Here is my take and I probably am wrong, but I'll still state my theory:
Every GM in the league knows Rays worth so of course there are going to be calls to DA to offer a trade I'm sure he gets calls all the time about current players.
The trade last spring would/could have been an improvement for us, but in the end it didn't pan out maybe the reason is Danny did not want to give ray up? I guess it doesn't matter too much now, but did Ray ever consider that? That DA actually wanted to keep the big 3 together since they knew the system so well.
Idk just my 2c
Oh well on to bigger and better things this season lets sign Lee or Mayo and prove the world wrong once again that this "old" team still has some gas left in the tank!