NEW YORK — Erik Neander gets it if you were a little disappointed that the Rays didn’t make any more trades leading up to Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline. That they didn’t do anything to fortify a team that has the best record in the American League. Or to further hedge against the injuries that have ravaged the pitching staff.
In a way, he was, too.
But as the Rays’ general manager, Neander has to balance all aspects of any deals. And when he weighed what was available in a limited market, what the acquisition costs (and current and future financial implications) were, and how much improvement could be made, in addition to what the replacement Rays had done and the expectation of getting several of the injured pitchers back soon, he decided it was best they stand pat.
Disappointed or not.
“That disappointment comes usually when your team’s in a pretty good spot, that you’re playing well,” Neander said from his Tampa home. “Fans, and us included, you want to pile on, you want to make it better. You don’t want to take those opportunities that you’re playing well for granted. We’re human. You have some of those feelings, too.
“But at the same time, just want to make sure that the group that we have is not underappreciated when that disappointment comes. That’s the easy thing to say when you don’t make any moves. It’s, ‘Hey, we like our group,’ and all of that. It’s a pretty natural talking point.”
But in this case, Neander said, it was true on multiple levels.
“We’ve had a lot of injuries,” he said. “The guys that have had the opportunity because of those injuries, many of those have stepped up and, frankly, probably changed our opinion of them to some degree given what they’ve done with the opportunities.
“And we’ve got guys coming back. Charlie Morton is coming back. Nick Anderson is coming back. (Oliver) Drake is doing well, and so on. Those are some of our deadline acquisitions here as they come back into play. The group we’ve had and what they’ve been doing since those guys have been out, they’ve done just fine.”
So if fans or media or anyone else wants to be mad that the Rays didn’t do anything, Neander gets it.
“You always want to get better,” he said. “It’s nothing that I laugh at. We appreciate it. It means that our team is in a more competitive state. It beats when they’re disappointed because you don’t sell.”
The Rays made three deals in the days leading up to the leaguewide deadline, acquiring outfielder Brett Phillips from the Royals and lefty reliever Cody Reed (who joined them Monday) from the Reds, and sending designated hitter/first baseman Jose Martinez to the Cubs, which cleared a space for outfielder Randy Arozarena to be promoted.
The expectation around the game was that even with some pitchers returning, the Rays would do more to bolster the pitching staff, especially the bullpen since several relievers were moved.
Without providing details, Neander said they had “a lot of lines in the water” to do more, but “I wouldn’t say anything was particularly close.”
Manager Kevin Cash said they are fine going forward with what they have.
“Since all the deadline talk started two weeks ago, three weeks ago, we’ve said consistently our best deals are going to be with getting good health and getting guys back. And if we can get some of those guys back, we should be in a pretty good spot,” he said. “The guys have done a tremendous job to date of fulfilling some holes, some voids. Certainly appreciate what the front office tries to accomplish, and sometimes the deals are not out there to be had.”
Morton on the mound
The veteran right-hander Morton is set to make his return in Wednesday’s series finale against the Yankees, likely on somewhat of a limited workload, with Aaron Slegers available to work multiple innings behind him. Morton has been sidelined since leaving the Aug. 9 game against the Yankees with what was diagnosed as shoulder inflammation. … Anderson (forearm) threw a live batting practice session Monday in Port Charlotte that Cash said was “very encouraging.” The righty reliever could be ready as soon as Friday, when the Rays return home. Cash said it was “possible” that Drake (biceps) also could be ready. Also, Ryan Yarbrough (groin) played catch Monday and is feeling better, with a chance to return around the date he’s eligible, Sept. 8.
Diaz out, Meadows on the bench
Third baseman Yandy Diaz left the game in the fifth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring that he felt running the bases in the third. He will be re-evaluated Tuesday, with the Rays hoping he is day-to-day. ... First baseman Ji-Man Choi left after the eighth due to stomach problems. ... Outfielder Austin Meadows sat out a second straight game due to what Cash described as being “a little bit sore, tender in his (right) side.” With concern about the oblique area, the Rays are going to be cautious; Meadows could return Tuesday or Wednesday.
Quote of the day
“A Mississippi kid should not be driving in New York. I’ll just tell you that right now.”
— Reed, who drove roughly 10 hours from Cincinnati in a rental car to join the Rays in New York, avoiding a commercial flight and missed time for requisite COVID-19 intake testing
Miscellany
The win was the Rays’ third straight in a series opener at Yankee Stadium; they had lost the previous 14. ... The Rays decided after Monday’s game that Trevor Richards will start Tuesday. ... Lefty Anthony Banda, designated for assignment late Sunday, was traded to the Giants for cash considerations. ... Infielder Greg Jones, the team’s top pick in the 2019 draft, was added to the 60-man player pool and will join the workouts in Port Charlotte. ... Cash noted that Arozarena, who was sidelined for a month at the start of Spring 2.0 due to an asymptomatic case of COVID-19, put on “some good weight” in adding muscle and getting stronger.
"had" - Google News
September 01, 2020 at 02:24PM
https://ift.tt/3lBiGVT
Rays had their reasons for not making any trades on Monday - Tampa Bay Times
"had" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2KUBsq7
https://ift.tt/3c5pd6c
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Rays had their reasons for not making any trades on Monday - Tampa Bay Times"
Post a Comment