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Baldelli Decision Could Be Coming

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 3, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays heard nothing but positives from afar as Rocco Baldelli worked through his latest rehab assignment with Montgomery. But they want to see - and hear - for themselves before deciding what comes next.

Baldelli flew back to Tampa on Saturday and is expected at Tropicana Field today. The Rays are expected to put Baldelli through some physical drills in an effort to gauge what he can and can't do as he attempts to return from fatigue that has sidelined him all season, but Manager Joe Maddon is more interested in getting Baldelli's honest self-evaluation.

"I want to talk to him," Maddon said. "A big part of it is just to see how confident he is in himself, too, and I think that matters beyond the physical stuff. I know his conversations with head trainer Ronnie Porterfield have been really good; he sounds really good, he's very confident, he's feeling good about himself. We just want to be able to see it in person and then move it along from there."

There's a chance Baldelli could be activated during the current homestand and see his first action since he last played for the Rays on May 15, 2007. There's also a chance he could wind up back in the minors to build his endurance a bit more. He hasn't played more than five innings in the outfield at a time.

Then again, the Rays wouldn't expect Baldelli to be a full-time player no matter when he returns. He would get the occasional start at DH or in the outfield, or pinch-hit and perhaps finish the game in the outfield.

The toughest question for the Rays to answer is determining whether he is truly ready to go. Ready enough to cut loose Jonny Gomes or Gabe Gross to clear a roster spot for him.

"It would not be an easy decision, and that's why we really want to make sure we know what we want to do," said Maddon. "We still have a couple more days to figure it out, and we'll try to make our best guess at that point.

"But if Rocco is well and is able to perform, you've all seen what he can do in the past and it sounds like he's performing close to that level once again, and that makes it very interesting. The big problem or concern is the fatigue factor and how much we can use him and how we can use him, so we'll have to evaluate all of that."

LEFT-LEANING: C Dioner Navarro's days off usually come when a day game follows a night game, but Maddon flipped it around this weekend. Navarro sat Saturday in favor of Shawn Riggans so the Rays could have as many hitters swinging from the left side of the plate today.

The reason? Today's Detroit starter, RHP Armando Galarraga, is more effective against right-handed batters than any starting pitcher in baseball - by a long shot. He has held righties to a .144 batting average.

"If you look at his numbers against righties, they're kind of horrific," Maddon said.

NOTEWORTHY: The Rays are 15-1 before home crowds of 30,000. ... Sharon Robinson, daughter of Jackie Robinson, threw out a ceremonial first pitch. ... So did USF men's basketball coach Stan Heath.

Marc Lancaster

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