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Baldelli Set To Join Vero Beach For Rehab

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 15, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Any progress made by Rocco Baldelli at this point qualifies as a big deal, and on the verge of another step toward fulfilling his hopes of returning to the majors.

Baldelli will join Single-A Vero Beach on Monday to begin a rehab assignment. At the moment, he is scheduled to DH for the V-Rays on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with what happens after that to be determined.

Though Baldelli has reported no major problems with his energy level or legs in a string of extended spring training games, sending him out on an official rehab assignment doesn't necessarily mean he has taken a huge leap forward. Extended spring training has ended, so the Rays had to send Baldelli to one of their minor-league teams to continue giving him game action.

"It's just an ongoing part of the process," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "I wouldn't say that at this point there have been any great revelations, but the important thing is, right now he feels good, so we're going to be smart about this thing."

The downside to sending Baldelli to the minors to rehab is that such assignments are limited to 20 days for position players under the terms of baseball's Basic Agreement. The Rays might try to buy some time by pulling Baldelli off the assignment and starting it over again later.

"It's our sense that if, by chance, we need more time - which at this point we have no idea whether we will or won't - that there will be ways to figure it out within the rules," Friedman said.

While emphasizing that he, too, is still trying to get a feel for what his body will allow him to do, Baldelli said he doesn't think it's out of the question that he might be ready to rejoin the Rays within the 20-day window.

"I'm going to go out there and play for three weeks, and I hope three weeks is a sufficient amount of time for me to get ready," he said. "I'm sure if you asked a lot of guys who are playing in spring training, after three weeks of games do they think they're ready to play, I think almost every single guy would say they're ready to play. My situation's a little different. I've been off for a long time, but I would say I hope it would be enough."

DRAFT DOINGS: The Rays announced the signing of three more draft picks, all top-10 selections. Coming to terms were C Jake Jefferies (third round), OF Jason Corder (seventh) and LHP Shawn Smith (ninth).

The Rays have signed 20 of their 50 picks, including 18 of their first 26.

NOTEWORTHY: 1B Carlos Pena (broken left index finger) is taking ground balls one-handed during batting practice and flipping them back to a coach with his glove hand. He will be evaluated by doctors this week. ... OF Justin Ruggiano collected his first big-league stolen base Saturday, swiping third in the first inning. ... Luis Tiant, a 229-game winner, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

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