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Series Is A Homecoming For 3 Ex-Rays

Associated Press Photo

Florida Marlins' Jorge Cantu (3) is congratulated by his teammates after he hit a two-out, solo home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Wednesday, June 11, 2008, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.

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By CARTER GADDIS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2008

MIAMI - Sure, Doug Waechter wonders occasionally about what might have been. So do Jorge Cantu and Mark Hendrickson.

But as the Tampa Bay Rays became contenders, there was bound to be collateral damage, popular players who moved on because of injury, because of ineffectiveness or just because.

These three former Rays were reunited this season with the Florida Marlins. They'll be back at Tropicana Field today, Waechter and Cantu for the first time as opponents.

What might have been is bitter-sweet to think about. The actuality so far this season for Waechter, Cantu and Hendrickson is just sweet: a new place, a new purpose, a new life for all three.

"Maybe they're at the stage of their careers right now where, yeah, it just feels good to win ballgames," said second-year Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose team is a surprise early contender in the National League East. "They've sure been a big part of it."

Each, in his own way, played a big role in recent Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays history.

Waechter, who underwent major shoulder surgery in 2006 and spent all of 2007 rehabilitating in the minors before signing a minor-league deal with Florida this past winter, was Tampa Bay's third-round pick in 1999 and became the first Pinellas County native to play for the Rays with a relief appearance in Seattle on Aug. 27, 2003.

Then-manager Lou Piniella was moved to tears a week later, when Waechter pitched a two-hit shutout against the Mariners in his first start at Tropicana Field.

He joined Florida's bullpen as a long reliever in mid-April after another former Ray, Lee Gardner, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. In 18 appearances (321/3 innings), Waechter, healthy for the first time since 2005, has a 3.06 ERA.

The former Northeast High quarterback will have plenty of family members and friends cheering him on this weekend, just as he did when Tropicana Field became "Waechterville" on the days he pitched for Tampa Bay.

Does a part of him wish he still played for his hometown team?

"That's a good question, and I honestly say no," said Waechter. "I feel like they're doing a great job over there, and I have a lot of friends over there and I'm rooting for them. Every day I see them winning, I'm real excited for them. But, in the same breath, I really like where I'm at right now. They gave me an opportunity over here."

Cantu, who earned the Marlins' vacated third-base job this past spring as a non-roster invitee, publicly expressed his frustration after failing to make the Rays out of spring training last year and was traded to Cincinnati at mid-season. As Tampa Bay's second baseman in 2005, he compiled what was then a team record with 117 RBIs.

As the replacement for traded All-Star Miguel Cabrera, Cantu is batting .296 with 14 home runs and 39 RBIs. He spent the off-season enduring an underwater strength-training program with trainer Dennis Fay of the Texas Sports Medicine Center in Houston.

"I came into spring training," Cantu said, "and my bat was just alive again."

He's found his niche with Florida (14 errors at third notwithstanding) and is starting in the majors again, but he still wishes things had gone differently with the Rays.

"I never thought it would end that way," he said. "I always felt like if it was not going to work out with the team, at least tell me in advance. ... But it is what it is. I know it's a business. I have a sour taste in my mouth, of course, because I really liked being there. I'm happy to see my ex-teammates and the fans."

Hendrickson, who spent the past season-and-a-half with the Dodgers after he and catcher Toby Hall were traded on July 27, 2006 for Dioner Navarro, Jae Seo and Justin Ruggiano, hired Southern California sports psychologist Ken Ravizza this past winter and became Florida's Opening Day starter.

His mark in Rays history? Only Scott Kazmir and James Shields have had a better winning percentage over a full year than Hendrickson's 11-8 (.579) season in 2005. Also, Hendrickson was the first Rays pitcher to win in double figures in consecutive seasons (10 wins in 2004, 11 in '05).

With starters Anibal Sanchez, Josh Johnson and Sergio Mitre sidelined by injuries, Hendrickson leads the Marlins with seven victories.

He returned to the Trop last year in a Dodgers uniform, so he already has been through the homecoming Cantu and Waechter are about to experience.

"For these guys, you'll probably get some emotions," Hendrickson said. "Doug, especially, because he's been with the Rays his whole career. ... There's a lot of things that come in when you go back to play against a team that you were with for a while."

Reporter Carter Gaddis can be reached at (813) 259-8291 or igaddis@tampatrib.com.

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