The Hangover: The Rays Claim Kurt Birkins From Orioles

Scottsdale 8, Team USA 6.
Reid Brignac continues to struggle in the AFL. Against Team USA, Brignac went 1-5 with a strikeout and is now hitting .193. Evan Longoria played third and hit clean-up for Team USA, going 1-5 with a run scored. He is now 3-12 with 3 singles in 3 games with Team USA. Justin Ruggiano went 0-2 for Team USA playing left field and batting sixth.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

• The Rays claimed another player off waivers. This time it was pitcher Kurt Birkins from the Orioles. To make room on the roster, they DFA’d Raul Cassanova. There is a good chance that Cassanova will be retained by the club once he clears waivers. [tampabay.com]
  
• Everybody wants Carl Crawford on their team…until they realize what it will cost to get him there. This time it is the Cubs. Listen Cubs fans…it will take 1) Pitching; 2) Major League Pitching; 3) A young stud Major League Starter; 4) And then throw in a prospect or two. And honestly, we do not see any players on the Cubs roster that fits the criteria. Good luck with the Torii Hunter negotiations. [Yahoo! Sports]
• Bugs & Cranks has more YouTube footage of Elijah Dukes in the Dominican Winter League in their latest installment of “The Redemption of Elijah Dukes”. [Bugs & Cranks]
• Martin Fennelly compares the Rays to the Ugly Duckling now that they are the only franchise that has never made a postseason appearance and they are the only one of the last four expansion teams to not make it to the World Series. [TBO]
• The Austin American-Statesman takes a look at the only four teams never to reach the world series and wonders which one of “The Final Four of Bad Baseball Teams” will be the first to break the drought. They compare the Devil Rays to the Mets of the late 60’s. [Austin American-Statesman]
• The Rays front office released a statement indicating that Jim Hickey will remain with the club as the team’s pitching coach. [TBO]
• Rotoworld ranks the Devil Rays as the 21st most likely destination for Alex Rodriguez. [Rotoworld]

It’d be something if the Rays could upstage Tampa’s other team by bringing in Rodriguez, but there’s been nothing to suggest they’d be willing to double their payroll.

The Devil Rays Need A Torii Hunter

Peter Gammons‘ latest ESPN Insider piece highlights a recent meeting between Torii Hunter and the Rays three young prospects B. J. Upton, Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young. Hunter, a former first round pick came from a troubled background to emerge as one of the top center fielders in baseball. He sought out the three and relayed some of his own personal experiences to the young, talented, but oft-criticized triumvirate.

The article is part of ESPN Insider and can be found HERE. If you do not have an Insider account, here are a few snippets from the article.

“There isn’t anyone in this game who doesn’t have something back there in the closet…You just have to fight and get beyond it”–Torii Hunter

(Hunter) talked with Dukes about his own background, his street and gang life, his drug-ridden family situation, getting shot at, and like Gary Sheffield, how he knows the way out is never looking or going back.

“I did what I had to do…You will, too. You can be a great player. I want to see it. We all do. We want you to win.”–Torii Hunter speaking to Elijah Dukes

What was so striking is that here is Hunter, making $12 million, going out of his way to help three young players trying to learn to trust themselves in their environment.

“If I can help anyone, then I’ve done something worthwhile”–Torii Hunter

“Torii is who we all should strive to be.”–B. J. Upton

We understand the small payroll. We understand the talent on this team and letting it grow into something bigger and better. We even understand the hesitancy to jump into this off-season’s over-priced and under-talented free agent market. But we have to wonder how much the Rays young stars could benefit from having a veteran presence like Torii Hunter in the clubhouse everyday. Is Greg Norton or Ty Wigginton that clubhouse big brother? We highly doubt it. And that is not a knock against those guys. We are sure players can learn some important lessons from them. We just don’t think that Dukes or Young or Upton can relate personally to one of those guys. Sometimes it takes more than just talent.