5 questions with Elliot Johnson

The Rays utility player is out of options, meaning he has to be placed on waivers before he can be sent to Triple-A Durham, which means he could be traded or claimed off waivers by another team. With Opening Day a week away, Johnson's future is unclear.

Do you give much thought to what could happen this week?

"I don't think anybody who's ever been in this situation can look you in the eye and say they don't think about it. I would say they weren't telling the truth. It's a strange situation. It's a little different than what I'm used to but that's part of what you got to deal with in this game, that's part of the business. I just try to handle it as best as possible. I go out there and control what I can control."

Do you feel you still have control over your immediate future?

"It's not up to me, so much. They've seen everything. They've read all the reports. Everybody's seen me. This is one final look. I wish I could have played a little bit better, but sometimes that doesn't matter. I played great last spring and it didn't matter. I'm not really sure what's going to happen. I think a lot depends on how Matt Joyce is feeling. Whatever happens, it will be for the best."

Do you find yourself mulling possible rosters to see where you might fit?

"Yeah, absolutely. But now it's more than just Durham, it's someplace else. There are more variables this year. Hopefully I fit in here and can stick around. This is quite a team we have going here. This team is going to be good, I mean really, really good."

Does that make the possibility of leaving the organization any easier?

"You got to think I can fit in somewhere else on a team not as talented as this one. Look at Zobrist, Longoria, Pena, Bartlett, Sean Rodriguez, Kapler, Upton, Crawford, I mean, come on. There are some great players on this team."

Do you have any regrets?

"The (saying) is if you're a good guy you don't make big-league teams, good players make big-league teams. And that's what it's about. I've been given my chance, and I'm here today because I haven't really made the most of them, but that's how it goes."