There’s some thought, according to the St. Petersburg Times’ Marc Topkin, that right-handed relief pitcher Grant Balfour will accept arbitration and return to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011. Balfour is a Type-A free agent, so if he goes to another team, he’ll cost them a draft pick. Topkin says that Balfour wants to return to Tampa Bay.

The 33-year-old Balfour was 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 57 appearances for the Rays and will get a raise from the $2.05 million that he made last season. The question is how much of a raise?

The Rays offered arbitration to seven players last week, and will get a decision from the players by Tuesday. Topkin says that fans should expect Type-A free agents Carl Crawford and Rafael Soriano as well as Type-B free agents Brad Hawpe, Chad Qualls, Randy Choate and Joaquin Benoit (who signed with the Detroit Tigers) to decline their arbitration offers.