Rays nearer to deal with Floyd

The Rays are expected to finalize a one-year deal with free-agent outfielder Cliff Floyd as early as Monday.

By EDUARDO A. ENCINA, Times Staff Writer
Published December 15, 2007

Cliff Floyd, 35, hit .284 with nine homers and 45 RBIs in 282 at-bats with the Cubs last season.
	[Getty Images (2005)]

The Rays are expected to finalize a one-year deal with free-agent outfielder Cliff Floyd as early as Monday.

The Associated Press reported Friday that Floyd agreed to a deal with Tampa Bay, but Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn said a contract has not been signed yet.

The deal is believed to be worth a base salary of between $2.75-million and $3-million, and include a club option for 2009.

Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said the parties were working out the "finer points" of the deal Thursday, and the same talk continued into Friday.

Floyd would give the Rays a much-needed left-handed outfield bat to platoon with Jonny Gomes and a healthy Rocco Baldelli in the rightfield and DH spots. Floyd, 35, hit .284 with nine homers and 45 RBIs in 282 at-bats with the Cubs.

Multiple calls and e-mails to Floyd's agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, over the past three days have gone unreturned.

FREED TO STAY: Rays radio announcer Andy Freed, who was a strong candidate for a job with the Mets, withdrew his name from consideration and said he will stay with the Rays. "I feel like my future is with the Rays," Freed said.

Times staff writer Marc Topkin contributed to this report.

[Last modified December 14, 2007, 22:28:37]