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Rocco Returns To Trop

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

Tampa Bay Rays Rocco Baldelli watches the game against the New York Yankees Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at Tripicana Field in St. Petersburg Fl.

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 14, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - After a few weeks away, a familiar face (with a slightly different look) has been back in the Rays' clubhouse the last few days.

Rocco Baldelli is back to working out as he continues his quest to overcome the medical problems that have sidelined him all season and return to the field. He's sporting something akin to a hockey player's playoff beard but otherwise looks better than he has in quite a while. More importantly, he said he feels better after recovering from a recent bout with infection in his right leg.

"I couldn't do anything for a couple weeks," he said. "It was literally nothing - I just was resting it and letting it heal up with antibiotics. I started working out again last week, and that's pretty much it."

Baldelli has been throwing, and about four hours before Tuesday's game he was in the batter's box at Tropicana Field taking swings at batting practice offerings from Tateki Uchibori, whose day job is serving as Akinori Iwamura's interpreter.

"He had a nice sweat going on," said Rays manager Joe Maddon. "He looks strong, and quietly he's working his way back through this thing. You never know."

Baldelli has been encouraged by some progress doctors have made in pinning down exactly what ails him. He is officially listed as having a "mitochondrial disorder" that keeps his body from recovering as quickly as a normal person's after exertion, but he continues to consult with doctors near and far in hopes of a more specific diagnosis.

"I did a lot of tests when I had the last muscle biopsy done," Baldelli said. "They found some things out, but it's not worth me discussing because they have to do confirmation tests on all the tests they've already done. They're running all the secondary tests now, so that's what I'm waiting on."

In the meantime, he is taking advantage of being able to work out again by getting in as much baseball activity as his body will allow. He's still taking it slowly, and there is no timetable, but he plans to continue building up the intensity of those workouts to see what his body can handle.

And, yes, Baldelli plans to be back in uniform at Tropicana Field when it counts.

"Oh, yeah - I'm still trying to come back and play," he said. "I'm hoping that some of the medications that I'm taking are going to help me get on the field for an extended period of time without having the problems that I had. That's kind of the next step, is just trying new things and experimenting. It's like trial and error, and hopefully one of them works."

READY TO ROLL: RHP Al Reyes has been sidelined for nearly a month with shoulder problems but said Tuesday he is ready whenever the Rays need him.

The team wanted to wait and see how Reyes felt Tuesday after throwing an inning in an extended spring training game the previous day, and the veteran reliever pronounced himself well after playing catch.

"It's up to them," Reyes said.

In addition to ensuring that Reyes is completely healthy, understandable considering he already suffered one setback that kept him out longer than initially expected, the Rays also face a tough roster decision when they activate him.

RHP Scott Dohmann, who has recorded some big outs already this season, seems most likely to go. If he is the choice, the Rays can only hope he clears waivers and agrees to report to Durham.

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