[ANDREW FRIEDMAN] Rays Had A Deal With Tim Lincecum In Place Prior To 2006 Draft

Yesterday Andrew Friedman appeared on Blog Talk Radio on the show “Talking Baseball” with Carl the Cabbie and Dugout Joe. The audio can be found HERE. While the show is two hours long, Friedman’s segment is over at about the 35 minute mark after approximately 20 minutes of questions from the hosts and one question from a caller. The first 10 minutes of the show made us want to stick chopsticks in our ears. If you can fight past the random inexplicable laughter after such humorous comments such as “you must be on your cell phone” and “we are coming to the (Rays) tank!”, the Friedman segment begins at the 10:35 mark.

Most of the interview is standard company-line non-talk, but we did learn one intriguing piece of information. In the 2006 draft, Friedman’s first at the helm for the Rays, the Rays actually expected Evan Longoria to be drafted by the Rockies, and had arranged a pre-draft deal with Tim Lincecum.

We had Evan Longoria first on our board…We thought Longoria was going to go two to Colorado, and we had cut a deal with Tim Lincecum, to take three. Colorado didn’t take Longoria two. We found out at like 2:30 in the morning, the night before and we ended up taking Longoria, and we are ecstatic with how that turned out.

We apologize if this has ever been mentioned elsewhere, but this is the first time we have heard it. Don’t get us wrong. We love the Dirtbag, but what would the Rays rotation look like right now if it included Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Matt Garza and Tim Lincecum, with David Price, Wade Davis and Jake McGee waiting in the wings?

SWEET FANCY MOSES!

Baseball Talk featuring Andrew Friedman [Blog Talk Radio]

THE HANGOVER We Know People Are Desparate For Rumors, But This Is Getting Redunculous

Devil Rays (66-96)

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• The general manager’s meetings are under way in Orlando. [TBO]
• DRaysBay now has more interviews with David Price than Price has pitches thrown as a professional…He bought a new car. [DRaysBay]
• Another trade rumor that has blown up after one writer was just speculating. Tim Lincecum for Delmon Young. Once again, Young’s name got mixed up in this rumor because one blogger was trying to find a match for the Giants. The Rays would make this move in a heartbeat, which means it won’t happen. Nothing to look at here. Keep moving folks…keep moving. [Minor League Ball]
• How awesome was Carlos Pena in 2007? In addition to Comeback Player of the Year, he now can add Latin American Idol winner. Scott Boras will certainly use this to add a few million to Pena’s asking price in the negotiations for a long-term deal. [Fernando’s Blog]
• Future Considerations is counting down their top 30 Rays prospects. They are currently on #25, Elliot Johnson. [Future Considerations]
  

[THE HANGOVER] Winningest Manager In Devil Rays History Is Let Go

Devil Rays (66-96)

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• The longest tenured member of the Devil Rays organization, Bill Evers, is being let go by the Rays. Joe Maddon, felt that he and Evers did not have a strong enough relationship. Evers leaves the Rays having compiled the best managerial record in the history of the franchise (2-0). He won both games in which he served as manager in 2006, while Maddon was away for personal reasons. [tampabay.com]
• Carlos Pena was named Comeback Player of the Year. A few weeks ago, we questioned whether or not Pena was deserving of the honor, because we weren’t sure if Pena had ever actually “been here” before. First of all, Pena has never been anywhere close to “here” before, but then again, few people have. And then we read the following line and we were sold: “One season after being released by three teams…” That is one hell of a Comeback. [Yahoo! Sports]
• At least one blogger agrees with our original assessment that Carlos Pena was never here in the first place, so how can he be “Comeback” Player of the Year. [The Futon Report]
• Carlos Pena finished in the top 5 in 7 offensive categories. On a side note: We heard this during a broadcast in the final week: Did you know that for all the talk about Pena “using the whole field” and not pulling the ball as much, and how that was a reason for his resurgence in 2007…Pena was actually in the bottom 5 in all baseball for number of opposite field basehits. Strange.[Bradenton Herald]
• Joe Maddon discusses the 2008 lineup as he looks forward to next season. [Devil Rays]
• There will be plenty of rumors about Carl Crawford this offseason, but unless the Giants are willing to move Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain, don’t look for CC to be playing for San Francisco in 2008. With Elijah Dukes’ personal issues and Rocco Baldelli’s glass legs, the Rays no longer have a deep major league outfield. [Yahoo! Sports]