Rays 2011 off-season......

[Tobywan]

Rays give permission for Friedman to pow wow with the Astros

As in the case of the Angels this is thought to be just a courtesy , but you just never know.




Coaching staff returns minus one....


The bullpen coach Bobby Ramos has battled an illness since 2010 having to leave for long periods and missed the majority of the second half of 2011. Stan Boroski was filling in for Ramos along with his usual job of assistant to pitching coach Jim Hickey.

[Tobywan]

Congrats to the super new arrival at the Sam & Sarah Fuld household...a baby girl Jane born on Nov. 25.

[Tobywan]

Payroll may exceed last season's $42 mi......YES let's spend some of that ALDS money!!

My personal celebrity sighting of the year...my screen namesake Toby came in for take out with the kids! I hadn't seen him in ages as he usually comes in on the weekends when I'm not working. Still one of the hottest men to never really make it as a significant major leaguer.

[Tobywan]

Friedman declines interview with the Astros.

[love_that_reefer]

The Rays have signed Juan Miranda, Matt Mangini, Jhonny Nunez, and Ricky Orta to minor league contracts, tweets Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.

Of the four signings, the 28-year-old Miranda is the most intriguing. He spent a good chunk of 2011 in the bigs with the Diamondbacks, posting a .717 OPS in 202 plate appearances.

Miranda isn't a bad pickup on a minor league deal.

[Tobywan]

According to Friedman Miranda could be a possibility to fight for a spot at 1B.

I follow Marc Topkin on Twitter, he’s always good for up the minute tidbits.
He says the Rays will be among teams to watch free agent reliever Zumaya throw next week, were not among teams supposedly called directly by job-seeking Manny Ramirez and are not the "mystery" team that bid on Japanese INF Nakajima.

Also, they continue to consider bringing back their own free agents, DH Johnny Damon and 1B Casey Kotchman. "They're still very prominent in all of our internal conversations,'' Freidman said.

[Tobywan]

Moore, Moore, Moore.....how do you like it....how do you like it?!?!?

Guess this would be considered landing a big fish in our low payroll world!

[Tobywan]

More Moore.

[Tobywan]

Joe Maddon had his fundraiser in downtown Tampa last night for his annual Christmas Thanksmas where he and others from the Rays organization raise money to provide a dinner to feed the needy in the bay area. I have heard this is really a fun event and if Joe stays for a few more years I might have to try to get out to one. Many players showed up to tend bar and as far as the event, it went well and Joe thanked everyone on Twitter.

According to David Price it was a great night until he went to his car and saw someone peeing on it, he was understandably perturbed. The offender got mad that David was mad and pushed David and tried to take a couple swings at him. David says he “floated like a butterfly” to avoid him as he was alone and didn’t want to fight. Too bad Farnsworth wasn’t there.

[Tobywan]

The Rays acquired RHP Burke Badenhop from the Marlins for minor-league C Jacob Jefferies.

[Tobywan]

Rays tender JP Howell, Andy Sonnanstine is now a free agent.

[Tobywan]

It's Thanksmas!



Isn't Zim just the cutest thing?!

[Tobywan]

Andrew Friedman appointed to the MLB International Talent Committee.

[Tobywan]

Rays and Peralta avoid arbitration.

[Tobywan]

As of now Rays haven't confirmed but the newly named Tampa Bay Times (formerly St Petersburg Times) reports they have signed Fernando Rodney.

Rodney says it's a done deal.