ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Chris Archer has done all right for a guy who was cut from his seventh grade team and once told by a coach he would never be good enough to pitch in college, let alone the major leagues. The 25-year-old right-hander not only has a promising future with the Tampa Bay Rays, he will be paid well while trying to reach his potential. "Not making teams, being told I was never going to play college baseball, getting traded twice, and now Im sitting here in this seat where not many people ever get," Archer said Wednesday after finalizing a $25.5 million, six-year contract, the latest long-term deal the Rays have given to one of their young pitchers. "Having the ability to make my parents debt-free is huge for me right now. And just the willingness from the Rays to offer such a contract for somebody with under a year of service time is remarkable," Archer added. "It was definitely something I couldnt say no to. It was a smooth, easy process." The contract includes club options for 2020 and 2021 that could raise the value to $43.75 million. Archer went 9-7 with a 3.22 ERA in 23 starts as a rookie in 2013. Hes scheduled to make his first start of the season Thursday against Toronto. "Its a contract, and its guaranteed money, but I think its just the beginning of six or eight great years," Archer said. Tampa Bay has one of the deepest pitching rotations in baseball, as well as a history of signing its best young players to long-term contract early in their careers. Left-hander Matt Moore, a 17-game winner a year ago, signed a $14 million, five-year deal after making just one regular-season start in the majors. Archer gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $500,000 this year, $1 million in 2015, $2.75 million in 2016, $4.75 million in 2017, $6.25 million in 2018 and $7.5 million in 2019. The Rays have a $9 million option for 2020 with a $1.75 million buyout, and if that option is exercised they have an $11 million option for 2021 with a $250,000 buyout. Rays executive vice-president Andrew Friedman said Archer has the talent to "develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter," as well as the work ethic and character off the field to ensure the Rays are making a good investment. "Its not only important to identify the talent of the player, but also who they are," Friedman said. "As much as were betting on his talent, were betting on who he is, as well." Archer was obtained from the Cubs as part of an eight-player trade that sent Matt Garza to Chicago in 2011. The new deal replaces a one-year contract agreed to in February that called for Archer to make $511,200 in the major leagues and $214,222 in the minors. The native of Clayton, N.C., was promoted from Triple-A Durham last June 1 and went on to lead AL rookies making a minimum of 20 starts in ERA, opponents batting average (.226), complete games (two), shutouts (two). He finished third in balloting for AL Rookie of the Year behind Rays outfielder Wil Myers and Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias. Talks on the new deal began during spring training. Archer said he consulted with a number of people during the process, including some players whove signed long-term deals early in their career and some who turned it down. "What came from it is never turn your back on your first fortune," said Archer, adding that he feels blessed to be in a position to make sure his parents become debt-free. "At the end of the contract, theres still room to sign another deal or extension or whatever it might be. From where I come from, this is more than I can ever ask for, to be honest." Archer thanked the Rays for trading for him after other organizations gave up on developing him. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2006 and traded to the Cubs in December 2008. "It seems like this was the first team that Ive ever really played for that really believed in me and was willing to wait an extra year or two for me to really turn into what I could possibly be," Archer said. Vern Mikkelsen Jersey . -- Augusta James of Bath, Ont. Rajon Rondo Jersey .com) - Devin Booker scored 19 points and top-ranked Kentucky put on a defensive clinic in an 83-44 obliteration of UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/501j-s...sey-lakers.html. 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform. 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Weaver (7-5) gave up four runs and six hits through 5 1-3 innings in his 14th start, matching his shortest outing of the season. In his last two starts against Oakland, the three-time All-Star has allowed nine earned runs in 11 1-3 innings. Both centre fielders made home run-saving catches -- Mike Trout robbing Yoenis Cespedes to end the first inning and Coco Crisp pulling back Josh Hamiltons drive leading off the second. Cespedes drove in Oaklands first run with a third-inning single, and Hamilton drove in the Angels first run with a fourth-inning double off the glove of first baseman Brandon Moss. Cespedes snuffed out an Angels rally in the seventh with his major league-leading ninth outfield assist, throwing out Albert Pujols at third after misplaying his double to left field. Cespedes got a huge assist from third baseman Josh Donaldson, who caught the throw going away from the bag and made a diving tag on Pujols. Tuesday night, Cespedes threw out Howie Kendrick at the plate with a 300-foot throw from the left field corner after misplaying a double by Trout -- the third time he threw out an Angels runner at home this season. The As, who dropped the first two games of the series 4-1 and 2-1 in 14 innings, broke a 1-all tie with three runs in the sixth. Cesspedes led off with a double that deflected off the glove of third baseman John McDonald as he dove toward the line, and Moss followed with a dribbler to the left of the mound that got past Weaver for a single with the Angels overshifting to the right side.dddddddddddd Cespedes scored the go-ahead run on Jed Lowries sacrifice fly. Vogt, making his sixth start since his recall from Triple-A Sacramento on June 1 and his fourth behind the plate, chased Weaver with a drive deep into the right field seats on the right-handers 104th pitch. Weaver has allowed a home run in six consecutive starts -- equaling his career-worst stretch, which occurred in his final six outings of 2011. Oakland tacked on three more runs in the ninth against Cory Rasmus. Crisp and Cespedes had RBI singles, and Eric Sogard scored when the rookie right-hander tried to pick off Crisp at first base and threw the ball away. Lowrie ended a career-worst 0-for-21 drought with an opposite-field single in the third. Donaldson, who wasnt in the starting lineup after making four throwing errors in the first two games of the series, entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth and was 0 for 2 -- extending his career-worst hitless drought to 23 at-bats. NOTES: Oakland LHP Fernando Abad has stranded all 14 of his inherited baserunnners, while Angels RHP Fernando Salas has allowed all nine of his inherited runners to score. ... Two of Vogts big league homers have been against the Angels. ... The Angels are 13-18 against AL West teams and 23-11 against everyone else. ... Oakland LHP Sean Doolittle has not allowed a run in a career-best 21 1-3 consecutive innings, and has 44 strikeouts with only one walk. ... The As are the only team in the majors that hasnt had a rookie play. ' ' '