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Rays Beat: Players Don't Worry About Trade Rumors

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Marc Lancaster/The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 11, 2007

Updated: 11/10/2007 11:25 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - The way the players tell it, they don't seek the information out; it comes to them.

Whether in a call or text message from a friend, as was the case with Scott Kazmir, or from a random fan who spotted Carl Crawford walking around a mall this week, trade rumors inevitably find the subject of speculation.

Even more so than in the weeks leading up to the July trading deadline, this time of year finds certain players dealt a dozen times over in newspapers and online, whether or not they eventually end up changing addresses.

The mill started churning in earnest last week at the general managers' meetings in Orlando, with Kazmir suddenly deemed "available" and all three of the Rays' starting outfielders coveted by various teams. Players tend to be just about the last to hear that they've actually been traded, so being in the dark is nothing new, but the Rays mentioned most in rumors aren't the least bit unsettled.

"I don't worry about it, man," B.J. Upton said. "That's the front office's job and they're going to make the decisions and it's out of my hands."

Added Kazmir: "You can't get caught up in all that, especially in the offseason. I mean, what are you going to do?"

You go where the people signing the paychecks tell you to go, of course, and if that happens to be to a team that figures to be in contention right away, so much the better. But there does seem to be a different dynamic at work this winter. Call it misguided, wait-'til-next-year optimism if you will, but Rays players seem legitimately excited about what they might be able to do next season.

"I get to play alongside of B.J. Upton every day, and hopefully hit in front of him," Crawford said. "Then with Delmon Young, too - if you can't get excited about playing in that outfield every day, you don't have a pulse. ... I think this is the best potential that we've had since the club existed."

The Rays' roster skews so young that it's not as if many of the players have deep-seated loyalty to the organization or the community, but there would be a certain satisfaction in helping lift the majors' most moribund franchise out of the depths.

"Being here for three-plus years, you kind of get to know the fans, you get to know your surroundings and everything and it kind of makes it your home," Kazmir said. "Deep down, you want to bring a championship to the Tampa Bay fans. We would shock the world."

TRUE DEDICATION: Never let it be said that James Shields isn't committed to doing his part for the Rays.

The pitcher got married Nov. 3 and immediately jetted off for a honeymoon in Kauai with his new bride, Ryane. They were supposed to fly back from Honolulu to Los Angeles on Wednesday, arriving at 2:30 p.m., and drive back to their home in Las Vegas before catching a flight to Tampa for the Rays' uniform unveiling festivities.

But their flight out of Honolulu was canceled, so they had to hop on a plane that didn't get into L.A. until 10:30 p.m. After waiting for their bags, they hit the road just before midnight and arrived in Las Vegas around 4 a.m. Thursday. Facing a 7:30 a.m. flight to Tampa, Shields did a quick load of laundry and slept for a half hour before leaving for the airport.

Ryane "soldiered up and came with me," said Shields, and they arrived in Florida around 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Following another night without much sleep, as he was still on Hawaiian time, Shields was up at 6:30 a.m. Friday for a day of appearances that included a morning radio spot, a visit to MacDill Air Force Base, lunch at Gaslight Park and an evening autograph session in Bradenton.

On the way to an autograph session in Orlando on Saturday morning, Shields acknowledged the absurdity of the previous 48 hours or so.

"It was pretty much ridiculous," he said. "But it's good for me to be out here and do this and promote the new unis."

This morning, he and Ryane - still married - will be on a flight back to Las Vegas.

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