SEATTLE -- The Rays signed Ernesto Frieri to a one-year, $800,000 Major League contract in November, and the veteran right-hander broke camp with the big club with mutual hopes of rebounding with a sterling season out of the bullpen. Even after a slow start that has seen him demoted to Triple-A Durham on June 2, it still could happen.
Frieri, like former Rays reliever Grant Balfour, elected to accept the Minor League assignment rather than attempt to make a go of it elsewhere.
"From talking to him, we are happy about that," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.