Wheeler signs for $2.875-million

The Rays crossed one potential arbitration case off their list Tuesday, agreeing to terms with reliever Dan Wheeler on a one-year deal for $2.875-million.
"I'm very pleased with the contract, that it works for myself and for the team,'' Wheeler said. "Now that that's behind us, I'm looking forward to start playing baseball again, now we can start having some fun and win some games.''
Wheeler, acquired from Houston in July, made $2.1-million last season. He pitched in 25 games for the Rays, going 0-5 with a 5.76 ERA. For the season, he was 1-9, 5.30 with 11 saves. Overall Wheeler, who pitched for the Rays from 1999-2001,is 12-26 with a 4.09 ERA and 25 saves.
With the acquisition of closer Troy Pervical, manager Joe Maddon plans to use Al Reyes in the eighth inning and Wheeler in the seventh. Wheeler said that was fine with him: "Seventh- or eighth-inning, it doesn't matter - you have to make your pitches and get outs. ... Sometimes there's bigger outs in the seventh inning than the eighth inning.''
Wheeler could earn an additional $25,000 for making appearing in at least 65 games; he has pitched in at least 70 over the past three seasons, ranking eighth in the majors with 216 appearances over that span.
The Rays continue negotiations with their three other arbitration-eligible players - OF/DH Jonny Gomes, LHP Scott Kazmir and 1B Carlos Pena - with a Friday deadline to cut off talks. Executive VP Andrew Friedman's policy is to cease negotiations once salary figures are exchanged, which is scheduled to happen Friday.

Comments

[Kyle]

The Rays WERE the worst franchise. The new owners came into an organization with a losing mentality and have made very good progress in only two seasons. They didn't get to start from scratch like that idiot Namoli. They had to clean up his mess first. They needed the first season just to demolish the ruins and build a new foundation. I see this as season two of a new franchise. That would make .500+ look pretty good.

[thechumpywiny one again]

The key is to require all teams who receive proceeds from a luxury tax to have a minimum payroll of $60 million. The tax theoretically is to make teams more competitive but that doesn't work in the real world when skinflints like Sternberg just pocket the windfall.

[Rays Fan in Texas]

Actually the fans are to blame more then most people will give credit. Why lower salaries when we are willing to pay big money to go watch a bunch of overpaid athletes play a kids sport :). As long as we go to the games, we will only see this get worse.

MLB's financial situation is messed up and will continue to effect salaries, when teams (like the yankees) continue to over pay their players.

Look at Hockey, they had a lock out and agreed on a new deal, and the one team signs a guy to 135$ Million deal. That more then half of what the entire Minnesota franchise sold for (250 Mil).

Sports is crazy, but as long as we pay to see them we continue to drive the market.

[Bob R.thewinychump]

Better yet, look at the Rays body of work, if you call it that, in the last 11 years. The worst franchise in the history of pro sports covered by Sternberg lackey Topkin.

[D-Ray Mike]

So make up your mind... You complain that the Rays don't send any money, then complain even louder when they do? Look at Wheeler's body of work the past 5 years, not in the one month after the trading deadline.... The Bay Area doesn't deserve a major league team, because you act like a bunch of minor league penny-pinchers..

[Bobby R.]

The point is they are ebtter off paying $5-6 million for a decent player rather then give Wheeler $2.9 million. That's why this team will never get anywhere. Imagine a franchise that has been inexistance for more than 3 years announcing ehir goal for the upcoming season is playing .500 ball.

[The Choir]

Preaching to The Choir. All rofessional athletes are over paid in every pro sport and it hasn't just started w/Wheeler signing which is modest in terms of some other players contracts. Where else can you perform poorly than you did the previous year & get an off the charts (in some cases, not this one, 50 - 100% raise) pay increase. It's not the players fault b/c we all would take the money. It's the MLB system in general & our love for the game b/c ultimately that cost is past along to the ticket buyer. It's a poop or get off the potty thing. I've been saying for years, there should be individual player salary caps & hard ones at that, thus keeping the cost down for the average paycheck to paycheck working Joe or Jane, but that's not the American way or dream. Wheeler's salary compared to other teams' players' salaries is a drop in the bucket. Go Rays!!!!

[sam]

i was skeptical when he came to the rays, but this number is rediculous, i mean how can someone who had an era over 5 and single-handedly lost 5 games for us get that kind of money, my job as a firefighter doesnt look so good anymore

[What]

He pitched in 25 games for the Rays, going 0-5 with a 5.76 ERA. For the season, he was 1-9, 5.30 with 11 saves

And he gets 3 million!!!!!!!!

What a joke baseball has become.

[d]

I totally agree J what a joke and he talks like he deserved a raise.

[M]

Market value and value to society are two pretty distinct things...

[J]

0-5 with a 5.76 ERA for the Rays in '07. For the season, he was 1-9, 5.30 with 11 saves. These stats get $2.9M for one season? There is something terribly wrong when a player with such sad stats gets so much. It is not his fault, just the market. Who is more valuable to society: a teacher making $30K a year, or a bad relief pitcher making almost $3M a year?