Rays Get Some Relief

[love_that_reefer]

The Miami Herald reports that the Rays and Joe Nelson have agreed to a one-year, $1.3 million contract.
Good for Nelson. The Marlins only wanted to pay him about half that before non-tendering him. Nelson is 34, so this could well be the biggest payday he's ever going to have.

Nelson had a tremendous year last season going 3-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 59 games for the Marlins. This also happened to be the best year of his entire career. Nelson is 34 and has been at the big league level with four different teams in four different years. His career has been inconsistent to put it politely. He is what we call a career minor leaguer who gets the occasional break. The Rays needed some help in the pen and they got some in Nelson. Rays had very few holes to fill this offseason. They still need a DH/OF and a couple more relievers couldn't hurt either. Otherwise, they are still the team to beat in the AL East.

[realmofotalk]

I've never heard of him. At first glance I assumed he was Jeff Nelson. Chad Bradford was a steal, however.

[cjkalt]

Great another decent MR to the Rays, they will scare me more come April than the Yankees I think

[ljshorty89]

Nelson is actually pretty darn good. He's got a nice fastball, and he's a guy who wants the ball every day. Good pickup for the Rays.

[love_that_reefer]

Rays signed Randy Choate today on a minor league deal. He's 33 and a lefty so he has an outside chance of impressing the Rays. I doubt it but some minor league deals work out.

[love_that_reefer]

Rays signed RHP Lance Cormier, formerly of the Orioles, to a one-year, $675,000 contract.
Designated for assignment by Baltimore last month, Cormier will likely pitch out of Tampa Bay's bullpen after posting a 4.02 ERA in 71 2/3 innings last season. However, his 5.53 career mark and sub par 46/34 K/BB ratio last year suggest that he'll be a mediocre middle reliever at best.

Another reliever to feed to the wolves. The Rays have really gone on the cheap getting relief help this winter. Joe Nelson is about the best reliever they have picked up this offseason and he is even hit or miss.