Veteran reserves targeted

By MARC TOPKIN
Published January 11, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - With deals involving some bigger names still in the talking stages, the Devil Rays are working on improving the depth and competitiveness of their roster.

Tuesday, they signed Ty Wigginton as a potential utility infielder and were in serious talks with veteran reliever Dan Miceli.

Wigginton, 28, has a .262 career average over parts of four seasons with the Mets and Pirates, who released him in December. He led NL rookies with 71 RBIs and 53 extra-base hits (36 doubles, six triples, 12 homers) in 2003 and hit 17 homers in 2004, but he hit seven last season in limited duty.

The Rays see him as a right-handed hitting option at first and third base as well as DH and as a potential backup at second and possibly the outfield, sort of a combination of Eduardo Perez and Alex Gonzalez. He signed for $675,000, plus incentives, and the Rays have his rights for four years.

Miceli, 35, has been an effective reliever at times over a 13-year career, most recently in 2004 when he was 6-6 with two saves and a 3.59 ERA for Houston. He signed to play last season in Japan but ended up in Colorado, going 1-2 with a 5.89 ERA before being sidelined with a foot injury.

Also:

The Rays continued negotiations Tuesday night on a two-year deal for about $1.5-million with Japanese reliever Shinji Mori. If he is not signed by midnight tonight, the Rays lose his rights.

Jack Cressend, Travis Driskill, Wayne Franklin, Bart Miadach, Justin Miller and Greg Norton are among players signed to minor-league deals with spring training invites.

[Last modified January 11, 2006, 00:42:11]