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The Devil Rays traded veteran SS Julio Lugo to the Dodgers minutes before the 4 pm deadline for two minor-leaguers, third base prospect Joel Guzman and outfielder Sergio Pedroza.
Lugo is the fourth veteran traded in the last five weeks.
The Rays had been trying to sign Lugo to a long-term deal.
The Rays have also called up prospect B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist.
The Devil Rays have decided to call up top infield prospect B.J. Upton from Triple-A Durham and he is expected to join them Monday night. Upton is expected to take over at third base.
The Rays had planned on calling him up soon anyway, and the broken hand sustained by Ty Wigginton on Saturday may have expedited the situation.
Upton hit .269 in 106 games at Durham with eight homers and 41 RBIs, along with a league-high 46 stolen bases.
With the 4 p.m. deadline for nonwaiver trades approaching, it looks like the Devil Rays are not going to be making any deals.
Unless something unexpected happens in the final hours (or minutes), SS Julio Lugo appears likely to stay with the Rays, and without a contract extension.
He is not going to Boston, at least not as part of rumored three- and four-way deals that were flying around Fenway Park and the Internet Sunday night. It's true the Padres need a third baseman (which the Red Sox in theory could provide with Mike Lowell) and the Red Sox need pitching (which the Padres could provide with Scott Linebrink and maybe others) and the Rays want prospects and young major-leaguers (which both teams have), but there was no deal to be made.
And the subsequent rumors of the Rays trading Lugo for Sox 2B Mark Loretta made even less sense. The Rays would have no use for Loretta, and the Sox would be taking a huge gamble in trying to move Lugo to second base in the midst of a pennant race.
Though the Rays need to add an infielder to take Ty Wigginton's place for Monday night's game with Detroit, and though B.J. Upton seems to be the obvious fit, the Rays as of midday, have yet to make any announcement about a roster move.
Agent Dan Lozano confirmed to the Times Thursday night that the Devil Rays have offered shortstop Julio Lugo a long-term contract.
The Rays had been exploring the trade market for Lugo, but in the last few days have turned their attention toward signing the veteran shortstop, who leads the team with a .309 average and fills the important leadoff slot.
With a Monday 4 p.m. deadline for nonwaiver trades looming, the Rays and Lugo's representatives won't have time for extended negotiations. If the Rays don't sign Lugo, the Blue Jays are considered the most likely trade partners.
SS Julio Lugo returned to the Devil Rays lineup on Wednesday after missing three games due to a bruised middle finger. But as the Rays sorted through options of trading Lugo (to the Blue Jays or Red Sox) or, perhaps now more likely, signing him long-term, they have another problem.
Lefthanded ace Scott Kazmir has some soreness and tightness in his left shoulder and won't pitch during the upcoming series in New York. Both Kazmir and Rays manager Joe Maddon stressed that they don't consider the situation serious. Maddon said he will move Kazmir to the back end of the rotation and expects him to pitch Aug. 1 against the Tigers. "I have no major concerns,'' Maddon said. "I think the extra rest will do the trick.''
Tim Corcoran will start the series opener against the Yankees, followed by Jae Seo and James Shields.
SS Julio Lugo remained out of the Devil Rays lineup Tuesday due to what is being described as a bruise on the tip of his right middle finger, but Lugo said he was "almost positive" he would play in Wednesday's matinee.
Lugo has not played since Saturday night, when he left the game after hitting two home runs in the fifth inning. He is the subject of considerable trade speculation, with the Toronto Blue Jays considered the most likely suitors.
Manager Joe Maddon also changed the lineup for Tuesday, dropping LF Carl Crawford back to the second spot, where he is most comfortable, and trying Rocco Baldelli in the leadoff spot.
The Rays on Monday reached the 100-game point of their season with a 41-59 record, which matches their third best mark at that point in a season. They had a club-best 47 wins in 2004.
Shortstop Julio Lugo was out of the Devil Rays lineup for a second straight game Monday, though this time with a reason why - a bruise on the tip of his right middle finger. Lugo, the subject of significant trade rumors, was in the original lineup but scratched after testing the finger during batting practice. He has not played since leaving Saturday's game after hitting two home runs in the fifth inning. The Blue Jays are believed to be the team most interested in Lugo, and have young pitching to offer back to the Rays.
With trade rumors circulating and the July 31 deadline for nonwaiver deals fast approaching, shortstop Julio Lugo was not in the Devil Rays' lineup on Sunday.
Manager Joe Maddon said he was simply giving Lugo, who plays every day, the game off. And Lugo said he was fine and was available to play if needed. But since he hit two home runs in the fifth inning of Saturday's bizarre 13-12 victory - just the second shortstop to homer twice in the same inning in major-league history - the timing of his day off was, at the least curious.
The Blue Jays are considered the team most interested in Lugo, though the Mets and Red Sox are other possibilities. And more teams may express interest as the deadline nears.
The Devil Rays made another big deal, trading veteran third baseman Aubrey Huff to the Houston Astros on Wednesday for two minor-leaguers.
They also took a big step toward replacing Huff by announcing later that top prospect B.J. Upton would move to third base at Triple-A Durham and would be promoted when he is comfortable there.
The Rays also included about $1.6-million cash in the deal to cover just less than half of what remained on Huff's $6.75-million salary.
The prospects they got back were both playing for Double-A Corpus Christi: right-handed starter Mitch Talbot, 22, the Astros' second-round pick in 2002, was 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA, eighth best in the Texas League, with 29 walks and 98 strikeouts; and shortshop Ben Zobrist, 25, a sixth-round pick in 2004, was hitting .328 with 25 doubles, three homers and 30 RBI and was a Texas League All-Star. Both will join the Rays' Double-A team in Montgomery, Ala.
With Huff traded, Ty Wigginton is likely to get most of the playing time at third until Upton, who has been playing shortstop, is ready.
The Devil Rays made another big deal, trading veteran third baseman Aubrey Huff to the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
The Rays, who also included cash in the deal to cover some of Huff's $6.75-million salary, get back two minor leaguers who were playing at the Double-A level: right-handed starter Mitch Talbot, 6-4 with a 3.39 ERA, and shortshop Ben Zobrist, who is hitting .327 with three homers and 30 RBI.
With Huff traded, Ty Wigginton is likely to take over at third.
Half a season of baseball is over, and a few trends are coming clear. Royals? Not so good. Tigers? Good. So with the All-Star Break, we're talking predictions. And this time, we've brought in a ringer: A computer.
We're asking: Who can call it better? Four sportswriters, or the newsroom geek's computer using a little sabermetric wonder and Microsoft Excel? And if you think any one of them is full of it, fire away with your comments here on The Heater.
Our computer used a formula, which baseball stat guru Bill James invented, that determines winning percentages based on a ratio of runs scored and runs allowed. He gave it an awful name that makes us think of high school math, and you can read more than you ever wanted to know about it here.
So we asked John Romano, Gary Shelton, Marc Topkin and Damian Cristodero to predict the division winners, the wild card teams, how many games the Devil Rays will win and the two worst teams in baseball.
The picks:
John Romano
"Terry Pendleton patted me on the fanny once. How many computers can say that?"
AL: Red Sox, White Sox, Angels, with the wild card going to the Tigers.
NL: Mets, Cardinals, Dodgers with the wild card going to the Padres.
Devil Rays win 73 games.
The worst: Cubs.
The second worst: Royals.
Gary Shelton
AL: Red Sox, White Sox, Athletics, with the wild card going to the Yankees.
NL: Mets, Cardinals, Dodgers with the wild card going to the Astros.
Devil Rays win 72 games.
The worst: Royals.
The second worst: Pirates.
Marc Topkin
"It takes more than a humming hard drive to figure this stuff out. Moneyball or not, there's too much human element, human emotion, and human error for any computer to tell us what's going to happen."
AL: Red Sox, White Sox, Angels, with the wild card going to the Blue Jays.
NL: Mets, Cardinals, Dodgers with the wild card going to the Padres.
Devil Rays win 70 games.
The worst: Cubs.
The second worst: Pirates.
Damian Cristodero
AL: Yankees, White Sox, Athletics, with the wild card going to the Tigers.
NL: Mets, Cardinals, Dodgers with the wild card going to the Padres.
Devil Rays win 75 games.
The worst: Pirates.
The second worst: Royals.
The Computer
AL: Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, with the wild card going to the White Sox.
NL: Mets, Cardinals, Dodgers with the wild card going to the Padres.
Devil Rays win 67 games.
The worst: Royals.
The second worst: Cubs.
Got an opinion? Comment away. We'll see who is right come the playoffs.
Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir was named to the American League All-Star team on Sunday, elected by his peers on strength of his 9-5 record and 3.59 ERA. "It's an unbelievable feeling to be part of an All-Star team,'' the 22-year-old lefthander said. Kazmir is the only Rays' representative for the July 11 game as leftfielder Carl Crawford was not voted in or chosen by AL/White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. Manager Joe Maddon said he hoped Crawford would receive consideration if any additions have to be made due to injuries.
 Follow the Rays through spring training and the season with Marc Topkin, Joe Smith and the Times sports staff. We invite your participation in the comments area.
E-mail Marc: topkin@sptimes.com |
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