Is anyone freakin' out because the Rays have not signed a big free agent?

[tabletop]

The Rays have a proven track record, signed Eflin 3/40, are more talented than the O’s, and have a higher payroll than the O’s even though they are in a smaller market. It doesn’t make any sense to compare the two of them.

[Aristotelian]

Rays fans don't freak out, they have been desensitized by decades of the low payroll model and small market baseball.

[Can_of_corn]

21 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Adley. We also lost our two best SP. Means and GR. 

We are counting minor league players?

[LookinUp]

If you can find a Rays fan forum, I'm sure there's hand-wringing about not getting more guys.

Good luck finding one though. Their approach isn't exactly one that generates a lot of fan interest.

And that's part of the problem.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

I don't really get this thread.

The Rays are a better team with a higher payroll (!!!) that has spent more money this offseason on better talent.

[Moose Milligan]

No one's freaking out about the Rays because no one here is a Rays fan, duh.

[Moose Milligan]

41 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The Eflin signing pretty much moots this thread. 

Agreed.  C'mon @wildcardyou usually do better homework.

[Frobby]

59 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Agreed.  C'mon @wildcardyou usually do better homework.

He probably just forgot.   

[Just Regular]

3 hours ago, glenn__davis said:

From the backtracking on "liftoff" to public stating that the Orioles aren't likely going to compete for the division, these are just things you don't say.  

Adjacent to this, I enjoyed this one from Chaim Bloom's boss in ESPN's report of the Kenley Jansen press conference.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/35246947/red-sox-welcome-kenley-jansen-fully-expected-fans-jeer-offseason

Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said. "We're going to continue to field a team, a complete roster that is going to be competitive in the American League East. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, LookinUp said:

If you can find a Rays fan forum, I'm sure there's hand-wringing about not getting more guys.

Good luck finding one though. Their approach isn't exactly one that generates a lot of fan interest.

And that's part of the problem.

I want to go on record as saying that I don’t think the Rays’ low attendance is due to their “approach.”  It’s just not a big baseball area and the stadium is unattractive and inconveniently located for most of the area’s population.  

[clapdiddy]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

The Eflin signing pretty much moots this thread. 

Yup.  That was a nice signing for them.

[Just Regular]

Grading Elias against the Rays Eflin, its probably fair in time to compare Gibson and whatever he does with another ~$30 million and the fourth starter role for 2024-2025.

I believe one of Decision Sciences insights is you just don't know what pitchers are going to be good in 6, 12, 24 months, unless maybe you've known your hand selected Lance McCullers since high school.     DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez are not hand selected pitchers by Elias' group.

Its a lot of why I've believed for awhile that the first year the Orioles genuinely contend for a tournament spot, one of the top pitchers is coming in July.     Burnes, Woodruff, Ohtani, Giolito, Eflin, Gibson, Glasnow, Baz, Seth Johnson...anyone's arm could detonate any time.

Some of what I think the Rays do well is they don't care about that - the upside when the guy is right is the draw.

[Sydnor]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

The Eflin signing pretty much moots this thread. 

It does. Also, in August, they gave Glasnow an extension that will pay him $25 MM in 2024, which would’ve his first year of free agency.  

[deward]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

I want to go on record as saying that I don’t think the Rays’ low attendance is due to their “approach.”  It’s just not a big baseball area and the stadium is unattractive and inconveniently located for most of the area’s population.  

It seems like more of a vicious circle:

- the team doesn't draw well because of the factors you named

- ownership declines, for many years, to commit significant financial resources (relative to the league) due to the low attendance

- fan interest remains moribund, despite the team's record, due to a perceived lack of commitment from ownership to keeping the best players

- repeat step 2

 

See also, Oakland

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

The Rays also signed Wander Franco an eleven year contract extension for $182M. You can argue they might have jumped the gun on that contract, but will we see Adley or Gunnar offered such a deal in the next couple years with this ownership?