Comments on: Organizational Rankings: #2

By: Ted

Ted — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:57:23 +0000

This seems awfully high for the Rays. I know everyone is still riding the Ray-hawk bandwagon, but EVERYTHING went right for them last year. They have a lot of young talent, but young talent is fickle. They also have a horrific fanbase, and a very low payroll.

I really have no problem with them in the top 5, but beyond 2009 they will start to have to deal with real issues. Health? Depth? Salaries? The Rays can’t make a mid-season acquisition to sure up the bullpen or the rotation if it costs too much. Plus they can’t afford rentals for young talent because they can’t pay a veteran team.

There biggest problem will be staying good against the Yankees and Red Sox. Both of which have basically unlimited money to throw at there problems (and one actually spends wisely) Not to mention the Jays and Orioles which both have much higher payrolls.

Looking into the future of the Rays is very tough, 2-3 years from now payroll will have to go up or there best players will move on.

By: James

James — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:24:33 +0000

You are right, what you did here was really really easy and anyone could’ve done it. Congrats.

By: Nny

Nny — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 02:17:49 +0000

Well, the Delgado contract was an experiment to see if that a big contract would attract fans. If Billy Beane does it, it’s brilliant. If the Marlins do it, it’s being penny-pinchers.

Anyway, the guy said that the Marlins would not sign Teixiera to a 1 year, 8m contract, let alone Burrell for 8 mil. It was in response to that. But they signed Pudge to a 1y, 10m contract. They signed Delgado to what amounts to a 1y, 11m contract.

I don’t understand the fault in not giving out bad contracts. Especially when you’re a small market team, you have very little room for error. The FA market is the most expensive market to get talent on, price wise.

By: LarryWayne

LarryWayne — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:01:20 +0000

“One is perpetually rebuilding because they want to avoid arbitration with their players. They’re not trying to avoid large free agent contracts, they are trying to avoid arbitration raises.”

The only player you can make a case about that with is Miguel Cabrera.

— Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen?

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:50:27 +0000

“Andrew Friedman and his gang have done tremendous work in putting this franchise back on it’s feet.”

It’s with an apostrophe should be used as a contraction for it is. It’s a sunny day.

To show possession, there is no apostrophe. …franchise back on its feet.

Great message and content, but you make a ton of basic writing errors. You have a great future in the business, but perhaps a few writing courses are in order for you. You’re obviously smart, but the writing itself lags behind your ideas.

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:35:54 +0000

Well, that Delgado deal was pretty much based on the premise he would take an extremely back loaded contact to play for Florida for a year. If anything, I think your example illustrates the counterpoint to the very argument you are trying to make.

By: CH

CH — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:43:12 +0000

The Longoria contract alone is enough to permit this front office to have that “smartest guys in the room” arrogance that was discussed earlier.

The most the contract can possibly be worth, if the Rays exercise all options, is 9-yrs $44 million, and $725,000 of that has to go to the Rays’ charity of choice. You’re talking about locking up one of the best third basemen in the game, for his prime years, at a cost of less than $5 mil per year.

The kid was valued by FanGraphs at $24.1 million last year, and that was in 122 games.

Even if he turns into Pedro Feliz, he’s still well worth the money.

Unbelievable deal, and it will allow them to keep their core together for much longer than most (or maybe all) small market clubs.

By: Teej

Teej — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:37:37 +0000

Best hitter? Yes. He has been for the past two years. Looking at wOBA, he was by far their best hitter in 2007. He was their best hitter in 2008 as well, but by a microscopic margin over Longoria, thanks to a pretty decent gap in OBP.

(Well, technically, Andy Sonnanstine had the highest wOBA on the team last year. As if I needed more reason to love that guy.)

By: Teej

Teej — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:29:44 +0000

What Brett said.

By: DavidCEisen

DavidCEisen — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:53:11 +0000

Wait, Carlos Pena is the Rays best hitter? Am I missing something?