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Few Jobs Up For Grabs As Camp Opens

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 15, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - There aren't that many jobs to be won in Rays camp during the next six weeks, but the battle for the four open spots on the pitching staff will be at the forefront.

"Coming into this, the competition's going to be brisk at a couple spots, I believe," Rays manager Joe Maddon said on the eve of today's first workout for pitchers and catchers.

The Rays have two spots open in their rotation, with Andy Sonnanstine, Edwin Jackson, Jason Hammel, J.P. Howell and Jeff Niemann in pursuit.

The Rays also have two bullpen slots to fill, and one of them could go to a pitcher who loses out in the starting competition, depending on how that shakes out. The Rays, for instance, are not inclined to shift Niemann to a relief job if he doesn't make the cut; he would go to Durham and continue building up as a starter for a potential call-up at some point during the season.

Jackson and Hammel, though, are out of options and likely will make the Opening Day roster in one role or another barring a complete collapse.

Others in the mix for a relief job include Juan Salas, Scott Dohmann, Grant Balfour and Jae Kuk Ryu.

Beyond sorting out those openings, preferably by mid-March, the Rays shouldn't have many significant roster decisions on their docket.

They'll need to figure out who will play third base regularly if Evan Longoria doesn't break camp with the team, and the answer to that question will play into which players make the cut as utility infielders. The other position to be won is backup catcher, with Shawn Riggans opening camp as the presumptive favorite and non-roster veterans Mike DiFelice and Josh Paul serving as challengers.

It's a far cry from last spring, when the Rays' bullpen was a giant question mark and there was no clear idea about who would play first base, second base or shortstop.

"It's so nice to walk into spring training and have a good idea what 80 percent of your team is going to look like," said Maddon, "and we're at that point right now, I think."

OUTDOOR BASEBALL: The Rays' return to Disney's Wide World of Sports for a regular-season series was officially announced Thursday. Tickets for the April 22-24 set against the Blue Jays will go on sale today on the Rays' official Web site and be available in person and by phone Saturday.

While the team obviously would prefer to sell out the Disney stadium, something that didn't happen for any of the three games there against the Rangers last May, Rays president Matt Silverman said increasing exposure in Central Florida remains the primary goal.

Asked whether the Rays planned to play an Orlando series every year for the foreseeable future, Silverman said it was possible the frequency might drop back to once every other season.

"I don't expect it will be an annual affair," he said, "but it's something that we might do on a regular basis, certainly while we're trying to build up our fan base in Central Florida."

He added that the Rays' schedule could be a determining factor in future seasons. Moving the Toronto series this year was a relatively easy call because it fell in the midst of a stretch in which the Rays were scheduled to play 17 of 19 games at home.

WATCHING ROCCO: The Rays' medical staff and coaches will sit down with Rocco Baldelli on Monday and try to lay out a plan for how the oft-injured outfielder will be used this spring.

There is only one certainty, said Maddon: "We're going to take it very slowly."

Regardless of the plan that emerges, the Rays expect to handle Baldelli's situation on the fly throughout the next six weeks, either ramping up his activity or dialing it back depending on how his body responds.

The team likely will have Baldelli focus mostly on his hitting and limit his time in the outfield, as he figures to serve primarily as the DH early in the regular season.

GIVING BACK: The Rays Baseball Foundation has formed three grant programs for local non-profit organizations. Grants ranging up to $100,000 will be available to aid local and regional organizations, and a field renovation program will help renovate or construct community ball fields. More information and grant applications can be found in the community section of the Rays' Web site, www.raysbaseball.com or by calling (727) 825-3135.

Marc Lancaster

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