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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Decision Saturday for Rays

Posted Dec 11, 2009 by Roger Mooney

Updated Dec 11, 2009 at 07:47 PM

Well one, anyway.

Friedman has until midnight Saturday to tender contracts to arbitration eligible players catchers Dioner Navarro and Kelly Shoppach, outfielders B.J. Upton and Gabe Gross, shortstop Jason Bartlett and pitchers J.P. Howell, Grant Balfour, Lance Cormier, Matt Garza and Randy Choate.

Most are easy decisions.

Not so with what’s going on behind the plate.

Navarro can expect a $3 million contract in arbitration. Shoppach, acquired earlier this month from the Indians, can expect a raise to around $2.5 million.

Having just paid new closer Rafael Soriano $7.25 on Friday, a contract that pushes the Rays payroll to around $70 million, don’t be surprised if Friedman has to tweak things, and don’t be surprised if he starts with his catchers. Navarro, who followed his All-Star 2008 season with a poor 2009 both with the bat and behind the plate, could be non-tendered.

Also, there is still the Pat Burrell-to-Milton Bradley trade that hinges on how much of the remaining two years on Bradley’s contract ($15 million) the Cubs want to eat.

Friedman wouldn’t comment on the Burrell-Bradley situation Friday when he met with the media about the Soriano trade.

“I’m not going to talk about trade things that are out there,” he said. “Our focus is on continuing to make this 2010 team better. It’s going to take a little more creativity and our focus is still on doing that. I think there’s definitely a chance for the most part this is the team we go into April with. That being said, five days ago I didn’t think we’d end up with Rafael Soriano.”

When asked it he would have to cut corners now, Friedman said, “I think at this point we have what we have unless something makes sense. We’re not going to go out there trying to force something. If something presents itself that makes sense it’s not going to be done purely to move money right now. If something makes sense for us to do otherwise than it’s something to explore, but I think we’ve made this more with the mind if the season started tomorrow than we feel really good about this team, and feel, at least on paper in the middle of December, is the best team we’ve had. That obviously doesn’t guarantee you anything especially in this division, but we feel really good about our bullpen in terms of it actually being strength for us and we felt like that was an area that we needed to be aggressive to target.”

- Roger Mooney