Rays Recap: A busy week for the Tampa Bay Rays

It was a busy week for the Tampa Bay Rays even though the World Series is only three games in. They signed a top International prospect and lost two coaches from Kevin Cash’s staff.

Monday:

Monday was a quiet day for the Tampa Bay Rays. Rumors continued to develop regarding the possible signing of top international prospect Sandy Gaston, but nothing was known for sure. Coaches Rocco Baldelli and Charlie Montoyo continued interviewing for head coaching gigs while Rays Vice President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom continued interviewing for the New York Mets General Manager role.

In case you missed it:

On Monday I published an article regarding Jose Abreu and how the Rays might pursue him through trade talks this winter. The Rays will be looking at a number of right-handed hitters this offseason. Names like Abreu and Goldschmidt may very well come up during front office discussions.

Tuesday:

Tuesday was a big day for the Tampa Bay Rays on the international scene. The reported signing of top Cuban pitching prospect Sandy Gaston made headlines around the baseball community. The 16-year-old flamethrower signed with the Rays receiving a signing bonus of 2.6 million. Gaston sits in the upper 90s and scouts believe that as he develops it will become more clear if he will be a starter or closer.

In case you missed it:

On Tuesday I released the 12th and 11th best individual pitching seasons in Tampa Bay Rays history. The two seasons featured a pair starters, James Shields and Alex Cobb.

Wednesday:

The Baldelli and Montoyo rumors continued to swirl as decisions loomed. Chaim Bloom continued the long interview process with the Mets.

In case you missed it:

Published on Wednesday was an article talking about the possibility of the Rays moving on from Matt Duffy this offseason. The Rays lost an unrivaled number of one run games in 2018 and will looking to add production to their lineup and to do that they may need to part ways with their third baseman, Matt Duffy.

Thursday:

Thursday was filled with goodbyes for the Rays community. Farewells were made as longtime Tampa Bay Rays player, coach and front office assistant, Rocco Baldelli was named the head coach of the Minnesota Twins and longtime coach in the Rays organization, Charlie Montoyo was named the head coach of the Toronto Blue Jays.

In case you missed it:

Although a reunion may not be likely, I outlined reasons why a reunion with former Rookie of the Year, Jeremy Hellickson, could be beneficial for the Rays. Hellickson could be more cost effective than other free agent options and has a knack for induing bad content.

Friday:

The Mets GM race has been whittled down to two finalists, one of them being Rays VP Chaim Bloom and the other being Brodie Van Wagenen, a sports agent.

In case you missed it:

Mallex Smith barely missed the cutoff for Super Two status. This could greatly impact his earning potential in the future, but the Rays aren’t complaining.

Extra Notes:

• On Monday, the top 10 individual pitching seasons will be published
• Be on the lookout for a early attempt at predicting the 25-man roster for 2019 in the next few weeks