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5 Rays Players To Watch

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 11, 2008

Rocco Baldelli

All eyes will be on Baldelli whenever he accelerates beyond a trot during the next six weeks - and likely well beyond that. If he's healthy to open the season, he should provide a significant boost to the Rays, offensively and defensively. That is, once the team feels comfortable enough to play him in the outfield more often. The worst part about Baldelli's situation is something could go wrong at any moment, just as it did on the routine grounder last May 15 that cost him the rest of the season. Even if he's healthy from the outset, everyone still will be watching anxiously.

Akinori Iwamura

It's a testament to Iwamura's ability and work ethic that no one in the organization has seemed overly concerned about uprooting the veteran from the position he has played throughout his career and installing him at second base. Iwamura spent the entire winter working at his new position in Japan, and his ability to hold his own defensively will be watched closely throughout the spring. If he makes the transition without much trouble, his offensive contributions should be more valuable to the team at second than they were at third.

Edwin Jackson

The Rays never wavered in their support of Jackson as he struggled to an 0-8 start last season, keeping him in the rotation throughout the year until he had accumulated 31 starts despite a 5.77 ERA. Once again in 2008, Jackson is out of options and can't be sent to the minors without passing through waivers, but the competition to remain on the staff should be stiffer this time around. He'll have to show he has truly become a pitcher rather than a thrower to cement a roster spot.

Trever Miller

It looked as if the Rays would head into another season without a viable left-hander in the bullpen until they brought back Miller last week. Though his overall numbers with Houston last year weren't great, Miller was effective against lefties and has been throughout his career. The return of the 34-year-old reliever will provide Manager Joe Maddon with in-game options he hasn't had the last two seasons. Maddon will be able to play the matchups more often, which in theory should help the Rays do a better job navigating opponents' batting orders.

Dioner Navarro

The young catcher endured a miserable first half before pulling it together for a respectable run to the end of the season. He raised his average 50 points in the second half, but the fact that the improvement left him with a season mark of .227 tells you how dire the situation was. The Rays decided against pursuing a veteran starter behind the plate, trusting in Navarro to build upon last year's work. He reports to camp in much better shape than he was last year and hopes to establish himself as a worthy big-league starter this season.

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