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Rays Likely To Platoon Again In Right Field

The Associated Press

Even if Matt Joyce wins the job out of Spring Training, it doesn't figure to be his every day.

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 9, 2009

Updated: 01/10/2009 09:38 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays' first spring training workout will commence five weeks from Sunday, with pitchers and catchers doing the honors in Port Charlotte.

Once the position players join them a few days later, though, there won't be much to sort out. Executive vice president Andrew Friedman noted after signing DH Pat Burrell last week that the Rays are "very happy" with the way their 25-man roster projects at this point, with only one position in anything resembling a state of flux.

That would be right field, a revolving door in 2008 (nine different players got a start there) that could once again provide a vehicle for several players to see action in 2009.

"We're going to sort through that in spring training," Friedman said of the right field situation. "The one thing we take great comfort in is that we have great depth in the outfield and it's something that's very important to us. It's premature right now to speculate on how it's going to play out, but we feel like we've got great options."

Gabe Gross qualifies as the incumbent after making 75 starts there last season. With Eric Hinske (47 starts in right) and Jonny Gomes (17) gone, along with Rocco Baldelli, Gross is far and away the most experienced option on hand. As long as his at-bats against left-handed pitchers are limited (.585 OPS vs. lefties last year compared to .819 against righties), he can hold his own in the lower third of the batting order.

Ever since the Rays acquired Matt Joyce from the Tigers during the winter meetings, though, it seems many observers have assumed he'll step right in as the primary starter in right. Friedman and manager Joe Maddon have emphasized since the day the deal was done that they don't necessarily expect that to happen. Indeed, one of the reasons Joyce was so attractive to the Rays was because he has minor league options remaining.

The Rays will be eager to see what Joyce can do during spring training. But even if he shows them enough to win a job (which could prompt the Rays to trade Gross), it doesn't figure to be his every day. Joyce's lefty-righty splits were rather extreme in Triple-A, and the Tigers used him almost exclusively against right-handers during his time in the majors last year.

That leaves an opening for a platoon partner, and Fernando Perez would be a natural fit. The switch-hitter is more effective against lefties and he already has shown how his speed can affect a game. The right-handed-hitting Justin Ruggiano is another possibility there, and his chances of making the roster would improve markedly if B.J. Upton isn't sufficiently recovered from shoulder surgery to be ready for Opening Day.

If Upton is healthy, though, there figures to be room for only two full-time outfielders beyond him and Carl Crawford. Three of the four bench spots appear to be accounted for in Shawn Riggans, Willy Aybar and Ben Zobrist (who would serve as the other extra outfielder), so take two from the group of Gross, Joyce, Perez and Ruggiano and that should be about it as far as the Rays' decisions go on their position players.

NOTABLE: Last year's first overall draft pick, SS Tim Beckham, will be in major-league camp with the Rays. The invitation comes courtesy of a clause in his contract, as the soon-to-be 19-year-old (his birthday is Jan. 27) won't be due for an in-season call-up for another couple of years, at least. … Former big-league C Todd Greene is expected to be named the Rays' quality assurance coach any day now. … Durham manager Charlie Montoyo will serve as a coach for Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic team. The Rays will host Puerto Rico in an exhibition game March 4 in Port Charlotte. … The Rangers signed OF Nathan Haynes, who was on the Rays' Opening Day roster in 2008 but spent most of the year in Durham, to a minor-league contract.

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