Helly out...and not much else. This is going to be the longest 10 days.
Rays news and notes:
- The team has invited 11 of their minor league players to major league spring training: catcher Mayo Acosta, right-handed pitcher Matt Andriese, catcher Curt Casali, infielder Cole Figueroa, right-handed pitcher Steve Geltz, right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly, left-handed pitcher Braulio Lara, left-handed pitcher Adam Liberatore, outfielder Mikie Mahtook, catcher Luke Maile and right-handed pitcher Victor Mateo.
With those invites the roster for spring training is officially at 59 players, but the Rays have signed three who are invited: infielder Wilson Betemit, right-handed pitchers Juan Sandoval and Mark Lowe, and outfielder Jeremy Moore; so the current working total is 63.
- ICYMI from yesterday: Jeremy Hellickson will miss six to eight weeks after getting arthroscopic surgery in his throwing elbow last week to remove "loose bodies." He's expected to be out through mid to late May.
- With Helly out, this pretty much confirms a David Price trade will not be occurring, with Jim Bowden providing backing to that assumption:
.@JimBowdenESPNxm:Price will remain a #Rays. Friedman did due diligence, after listening to what he could get, he's keeping him #InsidePitch
— MLB Network Radio (@MLBNetworkRadio) February 3, 2014- Joe Maddon commented on enjoying "the intellectual process" that is required of his job, much due to the lack of "an open locker of money."
Links:
- Kyle Farnsworth signed a minor league deal with the Mets yesterday.
- Fangraphs looked at the next crop of free agent pitchers after the 2014 season, with Max Scherzer, James Shields, Justin Masterson, Homer Bailey and Jon Lester topping the list.
- A Super Bowl wasn't enough, so Russell Wilson is planning to attend Rangers Spring Training as well.
Tweet of the day?
Playing in Beuno Mars' band is like being on set with Harold Reynolds
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) February 4, 2014