2015-16 Tampa Bay Rays

The 2016 Tampa Bay Rays

My salary was $76 million. I got rid of the following players at the following salaries:

James Loney             $8,666,667 traded
Asdrubal Cabrera      $7,500,000 free agent. I let him go.
Desmond Jennings    $3,100,000 traded
Matt Andriese              507,500 traded
Tim Beckham              508,000 traded
Alex Colome               510,800 traded
Andrew Belatti            508,000 traded
$21,299,667 total saved

Here is my 25-man roster

1 John Jaso $3,175,000
2 Kendry Morales $6.500,000
3 Curt Casali 509,000
4 JP Arencibia 1,100,000
5 Joe Mauer $11 million (The Twins paid $12 million of his $23 million.)
.6 Logan Forsythe $3,300,000
7 Jean Segura 539,000
8 Eduardo Nunez 1,015,000
9 Evan Longoria 11,500,000
10 Danny Valencia 2,000,000
11 Kevin Kiermeyer 519,800
12 Steven Souza 508,700
13 Brandon Guyer 1,300,000
14 Mikey Mahtook 509,000
1 Alex Cobb 4,000,000
2 Drew Smyly 2.650,000
3 Matt Moore 3,100,000
4 Jake Odorizzi 522,000
5 Chris Archer 2,916,666
6 Erasmo Ramirez 2,800,000
7 Xavier Cedeno 900,000
8 Jake McGee 4,700,000
9 Brad Boxberger 521,000
10 Nate Karms 509,000
11 Steve Geltz 509,000

The total salary is $65,355,166. I’m sure I am paying other players, but the salary is low enough to fit under my cap regardless.

I have cut the following players and have to pay them:
Rene Rivera did not pick up his option $1.1 million
Daniel Nava did not pick up his option
Nick Franklin dropped him.

Why I made the moves I did:

As the general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, a team with limited financial resources, my job was twofold: I wanted to trade or drop players I felt didn’t sufficiently hitm either for average or for power, and as a result I traded away or dropped the following players: James Loney. Desmond Jennings, Tim Beckham, Rene Rivera, Daniel Nava, and Nick Franklin.

The Rays announced there were no picking up the option for Asdrubal Cabrera, who would have been making around $9,000,000, and so after letting him go, I was able to trade for not one, but two extremely talented, low-salaried shortstops in Jean Segura and Eduardo Nunez. Both will hit, and both will play exemplary defense.

My primary goal was to add veteran hitters to the line up, bolstering the offense and providing Evan Longoria with talent both in front and behind him. I believe I was able to accomplish that with the acquisition of Joe Mauer, who will hit in front of Longoria, and Kendry Morales, who will hit behind him. I also added a fine hitter and a versatile frielder in Danny Valencia, who can play left field, give Longeria a rest at third, and give Mauer a rest at first.

I was able to do this without giving up any of my front line starters. I did have to trade three of my talented young relievers, Alex Colome, Matt Andriese, and Andrew Belatti, but our minor leagues are strong in pitching, and I am certain I will be able to replace them.

It was very frustrating to have to watch as the richer teams went into the free agent market and spent millions of dollars on players, but I am convinced the Rays as they are presently constituted will be able to compete for the American League East title and are deep enough to go to the World Series. Obviously, injuries will play a role, but this team is talented and has talented back ups at all positions.