Spring Having The Time Of His Life

ST. PETERSBURG - Matt Spring was visiting his girlfriend's house in suburban Phoenix one day in late January when his cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID and saw it was Mitch Lukevics, the Rays' director of minor-league operations, on the other end.

What could he possibly want? Was Spring, a .200 career hitter in five seasons spent mostly at the lower levels of the Rays' farm system, about to get released?

No, Lukevics was calling to give the 23-year-old his biggest break since the Rays selected him in the fourth round of the 2004 draft - an invitation to major-league spring training. With Lukevics still on the line, Spring quietly relayed the good news to his girlfriend.

"She had to run out of the house because she didn't want to yell while I was on the phone," he laughed.

The invitation came at about the last possible minute, two weeks away from the reporting date for pitchers and catchers. But Spring would have been all over it even if he had only a few hours' notice.

"If I would have had to come without any clothes, I'd have figured out something," he said.

Spring would become the 56th and final player invited to Rays camp - and the seventh catcher. He essentially would serve as insurance in case Hector Gimenez, coming off shoulder surgery, wasn't ready to go at the beginning of camp. As it turned out, Gimenez was fine. But Spring is still here and he's having the time of his life.

Without that call from Lukevics, Spring would have bided his time the final two weeks of February working out at home as usual, waiting for minor-league camp to open the first weekend of March. Instead, he has spent his time since Valentine's Day soaking up as much as he can from Mike DiFelice and Josh Paul, bullpen coach Bobby Ramos and bullpen catcher Scott Cursi.

Beyond picking the brains of those who have spent the better part of their adult lives squatting in shin guards, there are other perks for Spring.

"The food's great," he said.

Many before him have drawn that distinction between big-league camp and its more Spartan counterpart, but Spring's appreciation for his current billet runs deeper.

"There's nothing like being here," he said. "When you're in minor-league camp or you're going to minor-league camp, you sit there and you go, 'Man, I wish I was there.' ESPN starts having 'Baseball Tonight' and they're talking about what's going on here, what's going on there, and this year I'm a part of it. I was playing baseball as soon as the season started, so I can't complain about that. That's awesome."

Spring is not what you would consider a prospect at this point in his career. The man drafted between Jake McGee and Wade Davis (and nine rounds earlier than Andy Sonnanstine) in 2004 reached Double-A for the first time last season. He hit .165 in limited duty over a two and a half month stint with Montgomery. He strikes out too often and walked only five times in 107 plate appearances with the Biscuits.

So what? He's here, mixing and mingling with what he calls an "unbelievable" collection of talent in the Rays' clubhouse. Gregarious and personable, he gets along with everyone. But he's also aware of his spot on the depth chart and seems surprised when anyone notices him, as executive vice president Andrew Friedman did recently.

"I was taking BP one day and he came up to me, asked how everything was going, asked if I'd found a place to stay," Spring said. "He doesn't have to do that. He's the general manager and I'm Joe Schmoe. I'm Matt Spring, No. 66."

As the second week of March begins, Spring knows his days in camp are numbered. Whether he goes in the first round of cuts or thereafter, he'll be back at the Naimoli Complex before long preparing to open the season in Montgomery or Vero Beach or Columbus.

Until that day comes, though, Spring will savor every moment.

"I try to be the first one here every day and I walk in here with a big smile on my face," he said. "It's really easy to wake up to that alarm when you're coming to big-league camp."