TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Rays Likely To Make Some Roster Moves

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 20, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays' 40-man roster figures to get at least a slight makeover by the end of today as the deadline to protect minor-league players from the Rule 5 draft passes.

Players who have spent either four or five years as a professional (depending on how old they were when they signed their first contract) must be added to the 40-man roster by today or they will be exposed in the Rule 5 draft, which will be held Dec. 6 at baseball's winter meetings.

The Rays have one open spot on their 40-man roster, though they could clear space by designating other players for assignment today. Top catching prospect John Jaso, who hit .316 and posted a .408 on-base percentage last year at Montgomery, is expected to be added to the roster. The Rays likely will find room for OF Fernando Perez (.423 OBP, 10 triples, 32 steals for Montgomery) as well.

Other players who would be eligible for the draft if they aren't added to the roster today include OF Jason Pridie, LHP James Houser, RHP Evan Meek, IF Chris Nowak and RHP Nick DeBarr.

Rule 5 picks must stay on the 25-man roster or major-league disabled list of the team that selects them for the entire season or be offered back to their former team. DeBarr experienced that last year, as he was selected by the Red Sox but rejoined the Rays near the end of spring training.

The Rays hoped OF Josh Hamilton would follow the same path after he was selected by the Cubs and traded to the Reds during last year's draft, but Hamilton went on to hit .292 with 19 homers in 90 games for Cincinnati in 2007.

TOPPING OUT: Carlos Pena's ninth-place finish in the American League MVP balloting was easily the best showing by a Tampa Bay player. Pena tallied 64 points, including a pair of third-place votes, as he was listed on 22 of the 28 ballots.

Only three Rays players received any points in MVP voting in the team's first nine seasons of existence: Carl Crawford (two points in 2006), Jorge Cantu (one in 2005) and Aubrey Huff (four in 2003).

NOTEWORTHY: Tampa Bay is still in the market for a shortstop, and Juan Uribe is now expendable after the White Sox acquired Orlando Cabrera on Monday. But the Rays are looking for defense first, and that isn't Uribe's forte. ... The Rays are among five teams in the mix to sign free-agent RHP Yasuhiko Yabuta, the veteran reliever told reporters in Japan. Kyodo News reported Sunday that Yabuta, 34, also has talked to the Royals, Indians, White Sox and Pirates. Reports in the U.S. media late last week indicated Yabuta was close to signing with Kansas City.

Marc Lancaster

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT