Scott Kazmir trade may help Tampa Bay Rays keep most of their players next year

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Sunday, September 6, 2009

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ST. PETERSBURG — By getting rid of LHP Scott Kazmir this year, the Rays will be able to keep DH Pat Burrell, LF Carl Crawford and 1B Carlos Peña around next year.

That's the most basic interpretation of principal owner Stuart Sternberg's explanation last week about the need for reallocation of resources.

If the team stayed relatively intact, the payroll for next season was headed over $70 million, which simply was too much.

Especially because — and save the e-mails because we'll be brief on this point — attendance, for whatever reason, has not been what they hoped it would be. Debate the merits of the team, the logic of the price structure, the impact of the economy, but understand this to be true: There would be more money to spend on payroll if they drew 2.6 million, or even 2.3 million, rather than the 1.95 million they are on pace for.

Having "borrowed" from future seasons to push the payroll the past two years — from $24 million in 2007 to $43 million in 2008 and $63 million this year — there was going to have to be some push back. Or, more accurately, a shove out the door.

Four players had significant enough 2010 salaries to impact the equation: Kazmir ($8 million), Burrell ($9 million), Crawford (a $10 million option they're sure to pick up) and Peña ($10.125 million).

Burrell would be some people's first choice to go, but good luck with that given his high salary and low production. Kazmir didn't seem tradable either, but then he got hot for a couple of starts, and the Angels got hot for him. Dealing Crawford or Peña, both integral parts, and key faces, would have been much more painful.

Still, the payroll is higher than they'd like — mid 50s is probably more like it — and eventually they'll stop borrowing ahead because of the chance to win and get caught up. As it is, they will face other tough decisions.

2B Akinori Iwamura won't be back at his nearly $5 million option but might be considered at a lower price. Repeat arbitration eligibles, such as RHP Grant Balfour, OF Gabe Gross and C Dioner Navarro, could become too pricey to keep. Options on C Gregg Zaun and LHP Brian Shouse have to be examined.

And with Crawford and Peña headed to free agency after the 2010 season, next July could bring even tougher choices.

fast facts

A look at the Rays' payroll

Signed for 2010

Carlos Peña $10,125,000

Pat Burrell $9,000,000

Dan Wheeler $3,500,000

James Shields $2,500,000

Willy Aybar $1,350,000

David Price $1,000,000

Evan Longoria $950,000

Options

Carl Crawford $10,000,000

Akinori Iwamura $5,000,000*

Gregg Zaun $2,000,000

Brian Shouse $1,900,000

End of contracts

Chad Bradford, Jason Isringhausen, Gabe Kapler, Troy Percival, Russ Springer

Arbitration eligible (2009 salary)

Dioner Navarro ($2,100,000)

Jason Bartlett ($1,981,250)

Grant Balfour ($1,400,000)

Gabe Gross ($1,255,000)

Lance Cormier ($675,000)

Randy Choate ($500,000)

B.J. Upton ($435,000)

J.P. Howell ($433,700)

Matt Garza ($433,300)

Under control

Jeff Bennett, Reid Brignac, Wade Davis, Matt Joyce, Jeff Niemann, Fernando Perez, Shawn Riggans, Andy Sonnanstine,

Dale Thayer, Ben Zobrist

* approximate based on plate appearances

[Last modified: Sep 05, 2009 06:11 PM]