Rays Get Younger Behind the Plate with Addition of Paulino.
The Tampa Bay Rays made a move towards the future, without mortgaging the present by moving recently acquired reliever Chris Ray, and veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez to the Florida Marlins in exchange for a young catcher, Ronny Paulino. The move was less about Hernandez's lack of hitting performance this season, and more about getting younger. Moving Chris Ray was almost necessary after his poor first performance. "We got Ray in a good deal for us, we wanted to move Dave Roberts for a long time, and well, Ray was the best we could get." stated the Rays GM. He continued "But Ray wasn't the plan. We wanted to over load on relievers in hopes that another team could use one, and then find a match. Ramon has been on the block for us for a while."
Mattingly & Righetti to get Wilson more innings.
Tampa Bay Rays Manager Don Mattingly,
on a recommendation by Pitching Coach Dave Righetti, plan to get young lefty reliever C.J. Wilson
more time on the mound. "Wilson is a good young talent. He's got great stuff." stated
Mattingly. "He could certainly close, some day." Righetti has been working with the
southpaw to improve his thoguht process as he comes into a game. "He does have the ability,
now. He needs the confidence to be a shut down closer." said Righetti. "Billy Wagner,
is who comes to mind." We're very anxious for this kid to help out the club. The Rays have
had their ups and downs from the starting pitchers through the bullpen. If Wilson can do nothing
but stabilize the bullpen, that'll be all we can ask for.
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Tampa Bay Taps Mattingly
To Manage The Team
The Tampa Bay Rays Ownership and General Manager
are pleased to announce we have convinced "Donnie Ballgame", Don Mattingly, to skipper the club. Mattingly has brought in
Mike Pagliarulo to serve as Hitting Coach, and Dave Righetti to serve as the Rays new pitching Coach, and Hensley Meulens
will continue to fill the water bottles as he did in major league career. Mattingly has long been considered ready to
manage a big league club, and the Rays are proud to be the team with the fore thought to make that happen sooner than later.
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