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Rays give up on 2, take chance on 2

OUT Bryan Rekar, Dan Wheeler. IN: P's Kevin McGlinchy and Steve Kent.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

© St. Petersburg Times
published December 14, 2001

BOSTON -- Without money to spend, the Rays have to explore creative ways to improve. Thursday they released two pitchers, who had been in the majors, just to take a chance on two whom they hope can do so.

The Rays used the first pick of the Rule 5 draft on Kevin McGlinchy, a 24-year-old right-hander who pitched well for the Braves in 1999 but missed most of the past two seasons with shoulder problems.

Then they traded for Steve Kent, a 23-year-old left-hander who had not pitched past Class A in the Mariners organization.

Before doing so, the Rays released Bryan Rekar, whose salary was getting too high, and Dan Wheeler, whose problem was an escalating ERA.

McGlinchy might not be ready to start the season, but the Rays think he could either fill an important late-inning relief role or take a slot in the rotation.

"He showed when healthy in 1999 with the Atlanta Braves at a young age on a championship club just the kind of stuff and command and what type pitcher he has a chance to be," said Rays general manager Chuck LaMar, who scouted McGlinchy for the Braves. "He still has some rehabbing to do, but we feel like he's going to be worth the wait."

A fifth-round pick in 1995, McGlinchy jumped from Double A to the majors in 1999, going 7-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 64 games. He began having shoulder problems the next spring, pitched in 10 big-league games, then had surgery in March to repair a partial rotator cuff tear.

The Braves, essentially, gave up waiting for him.

"We expected someone might be interested in him because he had a good arm when he was healthy, but we thought it was a little bit of a long shot because of the condition of his arm," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said. "They may hit it with him."

Teams pay $50,000 to select players, but must keep them on the major-league roster all season or expose them to waivers and offer them back.

The Rays liked Kent, who was 0-3 with a 2.20 ERA at Class A San Bernardino, so much they considered making him the first pick. Instead they paid Anaheim $25,000 more to do it for them at No. 7.

Said LaMar: "He's not just a young left-hander who might get a left-handed hitter out; he's young with some good stuff."

Even though Rekar was 3-13 with a 5.89 ERA, he likely would have received a raise through arbitration to at least $1.75-million. The Rays likely wouldn't have tendered him a contract by the Dec. 20 deadline, so when LaMar couldn't get teams interested in a trade (for players or cash) he decided to cut Rekar rather than lose another player to clear a roster spot.

Rekar, 29, can sign with another team for a low base salary with incentives, and hisagent expects numerous suitors.

Wheeler, 24, reached the majors with a strong 1999 season but has struggled since, going 2-1 with a 6.86 ERA for the Rays and 8-16, 5.51 at Triple A.

"Dan Wheeler is the kind of guy you not only pull for but now that he's gone you worry about," LaMar said. "It scares us releasing him. ... If he can regain his form of three years ago he can pitch for anybody in baseball."

The Rays kept Mickey Callaway, but perhaps not for long. They are believed to be working on a deal that would send him to Anaheim. The Rays also took left-hander David Hawk in the minor-league draft and assigned him to Triple-A Durham.

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