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It's Still Slow Going For Outfielders Floyd, Baldelli
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Published: March 2, 2008
ST. PETERSBURG - Before Saturday, Cliff Floyd seemed just as reticent to play right field as the Rays were to put him out there. But his outlook brightened a bit after a smooth four-inning stint.
"With the way I felt today, I want to go out there more," Floyd said.
Manager Joe Maddon quickly tempered that talk following the game, saying outfield time would continue to be parceled out cautiously to Floyd and Rocco Baldelli, who was 0-for-2 as the DH Saturday.
As both Floyd and Baldelli pointed out, the overriding priority this spring is ensuring they're ready for Opening Day and beyond. Both players have a history of leg problems and are following their own programs to prepare for the regular season, a concession Floyd appreciates.
"I feel good right now," he said. "I look forward to this carrying on because these guys really know how to take care of their players. I've been playing 15 years and I just commend them on how they prepare their guys and make sure everybody stays ready. And that's all they can do is keep us ready. It's up to us, everything else."
Floyd went 1-for-2 at the plate in his Rays debut, lining a single up the middle in the fourth inning. But it was his pop to shortstop with two on and one out in the first inning that caught his manager's attention.
"Cliff popped up with runners in scoring position in his first at-bat of the spring and he was not happy," Maddon said. "That just indicates what's going on here right now and I really appreciated it."
ACCELERATING: When the Rays signed LHP Brian Anderson to a minor-league deal a couple of weeks before spring training, it was with the expectation he might be healthy enough to help at some point at least a couple of months into the season. That timetable appears to be moving up.
Anderson, who missed all of last season after undergoing elbow surgery in July 2006, said Saturday there is a chance he could be ready to pitch in a game by sometime next week, and pitching coach Jim Hickey agreed. Anderson will throw an extended bullpen session today, and if he comes through it without any trouble, he may be on the mound earlier than anyone - even him - expected.
"When I first showed up here, my feeling on everything was there was no way I was going to get into a game and it was basically going to be working out for six weeks and hope to get into some extended spring training games," Anderson said. "Things have progressed, I think, quicker than they thought. I think it was just a matter of getting down here and getting into those explosive baseball movements where your body starts to speed up and everything starts to pick up a little bit."
BIG HIT: The crowd of 4,918 that showed up for the Rays' home opener saved its loudest cheers for a four-run, sixth-inning rally keyed by Evan Longoria.
He came on to pinch-hit for Baldelli and delivered a two-run triple, diving into third base, then scored on Ben Zobrist's triple. Longoria walked in his other trip to the plate and is off to a nice start in his bid to impress the front office.
"I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing and try to make it difficult on them," he said.
LIMITED DUTY: Rays closer Troy Percival likely won't pitch in a game until the middle of this week - perhaps Wednesday against the Astros - according to Maddon.
"Just going off history with him, he doesn't need as many appearances," Maddon said. "We're going to try to get him in eight or nine times and a little bit more as we get closer to the season."
NOTEWORTHY: C Dioner Navarro will get a couple at-bats as the DH today against the Pirates (replacing Floyd in midgame) before catching for the first time Monday against the Tigers. ... Eileen Sousoures, mother of Maddon's fiancee, Jaye Sousoures, died Friday night in California. She is survived by her husband, Ted. Maddon said he plans for now to remain with the team but might fly to California early in the week if needed.
Marc Lancaster
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