NewsVeteran Zaun files for free agency
Rays leave door open for catcher to come back in 2010
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com
11/11/09 5:28 PM EST
ST. PETERSBURG -- Gregg Zaun filed for free agency on Wednesday, two days after the Rays declined to exercise his option for the 2010 season.
On Monday, Tampa Bay opted not to exercise the option that would have paid the veteran catcher $2 million to play for the Rays next season. By not exercising the option, the club had to pay Zaun a $500,000 buyout.
Zaun, 38, was acquired by the Rays in a trade with the Orioles on Aug. 7. In 30 games with the Rays, he batted .287 with four home runs and 14 RBIs. Despite not exercising Zaun's option, the Rays are leaving the door open for the veteran catcher to return to the team.
"Zauny did a great job for us in the two months he was with us," said Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. "By us declining his option right now is by no means indicative of our future plans. We're just not ready in the beginning of November to commit to what we're going to do. We've had great dialogue with his agent, Dan Evans, and have expressed our interest in him going forward. But it's pretty premature to do much more than that, because there are so many unanswered variables."
Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
