Rumors heat up....

[Matt]

if cc does leave before his contract and ext are up then the rays better got mlb ready players.  However...again in todays economy few teams are willing to give up those type of players and the teams with the payroll to not care dont have the farm system to make it happen.

i dont want to see carl go.

of course if the giants came calling with bumgarner and posey we would listen but that is not going to happen.

as for draft picks vs prospects....it all depends on what kind of contract the prospects are signed to.  Rays could be better off in the draft in some cases

[flsportsfan83]

the baseball draft is the biggest crap shoot in any sport

[Bullpride08]

if cc does leave before his contract and ext are up then the rays better got mlb ready players.  However...again in todays economy few teams are willing to give up those type of players and the teams with the payroll to not care dont have the farm system to make it happen.

i dont want to see carl go.

of course if the giants came calling with bumgarner and posey we would listen but that is not going to happen.

as for draft picks vs prospects....it all depends on what kind of contract the prospects are signed to.  Rays could be better off in the draft in some cases

I don't want Carl to go either, he's my favorite Ray of all time.  My kids have Crawford jersey's, but there are two important caveats with retaining him.  One, they have ample players capable of stepping up right this moment for him, and two he's coming up on a huge payday.  A payday that could be diverted to another player of need, one not so easily replaced at the present time like Bartlett.

The Rays are loaded in the outfield with guys like 22 year old Desmond Jennings who is the next big thing in the minor league system.  He's a 6-2 190lbs speedy fielder, batting .315, 6 triples, 6 homers, 32 SB's, and 55 runs for the Biscuits....sound like someone you know playing LF in the majors for the Rays?

[Bullpride08]

matt, i saw the question to tompkin about CC, and he seemed to believe too that CC will be gone sooner rather than later too.  Conventionally speaking it makes to much sense for the Rays, especially when they have so many talented guys trying to get more at-bats, or called up from the minors, that could play LF.

[Matt]

well IF they do have to trade CC then jennings better be as good as advertised because i dont see Fernando Perez as someone who can fill CC's shoes.

[Bullpride08]

well IF they do have to trade CC then jennings better be as good as advertised because i dont see Fernando Perez as someone who can fill CC's shoes.

The kid has dominated everywhere he has played.  He's a stolen base leader everywhere too.  Carl Crawford is slowly working on a hall-of-fame career, so it's difficult to compare right now, but Jennings has more power right now than Carl had at this point too.

This is the inevitable feature of being a fan of a team other than the 6-8 aforementioned big market teams.

[Matt]

i still would be shocked to see CC get traded.  he quite possibly saved the game today with the running catch he made in the top of the 9th.  there isnt another LF in baseball that can make that play.

i did come across this list of OFers would have a chance of being traded...pretty detailed list with no mention of CC.

granted, one guys opinion doesnt mean much but i would think that if the rays were actively shopping him then it would be more known.

Trade Candidates: Outfielders

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [July 9 at 1:28pm CST]

This year’s outfielders have a lot to live up to on July 31st. It was just a year ago that the Red Sox  parted with Manny Ramirez and acquired Jason Bay. This time, Matt Holliday’s the big name, but there are also a few cheap, powerful players out there for teams looking to add an outfielder. Here’s your list of trade candidates, ranked from highest 2009 salary to lowest:

Matt Holliday - At $13.5MM, Holliday's pricey, but he's a good defender with a history of batting excellence. With just seven extra base hits in the last month, Holliday's no longer perceived as a sure thing.

Jermaine Dye - He makes $11.5MM this year and there's a mutual option with a $1MM buyout for 2010 on his deal. The White Sox want to win now though, so Dye doesn't appear to be on the block.

Gary Matthews Jr. - The Angels would presumably pick up salary in any deal involving Matthews, as he makes $10MM this year and $23MM over the course of the next two years.   

Juan Pierre - Another overpaid outfielder in LA, Pierre makes $10MM this year and $18.5MM over the course of the next two. At least he's hitting well, with an OBP approaching .400 and a career-high slugging percentage.

Alex Rios - He makes $5.9MM this year and has $60MM more coming his way between now and 2014. His teammate, Vernon Wells likely could not be traded.

David Dejesus - Under contract for $3.6MM this year, he can play all three outfield positions, but his .714 OPS is ordinary. 

Mark Teahen - Makes $3.6MM as well and can play the outfield, though he's been manning third for the Royals. He has a .344 OBP and 27 extra base hits.   

Jeff Francoeur -  He's struggled since last year and makes $3.4MM this season, so the suitors are not lining up for Francoeur. 

Josh Willingham - He has 10 homers for a .534 slugging percentage and he'll earn $3MM in 2009. Mike Rizzo says Adam Dunn's staying in Washington.

Luke Scott - He makes just $2.4MM this year and won't be a free agent until after 2012, so the Orioles have a cheap, powerful asset on their hands. They have three talented outfielders already in Nolan Reimold, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones, so they could conceivably part with Scott.

Jeremy Hermida - With good patience, some power and a $2.25MM contract, Hermida could appeal to teams in need of a bat.

Cody Ross - Like Scott, Ross is cheap and powerful. He's slugging .505 and makes just $2.2MM this year. He's scheduled to hit free agency after 2011.   

Scott Hairston - He was just traded, but he plays solid defense and has extra base power, so Hairston, who makes $1.25MM this year, could appeal to other teams.   

Ryan Spilborghs - Apparently the Rockies would prefer to hold onto Spilborghs, who's under team control for three more years and makes just $415k this season.   

The Tigers, Braves, Mets, Giants and Reds could all look for outfield bats.

[Bullpride08]

Matt, I love your zest but you're nuts if you think Carl Crawford is finishing his career as a Ray.  When he comes up as a FA he's going to be demanding $12M+/annually...the Rays would need to cut a 5th of their current salary to keep him if what the front office is saying is true.  It may not be today, or tomorrow but the time is coming.

Where in the world do you think that money is coming from?  THe rays have said they're spending $60M and are above where they want to be salary wise.  Now I don't believe their hardship plea, but I do believe $60M is much closer to our team cap than further away.  SO, there is really no way they can afford to give Carl the jump next year unless they're prepared to cut a few players, or reduce salary elsewhere.  And we're talking about a team that is now woefully desperate for a closer, and catcher...even more so now than a good Crawford around.

Carl will not finish his career as a Ray, and nor will he be sticking around much longer.  I heard a few baseball sports announcers throw his name out a fwe days ago.  No one knows truly because the Rays have always kept things close to the vest. 

His replacements are being groomed, and he's not the figure to build a franchise around.  Over the next year is the time to dump Carl...his value is high, his replacements are nearly ready, and he's got street value...

[Matt]

dont get me wrong.  it makes financial sense to move him just based on what it would take to sign him long term but i think the front office knows that carl is pretty much the face of the rays to the rest of mlb.  i think they see the value in keeping him and paying him 10 mil next year.

but if he does get traded, i will be upset. but like i said, i will understand why and i will just have my fingers crossed that jennings is ready to go.

[Bull Dozer]

dont get me wrong.  it makes financial sense to move him just based on what it would take to sign him long term but i think the front office knows that carl is pretty much the face of the rays to the rest of mlb.  i think they see the value in keeping him and paying him 10 mil next year.

but if he does get traded, i will be upset. but like i said, i will understand why and i will just have my fingers crossed that jennings is ready to go.

I think it can be argued that Longoria has already over taken him as the face of the rays.