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Rays' chemistry takes another hit with Aki trade

Associated Press file photo

The Rays lose a fair amount of toughness in the deal - plus, Iwamura is just a good guy, period.

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2009

I thought one of the key moments that led to the Tampa Bay Rays' demise came in late May, when Akinori Iwamura hurt his knee in a game at the Marlins. Although he came back late in the season, I thought a fair degree of toughness went out of the lineup that day, and it was noticeable.

That same toughness was sent to Pittsburgh on Tuesday in a trade for a 26-year-old rookie reliever with what executive vice president Andrew Friedman has "real upside." That is baseball speak for "we don't have any idea if he can really help, but it's better than nothing."

That's what the Rays would have gotten for Iwamura if the trade hadn't been made because they had long ago decided not to exercise the $4.85 million option they held on him for next season. The intangibles Iwamura brought to the Rays weren't enough to justify such extravagance when a club only has so many nickels and has to spend them wisely (see Crawford, Carl).

It's what they like to call the Ray Way over at Tropicana Field. Think two moves ahead and always have lower-cost replacements ready.

The Rays already have Ben Zobrist, who can start at second base, and we saw what he did. There is also Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez, who was the key to the Scott Kazmir trade with the Angels. One of those might crack the lineup and allow Zobrist to start in right field.

Or Matt Joyce could come on strong in spring training, win the job in right field and push Zobrist back to second base.

Either way, there was no room for the player they call Aki. And if they had kept him around until the end of the World Series, the Rays would have had to pay a $550,000 buyout – hence, the trade now. You save those nickels where you can.

Yet, we shouldn't let Iwamura go without a proper goodbye.

Friedman correctly noted that a pivotal moment in the 2008 run to the American League pennant came when Iwamura selflessly agreed in spring training to move from third base to second (where he had never played).

That not only allowed the Rays to put Evan Longoria at third, but Iwamura became a darned good second baseman. Between him and shortstop Jason Bartlett, up-the-middle defense that had been a major liability on this team became a decided strength.

Plus, Iwamura is just a good guy, period.

Always smiling.

Always upbeat.

Always good in the clubhouse.

If you think that's not a factor, then you weren't around Pat Burrell much this summer. Remember how nonchalant the Rays were most of last summer? How they never had a sense of urgency even when they lost games they should have won? It's worth asking whether the Rays would have been quite so blasé during June, July and most of August if Iwamura had been healthy.

As Friedman goes forward this winter to remake the Rays, the clubhouse mix needs to be a top priority – right up there with the bullpen and figuring a way to dupe some team into taking on the final year of Burrell's contract.

I remember guys like Cliff Floyd, Eric Hinske and Jonny Gomes keeping order in the clubhouse during 2008. I remember a lively place, a place where players wanted to be, a place where you felt something special was happening. Without those guys – and without Aki for a fair portion last summer – the clubhouse was more like a college library on the night before final exams.

Chemistry is one of the toughest things to harness for a big-league club, but I think it's one of the most important. The sum of the parts for the 2008 Rays was always bigger than any individual, and I'll always believe chemistry was the reason why. Akinori Iwamura was one of those "chemistry" guys, and he is gone now.

I know the deal makes sense, given the amount of money Friedman has to play with. I know there are higher priorities than a 30-year-old second baseman. I know there was simply no room for Iwamura here any longer.

I also know something else, though.

I know the Rays didn't get better with this trade.

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