Rays sign two to minor-league deals

The Rays have signed infielder Andy Cannizaro and outfielder John Rodriguez to minor-league contracts with invitations to major league spring training.

Cannizaro will come to camp and compete for the Rays utility infilelder position, and he could have a decent shot at making the team given the fact that he's a solid defender at three infield positions with good range and a solid arm. He entered last year's spring training vying for a roster spot with the Yankees, but a back injury held him out until June and he never reached the major league level last year.

He hit .295 with two homers and 20 RBIs for the Yankees Triple-A team in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, playing in 52 games at second, shortstop and third. He owns a career .274 average in seven minor-league seasons and his .250 during a 13-game stint with the Yankees in Sept. 2006.

Rodriguez, a 30-year-old who has played 11 seasons in the Yankees, Indians and Cardinals, hit .263 with eight homers and 22 RBIs, a .375 on-base percentage with St. Louis' Triple-A team in Memphis last year until he was sidelined with a knee injury. Over 158 games in the majors with St. Louis between 2005-'06, Rodriguez hit .298 with 7 home runs, 43 RBI, 18 doubles and a .378 OBP and was on the Cardinals playoff rosters in 2005 and 2006. He will add another left-handed bat to the outfield mix.

Comments

[Marc]

The Rays picked up some good emergency players, here.

I hope that we don't need to use them, though...

raysbaseball.blogspot.com

[CharlieRay]

Do we think that a trade my be coming and that is why we got Rodriguez? We have to many OF's now and Durham is stock piled also.

[CharlieRays]

Cannizaro looks like a decent pick up. Doesn't cost much to give him a try. Rodriguez is to old and will get lost in the shuffle with all the talent we have and will have.