Rays get Cliff Floyd

[furryburres]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/cliff-floyd-to.html

I don't think he's been that good for 4-5 years. Now we get to play him 15 times a year.

[GeorgiaBird]

.795 OPS last year, but .859 vs. righties. In a platoon with Gomes I don't think he is a bad choice. There is a question of health with both him and Baldelli, but if those two stay healthy the Rays have a decent RF/DH rotation seems to me.

[orioles119]

Cliff Floyd is no Luke Scott... I can tell you that.

[Mark Carver]

The Mets saved the Orioles in 2003 when they offered him a 4 year, "take it or leave it" deal... and now Tampa Bay to rescue.

[furryburres]

I don't think Gomes deserves that platoon. He's very promising, and I believe he's better than Floyd. Also, Floyd is a huge alpha-dog. He won't let them platoon him.

[Moose Milligan]

Whatever, he'll be too busy getting hurt.

What's the over under on the date that he'll be on the DL?

[DrungoHazewood]

Well, the Canseco/Vaughn/McGriff triumvirate led the Rays to glory once before, so why not try something like it again? I think Brett Boone and Marquis Grissom are still available.

[SteveA]

Well, the Canseco/Vaughn/McGriff triumvirate led the Rays to glory once before, so why not try something like it again? I think Brett Boone and Marquis Grissom are still available.

I thught of Greg Vaughn the minute i saw the subject line.

[Moose Milligan]

Well, the Canseco/Vaughn/McGriff triumvirate led the Rays to glory once before, so why not try something like it again? I think Brett Boone and Marquis Grissom are still available.

Grissom...how about DeShields and Rondell White, too?

Man, it's scary how stacked those late 80's early to mid 90's Expos teams were with regards to young talent and potential.

[GeorgiaBird]

In fairness Greg Vaughn was signed to a four-year, $34 million contract to be a centerpiece in their offense. Floyd is getting a one year deal to platoon. Maybe it is the same and I am just missing it.

[DrungoHazewood]

In fairness Greg Vaughn was signed to a four-year, $34 million contract to be a centerpiece in their offense. Floyd is getting a one year deal to platoon. Maybe it is the same and I am just missing it.

I just don't understand the rational. The Rays have prospects lined up two or three deep seemingly at every position, and relatively cheap, productive hitters like Iwamura on top of that. Floyd just seems like he's taking at bats from younger, better, cheaper players with much more upside.

[GeorgiaBird]

To be honest they have cleared out much of their OF depth this off-season. Ruggiano is there and his stock has gone up some with his Team USA performance but six months ago you would have been hard-pressed to find anyone who thought him a prospect. But more practically he, like Gomes, bats from the right side. The Rays were looking for a left handed bat to take some ABs from Gomes and Baldelli, and really they don't have anyone ready to step in and take that role.

They passed on Geoff Jenkins and a few others specifically because it would have required multi-year deals and would have clogged up a roster space for years to come. The advantage to Floyd is that he does not require a multi-year deal, meaning he can fill a perceived void for this year without screwing up the roster down the road. Of course a deal is still not signed, and perhaps Floyd is holding out for multi-year which if so who knows what will happen. But that at least is the logic as they see it.

Another sidebar here is whatever chemistry really means, they were a really young clubhouse last year and a really immature one. Two of the bigger problems are gone now, but Crawford expressed to the organization that he was uncomfortable being the leader and would like the proverbial veteran presence in the locker room. I don't think that is the main reason, but it is a side reason to go with a guy like Floyd.

[GeorgiaBird]

In actual baseball news, the Floyd deal is done. He is getting $3mm for one year, with $2mm in performance bonuses if he actually stays healthy and gets on the field and produces. I still don't see how that in any way compares to what a separate management team gave Canseco/Vaughn/McGriff a decade ago, but to each their own I guess.