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Familiar Face Helps Rays Pick Up 71st Victory

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By MARC LANCASTER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 11, 2008

Updated: 08/11/2008 12:11 am

SEATTLE - Rocco Baldelli's family and friends from Rhode Island to St. Petersburg got text messages bearing the good news in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Andy Sonnanstine got a phone call, and he knew what had to be done.

Once Baldelli got word following Saturday night's marathon victory over the Mariners that an injury to Carl Crawford meant he likely would be activated from the disabled list before Sunday's series finale, it didn't take long for the plan to come together. The outfielder headed to the pitcher's room at the team hotel and they got to work.

The scraggly, unsightly facial hair Baldelli had cultivated throughout the summer as a symbol of his rehabilitation just waiting to be set free had to go, as did the beard of support Sonnanstine had been sporting for the better part of three months.

The two buddies got out the clippers and took their time. First, they cut them down to goatees, then handlebar mustaches, with pictures snapped at each stage for documentation. Eventually, the deed was done.

Rocco Baldelli was ready to be reintroduced to the baseball world, leaving behind the unfathomable trials he had endured since his last big-league appearance on May 15, 2007. And with a smile on his 26-year-old face at last.

Several hours later, his return was official. Baldelli started in right field and batted cleanup as the Rays routed Seattle 11-3 to notch their franchise-record 71st victory of the season. His contribution to the win was relatively minor - he drove in a run with a third-inning single, the highlight of his 1-for-4 day at the plate, and played five innings in the field - but the significance scale has shifted considerably for Baldelli over the last year or so.

"I enjoy the little things in life now, you know what I mean? I smile about the little stuff," he said. "But to be able to get back to the big leagues is special. I honestly don't even know what to say. I'm just really happy."

A hefty measure of pride would have been appropriate, too, considering Baldelli's career could very well have come to an end because of the mitochondrial disorder that left his body unable to replenish its energy reserves after even the most routine physical activity. But that emotion wasn't evident Sunday. The word he kept coming back to was "happy."

"There were times when I didn't know if it was going to be playing anymore," he said. "I honestly didn't know. There were some scary times, too. But all of that is behind me now, hopefully, and things look good. I came out of it feeling good and I'm just really, really happy right now."

The circumstances that conspired to bring him back to active duty Sunday were not ideal. But it was fitting that Baldelli, who has witnessed more Devil Rays misery than anyone on the current roster besides Crawford, was able to play a part in an historic victory for the franchise.

More important than breaking the 70-win barrier, the Rays moved to a franchise-record 25 games over .500 at 71-46 and padded their division lead to 4 1/2 games over the Red Sox, who fell in Chicago, and 8 1/2 over the Yankees, who were swept by the Angels. And they did it with ease behind a lineup that was missing four regulars - Crawford, Dioner Navarro, Evan Longoria and Jason Bartlett - because of injuries and rest.

Willy Aybar homered twice in a game for the first time in his career and drove in four runs. Cliff Floyd reached base in his first four trips to the plate on three singles and a walk. Shawn Riggans collected a three-run homer exactly a week after getting a scare when a fastball hit him squarely in the chest. Eric Hinske rapped out three hits after totaling only five in 19 prior games since the All-Star break. Finally, Edwin Jackson pitched seven efficient innings, allowing a base-runner in all but the last of them but surrendering only a homer to Jose Lopez leading off the second.

It was one of those total team victories the Rays value so much, but the spotlight couldn't help but swing in Baldelli's direction.

"They were talking at the beginning of the year that this guy was never going to play sports again," Riggans said. "So mentally, you think that, and now you're back in the big leagues helping your team in a pennant race. It was just great."

Sonnanstine, Baldelli's partner in facial grime, repeatedly termed the achievement "awesome," not to mention "a little emotional."

Rays manager Joe Maddon painted Baldelli's return as an accomplishment that will serve him well not only in baseball but in life.

"It's not about him playing right field and getting a hit today," Maddon said. "It's just a matter of him getting back into the fray, and I think in the long haul it's going to benefit him in a lot of different ways. I have to believe there's a sense of relief and satisfaction about today for him."

Relieved, satisfied, happy - you name it. Baldelli could barely keep track of all the feelings swirling around inside of him Sunday afternoon.

But at least he could say he was back, and just in time to participate in the most anticipated couple of months of baseball in his adopted hometown's history.

"Now I'm a part of it," Baldelli said. "Now I feel like I can contribute - and I feel like I can do some things to help the team out. I'm excited."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227 or mlancaster@tampatrib.com.

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