcast and indicates that Bartlett indeed ran through a stop sign. Of course we never saw replay from FOX TV and McCarver and Buck never even bring the issue up. [Sully Baseball]
  
• Jerry Crasnick of ESPN takes a look at what the World Series means for the Rays moving forward and how this is a team that could be better next year. [ESPN]
• Jon Heyman says there was no disappointment, anger or bitterness in the Rays locker room following their game 5 loss...There is a part of us that wished the Rays had taken the World Series loss a little tougher. But then again, this is what has been great about the Rays all season. They are able to get over losses very quickly and move forward. [SI.com]
  
• Jordi over at The Serious Tip opens up about what the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays meant to him. [The Serious Tip]
• Will never happen. NEV-er. [Chicago Tribune]
  
• A Joe Maddon pumpkin? Wow. That's all we got. Wow. [The Heater]
• Mike Wlodarczyk is blogging from the Arizona Fall League. [Rays Prospects]
  

We still have several of these to go through, but thought we would show how the various Rays media members are faring so far...


In general, Rays fans are happy with the on-air media with all scoring above 90%. As for the print media, the fans are more supportive of the writers from the St. Pete Times. Could this be an anti-Tampa Tribune bias? Or maybe this is a reflection of the Yankees love-fest that regularly occurs at the Tribune?