Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
TOM JONESTampa Bay pursues veterans Hentgen and Gordon, crosses off Sheffield.
ST. PETERSBURG - Last week, the Devil Rays stuck their toes in the free-agent pool by signing two veteran pitchers.
This week, the Rays hope to dive right in. The Rays expect to acquire St. Louis first baseman and Tampa native Tino Martinez any day now and are making a big push to sign pitchers Tom Gordon and 1996 American League Cy Young winner Pat Hentgen.
This is the first phase of the Rays' offseason plan. The second will be to acquire a big bat, but it's unlikely that bat will belong to slugger Gary Sheffield.
The first item on the agenda this week for the Rays is locking down a deal for Martinez. Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said he last spoke to St. Louis general manager Walt Jocketty on Thursday at the GM meetings in Phoenix.
"We're pursuing the matter and, hopefully, we can get something done soon if we're going to do it," LaMar said.
Martinez will make $7.5-million in 2004, and it's likely the Cards will pick up most of that. The Rays, however, will be on the hook for Martinez's $8-million salary or a $1-million buyout for 2005. The Rays probably will give up a minor-league prospect on the 40-man roster to acquire Martinez.
Martinez's agent, Jim Krivacs, said he didn't know the status of the trade talks but said Martinez, who has a no-trade clause, listed the Rays as one of the teams to which he would agree to be traded.
Meantime, in an effort to shore up their pitching staff, the Rays are either preparing or already have made a one-year offer to Hentgen, a right-hander who bounced back last season after two injury-plagued seasons with Baltimore.
Hentgen, who turned 35 last week, pitched nine seasons in Toronto, including 1996 when he went 20-10 and won the Cy Young Award. He won 15 in 1997 before moving on to St. Louis for one season. Elbow problems limited him to 13 games in 2001-02, but he pitched 1602/3 innings last season, going 7-8 with a 4.09 ERA. He was much better after the All-Star break (6-3, 3.10 ERA) than before (1-5, 5.25), perhaps an indication that he's healthy again.
Hentgen's former team, the Blue Jays, also are interested. LaMar wouldn't comment on Hentgen but did say, "We're looking to improve our pitching staff with veteran-type starters."
Last week, the Rays signed veterans Paul Abbott and John Halama, and both will compete in spring training for slots in the rotation.
Gordon, who turns 36 today, is a veteran who could improve the bullpen. A native of Avon Park, Gordon converted 46 saves in 47 opportunities with Boston in 1998. Last season with the White Sox, Gordon went 7-6 with 12 saves.
Gordon met with Rays manager Lou Piniella over the weekend at a Rays fishing outing, and it's believed the Rays are fine-tuning a one-year offer they think will be good enough to land the right-hander.
Once this week has passed and conclusions have been reached on Martinez, Hentgen and Gordon, the Rays will look to add an outfield bat. Sheffield's name came up at the start of the offseason, but his salary demands are way out of the Rays' means.
So the Rays will go to a wish list that includes names such as Jose Cruz, Reggie Sanders, Brad Fullmer, Rondell White and this intriguing name: Juan Gonzalez, who has hit 35 or more homers in a season seven times.
Last season, in only 82 games with Texas, Gonzalez hit .294 with 24 homers and 70 RBIs.