Look Ahead: Rays, Mets need to lower asking price for stretch help

The Rays have been so diligent in their pursuit of an outfield bat that they even spent some time discussing Barry Bonds (about a month ago) and Gary Sheffield (more recently than that).

The Rays can try and acquire Gary Sheffield or they can trade a top prospect for something better. (AP)

Sources said that the Bonds talk ended without even a phone call, and that the Sheffield idea didn't go very far, either.

But the fact remains, the Rays have to do something to turn themselves from a good first-half story into a team that can keep either the Yankees or the Red Sox out of the playoffs in October. In fact, as the July trade market heads into its final days, you could say the Rays stand with the Mets as the two teams most in need of making a last-minute acquisition.

Like Tampa Bay, the Mets want an outfielder, preferably one who bats right-handed. Like Tampa Bay, the Mets were interested in Xavier Nady (already traded to the Yankees) and in Casey Blake (already traded to the Dodgers).

Like Tampa Bay, the Mets have been overly protective of their top prospects.

The Mets keep telling everyone no on Fernando Martinez, no on Jon Niese. The Rays keep saying they won't talk about David Price, or Wade Davis, or Jeremy Hellickson, or Reid Brignac.

The Mets say they might find help internally, because Ryan Church could return soon. The Rays say Rocco Baldelli could be the outfield bat that they need, and that Price could join the rotation and allow either Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine to go to the bullpen (filling Tampa Bay's other big need).

But as Thursday's 4 p.m. deadline approaches without either team making a deal, the pressure will increase to include a player they don't want to talk about.

"If (the Rays) won't move any major piece, I don't see how they can do it," one scout familiar with their plans said Sunday. "But they can't keep that attitude that they've already exceeded their expectations. It's the end of July, and they're in first place. They've got to go for it."

Another scout who sees the Rays frequently agreed.

"I do think they have to do something to spark that team," he said. "I'd take one of their big guys and call the Tigers and see if they would talk about Magglio Ordonez."

That might not be the answer for Tampa Bay, but at least we know the Rays are willing to think big. They thought big when they discussed Bonds and Sheffield, even though it didn't lead anywhere.

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