Danys Baez’s fate was sealed on October 31. The Devil Rays exercised their $4 million contract option on their 41 save closer, guaranteeing he’d be dealt by mid-season at the latest. Baez is now in the final year of a 3-year deal that paid him $6.5 million over the last two years. He was the best reliever on the Rays, and probably the 2nd best pitcher in their system (behind Kazmir). More importantly, he was the only guy on this team I’d have trusted with the ball in the 9th inning.

The Rays might think they got a good deal in picking up Edwin Jackson. But the 23-year old right-hander has looked brutal in his last 2 major league call-ups. You can even tack on a bad 2005 spring training.

Lance Carter and Chuck Tiffany are the other two pitchers involved in this deal. Carter’s nothing but a scrap-heap mop-up guy, and Tiffany, 20, is a long-term prospect with the Dodgers. He’s a 6′1 lefty with a curve-ball, but his velocity is what kills me: the reports I’ve seen have him sitting at 87-90 mph. He should have stayed in the NL. He really should have stayed in the NL.

While we’re on the subject, let’s talk about why all Dodgers pitching prospects seem to do so well at Vero Beach A-ball. Baseball Prospectus had an article on “park factors” a little while ago. The basic info. they tabulate is altitude, distance to the power alleys, and park dimensions. Well, surprise, surprise. Vero Beach was the best pitcher’s park in the Florida State League. Maybe Greg Miller, Tiffany, Joel Hanrahan, and Chad Billingsley aren’t so good after all. We all know Edwin Jackson didn’t pitch in Vero, but I’m sure he would have done all right.

Chad Orvella is Tampa’s new closer. I wouldn’t touch him for $1 in mixed-league drafts. He does have good stuff, but I don’t think he knows what he’s doing out there. He’s either going to be decent, or absolutely awful, and you don’t want to take that risk with a sophomore Rays pitcher.

As for Jackson? He’s got a low-90s fastball and slider. The fastball’s straight with very little bite, and the slider is decent. He can’t command either pitch, which is probably why he posted an 8.62 ERA in 55 AAA innings last year. Yeah, you’re gonna have problems when you K 33 in 55 innings and give up 76 hits.