Cliff Floyd to sign with Devil Rays

[AmarilloRed]

Sources: Floyd, Rays could have deal in place by weekend

By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: December 12, 2007, 3:49 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays are in serious discussions with free-agent outfielder Cliff Floyd and could have an agreement in place by the weekend, baseball sources told ESPN.com.

The Rays have been looking for a bat in right field since sending Delmon Young to Minnesota two weeks ago in a multiplayer trade that brought pitcher Matt Garza to Tampa.

Floyd, 35, is a .279 hitter with 222 career home runs in 15 seasons with Montreal, Florida, Boston, the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. Last year he hit .284 with nine homers in 108 games for the Cubs.

Floyd has had numerous injury problems, and the agreement won't be complete until he passes a physical. But a source said that's not expected to hold up the deal.

The Rays expect Floyd to log at-bats at designated hitter against right-handed pitching and share time in right field with Jonny Gomes in 2008. Rocco Baldelli could also be in the mix if he's healthy.

Jerry Crasnick covers Major League Baseball for ESPN.com.

[crazybob60]

I don't know what to think of this trade. It seems as if Floyd's days may be numbered and he is trying to wind it down here but this may also boost his career as well as he will have less chances of getting injured as he could play more as a DH and he could easily get back to the power hitter that he used to be. I could see this very easily going either way. If you wanted my true honest opinion, well I see him getting about 25 bombs and about 80-85 rbi's and hitting about .290 all of which would be great numbers for him. Heck, the Rays need some sort of older leadership on this young squad. Especially with that front end rotation. They don't want to waste Kazmir away and especially since they just went out and got Garza as well....that could be huge.

[Handofdeath]

Originally Posted by crazybob60

If you wanted my true honest opinion, well I see him getting about 25 bombs and about 80-85 rbi's and hitting about .290 all of which would be great numbers for him.

Remember that you can't spell Cliff Floyd without the letters D and L.

[crazybob60]

Originally Posted by Handofdeath

Remember that you can't spell Cliff Floyd without the letters D and L.

It took me a second to get that one, but I finally got it! Which is very true. Just looking at his stats according to www.baseball-reference.com and in his 15 years in the big leagues (assuming that the 1st year was a year-end call-up although I can't say that for fact....here is what he played each year game-wise...and again you can average that each baseball season has about average of 162 games I believe, correct? so I will make a little sidenote next to each year...

1993 -- 10 games (in Minors for 133 games, so that year was split, probably not injured.)

1994 -- 100 games (this was the strike season where there was only 112 games played, therefore he only missed 12 games which could be fairly commonplace for a rookie on the scene.)

1995 -- 29 games (missed 133 games)

1996 -- 117 games (in Minors for 20 games, so only missed about 25 games which could be a short DL stint or just sat some out, good showing in games though)

1997 -- 61 games (in Minors for 39 games, so missed about 62 games, which is a significant time.)

1998 -- 153 games (only missed 9 games and would be his best showing overall in his career thusfar and since!)

1999 -- 69 games (in Minors for 9 games, so missed about 84 games)

2000 -- 121 games (missed 41 games)

2001 -- 149 games (missed 13 games)

2002 -- 146 games (missed 16 games, and he even split that year between three different pro teams)

2003 -- 108 games (missed 54 games)

2004 -- 113 games (in Minors for 1 games, missed 48 games)

2005 -- 150 games (missed 12 games)

2006 -- 97 games (in Minors for 6 games, missed 59 games)

2007 -- 108 games (missed 54 games)

Therefore after all this, he spends at the very least 8 seasons out of the 14 full major league seasons being on the DL at least around 1/3 of the season or at least borderline...(95, 97, 99, 00, 03, 04, 06, and 07). This isn't too good in my opinion and doesn't bode well for his future, but once again, he really hasn't had the option of playing in the American League either (with the exception of his short stint in 2002 while playing in 47 games for the Boston Red Sox) where the DH would significantly enhance him playing more often. I believe the last few years with the Cubs, if I remember correctly while watching him on WGN, the Superstation, he was available for pinch hitting duties, many times. So yesh, the DH would help, and help ALOT!!!!

[Handofdeath]

Originally Posted by crazybob60

It took me a second to get that one, but I finally got it! Which is very true. Just looking at his stats according to www.baseball-reference.com and in his 15 years in the big leagues (assuming that the 1st year was a year-end call-up although I can't say that for fact....here is what he played each year game-wise...and again you can average that each baseball season has about average of 162 games I believe, correct? so I will make a little sidenote next to each year...

1993 -- 10 games (in Minors for 133 games, so that year was split, probably not injured.)

1994 -- 100 games (this was the strike season where there was only 112 games played, therefore he only missed 12 games which could be fairly commonplace for a rookie on the scene.)

1995 -- 29 games (missed 133 games)

1996 -- 117 games (in Minors for 20 games, so only missed about 25 games which could be a short DL stint or just sat some out, good showing in games though)

1997 -- 61 games (in Minors for 39 games, so missed about 62 games, which is a significant time.)

1998 -- 153 games (only missed 9 games and would be his best showing overall in his career thusfar and since!)

1999 -- 69 games (in Minors for 9 games, so missed about 84 games)

2000 -- 121 games (missed 41 games)

2001 -- 149 games (missed 13 games)

2002 -- 146 games (missed 16 games, and he even split that year between three different pro teams)

2003 -- 108 games (missed 54 games)

2004 -- 113 games (in Minors for 1 games, missed 48 games)

2005 -- 150 games (missed 12 games)

2006 -- 97 games (in Minors for 6 games, missed 59 games)

2007 -- 108 games (missed 54 games)

Therefore after all this, he spends at the very least 8 seasons out of the 14 full major league seasons being on the DL at least around 1/3 of the season or at least borderline...(95, 97, 99, 00, 03, 04, 06, and 07). This isn't too good in my opinion and doesn't bode well for his future, but once again, he really hasn't had the option of playing in the American League either (with the exception of his short stint in 2002 while playing in 47 games for the Boston Red Sox) where the DH would significantly enhance him playing more often. I believe the last few years with the Cubs, if I remember correctly while watching him on WGN, the Superstation, he was available for pinch hitting duties, many times. So yesh, the DH would help, and help ALOT!!!!

The word is the signing is dependent on passing a physical. What physical could Floyd possibly pass that doesn't start and end with the question, does he have a pulse?

[*BaseClogger*]

what is an MLB physical like? I mean, I can't remember too many guys that have failed a physical...