|
Shortstop talks heating up?
The Rays' search for a shortstop has expanded to include Minnesota's Jason Bartlett and the teams have had discussions.
Bartlett, 28, has been the Twins' primary starter the last two seasons, though he was limited by neck and back injuries last season.
Bartlett hit .309 in 99 games in 2006, but dropped off last season to .265, with five homers, 43 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. His defense also suffered last season as he made 26 errors and had a .960 fielding percentage; in 2006 he made 13 errors and had a .971 fielding percentage.
The talks could be part of a larger deal as the Twins are reported to have interest in several of the Rays prized young outfielders such as Delmon Young, B.J. Upton and Rocco Baldelli, whose status is in question due to last season's hamstring injury.
If the Rays don't get Bartlett or another shortstop through trade, they could try to sign free agent Cesar Izturis.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Advertisement
Meet the Rays
Joe Maddon, Johnny Damon and Evan Longoria are only some of the Rays you'll meet through our new video interview series. Don't see your favorite player yet? Check back often, as we'll add to the series as the season progresses.
Most Popular Categories
Baseball Headlines from AP
Comment Policy
| Please be sure your comments are appropriate before submitting them. Inappropriate comments include content that: |
| Is libelous |
| Is abusive, harassing, or threatening |
| Is obscene, vulgar, or profane |
| Is racially, ethnically or religiously offensive |
| Is illegal or encourages criminal acts |
| Is known to be inaccurate or contains a false attribution |
| Infringes copyrights, trademarks, publicity or any other rights of others |
| Impersonates anyone (actual or fictitious) |
| Solicits funds, goods or services, or advertises |
| The Tampa Bay Times does not edit posts but reserves the right to delete comments that violate our policy. |
