The D-Rays have claimed lefty reliever Kurt Birkins off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched in 19 games (2 starts) last season for the Orioles and he was 1-2 with a 8.13 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP. Birkins has now pitched in 54 games (2 starts) in his major league career and he is 6-4 with a 6.61 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. He has worked 65.1 innings in his career and he has allowed 77 hits, walked 30 batters and whiffed 57. This was a good move by the D-Rays who are in an endless search for a lefty specialist reliever and they will give Birkins a chance in Spring Training to compete for the job.

The D-Rays have claimed outfielder Chris Snelling off of waivers from the Oakland A’s. The problem with Snelling has never been his talent just his inability to stay healthy. He played in 30 games last season for the A’s and Nationals and he was 17 for 69 (.246 avg) with 10 runs scored, 1 homer and 7 RBIs. Snelling has now played in 89 games in his major league career and he’s 53 for 221 (.240 avg, .737 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 6 homers and 19 RBIs. To make room for Snelling on the roster the D-Rays have released reliever Jay Witasick. Witasick was horrible for the D-Rays last season as he pitched in 20 games and he was 0-0 with a 6.61 ERA and a 2.14 WHIP. He worked 16.1 innings for the D-Rays and he allowed 17 hits, walked 18 batters and whiffed 8.

Dan Wheeler will likely have to earn the job as the set-up man for the D-Rays but he has the ability to excel in that role. He didn’t pitch too well after the D-Rays acquired him in the Ty Wigginton trade but he has the skill to be much, much better. He has pitched in 327 games (9 starts) in his major league career and he is 32-41 with 25 saves, a 4.09 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Wheeler has allowed less hits (404) than innings pitched (406.2) and that’s a good sign for success. He also throws strikes as he has averaged 8.19 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched and he only walks 2.92 batters per 9 innings over his career. Look for him to pitch well at the back end of the bullpen for the Devil Rays in 2008.

Carlos Pena has been named the American League Comeback Player of the Year.  The amazing thing about Pena’s season is not how well he played but how close he was to not making the Opening Day Roster.  In Spring Training Pena played in 23 games for the D-Rays and he was 12 for 47 (.255 avg) with 4 runs scored, 0 homers and 4 RBIs.  But, in April Carlos Pena embarked on the finest season in Devil Rays History!  He played in 148 games this season and he was 138 for 490 (.282 avg, 1.038 OPS) with 99 runs scored, 46 homers and 121 RBIs.  He also walked 103 times but whiffed 142 times.  Pena set career highs in runs scored, homers and RBIs this season for the D-Rays.  The great thing for the Devil Rays is that Pena wants to keep playing here as he is grateful that the team game him an opportunity to revive his major league career.  After all, he did spend most of last season in AAA with the Yankees.

Pena has now played in 655 games in his major league career and he is 548 for 2,175 (.252 avg, .847 OPS) with 328 runs scored, 132 homers and 364 RBIs.  He also has whiffed 644 times over his career.