Rays/MLB

Rays aim to score coup with Mulder

By EDUARDO A. ENCINA
Published November 12, 2006

The Devil Rays plan to make a push to sign left-handed starter Mark Mulder, one of the more intriguing free-agent pitchers available this offseason.

Tampa Bay is one of 13 teams that called Mulder's agent, Gregg Clifton, to express interest in the 29-year-old. That's all teams are allowed to do until this week's general manager meetings in Naples.

Just the fact that the Devil Rays have made the initiative is news, but with teams such as the Red Sox, Mets and Dodgers also interested, it might be a long shot.

Still, Mulder, who averaged 16 wins from 2001-05 before an injury-plagued 2006, would give the Rays the veteran starter they desperately need.

But Mulder, who was 6-7 with a 7.14 ERA with St. Louis in 2006 while making $7.75-million, is coming off rotator cuff surgery that apparently affected his throwing angle. Had he not been injured, he would have been looking at a five-year contract worth around $60-million. Instead, he will likely have to settle for an incentive-laden deal with fewer years.

The Rays hope to get the steal of the season. Chris Carpenter, Mulder's Cardinals teammate, signed with St. Louis in 2003 for a base salary of $300,000 after rotator cuff surgery, then won the 2005 NL Cy Young Award.

Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman didn't waste any time. He called Clifton the day after Mulder filed for free agency. When Clifton brought Tampa Bay up to Mulder, the agent said Mulder responded positively, saying that the Rays had a core of good young players and that things seemed to be turning around in Tampa Bay.

For the Rays to be successful in the offseason and in ones to come, emptying their pockets is just one thing. The other is selling agents and players on Tampa Bay as a destination.

"I think around baseball the perception is starting to change," Clifton said of the Rays on Friday from his office in Scottsdale, Ariz. "They're not the same ol' Tampa Bay. And I think Friedman understands that it's an evolution, not a revolution."

Mulder is slated to begin a throwing session in the first week of January and throw off a mound in mid March, but his return time is still unclear. His 2007 season might be in limbo, but Mulder would seemingly peak in 2008 when the Rays hope to contend.

MORI MATTERS: Rays reliever Shinji Mori, who missed the season with a torn right labrum, is rehabbing his arm in Japan and said he will be ready in time for spring training.

"I feel some progress every week," Mori said through an interpreter. "Sitting out for a season gave me a chance to think about how to take care of my arm seriously. When I was playing in Japan, I had never thought about it because I had no serious problems on my arm."

RAYS RUMBLINGS: Rays pitching coach Mike Butcher has been mentioned as a leading candidate to replace new Padres manager Bud Black as Angels pitching coach, but his departure seems unlikely. ... Prospect Elijah Dukes, who was hitting .313 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 32 Arizona Fall League at-bats, will sit out the rest of fall league with shin splints. ... Pitching prospect Jeff Niemann was also shut down for the fall with shoulder soreness as a precaution. ... Shortstop Ben Zobrist is batting .342 (27-for-79) in the AFL. ... The Rays' 2-6-2 triple play on Sept. 2 against Seattle is among the plays nominated for the This Week in Baseball play of the year. Fans can vote through Dec. 8 on devilrays.com. ... The Rays signed sponsorship deals for 2007 with Jiffy Lube and PAETEC Communications.

Eduardo A. Encina can be reached at eencina@sptimes.com.

[Last modified November 12, 2006, 06:04:24]