Does this mean you're not counting on Kubel to be able to replace Jones next year?  

Is this for a Roto league or some kind of sim league?  Sadly, i don't see the Rays giving Gomes much of a shot any time soon.  They already gave his lineup spot to a 30yr old career minorleaguer in spite of the fact that Jonny was one of their best producers at the time.

This is not for a Roto or sim league.  I'm just a GM-wannabe like some others on the board.

It seems Gomes should be starting in an OF corner or DH.  He appears to be a good and undervalued asset.  I know nothing about his defense or make-up.

I am certainly not counting on Kubel to replace Jacque Jones next year.  He might be able to replace Shannon Stewart next year -- the OF who should DH.  We have no assurance that Kubel can run the bases or play the field next year.  He will be coming off a year without picking up a bat.  Kubel may start the year in Rochester.

Brickhaus is right on the money.  The only thing is I think he will have a BA closer to .270.  Not major, but I think he'll have a little better batting average.

Jhonny Gomes is Tim Salmon. Just look at his minor league numbers. They're mirror images.

Lou Pinellapee needs to be fired for putting himself in front of the team.

His minor league numbers are identical.  That's remarkable.  He is one of the best prospects in baseball.  BA didn't rank him because the organization hasn't thought much of him, but he should be the Rays' future DH.  Baldelli, Crawford, Young, Gomes.  That's a really good OF.  If Upton and Bankston develop, like I'm almost sure they will, this team can compete by 2007, at the latest 2008.  With a couple good trades of guys like Huff and Baez bringing good pitching prospects; the Rays' could be on there way.  That is, if Sternburg takes over, and Lamar is fired.

You're right on with Jhonny Gomes, Tyler.

I've been talking about the Tim Salmon comparison since before this season started.

From you a while back.  I looked it up and it really is uncanny how similar their numbers are.

Hope the Salmon thing is true, have seen Gomes live on a couple of his cups of coffee and was overmatched by fastballs high, of course small sample size as we like to say. Other thing if had value wouldn't they have traded him for someone as well.
I would like the Rays to give him a shot to see what he can do.
As far as the Abreu/Stocker thing it's not like they would have kept him any way with his salary, but maybe they would have received s/t in return.

Abreu wouldn't have commanded a huge salary when the trade happened.  Also, the Rays' were spending like crazy then.  They gave Stocker a 3 year 8 million dollar contract.  35 million to Wilson Alverez.  A bunch to Crime Dog, Canseco, Castillo, and Greg Vaughan.  They also gave 10.2 million dollar signing bonus to Matt White, largest ever.  Bobby Seay got 3 million.  None of his investments worked out(well Crime Dog wasn't bad, just no one else was any good).

Heck, they have money now, they just don't spend it.  Rumor I hear is Sternburg is in control of the money, and he won't invest anything until he gets his guy's in there, i.e. Lamar's gone.  I hear he's trying to basically force Namoli out.  Then hopefully the will become competitive.

... that so many people are calling him "jhonny" gomes. as far as i know only one person in the history of the universe has been named jhonny (i'm sure this is untrue, but ... i only know of one) and it's jhonny peralta of the indians.

this gomes is jonny gomes, which is also a slightly unusual spelling but not that unusual. in the strange universe of prospectheads, is jhonny now a more normal spelling than johnny? :)

question: is gomes so good a prospect that they need to worry about starting his arb clock? i don't think so. he seems to me like the kind of player that they can use now (while he is the 2nd-best hitter on the team) and then will probably be squeezed out of playing time once young/bankston/dukes are ready, with crawford and baldelli already in place.

That's an excellent post. You've enlightened me. I didn't realize they were that good. Thanks.  

Dukes has talent, but has a lot of problems.  I don't think he will pan out, not because of talent, but outside factors.  He has a lot of anger problems.  John said, "He makes Milton Bradley look calm."  He's been arrested for assult before.  I hope I'm wrong but that's how I see it.

I agree with the Bankston assesment.  He's the reason I'm advocating trading Huff.  Bankston's the future.  The Rays' will mash if they can keep their prospects together.

I talked to someone who works for the Rays' and he said Taylor was called up because he gives Lou more flexiblity playing in the NL.  He said Milkshake(Sanchez) will be DFA and Gomes will be up Monday.  I hope he's right.

Isn't Dukes the guy who's been arrested like 3 times in the last year and small change?

He's been arrest 3 times in the past year and a half.  One of those was dropped though.  Here's a link to a newspaper article right after he got drafted.  I gives a little insight into where he came from:

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/06/05/Columns/Draftee_chance_to_get.shtml

gomes was profiled in BA's daily dish friday. here's what he had to say:

"I steal bases, I hit for a high average, I hit home runs, I play all three outfield positions, I DH," Gomes told the St. Petersburg Times. "Every time they send me down, they don't tell me anything to work on. I'm down here confused by the silence. I don't think I have anything to prove down here. The only thing I have to prove is being consistent in the big leagues. And it's hard to do that from here."

sad. i'm sure he's bummed about reggie taylor being recalled instead of him.

i'd like to believe the rays have a plan (as Tyler suggested) but i don't think they do. alex sanchez has been just about their best hitter this year; they won't discard him.