The newest Rays: Four prospects in Bartlett trade

ST. PETERSBURG Here is what the Rays received for Jason Bartlett, the MVP of the 2008 championship team and 2009 All-Star who was sent to the Padres on Friday afternoon for three relief pitchers and a minor league infielder:

RHP Adam Russell

Russell, 27, made 12 relief appearances over four stints with the Padres in 2010. He compiled a 4.02 ERA (15.2-IP, 7-ER) with 18 strikeouts while allowing 14 hits, five walks and no home runs. He spent the remainder of the season with Portland, where he recorded 15 saves in 50 appearances. In parts of three major league seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2008) and Padres (2009-10), he is 7-1 with a 4.50 ERA and has recorded 54 strikeouts in 54 innings. Russell, 6-foot-8, was acquired by San Diego as part of the trade that sent Jake Peavy to Chicago on July 31, 2009.

Russell is out of options, so Rays vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman said he will be a part of the major league bullpen in 2011.

"He's got a track record of limiting extra-base hits," Friedman said. "He's a tough guy to square up."

Friedman also likes the fact Russell has 54 strikeouts in 54 big league innings while allowing one home run.

"We still think there's a little upside there as well," Friedman said.

LHP Cesar Ramos

Ramos, 26, split the 2010 season between Portland (AAA) and San Diego, making 14 relief appearances over three stints with the Padres. He went 6-7 with a 3.28 ERA (96-IP, 35-ER) for Portland in 30 games (15 starts). The lefty made his major league debut in 2009, pitching in five games (two starts). He was a first-round supplemental selection by the Padres in the 2005 June Draft out of Long Beach State University.

A converted starter, Friedman expects Ramos to compete for a job this spring.

"He's a competitive lefty with a good feel for pitching," Friedman said.

The Rays drafted Ramos in the sixth round of the 2002 draft, but could not sign him.

"His stuff took a step forward in September while working out of the bullpen," Friedman said. "We like him on left-handers, and there's a chance to develop into a full inning option down the road."

Gomes, 26, spent the 2010 season at San Antonio (AA) and posted a 7-2 record with a 1.87 ERA (72.1-IP, 15-ER) in 51 appearances. He struck out 93 batters while allowing 25 walks and 52 hits, holding opponents to a .198 batting average. The Tulane University graduate was drafted by the Padres in the 17th round of the 2007 June Draft and holds a 19-10 record with a 2.99 ERA over four professional seasons.

INF Cole Figueroa

Figueroa, 23, hit .303 (146-for-482) with 66 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 124 games at second base and shortstop for Lake Elsinore (A) in 2010. He played for the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League this year and owns a .296 career batting average with 48 stolen bases over three professional seasons. The Tallahassee native played for the University of Florida and was drafted by the Padres in the sixth round of the 2008 June Draft. His father, Bien Figueroa, played 11 seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and was a coach in the Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants systems.

The Rays also officially announced the signing of RHP Joel Peralta.

Peralta, 34, went 1-0 with a 2.02 ERA (49-IP, 11-ER) in 39 relief appearances for the Washington Nationals in 2010.

He struck out 49 batters while allowing nine walks and 30 hits, holding opponents to a .170 batting average. The Nationals selected his contract from Syracuse (AAA) on June 21 after going 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA (33.1-IP, 4-ER) and recording 20 saves in 20 opportunities. From the day of his debut (June 22) through season's end, Peralta ranked fourth among National League relief pitchers in innings pitched and second in opponents' on-base percentage (.214).

He has spent parts of six major league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2005), Kansas City Royals (2006-08), Colorado Rockies (2009) and Nationals (2010), compiling a career 4.22 ERA. He began his career as an outfielder in the Oakland Athletics system in 1997 and converted to a pitcher in 1999 with the Angels.

The irony here is the Rays tried to acquire Peralta in the fall of 2005 shortly after Stuart Sternberg took over the team.

"The first transaction we attempted to make was to claim Peralta on waivers, and Kansas City had a higher waiver position and claimed him ahead of us," Friedman said.

Rays manager Joe Maddon, who knows Peralta from the 2005 season when they were both a member of the Angels, compared the 5-foot-11 Peralta to a boxer who never quits.

Friedman said Peralta is a fly-ball pitcher, who throws a lot of strikes.

"We believe there are some fundamental adjustments that helped him against left-handed hitters in 2010 and we're optimistic the success he had against lefties can carry over to next year," Friedman said.