Hawpe signs with Tampa Bay Rays
FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal tweets that former Colorado Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe has signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the deal is a minor-league deal and Hawpe is expected to join the Rays in the next few days, likely when the rosters expand on Sept. 1.
Hawpe has been assigned to the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the high Class-A Florida State League where he can get some regular at-bats before being activated later next week.
The Rays have been looking for an extra bat for September. Hawpe likely will play some first base, outfield and DH. The Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and San Diego reportedly also expressed interest in Hawpe.
The Rockies are still on the hook for most of Hawpe’s remaining 2010 salary. The Rays will pay only the pro-rated minimum major league salary.
Best of luck to Brad. That Tampa Bay team is strong. Hope to see them in the WS! :)
All I could say was wow. That is a move a really don’t understand. I guess I might have the opportunity to see Brad Hawpe play again in the post season, if the Rays can make it in.
I’m glad he caught on with a strong team. I hope he does well. Best of luck Brad!
Good move by the Rays. Welcome to Florida, Brad, where the team is strong, the crowds are small and the DH position could be yours. I’ll drive up to watch you play.
Good on you, Brad, to go to a contender. (Sorry you have to play in such an awful ballpark after playing here, though)
Can’t really root hard for your success while the Red Sox have any life left, but when they don’t, I’m all in for ya!
why does nobody go to TB or Miami games? Is it all because of the crappy ball parks? too much else to do near the beaches?
The answer, Prog, might as well be blowin’ in the wind. I live in Sarasota, about an hour south of Tampa, and I generally go to 3-4 games a year. Unless the Rays are playing the Yanks or the Red Sox, tickets are ridiculously easy to come by and cheap (my wife and I sat 6 rows behind the Padres dugout when they came in earlier this year for $20 each). There are diversions in this part of the world, to be sure, but the economy is poor and this is predominantly a football region, plain and simple. As proof of the bad economy (and the bad team) fir the first time in what they say is 13 years a Bucs home game was blacked out last week (a ‘big’ exhibition game vs. KC). The Tampa Bay area just does not support the Rays like they should. There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference of whether the team contends or not. Rumors are flying that the team will build a new park in Tampa (the current Trop is in St. Pete). To me baseball is baseball, but apparently not to thousands in this part of the world. And Miami is not much better (actually it is worse).
My guess is that they’d draw much better in a retractable roof stadium in Orlando, not in Tampa/St. Pete.
Good for Hawpe. Since TB is in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot, I’d hope Hawpe gets activated before the Sep 1 playoff eligibility deadline.
I still don’t get why it was essential to dump Hawpe. There is only a negligible cost savings here, and by carrying him on the roster for just 3 more weeks you could’ve had him available in September if playoff hopes are still (barely) alive. It’s not like the club has made a whole lot of use of Barmes or Herrera in the interim. Still, I’d love to see Hawpe hit one out in the playoffs to send the Yankees home …
Miami is MUCH worse. Ever go to a game there? Not so much fun.
Eric, you asked the $100 question. I’m not sure why there is not better attendance at the Rays games. It could be that there are so many people from so many different places and they have their favorite teams? That team might not be the Rays. There is a HUGE Boston, NY, Philly, and Chicago population. I always found it funny how they claim how great it is in their “home” city yet they live in FL.
It was really sad to see such a bad turn out after going to the World Series. It makes no sense. Some believe that it may be because of all the spring training games. They are always well attended. Who knows.
My family has Rays season tickets. Me, I may be from FL but I guess I’ve turned into a die hard Rockies fan. Coors Field is one of the very best. The Trop? Ahhh, it has great food vendors. Coors has some of the worst food compared to other ballparks, especially the Trop.
I’m still holding on to a Rays vs Rockies WS.
I didn’t understand dumping Hawpe either, Agbayani. In July I wanted him to go on the DL–to save face–and then get his swing back in order in AAA. I’m glad to see he’ll be going to the minors with TB because I don’t think he welcomed that strategy with the Rox. I think I heard that Hawpe felt as if he were being made the scapegoat over the Rox failures. As always, feelings and pride got involved and, like in any divorce,it’s easier if everyone makes a clean break. I actually think the Rox will miss him next year at 1B. Without Helton in his way, I think he would have been better than before.
The way it has been explained is that the Rockies were doing Hawpe a favor by releasing him and allowing him the opportunity to play elsewhere rather than ride the pine here. They didn’t have to release him but absent a trade offer, why keep a player who doesn’t want to be here.
And I’m not sure why Mike Raysfan doesn’t see it–what do you mean. They picked up Hawpe at minimal $, and if the Rays have a roster spot, very little cost of any sort. It’s like the Rockies picking up Giambi last year, and if you recall, up to that point Giambi had been hitting a lot worse than Hawpe did for the Rockies this year.
And the Rays DH’s production for the year thus far: .238 avg, .314 OBP, .370 slugging. If Hawpe gets his swing back, he’s a big improvement. If not, well, they weren’t getting better production anyway. I mean, Willie Aybar’s been DH’ing lately.
The Rays don’t have a roster spot. Decisions are being made and this is probably the biggest reason he was sent to Charlotte.
True enough, $25k is a bargin price for him, especially if he breaks out of his slump. The Rockies are the ones stuck with his salary.
I will be curious to see how they use him. Many beleive in RF. Some believe DH. I think it will be at 1st base. Reader f/k/a Mike points out the not so good DH production. If you take at look at Carlos Pena’s performance you will see it’s less than stellar also. It’s almost ironic. While many complained about Hawpe’s lackluster offensive performance, the same can be said for Carlos Pena.
Time will tell what will happen. If Hawpe does break out of his slump and gets his swing back then I guess the Rays fans can call it packback for the Hammel/Aneury Rodriguez trade :)
YIKES – sp PAYBACK
As Reader f/k/a Mike pointed out, the “dump” was done for Brad. These days 30+ OFs are not getting many chances for contracts coming off bad years. No one was going to trade anyone for Brad, sad to say, at this point in his career, given the last seaons and a quarter. Brad now has the chance to become a contributing member of a platoon with TB where he might earn himself a new contract, maybe even a 2 year deal. He fits the AL better at this point in his career anyways. And he is a great clubhouse guy with playoff experience, so TB will probably really benefit from his work.
They may not have a spot on their roster open right now, but I bet they make one before Sept 1. Left-handed power that can be put in three spots in teh line-up or come off the bench is something a team like TB will need against Rivera.
Best of luck to you Brad and I add my voice to the “see you in the WS as the Rocks win their first title in 6 over the Rays.”
Hawpe picked up where he left off, going 0 for 2 with a walk as a DH in the 1st game of a double-header for Charlotte, Tampa’s High-A affiliate in the FL St. league.