Aki Meets with Media
Akinori Iwamura, who is lost for the season after suffering a torn ACL against the Marlins Sunday, met with the media Friday afternoon.
Aki expects to be ready to play by the start of Spring Training in 2010 and he expressed his desire to return to the Rays, though he understands that decision is out of his control
The Rays have a club option that they can pick up that would pay the second baseman $4.25 million for 2010 or they can buy him out for $250,000.
Based on the price to keep Aki and the fact the Rays have Reid Brignac and Elliot Johnson being groomed for their infield, the odds seem stacked against Aki wearing a Rays uniform in 2010.
–Bill Chastain
mlblogsbillchastain1
Reid Brignac doesn’t strike me as someone who could replace what Aki brings to the Rays everytime he plays. He looks like he needs more time in the Minors to get his play up to level. Aki is a proven infielder, and should be kept by the Rays. One hopes that Aki will recover in time for the 2010 season, and one also hopes that the FO will endeavor to keep him a Ray.