Span Departs Hometown For The Northwest
The Tampa Bay Rays have traded closer Alex Colome, outfielder Denard Span, and cash considerations to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league pitchers Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero. The trade was first announced by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter).
Span, 34, was acquired by the Rays from the San Francisco Giants in the Evan Longoria trade. This season he is batting .238/.364/.385 (34-for-143) with seven doubles, one triple, four home runs, 28 RBI and six stolen bases in 43 games (35 starts).
He was selected by the Twins in the first round (20th overall) of the 2002 June Draft out of Tampa Catholic High School, where he played on the 2001 state championship team and was all-state as a junior and senior.
Span called it a bittersweet day, but more bitter than sweet. Despite being traded he was quick to point out that this is home for him. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here walking around International Mall. Driving down Bayshore. Fresh Kitchen…all those things.”
Span has enjoyed both his time with the Rays and the atmosphere that the team has created.
“Just being able to drive 20-minutes from my home to come here to work everyday and just the atmosphere in that clubhouse.” said Span. “It’s unlike any other atmosphere that I’ve been a part of to be honest. It’s loose, it’s fun.
“I told Erik [Neander] and Chaim [Bloom] that they have a good thing going here, just an unbelievable atmosphere here.”
He was also somewhat caught off-guard by the timing of the deal. “Maybe if this had happened after the first week or spring training then I would have been more prepared.”
When asked if Erik Neander had told him anything more about the trade, Span said he was told that this wasn’t something the Rays were looking for. “Seattle had money that freed up and their obviously in a position to win so they saw an opportunity to get myself and Colome and their trying to win over there.”
The Mariners recently lost Robinson Cano to a 80-game PED suspension, saving them approximately $11MM in salary. Span is owed the balance of his $9MM (~$6.0MM) and Colome is owed the balance of his $5.3MM (~$3.5MM). Span is also owed a possible $4MM buyout in 2019 (or $12MM). It is not known at this time how much cash the Rays are sending the Mariners in the deal.
Colomé, 29, leaves the Rays ranked second in club history with 95 saves, trailing only Roberto Hernández (101). This season he is 2-5 with a 4.15 ERA (21.2-IP, 10-ER) and 11 saves in 23 appearances.
The Return:
Moore, 24 on June 2, has appeared in 11 games (nine starts) over four stints with the Mariners in 2017. In those appearances he went 1-5 with a 5.34 ERA (35-ER/59-IP). He threw at least six inning in six of his nine starts. This season, he is 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA (17-ER, 50.1-IP) in nine starts for the Mariners Double-A affiliate Arkansas.
He ranks fourth in the Texas League in ERA, and ranks among league leaders with 47 SO (fifth), 1.03 WHIP (second), .210 opponents’ avg. (third) and 9.66 baserunners per nine innings (second). Moore was selected by Seattle in the second round of the 2015 June Draft out of Oregon State University.
Romero, 20, is 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA (44-IP, 12-ER) with 54 SO in nine starts for Class-A Clinton. He ranks seventh in the Midwest League in ERA, fifth in strikeouts and third in strikeouts per nine innings (11.05). Selected in the 15th round out of Eastern Florida State College, he made his pro debut in the Arizona League last summer and over parts of two seasons has totaled an 8-4 record and a 2.27 ERA, holding opponents to a .221 avg. (68-for-307) with only one home run. Romero entered the season rated as the Mariners No. 26 prospect, according to Baseball America. He will report to Class-A Bowling Green.
Mariners And Rays Familiar Trade Partners:
This is the ninth trade between Seattle and Tampa Bay since the end of the 2015 season. In total the Rays have acquired 16 players and $1,321,000 in international bonus slot money.
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- Nate Karns, Boog Powell, and C.J. Riefenhauser for Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, and Danny Farquhar. (November 5, 2015)
- Richie Shaffer and Taylor Motter for Dalton Kelly, Andrew Kittredge, and Dylan Thompson. (November 18, 2016)
- Drew Smyly for Ryan Yarbrough, Carlos Vargas, and Mallex Smith. (January 11, 2017)
- Cash considerations for Jesus Sucre. (February 8, 2017)
- Bryan Bonnell for International Draft Slot Money. (May 9, 2017)
- Erasmo Ramirez for Steve Cishek. (July 28, 2017)
- Ryan Garton and Mike Marjama for Anthony Misiewicz (minors), Luis Rengifo (minors), and Osmy Gregorio (minors). (August 6, 2017).
- Anthony Misiewickz was traded back to the Mariners in exchange for $1MM international slot money.
- Denard Span and Alex Colome for Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero.
