Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 3

St. Petersburg Times

"Just got back to New York and heard from an industry source who's not with the Rays that they are on the verge of completing a trade of 2B Akinori Iwamura. The Rays were looking to do some kind of deal since they weren't planning to pick up the $4.85-million option to bring him back. What's interesting is that the source indicated the deal wasn't with the Cubs or the Dodgers as has been speculated on but to an unexpected team. Hmmm. The Rays are operating under something of a deadline since they have until one day after the end of the World Series to either pick up the option or pay a $550,000 buyout and allow Iwamura to become a free agent. They have been working on essentially a ..."

Rays re-sign outfielder Gabe Kapler

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October 27

St. Petersburg Times

""I'm more than excited,'' Kapler said from California. "I love the people in the clubhouse, I love the organization. ... I believe next year is going to be better no matter what, just the way things broke last year. 2010 I'm confident will be a much better year from the team perspective and I really have a great deal of confidence I'll be able to help the team achieve great things.'' Kapler, 34, hit. 239 with 8 homers and 32 RBIs overall in 99 games, but his production against lefthanded pitchers is what the Rays were most interested in - .276 with all 8 homers and 30 of his RBIs, plus a .379 on-base percentage (26 walks, 23 strikeouts) and .931 OPS."

Mets not interested in Lackey or Bradley; Holliday tops their list

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October 26

SI.com

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"The Mets don't seem inclined to pursue top free-agent pitcher John Lackey, who will surely shoot for a $100 million-plus contract in light of A.J. Burnett's $82.5 million deal. They do want to add a solid starting pitcher (they may try a do-over on Randy Wolf), but their big-ticket target is most likely going to be a left fielder. Matt Holliday is believed to top their list, though Jason Bay will certainly suffice. Bobby Abreu is another top free-agent outfielder, while Carl Crawford could be available in trade. The Mets have no interest in taking on Milton Bradley's problems."

Report: Cubs pushing Rays for Bradley-Burrell deal

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October 9

Tampa Tribune

"The Chicago Cubs are pushing the Tampa Bay Rays to take bad-boy outfielder Milton Bradley off their hands for Pat Burrell, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The talk of a deal isn't new, but it appears the Cubs want to move quickly, possibly as one of the first official acts of new owner Tom Ricketts, whose purchase could be approved by a bankruptcy judge within weeks. The Cubs are so desperate to unload Bradley that they might pick up some of Bradley's salary for the Rays, the newspaper reported. The Rays are a primary target because they were among the teams attempting to acquire Bradley before last season. The Cubs, however, ended up signing Bradley to a three-year, $30 million free ..."

J.P. Howell won't pitch anymore this season

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September 26

St. Petersburg Times

"J.P. Howell's season is officially over. The Rays have shut him down for the remainder of the season, giving Howell, who ranks third in the majors in relief innings over the past two seasons, a much-needed break. Howell, 26, said fatigue has been a factor in his struggles down the stretch though his arm feels fine. Manager Joe Maddon informed him of the decision Wednesday, saying it's the prudent way to go. The Rays had scaled back his appearances down the stretch, and with the team being eliminated from playoff contention, Maddon said "there's nothing positive to be derived" from Howell pitching. "Smart move," Howell said. "It's been a long … two years, to be honest. It feels like it ..."

Despite ankle, Rays' Upton still wants to play this year

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September 11

Tampa Tribune

"Pondering before Wednesday night's game what the final weeks of a miserable Tampa Bay Rays season might hold, B.J. Upton envisioned simply trying to make the best of a now-meaningless closing stretch. "Things haven't gone the way we've wanted them to all year," he said quietly, sitting in front of his locker at Yankee Stadium. "When it seems like it can't get any worse, it does." You don't need to be a prophet to understand how true that sentiment rings with the 2009 Rays, and Upton in particular. So it shouldn't have come as a surprise that a few hours later the embattled center fielder badly misplayed a ball and had difficulty getting to two others before being pulled from the game after ..."

Rays slugger Carlos Pena out for remainder of season with broken fingers after taking CC Sabathia pitch on hand

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September 8

Trenton Times

"Before every game, I grab a statistics packet, which lists the league leaders in all sorts of categories. And when it came to the league leaders in home runs, it seemed that every time Mark Teixeira crept toward the top, the Rays' Carlos Pena would jump ahead. But it looks like the race between the two slugging first basemen is over with this terrible news: Pena will miss the rest of the season after X-Rays revealed two broken fingers on his left hand. Pena suffered the injury after getting hit on the hand by CC Sabathia. Gamer that he his, after a long delay to check on the damage, Pena continued his at-bat. But after striking out on a swing that was painful to watch, it was clear that ..."

Carl Crawford to miss at least one more game with back injury

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August 25

St. Petersburg Times

"All-Star LF Carl Crawford wants to believe he'll be out only another day or so, but never before having the back stiffness that forced him from Monday's game, he admitted he wasn't sure what to think. "I just know I've never had this problem before, and whenever you go through something for the first time it always scares you a little bit and you want to be as careful as possible," said Crawford, moving gingerly in the clubhouse. Manager Joe Maddon said the Rays "don't believe it's anything serious" but expects Crawford to be out at least tonight and be re-evaluated Wednesday. Crawford wasn't sure when it happened - he was on base in the first and awkwardly reversed direction - but felt it ..."

Trade talk nothing new to Kazmir

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July 31

MLB.com

"In his unrelenting, agonizing and frustrating 2009 season, there have been few moments like this for Scott Kazmir, who strode off the mound at Tropicana Field to a standing ovation on Tuesday night, tipping the Rays cap he's worn for six years. An hour later, the emotional swell had swiftly subsided and his eyes were dry. He stood in front of his locker answering questions like whether he thought that was his final start in a Tampa Bay uniform. "It crossed my mind a few times," Kazmir admitted. In a clubhouse filled with youth, the 25-year-old Kazmir is an unlikely elder statesman -- the second-longest tenured Ray (behind Carl Crawford's eight years), the club's all-time leader in wins, ..."

With Indians' trade of Cliff Lee to Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays unlikely to make any major deals

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July 30

St. Petersburg Times

"LHP Cliff Lee went to the Phillies on Wednesday, and the Rays' interest in making a major trade before Friday's nonwaiver deadline may have gone with him. The Rays will continue to explore a number of options over the remaining hours — likely from Toronto ace RHP Roy Halladay and Indians C Victor Martinez to a complementary arm for the bullpen — but don't appear likely to do much. "I know (executive VP Andrew Friedman) is still hunkered down trying to get some things done," manager Joe Maddon said. "But let me put it this way: I wouldn't be surprised if nothing happened." The Rays appeared to have interest in Lee and Martinez as a package, which may have just been a way to get Lee, who ..."

Rays not done pursuing Halladay

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July 30

Foxsports.com

"The Rays have not pulled out of the Roy Halladay sweepstakes. A trade for Halladay remains a longshot for the Rays due to the acquisition cost, both in prospects and dollars, according to a major-league source. But the team still considers itself in the mix. Club officials also are focusing on adding bullpen help — and yes, just 24 hours ago they were kicking around the idea of selling relievers. The Rays' shifting position reflects their uncertainty about their postseason chances playing in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox."

Indians GM says payroll won't force him to deal

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July 29

Foxsports.com

"Indians general manager Mark Shapiro stated firmly on Wednesday that he does not need to trade left-hander Cliff Lee and catcher Victor Martinez for financial reasons. "We have zero imperative from ownership to move money," Shapiro said. "That's not a component in our decision-making at all." The Indians' declining revenues, however, are forcing Shapiro to proceed with the understanding that he cannot supplement his major-league roster this off-season. So, in trade discussions for Lee and Martinez, he is weighing the impacts of the possible returns on next season's club vs. the impacts of keeping either or both players. The Indians hold a $9 million option on Lee for 2010 and a $7 million ..."

Lee prefers to stay in Cleveland, but OK with trade

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July 28

Foxsports.com

"Cliff Lee will not be upset if he is traded. While the Indians left-hander wants to spend the rest of his career in Cleveland, he recognizes that his time with the team is running short. Lee, after learning in spring training that the Indians would not sign him to a contract extension, told the team that he plans to become a free agent when his current deal expires after the 2010 season, according to his agent, Darek Braunecker. A trade appears inevitable, perhaps even by Friday's non-waiver deadline. Lee, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, would prefer such a move to happen sooner rather than later, Braunecker said. The Phillies, Dodgers, Angels, Rays and Rangers are ..."

Rays present evidence that they need to make a trade

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July 28

St. Petersburg Times

columnist Gary Shelton

"This is why the Rays need Roy Halladay. This is why they need Cliff Lee. The biggest game of the year has turned into the biggest disappointment. The Yankees are running off the field and into the distance, their division lead a little fatter, their season a little sweeter. The Rays, on the other hand, have again looked like a team going nowhere. This is why they should make a trade. This is why they should try to draw an ace. If Monday night's 11-4 loss to the Yankees doesn't say that to you, then don't the 99 uneven games that came beforehand? This one was the worst, of course, because this game was - and this series is - the most important of the season. How big is this series? Put ..."

Red Sox and Rays working on acquiring both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez

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July 27

New York Post

"The Rays and Red Sox are both talking to the Indians about deals that would bring them both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez. Tampa is willing to part with touted pitching prospect Wade Davis. The Red Sox are not quite there yet in willingness to deal Clay Buchholz. Texas and Milwaukee also have eyes for Lee while the Giants are considering Martinez. The Phillies also are very serious about Lee. Philadelphia prefers Halladay, but one AL executive said, "We will not get to Friday at 4 p.m. (the deadline) and the Phillies have not added Halladay, Lee or (Jarrod) Washburn." So this executive said the Indians will probably wait until the last second to decide where to move Lee because they want ..."

Kazmir: from great trade to tough sell

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July 27

SI.com

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"Reports surfaced about the Angels' supposed interest in Scott Kazmir. But so far, no one with the Angels have copped to this. The Rays probably would love the idea of trading Kazmir and the $22 million remaining on his contract to free up some cash and make a real play for catcher Victor Martinez, or perhaps even Lee or Halladay. But Kazmir has seen his velocity dip from 96 mph to about 91 mph as questions arise about his work ethic. He's a very pleasant kid, and the Mets have rued the day they traded him, but his contract does not look particularly pretty at the moment."

Examining the Tampa Bay Rays' options as the trade deadline approaches

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July 26

St. Petersburg Times

"First of all, the rumors are all true. Or reasonably true. Or at least as true as, say, a 2 a.m. infomercial. Yes, the Rays have had talks about acquiring Roy Halladay. And Cliff Lee. And Victor Martinez. And 238 different relievers. When you think about it, why wouldn't they? The Rays are in contention, they have some movable pieces and they have plenty of time, if not money, on their hands. So it only makes sense that they learn the going rate for a pennant race rental. The problem is this leads to far more talking than actual dealing by the time July 31 arrives. And so the days before the nonwaiver trade deadline are like a continuous game of liar's poker for fans. You ponder the ..."

Rumors flying on possible trades

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July 24

Akron Beacon Journal

"Whether General Manager Mark Shapiro is close to trading Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez or Carl Pavano is debatable, but the rumors keep flying. The Tampa Bay Rays appear to be a player for Lee, but the two sides are far apart, because the Rays won't part with the desired prospects, one of whom seems to be right-hander Wade Davis, a starter at Triple-A Durham. Shapiro seems to be willing to trade Lee only if he gets the better of a lopsided deal. If Shapiro was prepared to deal Martinez to the Boston Red Sox (and there is some deniability going on), that transaction is dead after the Red Sox's acquisition of first baseman Adam LaRoche from the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was speculated that in ..."

Rays join Red Sox in pursuit of Indians' Martinez

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July 23

SI.com

"The Red Sox have some company in the pursuit of star hitting catcher Victor Martinez, and it comes from one of their two main competitors in the AL East. The Tampa Bay Rays are now also considering a run at Martinez, league sources say. Like Boston, Tampa Bay matches up well with the Indians in that it has several very good pitching prospects. The Rays have Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, Jeremy Hellickson and several more quality pitchers at lower levels. It isn't believed Tampa and the Indians have exchanged names yet, but there's plenty there to interest the Indians. Tampa Bay is pretty protective of its young pitchers, though, and ultimately decided they didn't want to part with top pitching ..."

Rays exploring a number of trades

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July 23

Foxsports.com

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"The Rays are engaged in a whirlwind of activity, investigating Lee, Halladay and numerous other options — "major, major stuff," according to one source. Payroll flexibility remains a significant obstacle, and the Rays might need to move left-hander Scott Kazmir or another high-priced player to clear room for a major acquisition. There are no indications, however, that the Rays are discussing trades involving Kazmir, who is earning $6 million this season, $8 million in 2010 and $12 million in '11 with a $13.5 million or $2.5 million buyout for '12."

Indians considering trading ace Lee to Rays

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July 23

Foxsports.com

"The Rays and Indians have discussed a trade that would send Cleveland ace Cliff Lee to Tampa Bay, major league sources said, but the sides didn't appear close to a deal as of late Wednesday evening. Indians general manager Mark Shapiro is asking for multiple high-end prospects in return for the left-hander. He is believed to prefer right-hander Wade Davis as the primary chip in the deal. So far, the Rays have balked at including him. Tampa Bay has been active in trade talks on many fronts, sources said, and Lee is just one of many options the team has considered. Because of the Rays' relatively modest revenues, it wouldn't necessarily be easy for them to absorb Lee's remaining salary — ..."

Rays interested in Halladay and Lee

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July 22

Foxsports.com

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"Yes, the Rays are showing interest in Halladay and Lee, even if their limited financial flexibility likely would prevent them from ever making such a move. Most of the Rays' best young players are in the majors, so their farm system is not as deep as it once was. Still, Triple-A right-hander Wade Davis and Double-A outfielder Desmond Jennings draw considerable attention from rival clubs ..."

Jays GM: Next week key for trade talk

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July 22

ESPN.com

"Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi expects the Roy Halladay trade talks will come to a head early next week, he said Wednesday. Ricciardi said the Blue Jays "haven't even really exchanged names" yet with teams pursuing Halladay because they're still scouting the minor-league systems of the clubs involved. "But we're getting really close to sitting down and telling teams, 'This is what it's going to take,'" Ricciardi said. "I'd say going into Monday, we'll pretty much have our cards on the table." That wouldn't leave those teams much time to complete a deal before the Jays' unofficial deadline of Tuesday, July 28. But Ricciardi quipped: "We'll see how fast people want to ..."

Cleveland Indians swap relievers with Tampa Bay

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July 2

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Indians have acquired right-hander Winston Abreu from Tampa Bay. They sent the Rays right-hander John Meloan, who is pitching at Class AAA Columbus, and cash. Abreu, 32, is expected to join the Indians over the weekend in Cleveland. A player must be dropped to make room for him. He will wear No. 36. This year Abreu has spent much of the season at Class AAA Durham where he went 3-0 with 10 saves and a 1.41 ERA. He struck out 49, walked 10 and allowed five runs in 32 innings. He appeared in 23 games. He joined the Rays on June 14 and appeared in two games before being designated for assignment. Triple-A hitters batted .123 (14-for-109) against Abreu. Right-handers hit .061 (4-for-66). ..."

Report: Phillies Player Fights With Rays Fan

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June 27

Camden Courier-Post

"Still in the process of gathering information about this, but evidently, a Phillies player got into an altercation with a fan after Thursday night's game at Tropicana Field. The police reportedly were involved. The identity of the player is not yet known. The story was initially reported by the St. Petersburg Times."

Tampa, Hillsborough included as possible relocation site for Rays

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June 26

Tampa Tribune

"Will the Tampa Bay Rays be coming to downtown Tampa? Not if St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker has anything to say about it. A group studying whether the baseball team should leave Tropicana Field has included three sites in Hillsborough County - downtown Tampa, the West Shore district and the state fairgrounds east Hillsborough - in a list of potential locations for a new stadium. Since the Rays withdrew plans for a waterfront facility in downtown St. Petersburg last year, the A Baseball Community coalition, which is headed by Progress Energy CEO Jeff Lyash, has been searching for a new home for the Mayor League Baseball team. Until now, the coalition has not publicly raised the option of ..."

Pitcher Scott Kazmir's expected return leaves Rays with a tough pitching staff decision

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June 25

St. Petersburg Times

"LHP Scott Kazmir is set to return to the Rays rotation and start Saturday or Sunday. What the Rays say they haven't decided yet is who will be dropped to make room. Those talks will continue at least into today, and maybe after tonight's game, which will be started by RHP Andy Sonnanstine, who is one of the candidates. "We've had some discussions, we're trying to narrow it down and figure out the best way to do this," manager Joe Maddon said. "There's different variables involved, and there's different ways to look at it." Having ruled out a six-man rotation, the Rays appear to have four options: • Send down Sonnanstine, who is 5-7 (despite the majors' third-best run support), has a 6.60 ..."

Yankees' scouts see Pedro Martinez show stuff in the Dominican Republic

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June 20

New York Daily News

"Pedro Martinez threw 65 pitches off a mound in the Dominican Republic Friday, while scouts from several major league clubs - including the Yankees - watched to determine if the 37-year-old free agent warrants a contract offer this season. "There are a lot of teams that have a lot of interest," Martinez's agent, Fern Cuza, told the Daily News. "They came (Friday) to see Pedro's arm action, how easy the ball was coming out of his hand. But Pedro controls the process - he wants the right situation." According to one scout on hand, the Yankees reps seemed "more aggressive" about talking with Martinez after the throwing session, but it's unlikely the Bombers would sign the righthander since ..."

Yankees among four teams to watch Pedro Martinez pitch in Domincan Republic

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June 19

Newark Star-Ledger

"Yankees scouts will be on hand Friday in the Dominican Republic to watch free agent Pedro Martinez throw. However, according to reports, the Yankees are not interested in signing the former 37-year-old former Mets and Red Sox ace. The Yankees -- who are going to be joined at the session by representatives from the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs -- are going to be present "as a courtesy to Martinez's agent," according to the Daily News. Fern Cuza, Martinez's agent, also represents Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. The Daily News report also cited a scout who saw Martinez pitch last week and said the three-time Cy Young winner had a "pretty good shot" of catching on with a ..."

Rays talking with pitcher Pedro Martinez

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June 19

St. Petersburg Times

"Pedro Martinez is talking about the Rays, but they're not saying anything about the veteran pitcher. And it still appears unlikely they'll be getting together anytime soon. Martinez, 37, told the Associated Press on Wednesday in the Dominican Republic that he has had talks with the Cubs and the Rays and was close to a deal. "There's a good chance I'll be signing soon, but there still isn't anything firm," Martinez said. "Chicago and Tampa Bay are the two teams that have shown the most interest, and we are negotiating with them, although I've told my agent not to call me until it's a done deal." The Rays have talked with Martinez's agent and last week had Eddy Toledo, the director of ..."

Yankees to watch ex-Met ace Pedro Martinez pitch in Dominican

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June 19

New York Daily News

""Come to daddy." Well, maybe not. Pedro Martinez, who once famously called the Yankees his "daddy" after a tough loss to them, will throw for Yankee scouts in the Dominican Republic today. But the Yanks aren't really interesting in signing him, according to someone familiar with the team's thinking. The Yankees - along with the Rays, Angels and Cubs - will watch Martinez work out, the person said, but it's believed the Yanks are only doing it as a courtesy to Martinez's agent, Fern Cuza, who also represents stars such as Mariano Rivera and Vladimir Guerrero. The news of the Yankees and other teams watching Martinez was first reported by Ken Rosenthal on foxsports.com. Martinez, a ..."

Pedro Martinez might sign with Chicago Cubs or Tampa Bay Rays

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June 18

Trenton Times

"Pedro Martinez could be back on a major league mound soon. The right-hander said on Wednesday that he has had talks with the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays and hopes to sign a contract in the near future. "There's a good chance I'll be signing soon, but there still isn't anything firm," Martinez told The Associated Press. Martinez, 37, has been training in his native Dominican Republic in hopes of returning to the majors. His four-year deal with the New York Mets ended after last season, making Martinez a free agent. "Chicago and Tampa Bay are the two teams that have shown the most interest and we are negotiating with them, although I've told my agent not to call me until it's a done ..."

Pedro says deal could be on way soon

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June 18

MLB.com

"Pedro Martinez said Wednesday that he could be signing a Major League contract soon. The 37-year-old right-hander told The Associated Press in his native Dominican Republic that he has spoken with the Rays and Cubs. "There's a good chance I'll be signing soon, but there still isn't anything firm," Martinez told the AP. "Chicago and Tampa Bay are the two teams that have shown the most interest and we are negotiating with them, although I've told my agent not to call me until it's a done deal." Martinez, who became a free agent after his four-year contract with the Mets expired following the 2008 season, pitched well in relief in the '09 World Baseball Classic. He has been working out in the ..."

Sox not in a hurry to trade Brad Penny, Street being scouted

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June 15

SI.com

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"The Red Sox now "aren't in a hurry" to trade Brad Penny, who hit the mid-90s in his last start vs. the Yankees, even with John Smoltz seemingly ready to go. While it appears they have too much pitching, they also know there's no such thing. The market also hasn't been great so far for Penny, thanks to his $5 million salary. Perhaps with the pitching market dying, though, he'll begin to look better to someone. • Rockies closer Huston Street is being heavily scouted. Among the teams that need a reliever are the Yankees, Rangers and Angels. The Rays, Cubs and Twins might also consider bullpen help. • The Cardinals continue to scour the market for a bat. • Giants lefty Jonathan Sanchez is on ..."

Cubs show interest in Pedro

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June 13

MLB.com

"Pedro Martinez recently threw a sideline session for a Rays employee, and it appears as though the Cubs are also showing some interest in the three-time Cy Young Award winner. According to a report on SI.com, citing National League sources, the Cubs have been scouting Martinez as he continues to work out in his native Dominican Republic. Martinez, 37, was linked to several clubs during the offseason, and again after he allowed just one hit in six innings while pitching for the Dominican in the World Baseball Classic in March. However, any interest has been muted by Martinez's asking price, which is believed to be $5 million for the season. The Cubs' apparent interest in Martinez is ..."

Pedro? Probably not

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June 12

Tampa Tribune

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"A Rays official in the Dominican Republic recently watched Pedro Martinez work out there, but it doesn't sound like Tampa Bay has any plans to sign the three-time Cy Young Award winner. The Dominican newspaper Listin Diario reported on its Web site that Martinez threw 20 pitches - all fastballs - for the Rays, who planned to work him out again. Indications from the team, however, were that it is "very unlikely" anything will come of the audition. The Boston Globe reported the Cubs also watched Martinez throw. Martinez went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 starts for the Mets last season after returning from shoulder surgery and hasn't found any takers for his services after a brief showcase with ..."

Burrell closing in on his return

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June 11

Tampa Tribune

"DH Pat Burrell is finally healthy. His timing is another matter. The Rays' top offseason acquisition, out since May 11 with a neck strain, went 1-for-9 with four strikeouts and a walk in a minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Montgomery on Monday and Tuesday. He took early batting practice Wednesday at Tropicana Field and will play for Single-A Charlotte today. If that goes well, he could return this weekend, Manager Joe Maddon said. Burrell said he no longer has any limitations with his neck, noting he can finally turn his head to check traffic while driving. The problem flared up in late April during a series at Minnesota but has bothered him at various times during his career. ..."

Tampa Bay Rays think they'll find a talent they like with the 30th pick in today's draft

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June 9

St. Petersburg Times

"The Rays can't do anything about having to wait two-plus hours before making the 30th pick tonight in the first round of the annual draft. It's the price of last season's success. Their challenge is to make that pick, and the subsequent ones, starting with No. 78, as productive as in past years when they picked at or near the top of each round. Scouting director R.J. Harrison said late Monday they had a list of 16 names and will be eager to see who is left. "We have a pretty good target group,'' he said. "You hope like heck (the other teams) leave us a couple of the names toward the top of our list.'' Baseball America most recently projected them to take Bonita (Calif.) High shortstop ..."

Draft plan has a catch

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June 7

Tampa Tribune

"The few Major League Baseball mock drafts that exist have in recent weeks seemed to favor the Rays selecting a catcher with their first-round pick. There's no doubt catcher is a position of organizational need. Triple-A receiver John Jaso is known more for his bat than his defensive skills, and the Rays' stud prospects in the minors are mostly pitchers, along with shortstop Tim Beckham and outfielders such as Desmond Jennings and Rashad Eldridge. So you've seen names such as Tony Sanchez of Boston College and Arizona high-schooler Tommy Joseph connected to the Rays with the 30th overall pick, and that might end up being the way Tampa Bay goes with its first selection Tuesday night. But it ..."

Longoria could return on Saturday

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June 6

MLB.com

"Evan Longoria is optimistic about returning to the Rays' lineup on Saturday afternoon against the Yankees. "I would love to be [in the lineup]," Longoria said. "I don't know what [the team's] feeling is, I haven't talked to [manager Joe Maddon] yet, but like I said, if it was the seventh game of the World Series, I'd be playing today. But we're not even midway yet. [I'm] just going to give it time and see how it feels tomorrow." Longoria felt his left hamstring tighten up while running out a groundout during Tuesday night's game against the Royals. He did not play on Wednesday or Thursday and was not penciled into the lineup on Friday night prior to the game being called due to rain. ..."

Longoria likely won't need to go on disabled list

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June 4

St. Petersburg Times

"Evan Longoria was encouraged his injured left hamstring felt much better Wednesday, and with some good MRI exam results, he's day to day with a possible return Friday against the Yankees. Longoria, the majors' RBI leader, was out of the lineup Wednesday but went through some baseball activities (light jogging and throwing) in the afternoon and said he felt okay, just a little sore. Executive VP Andrew Friedman said the Rays are "very optimistic" Longoria will avoid a disabled list stint and confident they'll have him back "relatively soon." "We just may save him until New York, give him two full days and move him onto the regular turf, see how that works, but he's fine," manager Joe Maddon ..."

Infielder deals have yet to be made, but here's one to consider

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May 30

SI.com

"It's interesting to see that none of the major infield injuries by contenders has been filled by a trade yet: Cardinals third base (Troy Glaus), Brewers second base (Rickie Weeks), Mets first base (Carlos Delgado) and Rays second base (Akinori Iwamura). The Rays have hit a crisis point because of injuries, a decline in starting pitching and another awful trip to Cleveland. If they do decide to make a trade, one scout suggested that they ought to pry away Freddy Sanchez from the Pirates. Sanchez is exactly the kind of player who fits well in the way Tampa stresses defense and grinding out at-bats. Dan Uggla of Florida, another second baseman who could be available, is not nearly as good a ..."

Trade winds begin as a breeze

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May 27

Yahoo! Sports

"Last week's Jake Peavy(notes) near-trade demonstrated that not only will the Padres' ace dictate his relocation terms, but that the annual swapping season will heat up well before the July 31 trading deadline. Here are some developments to watch in the coming days and weeks: • The New York Mets retain keen interest in Washington Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson(notes), to the point where the Nationals have scouts watching the Mets' Triple-A team in Buffalo, N.Y., and Double-A team in Binghamton, N.Y., evaluating pitchers Jon Niese, Mike Antonini and Eddie Kunz(notes) among others. The Mets need a first baseman because Carlos Delgado(notes) could be out for two months after hip surgery. ..."

Bartlett next to the DL?

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May 26

Tampa Tribune

"Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett is not listed on the lineup card for tonight's game at Cleveland and apparently is headed to the 15-day disabled list. Bartlett suffered a sprained left ankle in the 10th inning Sunday against Florida but all indications at the time were that the injury was not serious. Minor league infielder Joe Dillon was listed as a reserve on the lineup card originally posted in the Rays clubhouse, but that card has since been removed. A new lineup card was posted shortly thereafter that listed neither Bartlett or Dillon as a reserve. The lineup card, as Rays should know after the recent blunder that saw pitcher Andy Sonnanstine forced to bat in place of Evan ..."

Rays to announce Maddon extension

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May 25

MLB.com

"The Rays are expected to announce on Monday that manager Joe Maddon has signed a three-year contract extension to remain with the team through the 2012 season. The Rays have scheduled a 1:30 p.m. ET conference call with reporters. Maddon, club resident Matt Silverman and executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman are scheduled to take part in the call. Maddon, in his fourth season in Tampa Bay, was in the final year of his contract and had a 247-285 overall record entering Monday's game at Cleveland. Despite a payroll that ranked 29th out of 30 Major League teams in 2008, Maddon led the Rays to their first winning season with an AL East-best record of 97-65 to break ..."

Time on disabled list could give Tampa Bay Rays' Scott Kazmir a fresh start

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May 24

St. Petersburg Times

"You know a guy is having a tough year when, upon hearing that he is hurt, the first thing you think to say to him is, "Hey … congratulations." That's how bad things have gone for Scott Kazmir, the ace-turned-deuce of the Rays' pitching rotation. For Kazmir, this season has been like getting trapped in hell's outhouse. He has been embarrassed by his ERA. He has been whipped by his WHIP. Magically, he has acquired the ability to transform pedestrian hitters into Ted Williams. Keeping all that in mind, what's a little stopover on the disabled list? This could be a good thing for Kazmir, a good thing for the Rays, a good thing for everyone involved. Kazmir can use the break because of his ..."

Maddon to stick with Kazmir

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May 22

MLB.com

"Scott Kazmir will make his next scheduled start, Rays manager Joe Maddon said Thursday, but there are ongoing discussions about whether to make a change in the current starting rotation. After the Rays' beleaguered left-hander struggled through another start Wednesday night, there has been clamoring about bringing up one of Tampa Bay's top young arms from the Minor Leagues, notably David Price. "We're evaluating everything," Maddon said. "Yesterday with [Kazmir], it was just unfortunate. We've been trying so many things to help him out, whether it's physical, conversational, whatever you want to call it. It's been very difficult. We're just evaluating everything right now." Price, the No. ..."

Maddon nears 3-year extension with Rays

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May 21

Tampa Tribune

"Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon will finalize a three-year contract extension sometime in the coming days, according to a person familiar with the situation. Maddon is in the last year of his original deal; the new one would lock him up through the 2012 season. Neither Maddon nor team officials would comment on the pending deal. "I have no comment because it's an ongoing matter and it's team policy to not really comment on those things," Maddon said. "At the appropriate time we will, obviously, but it's just not the appropriate time yet." Executive vice president Andrew Friedman took a similar stance. "It is a private matter and we don't comment either way on these types of talks," ..."

Carl Crawford likely to return for Tampa Bay Rays today, but Pat Burrell not

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May 15

St. Petersburg Times

"Manager Joe Maddon said LF Carl Crawford probably will return to the lineup today after missing Thursday's game due to a bruised right shoulder. Crawford said his shoulder was feeling better but just a little sore and stiff. He left in the fifth inning Wednesday after his shoulder (which he injured making a diving catch) bothered him during his ensuing at-bat. But it's still wait and see with regard to DH Pat Burrell's neck stiffness. Burrell is scheduled to receive a cortisone shot today, which Maddon expects will make him unavailable for the next two games. But the Rays hope it will help ameliorate what doctors labeled "inflammation." Burrell had an MRI exam Wednesday and was examined ..."

Longoria to miss next two Tampa Bay Rays games

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April 15

St. Petersburg Times

"Slugging 3B Evan Longoria is expected to miss the Rays next two games. Longoria was headed to California Wednesday morning for what a team official described as a family matter. He is expected to return for Friday's game against the White Sox. Longoria leads the majors with five homers and has a .441 average and hits in each of the first eight games, a career-best streak."

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