Josh Hamilton Selected By Cubs in Rule 5 Draft

update (11:17 am): The Cubs have traded Hamilton to the Cincinnati Reds.

Details at this point are sketchy, but The St. Pete Times is reporting that the Cubs have selected Josh Hamilton in the Rule 5 draft this morning. The Times indicates that the Cubs selected Hamilton in the major league portion of the draft. If true, Hamilton must be on the Cubs major league roster all season or be returned to the Devil Rays after Spring Training.

A former first overall pick, Hamilton is far from being ready for a major league roster and it would surprise us if a team trying to get to the playoffs would waste a bench spot all season on a player that is unlikely to contribute. This may just be a $50,000 shot in the dark for the Cubbies. If recent signings are indication, the Cubs are not going to lose any sleep over $50,000. If Hamilton works out, great..if not, no big deal to them.

We have now confirmed this with Baseball America.

Here are some snippets from an interview with Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton said he was up early to go hunting this morning but had a text message on his phone alerting him that something may be up. He said he wasn’t upset or surprised to be made available.

“I hadn’t been out there the last three years,” said Hamilton, who served two years on a Major League Baseball-imposed drug-related suspension but played briefly at short-season Hudson Valley this season, going 13-for-50. His season there ended early due to a left knee injury, and Hamilton said the knee feels fine, though he said the best indication was when he dragged a deer out of the woods after a successful recent hunt.

“I think (a change of scenery) could help,” Hamilton said. “I’ll be a little nervous because it’s a new group of guys to get to know . . . “

The best tidbit from Hamilton’s interview came when he was asked about jumping from A-ball to the major leagues: “I’m not really concerned. Baseball has never been the problem . . . I’ve been working out, and I can guarantee I will be in the best shape of my life when spring training comes.”

Everything else has been. Here’s hoping Hamilton takes advantage of his opportunity and finally gives us all a look at his prodigious talent.

The Rays had the first pick of the draft and selected Ryan Goleski from the Indians, and immediately traded the pick to the A’s for $100,000. Hamilton was the third pick of the draft.

The Red Sox selected Rays pitcher Nick Debarr with the 20th pick.

Trade Talks With Marlins Appear Dead

Florida Marlins GM Larry Beinfest, has indicated that the Marlins are close to acquiring an outfielder. That outfielder will most likely not be Rocco Baldelli or B. J. Upton. Beinfest says the impending deal developed with a new trading partner within the last 36 hours. The Marlins and Rays have been discussing a potential trade for several weeks now. The talks appeared to have hit an impasse when the Rays asked for Scott Olsen, and the Marlins have stated their desire to keep their young rotation intact.

Rule 5 Draft To Be Held Tomorrow

The Rule 5 draft is scheduled to occur tomorrow during the winter meetings in Orlando. Any player that has three years of minor league experience (four years if drafted at before age 18) and is not not on their major league team’s 40-man roster is available for the rule 5 draft. Any player that is taken in the Rule 5 draft must be on his new team’s 25-man major league roster for the entire season or be offered back to their original team. A team that drafts a player in the Rule 5 draft must pay the former team $50,000.

The folks over at Scout.com have come up with a list of the top players that are available in this year’s draft. There are no D-Rays on the list even though there are a couple of notable Rays that are eligible for the draft, including Josh Hamilton, Jason Pridie (who was selected by the Twins last season), John Jaso and Kevin Cash. Unless Hamilton was promoted to AAA Durham, and there is no indication that he has, a team could also draft Hamilton with the AAA portion of the Rule 5 draft. In that case, they would only have to keep Josh at AAA for the entire 2007 season and pay the Rays $12,000. Catcher Jaso, who has battled injuries, could also be taken in the AAA portion of the draft.

Of the players available in the draft, several could be on the radar of the Rays front office. In addition to the numerous pitchers, two first basemen stand out on the list. The first is former Cuban defector Michel Abreu. Abreu has only one year of minor league experience in which he split the season between single-A and double-A in the Mets organization. In 111 games at AA Binghampton, Abreu hit .332 with 17 home runs. Abreu is 27 years old and 6’3″ 230. He could be the position player on the list that is closest to being major league ready and just happens to play a position that the Rays need to fill.

Another possibility is 26 year old first baseman Nate Gold of the Rangers organization. The former NCAA home run champion had a strong 2006 campaign, hitting .292 with 34 home runs and 103 RBI in AA.

Devil Rays Webtopia

• This article indicates that the Marlins and Rays are far apart on any deal that would include Rocco Baldelli.
• At first it was humorous, but now we are tired of all the The Devil Rays talked to Barry Bonds agent stories. It would never happen, but it is Andrew Friedman’s job to explore all possibilities. Would Bonds help the Rays offensively? Yes. Would he put fannies in the seats and cause a buzz? Yes. Will he ever sign with the Rays? No. Unless no other team made him an offer, which at one point a couple of weeks ago seemed like a possibility.
• Despite earlier reports that a deal between the Rays and third baseman Akinori Iwamura was imminent, it now appears that the two sides are far apart. It appears that Iwamura is seeking something closer to $5 million per season and the Rays have offered about half that much. In addition, the Rays would like to lock up Iwamura for 5 or 6 six years while the Japanese star desires a 3-year deal. The shorter deal would allow Iwamura to test the free agent market sooner. The Rays have until December 15 to negotiate a deal.
• In a related note, manager Joe Maddon spoke openly at the winter meetings about the Rays 2007 opening day roster and lineup. There were two interesting revelations. The first is that Jonny Gomes and Greg Norton will compete for time at DH. Even more interesting is that if the team does indeed sign Akinori Iwamura, Maddon would like to see him at third base, Ben Zobrist at short stop and Jorge Cantu at second. That leaves no position for B. J. Upton. The Rays would not have Upton coming off the bench. Therefore, either the Rays would send Upton back to Durham for even more seasoning, or Maddon expects Upton to be traded.
• In the same article, Maddon indicates that he does not expect Shinji Mori to be ready for Spring Training, and he refused to name Seth McClung as the team’s closer.
• That point may become moot as the Rays have made an offer to free agent closer Octavio Dotel. Dotel, once one of the dominant relievers in baseball, had Tommy John surgery in 2005 and returned to limited action last season with the Yankees.
• Another possibility at closer is Russ Springer. The Rays have apparently also exchanged numbers with the former Astro who does not have experience as a closer, but would be reunited with the new Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey.
• All the excitement of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the labor peace until 2011 that will result, has worn off. The new CBA has effectively taken the small-market teams out of the free agent market. The top free agents will just continue to bounce among the big market teams.
  
• It must have felt like Christmas yesterday for former D-Ray Julio Lugo as all his wishes came true. He was signed by the Red Sox to play shortstop and he will make $9 million annually for 4 years. That was the amount that he sought from the Rays in their last minute attempt to sign him before the trading deadline. The Rays apparently offered considerably less and made the deal to send Lugo to the Dodgers. Several teams were also pursuing Lugo to apparently play other positions.

The Price For Rocco Baldelli: Scott Olsen

MLB.com has comfirmed that the Florida Marlins have inquired about Rocco Baldelli to play center field. That same source also indicates that while the Marlins would prefer to move Ricky Nolasco, the Devil Rays may be holding out for Scott Olsen. Olsen is a 22 year old left hander that started 31 games for the Marlins in 2006 and posted a 12-10 record with a 4.04 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 180.2 innings. Olsen was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2002 draft. Nolasco, 23, a right hander went 11-11 with a 4.82 ERA in 35 appearances (22 starts).

If the Marlins can indeed be enticed to give up Olsen, look for the Rays to pull the trigger and move Rocco.

A second report also indicates that the Marlins have also inquired about B. J. Upton to play center field. No indication what the Rays would seek in return for Bossman Junior.

Has Rocco Baldelli Played His Last Game For The Rays?

Much has been made about the enormous amount of money that teams have been throwing at free agents this off-season. The Cubs alone have committed more than $200 million and counting. This frenzied spending may have had a direct impact on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays pursuit of free agents and an indirect impact on the future of fan favorite Rocco Baldelli. The Rays front office have indicated that they are willing to jump into the free agent pool, but only if value presents itself. With the size of the contracts so far this winter, the Rays, along with other small market clubs, may have been priced out of the market. This means that if the Rays want to add any impact players to the roster, it will have to be done through trades. The good news for the Rays is that with every large free agent contract that is signed, the value of Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli increases. In today’s market, Crawford and Baldelli’s value may never be higher than it is right now. Both players are young, talented and most importantly signed to relatively inexpensive long-term deals.

Juan Pierre recently signed a contract worth $44 million over 5 years and Gary Matthews Jr. inked an even bigger deal worth $50 million over 5 years. Pierre, 29, is coming off a season in which he .292 with a .330 OBP. While he did steal 58 bases, he was caught 20 times. Crawford, 25, hit .305-18-77 with a .348 OBP and 58 steals. He was only caught 9 times and played most of the season with a sore wrist. Baldelli hit .302-16-57 with a .339 OBP in little over half a season (92 games). After missing all of 2005 and the first two months of 2006, Rocco appeared to rediscover his swing in the final two months of the season, hitting .342 in August and .309 in September with 10 home runs in his final 24 games. Matthews’ 2006 numbers are more in line with those of C. C. and Rocco, but he is 32 years old and has a career batting average of .263. In addition, While many consider Pierre a below-average outfielder, both Baldelli and and Crawford are solid, if unspectacular, with the glove. Teams that could not afford the services of Pierre or Matthews may be more inclined to give up talent for the services of one of the Rays young outfielders.

Crawford is undoubtedly the more prized player of the two, however, Rocco is the one that is more likely to be moved. The price for Baldelli would be considerably less and easier to stomach for most teams. As a center fielder, Rocco also plays a position that is harder to fill. Few free agent center fielders were available this winter, which is why Pierre and Matthews were able to command such large contracts. The dearth of center fielders is also why some teams are pursuing former Ray Julio Lugo, who may be asked to make the switch to the outfield. If Lugo refuses to make the switch, more teams may turn their attention to the Rays and Baldelli. The Rays also can afford to move Rocco, with other options within the organization to fill a center field vacancy. With the likely addition of Akinori Iwamuri, B. J. Upton could be moved to center field. Another option is Elijah Dukes, who will be given a chance to earn a spot on the roster in spring training at either first base or the outfield. The other option would be to trade either Dukes or Upton. In that scenario, the Rays would be able to keep their known commodities Crawford and Baldelli. However, the talent received for Dukes or Upton would be considerably less.

The most likely destination for Baldelli is the Florida Marlins. The Marlins are in the market for a center fielder and have the young pitching talent the Rays will seek in return. In fact, the Marlins may have already made an offer to the Rays, although it is unclear if they are seeking Baldelli or Dukes. The Colorado Rockies may also be interested in one of the Rays outfielders, and if the Cubs fail to land a free agent center fielder and decide not to move Soriano to center, they could come calling. Exactly what the Rays asking price for Baldelli is unknown, but will most certainly include at least one young major league-ready starting pitcher.

Rays Sign Hee-Seop Choi

According to the Korean Times, the Rays have signed free agent first baseman Hee-Seop Choi. The contract is a 2-year deal valued at $1.95 million. Choi, 27, has not played in the major leagues since 2005, having played last year for the Red Sox AAA affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox. In 66 games he batted .207 with 8 home runs and 27 RBI. He has played parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Cubs, Marlins and Dodgers. In 2005, Choi hit .253 with 15 home runs and 42 runs driven in for the Dodgers.

Choi will be invited to spring training as a non-roster invitee with an opportunity to compete for the starting first base job. The move is a clear indication that the Rays front office is not afraid to spend money on free agents. There is no guarantee that Choi will begin the regular season as the starting first baseman with several in-house candidates already set to compete for the job, including Ty Wiggington, and several players that could be moved to fill the void, such as Jorge Cantu, Jonny Gomes and Elijah Dukes. In the past, $2 million would have been too steep of a price for a player that might not even make the opening day 25-man roster. This is yet another sign that the Rays may be ready to loosen the purse strings when value presents itself.

The Bar Has Been Set For Scott Kazmir’s Extension

In 2008 Scott Kazmir will enter his third full season with the Rays. As a result, Kid K will be in his first season (of three) of arbitration eligibility. Therefor the Rays have Kazmir for at least four more years until the earliest point that he can become a free agent. Earlier we predicted that he was the most likely candidate to receive a long-term contract this off-season. Much like Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli, we expect the Rays to try and lock up Kazmir through his arbitration years and into the beginning of his free agency years. Kazmir is represent by Brian Peters, who also represents Travis Hafner. Peters was able to secure a longterm contract for Hafner before his third full season. All signs are pointing to a new contract for Kazmir in the near future.

The only question at this point is how much it will cost the Rays to secure the rights to Kazmir. Well that question appears to have been answered. The Colorado Rockies have signed Jeff Francis to a 4-year, $13.25 million contract with a club option for $7 million in 2011. The option year would be Francis’ first year of free agency eligibility. In essence, the Rockies have secured Francis for the next 5 years at $20.25 million or just a shade more than $4 million per season. If Francis continues to develop into the pitcher he is projected to be, the contract will be a bargain for the Rockies.

What does this have to do with Scott Kazmir? In addition to both being young left-handed starting pitchers with a ton of promise, they have nearly identical resumes. Both Kazmir (15th overall) and Francis (9th overall) were first round picks in 2002. Both pitchers made their major league debuts with 7 starts in the 2004 season and have nearly identical service time and similar career numbers. In 72 career starts, Francis is 30-25 with a career ERA of 4.91. Kazmir is 22-20 with a 3.73 ERA in 63 career starts.

Francis will receive a $500,000 signing bonus and is set to make only $500,000 in 2007. If the Rays can sign Kaz to a contract in the same neighborhood, it would not have a large impact on the 2007 payroll. With a new contract in place for the ace of the staff, the Rays will have a better sense of the team’s obligations for the next 4-5 years, and more flexibility in the free agent market.

The Hangover

It was supposed to be just another meaningless home finale on Monday night against the Evil Empire. But something amazing happened. It only took 156 games. 156 games. Well, 154 games if you count the two where Joe Maddon took a mini-vacation with his girlfriend. But, if you missed it last night because your significant other was making you watch The Bachelor, Joe Maddon finally snapped. And its about time. Maddon and pitching coach Mike Butcher were ejected in the first inning after Butcher questioned the locations of Jae Seo’s pitches. It was only the third ejection for Maddon this season (Lou Piniella could get three ejections in his sleep), but this was the most memorable. Butcher had to be restrained after being shoved by one umpire and then returning the favor. By this point Maddon was nose to nose with the home plate umpire gradually moving the umpire backwards until he was nearly pinned against the backstop, at which point the home plate umpire, Alfonso Marquez, appears to shove his head into Maddon’s cap. Either he was trying to back Maddon up or he was trying to make it appear as if Maddon had hit him with his cap. Either way, it was clear that Marquez initiated the contact…Still, the important point is that Maddon apparently is capable of getting in the grill of an umpire. After most questionable calls this season, Joe Maddon seems more inclined to compliment the umpire’s wife on her cooking than to actually argue the call. Most of the time, he is too lazy to even leave the dugout, choosing instead to yell niceties at the umpire from the top step of the dugout…Oh by the way, Jae Seo had his worst outing of the season, allowing 8 runs in 1.2 innings and the Rays lost to the Spankees 16-1. The Rays lone run came on Ty Wiggington’s 24th home run of the season.

• Its a minor point, but last night the Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 5-0. Normally, this game would have little significance for two disappointing teams that have already been eliminated from the playoffs. However, with the win, the Jays moved ahead of the Sox into second place in the AL East. Why is that significant? In every year of the Rays existence, the Yankees have finished first in the division and the Red Sox have finished second. That streak could end this season. Further evidence that the Red Sox have just rolled over and are now playing dead.
• The Rays have six games remaining and need to win three to avoid 100 losses. All six games are on the road where the Rays are 2-26 since the All-Star break.
• The Tampa chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America named Carl Crawford the Rays MVP and James Shields was named rookie of the year.
• Two Devil Rays minor leaguers were named to the all-level minor league All-Star team. Reid Brignac was named as the teams shortstop, and Juan Salas was the only relief pitcher named to the team. In addition, Kevin Witt was named as the DH to the AAA All-Star team and Eliot Johnson was named as the second baseman for the AA All-Star team along with Salas. Along with Brignac, Chris Nowak was named to the High-A All-Star team as a first baseman. Jeremy Hellickson was one of four starting pitchers named to the short-season All-Star team, and catcher Nevin Ashley was named a rookie level All-Star.

The Weekend Hangover

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching…It is amazing how good pitching can make a team look good. Yes, the Yankees had already clinched the division and yes they did not play their ‘A’ lineup each day, but it is still the Yankees. The Rays threw three rookies at the Evil Empire this weekend and all three held their own, continuing to look like a different team at home than on the road. Friday night it looked like business as usual for the worst team in baseball as the Rays fell to the Bronx Bombers 4-1. Still James Shields looked solid as he worked 7 innings. It would be Shields last appearance of the season as Joe Maddon has decided that Shields has pitched enough innings this season. The team’s only offense was a leadoff home run by Rocco Baldelli. On Saturday, J. P. Howell went head-to-head with Randy Johnson and pitched 7 shutout innings, allowing only 3 hits and 2 walks in the Rays 8-0 shutout of the Yankees. Yesterday, Brian Stokes was knocked out in the sixth but pitched well enough to keep the Yankees in check and the offense did the rest in the 11-4 victory, as Stokes picked up his first major league victory. Ty Wiggnington hit his third home run in the past four games and now has 23 on the season. The Rays scored had two innings in which they scored at least five runs. Those were only the seventh and eighth times this season in which they have scored at least five in one inning. Interestingly, it was the second time this season that the Rays had two such innings in one game (v. Baltimore July 21).

• B. J. Upton hit his first home run since 2004 and will have preventative surgery on his shoulder this off-season.
• Carl Crawford had a two-run triple yesterday, his 15th of the season. It is the first time since 1930 that a player has at least 15 in three straight seasons. Not bad for a guy that has played the entire season with an injured wrist.
• Rocco Baldeli continues to swing a hot back show signs of the great player we knew before all his injuries. Rocco has 14 multi-hit games in his last 26 contests and is hitting .356 (42-for-118) over that span.
• As if we needed more evidence that the Rays bullpen is killing the team…The Rays are 4-16 in their last 20 games decided by three or fewer runs. Of course it would help if the starting pitchers could work deeper into the game. Before this weekend, starters had worked into the sixth inning only six times in their previous 17 games.
• As the Rays march towards 100 losses, for only the third time in franchise history, Friday’s loss marked the 100th loss in franchise history, against the Yankees.
• Chad Orvella and Travis Harper have been shut down for the season with minor arm injuries.
• Reid Brignac was named the Rays minor league player of the year and Andy Sonnanstine was named the Rays minor league pitcher of the year.