by Sports Xchange

--C Gregg Zaun and LHP Brian Shouse became eligible for free agency when the Rays declined their $2 million contract options for 2010. Zaun received $500,000 a buyout, while Shouse received $200,000.

--RHP Ramon Ramirez, who posted a 3.65 ERA in 11 relief appearances for Cincinnati this year, was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay. Ramirez spent most of the season with Class AAA Louisville, where he went 6-7 with a 4.03 ERA in 31 games (20 starts).

--RHP Jesse Chavez was acquired from Pittsburgh in a deal for 2B Akinori Iwamura and could land a spot in the restructured bullpen. Chavez, 26, made a big-league-rookie-high 73 appearances for the Pirates last season, going 1-4 with a 4.01 ERA. "He's got some swing-and-miss stuff," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "And now it's about trying to harness it and have it play that way at the major league level."

--2B Akinori Iwamura left the Rays with a lasting memory, as he made the most memorable play in franchise history, touching second for the final out in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series.

--RHP Troy Percival hasn't changed his plans to retire, but he was the first of the Rays' four veteran relievers to file for free agency. RHPs Chad Bradford, Jason Isringhausen, and Russ Springer are likely to file and not likely to return.

--Dewey Robinson, the Astros' pitching coach the last two seasons, was hired as a minor league pitching coordinator, joining Dick Bosman. The Rays also named Bill Evers, their former Class AAA manager and big-league bench coach, and Matt Quatraro, a minor league manager the last four seasons, to coordinator positions.

--1B Chris Richard, who made it back to the majors in September for the first time since 2003, was outrighted off the 40-man roster and sent to Class AAA Durham. Richard, 35, has the option of becoming a free agent, though he'd spent the past three seasons with the Bulls.

BY THE NUMBERS: 15-1 -- Odds of the Rays winning the 2010 World Series according to bodog.com. The Yankees are favored to repeat at 11-4.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He had success this year, but his ability is even greater in terms of his stuff." -- Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman, on RHP Jesse Chavez, acquired from Pittsburgh for 2B Akinori Iwamura.