Giants Re-Sign Former All-Star Hurler Vogelsong

16 Replies to “Giants Re-Sign Former All-Star Hurler Vogelsong”

1. I must remember that name Ryan Vogelsong . And Barry Zito must now be wondering if he resurrect his career by playing in the Afghan Penal Baseball League .

2. If interested ?

   All that glitters is not necessarily gold

3. The Rays are also making some moves, Al, landing that Reds catcher and another reliever.

   I’m waiting to see if the big fish gets moved, and by that, I mean David Price.

4. Hello Triple SC,
   All I have to say is that I wore my black suit yesterday to work, Dec 4, because I’m in mourning from the Dec 3 news that some of my guys are leaving…Jacoby pulling a Johnny by going to the Yanks and Salty is headed to the Marlins. That was 2 Hot Stove Alerts that I didn’t want to hear, but it was expected…
   Dee Dee

5. Chris

   We both know that the Rays simply cannot afford to pay David Price anything more than $10 million a season . His asking price via his agent is likely to be considerably higher than the figure mentioned . It’ll be then down to the player whether or not he wants to remain with the franchise or move on elsewhere and seeks to win a World Series’ title .

   No matter what moves are made by Tampa , as usual , it all becomes about bargain basement shopping for the organization . Andrew Friedman has a restrictive budget, that he has keep within and his hands are tied in that context . So next season , it will be more about optimism more than anything else as usual , as far as it concerns the team’s overall prospects within AL East .

   Courtesy of MLB.com Rays’ official site

   Friedman gathering intel at GM Meetings

   By Adam Berry , MLB.com

   Friedman gathering intel at GM Meetings

   By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 11/12/2013 9:14 P.M. ET

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   GM, Owners Meetings underway00:03:43
   MLB.com’s executive correspondent Richard Justice looks at what teams aim to accomplish during the GM and Owners Meetings

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   ORLANDO, Fla. — Andrew Friedman classified this part of the offseason as a time for “gaining more intel on what’s potentially real and what’s not.” That’s what the Rays’ executive vice president of baseball operations has been up to here at the JW Marriott during the first two days of the General Managers Meetings.

   As usual, Friedman said the Rays are trying to be open-minded about their offseason plans, adding that they pride themselves on not having to make “definitive statements” so early in the offseason. If they keep their options open and plentiful, they have a better chance of finding a match one way or another.

   That’s part of the reason why Tampa Bay came to the GM Meetings with a shorter offseason shopping list than in years past.

   “We clearly have to do something about first base,” Friedman said Tuesday. “We have to figure out who’s going to be our second catcher and potentially fill out the bench and [add] a reliever and possibly two.”

   You might notice that Friedman didn’t mention a closer or a designated hitter, two potential vacancies. It’s hard to imagine Luke Scott returning after a second straight disappointing year at DH, and it’s possible that Fernando Rodney could receive better offers elsewhere.

   So why wouldn’t a new closer be atop their wish list? Because Friedman said the Rays would feel fine entering Spring Training with his in-house options, right-hander Joel Peralta and lefty Jake McGee, and they’d rather not limit their search to only those relievers with the nebulous “proven closer” tag.

   “We’re not looking as much at we need to get a closer as I’d really like to add another high-leverage, late-inning option. How that shakes out, we’ll figure out in Spring Training,” Friedman said. “It doesn’t really concern me right now as much as getting another guy we have confidence in to be able to get big outs late in the game.”

   Tampa Bay still could wind up acquiring a new closer through free agency anyway, of course. Kyle Farnsworth, who saved 25 games in 2011, and Rodney (85 saves from 2012-13) didn’t have “proven closer” track records, but they stepped in and filled the Rays’ need without forcing them to overspend on someone with a gaudy career saves total.

   “It’s too restrictive to say we have to get this one thing,” Friedman said. “If we’re able to line up on a guy that we have a lot of confidence that can pitch the ninth inning, great, but we don’t want to shoehorn ourselves into just focusing on that.”

   Friedman admitted it’s difficult to say whether McGee and Peralta are ready to assume that role until they’ve done it, but right now, the Rays feel both pitchers are capable.

   “They’re both really good competitors, and that is a great starting point,” Friedman said.

   As for their next designated hitter, prepare to see several names roll through that position in 2014. With the way their roster is currently constructed, the Rays would utilize a DH rotation rather than one specific player. They’re currently carrying four potential “starting” outfielders for three spots, so that group would include Matt Joyce, David DeJesus, Wil Myers and Desmond Jennings.

   A few other notes gleaned from the GM Meetings:

   • One of the biggest stories of the offseason is whether the Rays will decide to trade left-hander David Price. Friedman wouldn’t refer directly to Price, but he was asked if the interest other clubs have shown in his players has been greater than he expected.

   “About the same. For the most part, we’ve talked to every team leading into these meetings. We have a pretty good feel for what other teams are looking to do,” Friedman said. “We’ve expressed interest in various players on other teams and vice versa, so we had a pretty good handle on things coming in.”

   • Friedman said Joyce is definitely still in the Rays’ plans, even after they signed DeJesus — another lefty-swinging outfielder with a relatively poor track record against left-handed pitching — to a two-year contract with a club option for 2016.

   • Friedman said the Rays have “maintained dialogue with a number” of their free agents and he expects to have more conversations with them. He added it is “too early to really handicap the chances [of them returning], so obviously they are talking to other teams and we’re looking at alternate solutions, and we’ll figure out if there is going to be an overlap over time.”

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   I don’t know that I can add anything more than that to issue .

   tophatal …………

6. Dee…

   Don’t think the Sox were about to pony up that much cash for Ellsbury so when the Yanks end up doing so, in the long run, it might have been the best decision to let him go.

7. Al…

   I thought there was supposed to be a little more television revenue coming in, meaning the Rays might be able to up their number.

   Have we heard what they’re going to be able to spend on salary this year?

8. GO DODGERS!

9. The Rays are not getting as much by way of the revenues as some believe by way that they receive in terms of the national and local market . As I have said repeatedly , Stern and Matt Silverman need to find a partner with deep pockets, because , their local broadcast deal is a damn joke in terms of overall revenues . Rays’ ownership are nowhere as smart as the local on air blowholes on the airwaves and television are making them out to be , in terms of the business side of the ball club .

   I mean where would the organization be without the tax sharing revenues they have been receiving on an annual basis since the existence of this asinine scheme ? I’ve heard you and others bring up the point about the Rays being profitable , but is clear that no one has an idea how the breakdown of their profits have been derived and are merely thinking it comes from merchandize sales , ticket revenues and tv residuals . Tampa needs the tax revenue sharing scheme to show a profit and that has now become a fact , of which some are in complete denial about .

   tophatal ………….

10. Rays off season moves since the postseason .

    Projected payroll for 2014 ($68.8 million)

11. Off season moves in November by the Rays

12. Dodgers, Bleed? Really?

    They may have well been the Rays this season.

13. What we know to be true is this, Al.

    Teams like the Rays, and they’re not the only ones, compete in an unequal marketplace.

    And they do so quite well.

    Whether they can sustain that remains to be seen.

14. Every season it`s the same repetitive set piece, again in motion and the fans are asked to tolerate it all . Let’s be succinct , the Rays are trying to achieve something in a market that even with their menial resources , where sooner , rather than later , the decision will be made to pull up sticks and move elsewhere . Stuart Sternberg obviously , has no wish to pull in a partner with deep pockets and the revenues that the ball club is afforded via the local broadcast partners is a pittance . Is that too hard to comprehend for the fans , but yet this continued idiocy , about upping the payroll remains a complete joke . A ten or $20 million payroll increase , is nothing when you have teams such as the Dodgers , Yankees and others signing players to deals , where on average they’re being paid , $15 million a year .

    tophatal ……….

15. Stuart Sternberg when he purchased the ballclub , should have been more detailed with regard to the lease at the Trop . Who the hell was advising him concerning the legal issues on this deal ? Clueless as hell .

    tophatal ……….

16. Yea, but Al, I don’t think Major League Baseball is going to change. In that sense, the smaller market teams will always be at a disadvantage until they have about ten million more people move into their cities. And hopefully those people will buy some game tickets.

    Speaking of tickets, I’m heading to Gainesville tomorrow to see Andrew Wiggins and Kansas take on your Gators.