Brignac to get his chance

Reid Brignac and his family headed to their favorite rib joint in Baton Rouge, La., on Friday night to celebrate the increase in playing time the shortstop will receive in 2011.

"We always go there when we have a nice little thing to celebrate," Brignac said.

It's safe to say not many Rays fans were in the same celebratory mood.

After more than a week of waiting, Jason Bartlett was traded to the San Diego Padres for three pitchers and a minor-league infielder.

"The last nine days have been pretty hectic," Bartlett said.

Rays vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said it was a matter of two general managers working through a deal with several players while working on other matters.

In the end, the Rays acquired right-hander Adam Russell, who is out of options and should be in the Rays' rebuilt bullpen this season; left-hander Cesar Ramos, who has a chance to make the bullpen out of spring training; right-handed reliever Brandon Gomes, who can reach the major leagues next summer; and infielder Cole Figueroa, who played high Class-A ball last season and is a few seasons away.

All it cost the Rays was the best shortstop in team history - the MVP of the 2008 championship squad and a 2009 All-Star - and a player to be named later, which will be a minor-leaguer.

"On one hand it's very difficult to part with someone like Jason, and on the other it's good to give an opportunity to someone like Reid," Friedman said. "He got kind of a soft landing in the major leagues last year, and I think it was good for him. We're confident in what he brings to us defensively. And offensively, he's going to have to make some adjustments and get a little more comfortable out there and that comes with experience. Reid has a lot of upside."

Friedman said Elliot Johnson also will be in the mix at shortstop this season, along with Sean Rodriguez.

"I'm super, super excited," Brignac said.

Bartlett, whose offensive output declined in 2010 (his batting average dropped by 66 points and he hit 10 fewer home runs than he did in 2009), made $4 million last season.

Arbitration-eligible for the final time, Bartlett can earn between $5 million and $6 million this season. He will be a free agent in 2012.

Friedman acknowledged the trade smacks of a salary dump, but he said there is more to it than the ongoing salary slash of the 2010 American League East champions.

"Everything is intertwined," he said. "As a small-revenue team, it's more difficult for us to maintain areas of strength where we have two capable shortstops with Elliot there as well, so to be able to allocate and address our areas of weakness through the return and adding a little bit of financial flexibility, all those things are intertwined."

Bartlett, who said the trade was just a matter of baseball business, said he's happy to return to the organization that drafted him in the 13th round of the 2001 draft before trading him to Minnesota the following summer.

"I'm excited. I never got to the big leagues over there," Bartlett said. "I've heard the (National League) is a lot different. ... Hopefully I can be there for a while. I'm ready to go."

So is Brignac.

"I'm ready for spring training to come around," he said.

A rookie in 2010, Brignac will assume the bulk of playing time at shortstop in 2011.

The arrival of Bartlett in 2008 settled the infield defense and turned it into what Friedman called, "a hallmark for us in '08, '09 and '10."

With Brignac and Johnson, Friedman said he doesn't feel the need to look outside the organization for help.

"I don't anticipate it," Friedman said. "Part of the reason for doing this was to give Reid an opportunity as well as let Elliot compete for some time there. We have more glaring holes for sure and feel like between those guys and what they're capable of we'll get solid to above average defense and have some offensive upside and keep that position an area of strength for us."

rmooney@tampatrib.com

(813) 259-7227