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Navarro's Slimmer Look Impresses Friedman

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Pitcher James Shields, left, and catcher Dioner Navarro share a laugh during practice on Sunday.

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By MARC LANCASTER

mlancaster@tampatrib.com

Published: February 16, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - The Rays refrained from audacious predictions on the first day of camp, but Dioner Navarro still might have reached uncharted territory Sunday.

Asked about his salary arbitration hearing, held a week ago in Phoenix, the catcher actually said the experience was ... fun?

"It went great," Navarro said. "I enjoyed it. It was fun. It was something else. I've never been in a situation like that in my life before, but it was good."

He went on to acknowledge the process of listening to his employers explain why he shouldn't get the salary he desired was a bit "weird," but said it would be "a mistake" to take things personally.

It was just business, he said, and his focus is solely on getting prepared for the season. It didn't start Sunday, either - a winter's worth of work helped Navarro drop 15 pounds since the World Series, leaving him at 205 pounds entering camp. He'll never be scrawny, but the change was noticeable.

"I surprised a lot of people," he said.

Navarro's offseason regimen included daily work with a personal trainer, but he said the weight loss could be attributed mostly to diet - eating smaller portions and cutting back on soft drinks.

"Once in a while you grab a Dr Pepper or something, but that was the main thing - a lot of water and cutting down on the sodas," he said.

Though he just turned 25 last week, Navarro labeled himself a team leader and said it was important to him to prove he was capable of achieving his offseason goal. Without question, his new look drew some notice.

"Navi looked great," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "I heard all offseason about his workout program and what he was doing, and it's very evident that he's very hungry and wants to get back to where we were last year."

NEW DIGS: The Rays' new spring home drew rave reviews for the most part.

"This is the first time I've seen it, today, and I'm pretty amazed at this facility," James Shields said.

Players loved their locker area and the expanded weight room and training room, which includes hot and cold tubs that can hold multiple players at once.

"At least six," J.P. Howell said. "If Percy's in there, we've got four, then."

Troy Percival wasn't immediately available to offer up a response.

About the only complaint was there was no place to hide from the sun beating down on the practice fields.

"We need to find some shade around here," said a sweating Kazmir. "You're going to see me just planting trees around places to try to find some type of shade."

SWITCHEROO: A large picture of Cal Ripken Jr. throwing out a ceremonial first pitch while wearing a Rays jersey had been hanging on a wall near the entrance to the players' dressing area since the team moved in last week, but it was gone by Sunday afternoon.

Clubhouse and equipment manager Chris Westmoreland made the switch, replacing the Ripken photo with one of principal owner Stuart Sternberg holding up the AL championship trophy. Ripken owns the Rays' new Florida State League affiliate that will be based here, and Westmoreland said the photo of the Orioles icon could go back up once the Charlotte Stone Crabs take over following spring training.

EASING IN: Maddon said the 31 pitchers in camp will be split into two groups, with one group pitching more frequently early in camp and the other waiting a bit longer to crank it up. The latter group will be made up of those who spent most or all of the long 2008 season with the Rays.

"Looking at the early start of this camp, we just thought it'd be unwise to push any of those regular guys into Feb. 25 and start their clock at that particular juncture," Maddon said.

NOTEWORTHY: Though position players don't have to report until Tuesday at midnight, all but eight have at least checked in at the new complex already. The exceptions: Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Ben Zobrist, Morgan Ensberg, Jon Weber, Ray Olmedo, Chris Nowak and Akinori Iwamura (who won't be here until after Japan is finished in the World Baseball Classic). ... Of the 31 pitchers in camp, four are limited because of injury: Chad Bradford and Jake McGee (elbow surgery for both) are the most notable, and Percival (back surgery) and James Houser (knee surgery) haven't been cleared to run yet. ... As expected, Willy Aybar arrived Sunday morning to take his physical. His two-year contract with an option for 2011 is expected to be finalized today.

Marc Lancaster

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