The Rays are among the teams that have made contact with free-agent catcher Michael Barrett, but the team's greater priorities are finding bullpen help and upgrading at shortstop. Barrett, 31, is a Type A free agent, while fellow free agents Paul LoDuca and Yorvit Torrealba are Type Bs. Under the collective-bargaining agreement, a team would not lose a draft pick for signing LoDuca or Torrealba; their previous clubs would receive a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds. Barrett would cost any team that signed him a first- or second-round pick if the Padres offered him arbitration.