RAYS EXERCISE 2013 OPTIONS

courtesy of the Tampa bay Rays

Rocket Sports & Entertainment’s favorite Ray. (photo by USPresswire/Kim Klement)

ST. PETERSBURG, FL—The Tampa Bay Rays have exercised their 2013 club options for right-handed pitchers James Shields and Fernando Rodney and catcher Jose Molina.  They declined their 2013 option for designated hitter Luke Scott.

Shields, 30, went 15-10 in 2012 and ranked third in the American League in innings pitched (227.2), fourth in strikeouts (223) and 12^th in ERA (3.52).  The seven-year veteran is the Rays all-time leader in wins (87), starts (217), innings pitched (1,454.2) and strikeouts (1,250).  This year he completed his sixth straight season of 200-plus innings pitched, tied for the second-longest active streak in the majors behind only Mark Buerhle (12).

Rodney, 35, had a historic season in his first year with the Rays, earning a club-record and career-high 48 saves while posting a 0.60 ERA (74.2-IP, 5-ER), a major league record for a relief pitcher (min. 50 IP).  The 2012 first-time All-Star selection joined Dennis Eckersley of the Oakland Athletics in 1990 as the only pitchers in major league history to post 40 saves and a sub-1.00 ERA.  After the season, Rodney was named the AL Comeback Player of the Year and Major League Baseball’s Delivery Man of the Year.

Molina, 37, hit .223 (56-for-251) and set career highs with eight home runs and 32 RBI over 102 games in 2012, his 13^th major league season.  He threw out 27.8 percent (15 of 54) of attempted base stealers in 2012 and has thrown out 36.2 percent (168-for-464) for his career, third best among active catchers (min. 500 games) after Henry Blanco (40.9) and his brother, Yadier Molina (40.3).

Scott, 34, hit .229 (72-for-314) with 14 home runs and 55 RBI over 96 games in his first year with the Rays but missed 45 games over two stints on the disabled list due to back stiffness and a mild strain of his right external oblique.