Being the GM: 2009 Tampa Bay Rays

November 13, 2008

Being the GM: 2009 Tampa Bay Rays

24 Comments

By Evan

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Andre Ethier - Malingering's mother

This series is predicated on educated guesses, past history of the team/general manager, rumors that have been out there for a while, and actions that I feel could be taken. This exercise is me playing GM to inspire conversation and a new way of approaching things. Moves that I complete as previous GMs of teams will carry over here. Trades only include principal, significant players.

The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off their most successful season in their short history of the game. They won the American League East and the American League, period. They've got a young, vibrant team ready to do some serious damage over the next five-plus years. What do they have in store for us this off-season?

Tampa Bay Rays sign RF/DH Cliff Floyd.

Floyd may retire due to his shoulder injury, but if not, should come back at a lower base than what he stood to make in 2009. He was a fine offensive player and contributed significantly to their success. With the Rays losing both Rocco Baldelli (Yankees) and Eric Hinske (White Sox), the need is there for Floyd.

Tampa Bay Rays resign RP Trevor Miller.

The Rays just declined his option, but considering he had a better year in 2008 than 2007 and was very effective in holding left-handers to a low batting average, the club should look to bring him back, perhaps at a lower price.

Tampa Bay Rays acquire LF Andre Ethier for SP Andy Sonnastine, RP Chad Bradford.

This is the big move. The Rays need outfield help with Hinske and Baldelli gone, perhaps even Gabe Gross if they choose to non-tender him. If they bring Gross back, the possibility still exists that Floyd will retire.

In addition, the Rays need to make room in the rotation for David Price somewhere. The logical argument would dictate in place of Edwin Jackson, but the return for Sonnastine is greater than Jackson, so I have Sonny and reliever Chad Bradford (with the sole intention of shedding his 2009 salarly) heading west for outfielder Andre Ethier.

This will lower the pressure on the Dodgers' outfield situation on their end and boost their pitching staff.

The Rays stand to have an absolutely dynamic offense and pitching staff going into next year and even if the Yankees go crazy and sign CC Sabathia, Derek Lowe and AJ Burnett, the Rays won't give up their division title easily.

BEING THE GM SERIES
*if no link, check back soon for the coverage of the team!

AL EAST	NL EAST
BAL	ATL
BOS	FLA
NYY	NYM
TB	PHI
TOR	WAS
AL CENTRAL	NL CENTRAL
CLE	CHC
CHW	CIN
DET	HOU
KC	MIL
MIN	PIT
	STL
AL WEST	NL WEST
LAA	ARI
OAK	COL
TEX	LAD
SEA	SD
	SF

Tags: MLB, Tampa Bay Rays

Discussion

24 Comments on "Being the GM: 2009 Tampa Bay Rays"

Posted by Tom, November 13, 2008 12:11 PM

Where is Hinske to the Sox coming from? That makes no sense whatsoever.

Posted by Evan, November 13, 2008 4:24 PM

My brain, Tom. The Sox could use a roving 1B, 3B, LF, RF... especially now that they've dealt Nick Swisher. He's also good insurance for whoever they start at third.

Posted by BurGi, November 13, 2008 4:44 PM

Floyd can't hit LHP, Ethier is also better against RHP! The Rays need a RF/DH that can hit LHP!

I have:
--> Rocco stays (The Yanks don't need another COF/DH)
--> Willingham for EJax! Would fit the RF better than Ethier (and would "just" need EJax to realize it) despite I love the Ethier idea as well!
--> Floyd retires as well as Percy (just hoping in Percy's case)
--> Balfour stays and the Rays acquire Affeldt (3 years, 12 Mio., at least part time closers role) --> Rheinecker is going to be their leftie in '09 (I want the draft pick for Miller) ... and as insurence they get somebody like Ostlund as leftie (despite him not being a leftie specialist) in the minors (along with re-signing Heath Phillips in Durham).

Posted by Erik Hahmann, November 13, 2008 4:48 PM

I disagree that Sonnanstine would bring back more than Jackson(Tommy and I have argued with Will Carroll for months about that), but since I doubt the Dodgers would trade FOR Jackson, I don't hate that deal.

Posted by Tommy Rancel, November 13, 2008 4:50 PM

Convince the Dodgers to take back Jackson instead of Sonnanstine and I'm good.

Posted by Dodger Ray, November 14, 2008 2:10 PM

I what world does trading Andre Ethier for those two bums does this make sense? How bout you guys trade Longoria for Juan Pierre? Doesn't sound right huh?... Dont be stupid

Posted by Armando, November 14, 2008 2:20 PM

And the Dodgers would give up the only .300 hitter that was on the team all season why? You obviously don't understand the Dodger's outfield situation. DEFINATELY not happening. The Dodgers have enough pitching in the organization to have no need to trade Andre Ethier, not to mention the ability to sign pitching via free agency which they are likely to do. That trade would create more problems for the Dodgers than it solves. The Dodgers don't need pitching, they need hitting. Trade makes no sense at all.

Posted by Bob R. in reply to comment from Dodger Ray, November 14, 2008 2:39 PM

I don't know that I like the Rays/Dodger trade proposal either, and I am not well enough informed about the Dodgers' perception of their outfield situation to know if it would make any sense to them, but calling Sonnanstine and Bradford "bums" is not simply overheated hyperbole, it is ill-informed and rather silly drivel. Sonnanstine may not be a star pitcher, but he is a solid mid-back of the rotation starter, and Bradford continues to be what he has been for quite a while now, an extreme ground ball pitcher who can provide multiple innings and get big DPs. Actually, his performance declined a bit in TB, but was still useful, and there is no reason to think he is not going to continue being useful.

Perhaps the Dodgers do not need or want either pitcher, but both are far from being bums.

Posted by Jimmy John, November 14, 2008 2:40 PM

Seriously?? Ethier for Sonnastine and Bradford? Do you not realize that the surplus OF's for the Dodgers are either Juan Pierre or Andruw Jones who are both utterly useless to them? And how is Sonnastine a better option than Scott Elbert, James McDonald, Hong-Chih Kuo, etc? They also have Schmidt possibly coming back next year and are intent on signing AT LEAST 1 starter.

Your trade is ridiculous to say the least and also Bradford and Sonnastine aren't even worth a young blossoming OF who is going into his first Arbitration year. We are trying to shed some additional salaries such as the aforementioned Pierre and Jones not take on overpaid middle relievers you pick up off waivers.

#10

Posted by bablue, November 14, 2008 2:48 PM

You can't be serious about the Ethier trade. If I were the Dodgers GM I would laugh at that offer. We need another OF, we can't give away one of the only 2 we have who are any good (the other being Kemp). Sonnanstine is a #4 starter and Bradford basically has no value, whereas Ethier was 4th in OPS among all NL OF's. Here's an example (using AVG/OBP/SLG):

Ethier: .305/.375/.510
Ryan Braun: .285/.335/.553

Ethier basically had the same year as Ryan Braun. Don't be fooled because he is not a big name, Ethier is a great OF'er. Plus he's under team control for four more years. Bascially, we'd need one of Kazmir/Shields/Garza in the deal to even consider it. Now, maybe thats too much for the Rays, but then don't try to throw you garbage at us instead. Could we trade James McDonald for Carl Crawford? Because Ethier had a MUCH better year than Crawford and McDonald is about as good as Sonnanstine.

#11

Posted by DFAn, November 14, 2008 3:21 PM

no chance ethier goes for that. someone like travis buck for sonnastine seems mor realis
tic

#12

Posted by Hunteralan, November 14, 2008 3:32 PM

Ethier for Sonnanstine and a salary dump? Are you for real?

You do know that Ethier is an excellent fielder with a strong and accurate arm and is coming off an .885 OPS season, right? You are aware that Ethier has improved each year and is still only 26 years old, correct?

And how does trading Ethier [u][i]help[/i][/u] the Dodgers outfield situation? By thrusting Juan Pierre or Andruw Jones back into the starting role? Yeah, I think not.

The Dodgers are not trading Ethier for the Rays leftovers. If they want to even get a return call, the Rays will have to start with Scott Kazmir or Matt Garza. And the second player isn't going to be some throw in, salary dump who couldn't even sniff the Dodgers pen.

Nice try at speculation, but that deal's a bunch of...

#13

Posted by cltpearce, November 14, 2008 3:37 PM

Only way the Rays get Ethier is to package Sonnastein, with another top pitching prospect from AA, and Reid Brigniac. Then the Dodgers might listen.

#14

Posted by DodgersFansLOL, November 14, 2008 3:45 PM

Here's why this idea fails...it's bad for both teams. Unlike the Dodgers fans in this thread who don't know anything about the Rays starting pitching staff, Friedman knows Sonnanstine's worth. He's not a #4, he's a 2 or a 3 on most teams. He may be a 4 on the Rays deep starting pitching staff, but that doesn't lesser his worth in any way. True, he doesn't light up the radar gun, but just ask the Red Sox how much that mattered when they couldn't touch him.

It's bad for the Dodgers because there's no "pressure" in their outfield. Not concerning Ethier, at least. He's clearly the best outfielder they have; the only issues in their outfield stem from overpaid players who whine about playing time they don't deserve in the first place. It makes no sense to trade away a player in a position where you need more help.

It's bad for the Rays because Sonnanstine AND Bradford for Ethier is too much. Take out Bradford, and maybe it works. Even then, it makes more since to trade for someone like Jermaine Dye. Ethier is a great player, but he doesn't fill the Rays need. The Rays are looking for a right-handed power hitting RF. Ethier fills the RF need but nothing else. The Rays are looking for a guy who they can throw in the middle of the lineup and rack up the homeruns and RBIs. Ethier is not that player.

Trading for Dye makes a lot more sense. First, they can probably trade Edwin Jackson instead of Sonnanstine. Jackson is a hurler and certainly has better stuff than Sonnanstine, but doesn't have the smarts that Sonny has. Not to mention, Price will more than replace his hurler status anyways. The White Sox are looking to get younger, and are looking specifically for prospects. The Rays have plenty of prospects such as Brignac, Talbot, or Niemann that they would have no issue with trading away. Simply put, Dye is a better fit and would likely require less to get him.

#15

Posted by RaysFan, November 14, 2008 4:56 PM

Travis Buck
Joey Devine

for

Sonnastine
Brignac

#16

Posted by Ivdown, November 14, 2008 5:08 PM

Sonnanstine and Bradford are TOO much for Ethier? How much crack are you smoking. I don't care what the Ray's needs are, Ethier is worth much more than both of those guys. Also, you say Sonnanstine would be a 2 or 3 in most other staffs? He would be the 4th on the Dodgers WITHOUT an ace or 2 pitcher Free Agent signing.

To the author of the article...if you want to speculate a trade, make it one that isn't borderline stupid (no offense, I'm just sick of dumb trade offers that include Dodger players).

#17

Posted by budman3 in reply to comment from DodgersFansLOL, November 14, 2008 5:15 PM

Rays cannot afford to pay Dye 24 million for two years. They will continue to look for a RF'er who can hit that is still young and under a teams control for a few years. And they will trade one of their pitchers or one of their prospects and /or Brignac to get one, IMO.

Ethier is a possibility but the Dodgers aren't looking to move him.

#18

Posted by Enrique, November 14, 2008 11:32 PM

Why stop at Ethier, we'll throw in Kershaw, Broxton and Kemp for those stud pitchers! Colletti isn't the sharpest tool in the shed but I doubt he'd even entertain this ridiculous idea. I stopped making up these silly "let's trade our spare parts for other teams good players" transactions when I was 12, why does every fan blog come up with these laughable scenarios and not expect to be laughed at?!?!

#19

Posted by DodgersFansLOL, November 15, 2008 12:11 AM

Ethier is a great player, but he's not the deity you guys are making him out to be. Just because he's the only guy who did anything offensively before the Manny trade doesn't make him a world beater.

As for Sonnanstine's spot on the Dodgers, he'd probably be 3rd(before a major signing). I don't see three SPs better than Sonnanstine on LA as of now.

#20

Posted by Michelle, November 15, 2008 4:23 PM

wait a minute, i am confused. is this real or not? because if it is, i'll probably cry!

#21

Posted by Evan in reply to comment from Enrique, November 16, 2008 3:12 PM

I enjoy how people hate the trade from both sides.

Newsflash: This is a fair trade. Whether or not you WANT the trade is a far different story.

#22

Posted by steve, November 17, 2008 12:14 PM

I agree. Drop Bradford as he is a waste of money and the trade is still almost a push.

Sonnastine in the NL West? His numbers suddenly get Derek Lowe like...Ethier batting in the five, six or seven hole in TB should be very productive. But until he got hot in Aug, Joe Torre kept wanting to sit him down. If 20 hr/80 rbi upside makes Ethier a star then trade him to the Pirates.

The arb years/salaries match up. If I am Tampa I am not inclined to give up more or vice versa. Of course, Manny has to resign really otherwise the Dodgers dont have enough depth.

Do you really want to rely on Kuo, Ebert or Schmidt to start next year? Didnt think so.

#23

Posted by Chris, November 18, 2008 4:14 PM

Evan,

As a Rays fan I agree with you that it's an even trade. Bradford was VERY good out of the pen and Sonny is a solid #3 guy on any team. But you ignored what another Rays fan posted above - the Rays don't need another guy that can't hit lefties!! This has been the Rays major shortcoming all along - their lineup gets pounded by lefties. Ethier is clearly an upgrade, but how much of an upgrade if you still haven't cured the central problem?

#24

Posted by E-Ray, December 12, 2008 11:14 PM

These random trades and free agent signings are possibly the worst waste of blog space ever... There is zero chance the rays let Chad Bradford go. If Baldelli is going anywhere it's the Red Sox ( he is the Woonsocket Rocket, afterall).

I didn't know that making "educated guesses" about players, and going on "actions i feel could be taken" would actually be taken seriously.

Do some research.