Due to be a free agent this winter, Tampa Bay Rays closer Rafael Soriano has hired Scott Boras as his agent, according to the St. Petersburg Times.The Rays acquired Soriano from the Braves last offseason, and the move has worked out swimmingly, with Soriano saving 44 games entering play Thursday and posting a 1.76 ERA.
Those numbers, and the Rays' plans to shrink payroll in 2011, always made re-signing Soriano a longshot, and his new representation only makes it even more unlikely.
Unsurprisingly, Boras has already gone into hype mode when it comes to Soriano.
"The closer market has not had anybody as a free agent with those kind of seasons and is 30 years old in the market," Boras told the Times.
Added the superagent: "(Rafael) is on track to be one of the all-time saves leaders based on what he's doing at this age."
Guess he'll have to make history somewhere other than Tropicana Field




