Humble Jaso is making strides with Rays

John Jaso needed to stretch his legs during the long drive from his home in southern California to spring training, so he pulled over on a desolate section of I-10.

In the middle of the night in the middle of Texas, he looked up and saw nothing but stars.

"It seemed perfect," he recalled. "All I could think about was just setting up a tent right there. But I got on the phone with my girlfriend, and she was like, 'no chance.' She watches the news."

That's John Jaso, the Rays' humble, soft-spoken, nature-loving top minor-league catcher.

He is certainly the only player in camp who brought a backpack and a sleeping bag, and with his recent improvement, he could be positioning himself to help the Rays at some point this year.

"If you asked me two weeks ago, I probably would have said no," Manager Joe Maddon said on whether he would comfortable with Jaso as the first catcher called up if anything happens to Dioner Navarro or Kelly Shoppach. "But after what I've seen the last couple of times out, he's starting to change my mind."

Maddon, a former catcher, didn't like Jaso's catching style when he first arrived, and he knew something had to be done.

Recalling an article he once read about a 21-day program designed to change bad habits through repetition of proper techniques, he did a Google search for the information and passed it on to bullpen coach Bobby Ramos.

Ramos has been working with Jaso on his situational stances, footwork, receiving, blocking and anticipating balls in the dirt.

The progress, Ramos says, has been encouraging. In fact, he is beginning to see Jaso, who was drafted by the Rays in 2003 and appeared in five games in the majors in 2008, as a future big-league catcher.

"I like his bat," Ramos said. "I like his arm strength. I think he needs to improve a little more with the pitcher and catcher relationship, but he's a guy that's willing to learn, and he's working to pick those things up."

More comfortable with his defense, Jaso has begun looking better at the plate. He started Sunday against the Tigers in Lakeland and went 2-for-2 with a home run, raising his spring average to .333 (.300 after Tuesday night).

Jaso may have inherited his baseball skills from his grandfather on his mother's side, Michael Bajo, who pitched in the White Sox organization, but he got his humility and his love for the outdoors from his dad, Greg Jaso.

Greg Jaso "played a big part in keeping me modest about the game," John Jaso said. "I really appreciate him doing that."

Of course, it's hard having a big ego when you're sleeping in a tent, and Jaso did a good bit of that during the offseason.

While driving home alone this offseason after helping Triple-A Durham win the International League title, Jaso camped in Oklahoma, the Painted Desert and Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks.

He's already making plans with teammate Fernando Ferez to hike a piece of the Appalachian trail after this season.

Maddon cannot relate.

"I'm not a camping-out kind of a guy," he said. "My vision of roughing it is a mid-level hotel with at least HBO."

Jaso lights up when he tells of his most interesting wildlife encounter, which isn't what you would expect.

While kayaking in the La Jolla Cove near San Diego during the offseason, Jaso suddenly noticed a school of porpoises coming straight for him.

"So I'm sitting there thinking, I'm probably going into the water because I'm on this rickety kayak, so it's get it over with," Jaso said. "Then about 10 feet from me, they go into the water and I'm looking down, and about six of them swim under my kayak.

"And they all turn over on their side and look up at me. ... That was really cool because it was crystal clear water."

That's John Jaso. Humble nature lover and, possibly, the Rays' catcher in reserve.