Tampa Bay
Rays

News: According to the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays are interested in signing outfielder Carl Crawford to a long-term contract extension.
Impact: There have been several reports that Crawford wanted out of Tampa or that the Rays were trying to deal him, but those have been squashed. It looks like the Rays want to continue to build around him for the foreseeable future. It something falls through though, the Braves and Mets have expressed interest. 

News: The Rays reinstated Pena from the 60-day disabled list on Thursday.
Impact: He was sidelined most of the final month of the season with two broken fingers on his left hand. 

News: Brian Shouse filed for free agency on Tuesday, according to the Sports Network.
Impact: The 41-year-old lefty held a 4.50 ERA over 45 relief appearances with Tampa Bay in 2009. He could find work with a club looking for veteran depth in their bullpen.  

News: The Tampa Bay Rays have signed pitcher R.J. Swindle to a minor league deal with a spring training invite for 2010, according to DRaysBay.com. Swindle was with the Rays' organization for a short time last season.
Impact: Swindle is a soft-throwing relief pitcher who saw mixed results last season. He struggled in the majors, posting a 16.20 ERA in 6.2 innings, but he was 4-1 with a 1.43 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 50.1 innings pitched in the minors. He won't be a fantasy candidate next season. 

News: The St. Petersburg Times is reporting that the rumor that outfielder Carl Crawford wants out of Tampa is false. A report surfaced earlier this week in NY Baseball Digest that Crawford was upset that the team picked up his 2010 option.
Impact: The story in the Times states that Crawford would like to work out an extension with the team, but if not he is just fine going into next season with the Rays. The team could still look to deal him, but it seems like he is a great candidate for a long-term deal. 

News: The St. Petersburg Times states that a report from NY Baseball Digest which indicates that Carl Crawford wants out of Tampa, is likely false.
Impact: According to NY Baseball Digest, Crawford is upset the Rays picked up his option and backed out of an agreement to work out a long-term deal. All of this comes from an unidentified source, so take this with a grain of salt. However, the Rays would be wise to sign Crawford, arguably the best left fielder in the game, to a long-term deal. 

News: The Rangers reportedly inquired about Rays' outfielder B.J. Upton, according to Buster Olney's (ESPN) twitter page.
Impact: Texas asked about Upton during their off-season routine, but talks are not believed to be ongoing. Upton would not come cheap, even following a disappointing 2009 campaign.  

News: John Romano, a columnist for the St. Petersburg Times, has speculated that the Rays could trade Pat Burrell for Milton Bradley.
Impact: According to Romano, the deal basically comes down to two teams each trying to get rid of a player they don't want. Joe Maddon seems to think he could deal with Bradley and his well-documented antics. Bradley would give the Rays more flexibility in their lineup with his ability to play in the field, something that Burrell does not do well. The sticking point appears to be money -- each player will make $9 million in 2010 but the Rays would be on the hook to pay Bradley $12 million in 2011. If the Cubs give in and pay a portion of that money, a deal could happen. 

News: Major League Baseball announced the AL Silver Slugger award winners at MLB.com on Thursday. Rays' third baseman Evan Longoria, Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter, Blue Jays' second baseman Aaron Hill, Yankees' first baseman Mark Teixeira, Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay, Angels' outfielder Torii Hunter, Mariners' outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, Twins' catcher Joe Mauer, and Blue Jays' DH Adam Lind were the winners.
Impact: This was a nice mix of veterans and young players, and all had very nice seasons. Longoria is going to win plenty of these awards, and Hill and Lind were both rewarded for their breakout years.  

News: Isringhausen will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his surgically repaired right elbow. The 36-year-old right-hander was injured while throwing a pitch during the eighth inning of Saturday night's victory over the Washington Nationals. An MRI exam Monday found a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament.
Impact: Isringhausen, who missed part of last season with the St. Louis Cardinals following elbow surgery, will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair the current damage. He was 0-1 with a 2.29 ERA in nine appearances this year. 

News: Navarro had surgery to repair the ulnar nerve in his elbow, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
Impact: Navarro is expected to be ready for spring training. The surgery could explain his dismal year in which he posted a .583 OPS. He's only 25 so a rebound could happen next year. 

News: The Tampa Bay Rays have exercised their $10 million option on Crawford.
Impact: The 28-year-old Crawford was the MVP of this year's All-Star game. The speedy left fielder also is the longest-tenured player in Rays history and the franchise's career leader in hits, runs, steals, triples, RBIs and games. He hit .305 with 15 homers, 68 RBIs and a career-high 60 steals this year. 

News: The Rays have picked up their $10 million, 2010 team option on outfielder Carl Crawford, according to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.
Impact: There's an outside chance the team could trade him this offseason to clear payroll space, but that seems unlikely, particularly after they dealt Scott Kazmir late last season. Crawford's 60 steals in 2009 were second in the American League to only Jacoby Ellsbury's 70. 

News: Cincinnati's Ramon Ramirez has been claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse.
Impact: Ramirez posted a 3.65 era in 12.1 innings for the Reds last season. The Rays are looking to remake the bullpen this offseason, and this is a decent first step.  

News: Perez, who underwent successful surgery in October to repair his labrum, is expected to be ready in time for spring training, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
Impact: Perez played 18 games with the Rays near the end of the 2009 season, hitting 7-for-34 (.206) with two RBI. He'll be fighting for a depth spot in the outfield in 2010. 

News: Ramirez has been claimed off waivers from the Reds by the Rays, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Impact: Ramirez has posted good ERA's in his two trials with the Reds, though his component stats haven't necessarily supported that success. At Triple-A Louisville, he had a 4.03 ERA in 127.1 innings with a 78:50 K:BB. 

News: The Rays have declined their option on Shouse, the Tampa Tribune reports.
Impact: With Randy Choate proving he could handle the situational lefty role in the Rays' bullpen, Shouse essentially became to expensive to justify holding onto for 2010. 

News: The Rays have declined their one-year, $2 million option on Zaun, the Tampa Tribune reports.
Impact: He'll receive a $500,000 buyout, while it's possible that Zaun will return to the Rays if he agrees to take a significant paycut. Zaun could draw interest from a club looking to break in a young catcher this season such as the Giants. 

News: The Rays picked up Crawford's option for 2010.
Impact: A smart move on the Rays part. The speedy left fielder stole a career-high 60 bases while hitting .305 with 15 home runs. The Rays are trying to work on an extension to lock Crawford up as he enters the final year of his contract. Crawford is only 28 years-old so it's not unreasonable to expect similar numbers next season. 

News: Percival (shoulder) has filed for free agency.
Impact: He's likely to retire instead of returning for another season in Tampa Bay. He turned 40 back in August, so an official announcement could be forthcoming. 

News: Percival visited his Tampa Bay teammates before Tuesday night's game with the Los Angeles Angels and the closer sounded every bit like someone who has thrown his last pitch in a major league game. "I don't think you're retired until the paperwork's in. But it's safe to say as of right now, I don't see that I'm going to be able to throw a whole lot," said Percival, who hasn't thrown in more than three weeks because of tendinitis in his right shoulder.
Impact: Percival, eighth on the career saves list with 358, was 2-1 with a 4.53 ERA and 28 saves in 2008. He missed 42 games on three stints on the DL because of hamstring and knee injuries. Percival underwent back surgery in early December and signed a two-year contract extension that is paying him $4 million this season. But the four-time All-Star appeared in 14 games this year, allowing eight runs in 11 1-3 innings and recording six saves before going on the DL. 

News: The St. Petersburg Times reports that Bradford has filed for free agency.
Impact: Bradford was shut down this season after lingering elbow discomfort. It's hard to imagine a team signing him unless he shows he's over his elbow issues. 

News: Springer has filed for free agency, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Impact: Springer only appeared in 26 games and at 41 years old should not be on your fantasy radar. 

News: The trade of Akinori Iwamura opens up a potential opportunity for Rodriguez to play second base for the Rays next season.
Impact: It's not a slam dunk for Rodriguez, however. First, the Rays must figure out whether they want Ben Zobrist to play second or right field, and some of that calculus depends upon when they deem Desmond Jennings ready for the big leagues. Rodriguez also has to prove to the Rays that he's ready, though that's partially implied by their acquisition of him in the Scott Kazmir deal. 

News: The Tampa Bay Rays have traded second baseman Akinori Iwamura to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Chavez.
Impact: Chavez led Pittsburgh and all major league rookies with 73 appearances in 2009, going 1-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 67 1-3 innings. He was taken in the 42nd round in 2002 by Texas. 

News: Jesse Chavez is being dealt from the Pirates to the Rays in exchance for Akinori Iwamura, according to MLB.com.
Impact: The 26-year-old hurler held a 4.01 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 67.1 innings of relief with Pittsburgh in 2009. He gave up 11 homers as well, meaning he won't likely be reliable for Tampa Bay or fantasy owners. 

News: Akinori Iwamura's trade to the Pirates on Tuesday likely opens a spot at second base for Zobrist next season.
Impact: After Zobrist's breakout 2009 season it seemed certain the Rays would find a full time place for him for the 2010 season, the only question was where he would play. Zobrist was shuffled around between the outfield and infield, particularly after Iwamura returned from injury, and as a result he'll have second base, outfield, and likely shortstop eligibility in most leagues next season. 

News: Tampa Bay is close to completing a trade of Iwamura to the Pirates, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
Impact: Tampa Bay apparently doesn't want to bring back Iwamura for the $4.85-million option in his contract and will shop him this winter. He's a non-tender candidate if they can't find a deal. The Rays have just one day after the World Series ends to pick up his option or pay a $550,000 buyout. 

News: The Rays outrighted Richard to Triple-A Durham, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Impact: Richard has the option to file for free agency. He had a nice year at Durham, hitting 24 home runs with 74 RBIs. The move was made to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for the Rays. 

News: Kapler signed a one-year, $1.05 million deal with the Rays on Tuesday, the Tampa Tribune reports.
Impact: "I'm more than excited," Kapler said. "I love the people in the clubhouse, I love the organization. ... I believe next year is going to be better no matter what, just the way things broke last year. 2010 I'm confident will be a much better year from the team perspective and I really have a great deal of confidence I'll be able to help the team achieve great things." Kapler does most of his damage against lefties and he hit .276 with a .379 OBP, eight homers and 30 RBI against them this season. Look for him to platoon in right field with the Rays again in 2010. 

News: Kapler re-signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, inking a one-year deal on Tuesday.
Impact: The 34-year-old Kapler played in 99 games this season, batting .239 with eight homers and 32 RBIs. He played all three outfield positions for the Rays. Kapler initially signed with Tampa Bay last January and has also played with Detroit, Texas, Colorado, Boston and Milwaukee during parts of 11 major league seasons. He retired briefly in 2007 to manage Class-A Greenville in Boston's minor league system. 

News: Gabe Kapler has re-signed with the Rays for the 2010 season, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
Impact: The deal is for one year and $1.05 million. Kapler hit .239 with 32 RBI in 99 games for the Rays in 2009.