After a few weeks that saw them linked to a handful of teams, the Tampa Bay Rays have finally succeeded in trading Jason Bartlett, sending the 31-year-old shortstop to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Adam Russell and Cesar Ramos.
Jason Bartlett Traded To Padres For Cesar Ramos, Adam Russell
Bartlett will fill a hole in San Diego, replacing the departed Miguel Tejada and David Eckstein. He is regarded as a slick fielder and, while he batted just .254 in 2010, he's a year removed from a big 2009 that saw him hit .320 with 14 home runs. He is a second-tier addition made by a budget-conscious team, and he was sent away by another budget-conscious team in the Rays because he's set to earn a raise from last year's $4 million, and the team already has youngster Reid Brignac ready to assume the regular shortstop role.
In return for Bartlett, the Rays pick up two young players. Ramos is a 26-year-old lefty capable of starting and relieving. He features a fastball in the low-90s, a slider, a curveball, and a change. Russell, meanwhile, is a 27-year-old righty reliever with a strong mid-90s fastball and three other pitches as well. Both Russell and Ramos have Major League experience, and will compete for jobs in Tampa Bay’s bullpen in the season ahead.
For more on the trade, check out DRays Bay and Gaslamp Ball.
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