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Navarro's Time Has Arrived

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Marc Lancaster/The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 10, 2008

Updated: 02/09/2008 10:34 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - Midway through last season, it seemed a given that the Rays would spend the winter looking for a more established everyday alternative to Dioner Navarro behind the plate.

Sure, Tampa Bay's starting backstop was only 23 years old, but he also turned in perhaps the most abysmal first half of any major-league regular by hitting .177 with one homer and 13 RBIs before the All-Star break. It was beginning to look like it might be time to cut bait and move on from the long-touted prospect.

Fortunately for Navarro and the Rays, the catcher rebounded with a strong second half, hitting .306 with seven homers and 25 RBIs in his final 47 games of the season. That recovery won him a reprieve, but he knows it's time to produce.

"I need to have a good season," Navarro said last week. "I'm tired of people saying, 'Oh, he's too young.' I've been around long enough now."

Navarro turned 24 on Saturday, but judging from the changes in his physique since the end of September, he probably didn't gorge on birthday cake. He won't challenge the chiseled B.J. Upton in a bodybuilding contest anytime soon, but Navarro has slimmed down noticeably by eating right and working hard throughout the winter.

"I know my reputation is, when the offseason comes, I get out of shape," Navarro said. "One of the main things for me this offseason was to be in shape - mainly just watch what I'm doing and get after it. I've been working here at the Naimoli Complex with the guys since November and I went down to Venezuela and I played a little bit. I feel like I'm in pretty good shape right now."

Maintaining that foundation throughout the season can only help Navarro as he tries to establish himself for the long-term. The Rays want to see him work more closely with the pitchers this season and hold his own on offense. They don't need him to produce big at the plate considering the other weapons in their lineup, but an improvement on the .227 average he posted last season is expected.

Navarro plans to make that happen by maintaining a consistent approach and making sure he doesn't panic when things go bad, as they inevitably will during the course of a six-month season.

"I think when I got into that slump at the beginning of the season, I saw myself against the wall and then I tried to do too much and that made it worse for me," he said.

ONE MORE YEAR: Practicality has trumped branding when it comes to outfitting the Rays' minor-league affiliates. While the major-league team has made much of dropping the "Devil" and transitioning to a blue-based color scheme, the Rays' lower-level affiliates will maintain the old look this season.

The Rays' affiliates in Vero Beach, Princeton, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela will continue to wear green Devil Rays uniforms this season before making the transition in 2009. In fact, each of those teams received a shipment of gear from the major-league team once green went out the window in Tampa Bay.

CHOW TIME: Rays officials and players will make appearances at area chamber of commerce luncheons during the next three weeks. Matt Silverman, Joe Maddon, Fred McGriff, Don Zimmer, Rocco Baldelli and Scott Kazmir will be among those featured at various luncheons.

The Clearwater-St. Petersburg chamber luncheon will be held Tuesday at Al Lang Field. The Tampa luncheon is Feb. 19 at the Marriott Waterside and the Sarasota and Manatee luncheon is Feb. 28 at the Polo Grill & Bar in Lakewood Ranch.

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