Lugo to Jays dead, J.P. pursues pitching
After months of speculation and trade rumors, dependable SS Julio Lugo might just remain a Ray afterall: TBO.com is repoting that Lugo is expected to receive a contract offer from the Devil Rays within the next two days.
Meanwhile, Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi made comments yesterday that indicate that he may have cooled on the idea of acquiring Lugo: "We have a budget we have to adhere to and if we trade the guys they have asked for I have to go out and spend the money to replace those guys next year and it's going to be a lot more expensive."
Instead, Ricciardi is expected to pursue pitching, and Toronto scouts have been checking out Baltimore's Rodrigo Lopez, the Nationals' Tony Armas Jr., the Phillies' Jon Lieber and former Jay, Cory Lidle. Ricciardi says he won't deal his young pitchers Jeremy Accardo, Brandon League, Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum: "Those are all our young arms. We give those guys up, we have no control." Without one of these guns in the mix though, what can Toronto offer up as trade bait?
Will the Rays trade Julio Lugo?…
Should the Devil Rays sign Julio Lugo to an extension or trade him? He's been mentioned in trade rumors involving the Blue Jays and (ironically) the Astros, but the Rays are apparently now leaning toward re-signing the 30-year-old shortstop. He doesn…