Yesterday was an unexpectedly busy day in the world of the Rays, as they traded LHP Alex Torres and RHP Jesse Hahn to the Padres for utility player Logan Forsythe, RHRP Brad Boxberger, RHSP Matt Andriese, RHRP Matt Lollis and second baseman turned catcher Maxx Tissenbaum.
Danny broke down the trade, providing a rundown of the players that the Rays received from San Diego. His conclusion:
The Rays have a glut of left handed relievers and minor league starters. Acquiring Forsythe was the goal, but along the way they turned Torres and Hahn into right-handed-Torres with more consistency, another starter to replace Hahn, a project arm with high upside, and an infielder that showed much early promise and hasn't left A-ball.
Maxx Tissenbaum tips the scales toward me liking this trade, even if Hahn was much to sacrifice. It should be interesting to see how the Rays treat the presence of S-Rod moving forward.
Andrew Friedman spoke to Marc Topkin and gave his two cents on all the players involved as well:
On Forsythe: "A versatile infielder that provides really competitive at-bats. We feel like various injuries have prevented him from reaching his potential. We see a lot of upside in his skill set on both sides of the ball. We feel like he fits us really well. Plays extremely hard. Glowing reports on his makeup. We feel like his profile fits into our system really well.''
On Boxberger: "Has top-end strikeout ability, swing and miss fastball and changeup, stuff that plays extremely well in the strike zone. He has the potential to be a high-leverage full-inning reliever, that came do equally well against right-handers and left-handers. He's missed a lot of bats. Like most young pitchers, improved command will be a goal and kind of a focal area for us as he joins our organization.''
On Andriese: "A guy who has kind of rocketed though the minor leagues. He's a starting pitching prospect that does two things we value quite a bit which is throw strikes and have the ability to keep the ball on the ground. We really like his ability to manipulate the ball, both fastball and secondary (pitches). He's very good at giving hitters' different looks and mixing and matching in terms of eye levels. ... He's got a chance, he should be a starting pitching for us.''
On Lollis: "He's a 6-9 big right-handed power arm. He's got really intersting ingredients. ... He's someone we feel that with the makeup, the reports and the stuff, there's a real compelling upside story to him so we're anxious to get him into our organization.''
On Tissenbaum: "Excellent bat to ball skills. An infielder who's bounced around a little bit and even picked up some time behind the plate, and a guy that does some things we really value.''
Rays news and notes:
- With Masahiro Tanaka signing a seven-year, $155 million dollar deal with the Yankees yesterday the locked up pitcher market is back in session, with eyes again turning to David Price.
...one Major League executive expects the Rays to reach out to the Dodgers and other teams about Price's availability. "I have no doubt they will revisit that, starting today," the executive tells Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
Price was on Hot Stove yesterday reacting to Tanaka's deal, discussing where his current mindset is and what he believes his future holds:
- Maxx Tissenbaum, the Rays newest second base prospect, writes for MLB blogs and penned a piece about the mayhem of yesterday and his excitement of joining the Rays.
- Sweet Spot ranked the Top 10 rotations in the MLB following the Tanaka-Yankees news, with the Rays coming in at number seven. Agree to disagree.
- Joe Maddon chatted with the Sirius XM MLB Radio Network about the new instant replay system and how it will affect the game.
- The Lightning and the Rays have teamed up to welcome a youth sports initiative to the Tampa Bay area called the Positive Coaching Alliance. The PCA is a national non-profit organization that seeks "to develop kids by providing all youth and high school athletes with a positive, character-building experience in sports."
Links:
- Hardball Talk ranked the Top 5 best 1-2 punches in baseball, with Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke topping the list; the Rays weren't included.
- How to build, or find, "the perfect pitcher" from our friends over at Fangraphs.