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Maddon, Fan Meet In Italy

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2008

LAS VEGAS - It happened in Rome, on the way to Florence.

Joe Maddon had said for months that he hoped to run into just one person wearing Rays gear on his honeymoon in Europe in November as a sign that his team had truly arrived. Enter Ryan Atwood of New Tampa, spotted wearing a Rays cap in the train station as Maddon and his bride Jaye waited to head off to Italy for the second stop on a tour that also took them to Prague and London.

"I walked up and I started to introduce myself and he knew who I was because he's a Tampa Bay Ray fan," Maddon said. "We spoke and I said, 'Listen, I've got to get a photograph to document this moment,' so we did."

Yes, everything is working out for Maddon these days.

To wit: the AL Manager of the Year got a call while he was in Europe inviting him to the White House for a small dinner party to be hosted by President Bush and his wife, Laura. It will happen Jan. 4, with five other couples also on the guest list. Maddon said the invitation was arranged by the writer George Will, who got in touch with Maddon through Rays communications director Rick Vaughn.

"We're really looking forward to it," Maddon said.

TAKING THEIR TIME: The Rays have a few more informational meetings to go this week with potential free agent additions, and with ongoing trade talk also on their plate, executive vice president Andrew Friedman said he doesn't expect to finalize any deals before leaving town Thursday.

"I think it's very unlikely," Friedman said. "We're always open-minded and opportunistic and we'll adjust if a situation presents itself, but I think it's unlikely."

Unless their targets start coming off the board and signing with other teams - something the current market suggests is unlikely - the Rays won't feel any particular sense of urgency to get something done.

"We've just got to figure out, at the end of the day, which guys fits us the best, and then we have to go about the process of trying to get a deal done, which is not always that easy either," Friedman said. "We're fortunate this year in that we have options. There's multiple guys out there that we like, and it puts us in a better position than if there was one."

THE RUMOR MILL: Rays officials shot down a number of ideas that have made the rounds lately, including the notion that they might trade SS Jason Bartlett or that they might serve as the third party in a trade that would send RHP Jake Peavy from the Padres to the Cubs, with veteran OF Brian Giles joining the Rays.

NOTEWORTHY: Maddon talked to Troy Percival before and after the closer's recent back surgery and said Percival was "very optimistic" about his prognosis, though he might not be ready in time to open the season. ... The honors keep rolling in for members of the Rays' organization. Jeff Ziegler was named travelling secretary of the year by his peers, and strength coach Kevin Barr was named the best among the 30 who hold his job around the majors. ... RHP Chad Orvella, who spent the entire 2008 season on the disabled list, was outrighted to Durham, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster to get the Rays down to 38.

Marc Lancaster

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