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Thursday, June.20/2013

The Rays had a horrible string of seasons from 1998 – 2007 in terms of Won – Loss Record. Because of their futile showings, they were able to draft high. Since 2008, they have posted a winning record every season since, have made the playoffs 3 times, and have turned over the Roster several times. They are competitive, cost effective and play in the vaunted AL East with powerhouse teams like the Yankees and Red Sox.  The brass of the organization has done a commendable job.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website  here  Follow @prosportsroster

You guys are all in for a treat.  Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website.  He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs.  We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams. 

Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective.  If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.

In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball.  He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job.  So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!

Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis.  After you click on it….Bookmark it.  There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page.  Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Rays Organization click here

David Price 2012 Highlights – Rays Song:

Evan Longoria is signed through the year 2023. He was earmarked as the ‘franchise player’ – and locked up early into his career. His deal will earn him $145 MIL over the course of 15 years worth of service.

Andrew Friedman, Stu Sternberg and Joe Maddon have done a masterful job in assembling a team that is over 100 games over .500 since the start of the 2008 season.  They have made proper financial decisions in selling players high, finding bargain Free Agents and walking away from other players that may not have been performing up to speed.

Friedman has strung together several long year salaries to young players such as: Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist, James Shields (now on KC) and Jeremy Hellickson – that call for a nice base salary, however hold several one year Team Options that appear in year 3 or 4 – that protect the team against a decline in a players performance.

It is a strategy that has enabled the club to hold Team Salary between the $35 – $65 Million Range for the last several years.  This is highly important when you factor in the revenue streams generated by the franchise.

Tropicana Field does not draw many fans into the gate, despite the team having all the on field success any nearby resident of the Tampa Bay area could hope for.

Just how long the team can do this for is yet to be determined.  Modeled a lot like the Oakland Athletics, they use the Major League Service clock for all of their players.  They never payout high contracts to players once they are nearing Free Agency.  The impending FA’s are traded for a stock of younger talent – and the cycle starts all over again.

The Roster changes a lot each year, however the club is always finding bargain basement players that Joe Maddon carves out a good role for.  Make sure you come back in later weeks to view their franchise’s current Roster Tree for all of their players.  It will show how good the team has done in Drafting and Trading.

All of the players in the Organization Minors and Majors:

Signed $ in Contracts

*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com or their partners.***

He Arbitration Eligible in the next 2 years before he can be a Free Agent in the 2016″. David Price has been the premiere pitcher in the franchise. While James Shields was perhaps the most consistent starting thrower, David Price raked in the 2012 AL Cy Young. He Arbitration Eligible in the next 2 years before he can be a Free Agent in the 2016. The LHP has struggled during the 2013 campaign with a 1 -4 Record – with a 5.24 ERA in 9 Game Starts. Price has been on the Disabled list since May 16th with strained left triceps. His 2014 Salary will surely be affected by this year. Last year, the 27 Year Old, was 20 – 5, with a 2.56 ERA. Price led the AL in Wins, Win% and ERA.

Authors for this post:

Jeff Kleiner:  “I have been a sports fan since the first Baseball game I went to at Comisky Park in Chicago in 1959, when baseball for me turned from black and white to color. I have attended or watched thousands of games, always paying attention to statistics, rosters and salaries of all professional sports.

Luckily I had the advantage of watching WGN TV and seeing hundreds of games in the 60’s. Collecting Baseball Cards and then later dealing them gave me an extra sense of the sport, both good and bad.” For all of your Salaries, Roster and Depth Charts for all 4 Major Sports (entire organization – Minors and Majors) click here or Follow Me on twitter  Follow @prosportsroster

prosportsrosters.com is the best source for following entire organizations in all 4 Major Sports.

Chuck Booth – Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner and author of the Fastest 30 Ballgames:   To learn more about my  “The Fastest 30 Ballgames Book” and how to purchase it, click here .

You can also follow my Guinness Book of World Record Successful Bid to see all 30 MLB Park in 23 Days – click here.  I am happy to be part of such an awesome Magazine-Style Baseball Website and am looking forward to talking to all of the fans of the MLB.  You can reach me on Twitter here Follow @mlbreports

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