Here’s what you may have missed over the weekend while writing cuss words on your checks to pay for parking tickets:
Marc Topkin checked in with a bunch of notes in the Sunday St. Pete Times:
The preferred profile for the wanted “super-utility” player is a left-handed hitter who can play first and third and fill in at the corner outfield spots, and likely would be acquired via trade.
Though I’m not sure why they’d want a LEFTY to play first since that’s what Carlos Pena is and the addition of this player would likely mean the end of Joel Guzman’s chances of making the roster, that player they are talking about sounds an awful lot like Frank Catalanotto. Problem is, he makes $3.5 million and plays for another team (Texas), so the Rays would have to swing some kind of trade. I don’t see that happening.
“From the original thoughts that all of us had, we’re a good bit above that number and it’s just the way things worked out,” Friedman said. “It’s the opportunistic approach that we had this offseason.”
I don’t think it’s ever been a question of getting to $40 million and stopping there. I think the team was truly taking the approach that it would spend whatever it needed to spend so long as it remained within the plan - the plan of course being to continue to develop the majority of its talent from within. The money spent on Troy Percival, for instance, was the right move to make and the organization should be commended for being willing to shell out a little more cash than it said it was going to.
t would seem an unusual way to do things, but Friedman said the Rays might decide before 3B prospect Evan Longoria gets to spring training whether or not he’s on the team.
The thinking is that the Rays already know enough about him, that talent evaluations during the spring are often skewed by circumstance and level of competition, and that deciding beforehand would reduce scrutiny (and pressure) on his day-to-day play.
But doing so would seem to make sense only if they decide Longoria, 22, isn’t going to make the team. That way, it eliminates the question from being a daily issue, as well as a potential controversy if Longoria were to put up huge spring numbers.
I have to disagree with Topkin on the point that it only makes sense if he isn’t going to make the team. “It eliminates the question from being a daily issue”? Uhhh, this isn’t the New York media, pal. I suspect that you, Marc Lancaster, and Bill Chastain aren’t going to exactly crush the guy’s spirits with your reporting over the course of Spring Training. You might just be overstating your job a little, don’t you think?
Baldelli said he has been working out and running three days a week with no problems from his previously troubling hamstrings and plans to “turn it up a notch” after returning to Florida at the end of the month. “If I can hit and kind of take it easy running, I think everything will fall right into place after that,” he said.
That’s right. Rocco’s getting ready to “turn it up a notch.” Look out, AL East.
In all seriousness, the return of a healthy Baldelli would be a boon to this team because it simply adds an All-Star-caliber player to an already strong team. Considering how little he was around last season, it’s almost like another big free agent signing.
And for those who keep asking, the Trop can’t be “converted” to an outdoor stadium by removing the roof and some walls because it was built with no drainage or weatherproofing (and would be very costly to do).
WHO ASKED THIS QUESTION?! No, seriously. I want to know. Was it one of you guys?
The Rays say the successful redevelopment of Tropicana Field and its parking lots could generate $5-million a year in new property tax revenues for state and Pinellas schools. If the redevelopment includes retail, millions more dollars could flow into the city and county coffers each year through sales tax payments.
That money, which would not help build a new stadium for the Rays, could be used to build new schools or new parks or pay teachers or police officers more, the Rays say.
Watching this whole thing play out is like watching a politician who is 5 to 10 points down in the polls try to make up ground heading into a primary.
The blend of talent and experience has the manager talking about a .500 season as “a reasonable goal,” but it won’t deter him from taking a back-to-basics approach to spring training. In fact, the potential to crack the 70-win barrier for the first time in Rays history might only serve to reinforce Maddon’s determination to avoid giving away so many winnable games by committing fundamental mistakes.
“I’m going to apply a lot of pressure to the coaches and myself this spring training to make sure we get these fundamentals down appropriately,” Maddon said. “We’ve talked about them for two years; I believe this group is ready to put them into play. I believe this group is ready to take what we’re talking about and execute them. I believe this group will accept constructive criticism well and be accountable for their actions.
As soon as you shoot for mediocrity, you set yourself up for failure. Way to go, Joe. This team - like every team’s goal - should be to win as many games as possible and ultimately reach the playoffs. But, nah, let’s shoot for a third-place finish and the chance to watch Joe Buck annoy the fans of two other teams instead of ours in the playoffs.
Tags: Evan Longoria, Frank Catalanotto, Joe Maddon, Marc Topkin, new stadium, payroll, Rocco Baldelli, Tropicana Field
January 14th, 2008 at 10:43 am
As for Remove the roof of the TROP. Have they lost their minds. The best part of the Trop is the A/C.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Scott,
A few thoughts-
Only in PA would a guy tell the clerks to go f*** themselves in regards to a ticket hahaha
I would love and have stated over at DRB that I prefer to attempt to trade with KC about getting Mark Teahen. He could play 3b if Longo is going to be in AAA until the end of May, can play RF (would be a great insurance investment should Floyd and Baldelli get hurt). Probably could play 1b and SS in a pinch also. Still young and cheap and could develop into an everyday RF with line drive power. Plus the Royals OF is sort of getting busier. The KC fans I have talked to have said we’d need to give a top prospect to gt him, which in my opinion is a little too much, they have already said not to E-Jax and Mason as a pair. Just a thought tho-
I think Longoria should know before the Super Bowl whether or not he is the guy or not. I am pretty sure he probably already knows, but has been instructed to keep it on the down low for the moment.
Trop AC is nice, the view of the Bay is nicer, plus its hot everywhere in the summer time get over it-
Maddon wishing for 81 wins is definately a good thought if he keeps it to himself. If we go .500 here this year I will be tickeled, but setting us up for that in expectations is stupid, we should for a world series every year-no matter what…
January 14th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Scott, if you read Corky’s post on the Maddon statement about 81 wins, then perhaps you also read some of the responses. His use of Maddon’s quotation was misleading; Joe said he did not want the Rays to stop at 81 wins. So the entire interpretation that he is settling for mediocrity is a crock, and you should not dignify it. For information, here is what Maddon said: “”I think it’s a reasonable goal,” Maddon said. “But of course I don’t want us just to stop there.” To respond to the quotation with anything more than a “good, let’s go guys” is to turn a harmless ladybug into a horde of army ants.
My guess is that Topkin is responding to a number of letter writers to the St. Pete Times who suggested opening the Trop. They offered that as an alternative to the new stadium to counter the notion that it would be nice to have an open air park.
I think you are exactly right about the payroll and the maintaining of the plan to develop a consistent contender in TB.
January 14th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I’m with Scott and the Prof. the rest of the statement was irrelevant. It was like saying “Hey I am willing to marry the girl that works at the grocery store, but of course I would prefer Salma Hayek”.
The idea is to aim high. if you miss the goal, it could still be a good season. If your goal is “Average”, what happens if you miss that goal? another #1 overall pick? AWESOME!
January 14th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
No, the entire statement was irrelevant. It really has to be a slow news day to hone in on it at all. It’s a kind of micro-analysis that is really a form of intellectual masturbation.
January 14th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
BobR-
You went to private school or one of the Ivy’s right? Your dialect screams “old school” if you know what I mean. I dig it though- I barely survived public school, I’m sure you and everyone else can tell huh? ha
January 14th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
No, I did not go to a private school. In fact, I dislike private schools on principle. I also did not attend an Ivy League college. I did go to a state university.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
which state university? I went to Penn State-
January 15th, 2008 at 7:09 am
SUNY at Albany and then Rutgers.