Do the Rays trade away a cornerstone?

[BrassBulls12]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2786525-one-big-regret-each-mlb-team-must-avoid-at-the-2018-trade-deadline#slide27

The Tampa Bay Rays got bad news Thursday when All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos was put on the DL with a hamstring strain. He's likely to stay on it until after July 31.

There goes the Rays' best trade chip. The best they can hope for now is trades involving other rentals like Eovaldi, Adeiny Hechavarria, Carlos Gomez and Sergio Romo. None is likely to bring back much, if anything.

Perhaps this will embolden rival executives to push the Rays to trade their controllable cornerstones, such as Blake Snell, Chris Archer, Kevin Kiermaier and Matt Duffy. A trade of any one of them would shower the Rays in the sort of prospect riches they can't get from trading rentals alone.

If this does happen, however, the Rays must resist. They've put up a 49-47 record this year despite being a collection of stars and scrubs. They should get even better as they mine more stars from their farm system. They only need to let it happen.

 

I think before the season, I would have liked to have seen Archer go but with the way they have played thus far he might be worth keeping around.  If Honeywell and DeLeon can come back healthy they could put together a pretty solid rotation for next season. Sucks about Ramos though. Either have to pony up some money on hi or let him walk for nothing. I would like to see them pay him the money and then deal him if next season isn't working out. 

[Brad]

I wish my 83 year old, former college coach and MLB scout, father could be on here.  He loves the Rays and speaks about them often.

I'll ask him about this tomorrow....

My guess is, and it seems to fit the model, it all depends on what they can get.  They are (currently) a small market team and will deal salaries for young talent.

I'm a Pirates fan, so I know the pain.

I try to be a Diamondbacks fan...

So the D-rays (I'm old school) are "one of my teams".  

[BrassBulls12]

Its just such a tough division.

[JTrue]

Blake Snell is the only untouchable. They should be taking phone calls on everyone else on the roster.

[Triple B]

1 hour ago, JTrue said:

Blake Snell is the only untouchable.

Bauers should be darn close ...

[BrassBulls12]

Duffy is cheap, controllable, plays multiple INF positions pretty well, he also wont garner much in return. Not sure it would smart to just take what you get on him  right now. 

The hitch was Ramos getting hurt, I think he was the only clear cut gotta move guy on the roster. 

I think they need to move from Kevin "DL" Kiemaier. He if makes it to 2020 as a ray, ill be surprised.  

[BrassBulls12]

 

 

[Triple B]

In one of his more lucid moments, one of our fav sports columnists had a nice column on the Rays today ....

[BrassBulls12]

that is a good article. If they manage to stay above .500 for the entire season, they will write books about how they managed the pitching staff.

[Triple B]

Of course he writes that and they promptly respond by giving up 20+ runs over 2 games ... to the Orioles ... days after holding the Bronx Bombers without a home run in a series, something not done for a while. Baseball is a maddening game ...

Edited July 29, 2018 by Triple B