Caballero looks at ease in busy CF debut
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PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- José Caballero played his first professional game in center field on Friday afternoon, getting the start there in the Rays¡¯ 9-9 tie against the Twins at Charlotte Sports Park.
It was a busy day in the outfield, especially in the early going, and Caballero looked and felt exactly like he hoped he would.
Normal. Like an outfielder.
¡°He did a nice job,¡± manager Kevin Cash said. ¡°He looked good on his reads. He looked good on his decision-making on where to throw the ball.
¡°When you ask a guy to go out there like that, ultimately you're saying, 'Get rid of the ball to the shortstop.' He knows what we tell the outfielders when he's at short, so he kind of followed suit and got rid of it really quick.¡±
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Caballero had played shortstop, third base and right field this spring, and he has previous experience at second base and left field. But Friday was his first game in center in the Majors, Minors or Spring Training.
¡°Awesome,¡± Caballero said. ¡°I got my reps in, and it was great to be out there with a lot of action.¡±
Caballero, an athletic 28-year-old, is expected to get more work in the outfield to boost his versatility, with the idea that he and the similarly versatile Richie Palacios -- who flanked Caballero in right on Friday -- can play all over the diamond for Tampa Bay this year. That includes keeping both in play as a backup to center fielder Jonny DeLuca.
Caballero fielded a pair of singles, two sacrifice flies and another fly ball in the second inning. He made a few strong, accurate throws from center, and he hit the cut-off man when he needed to.
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¡°I kind of went through every play out there,¡± Caballero said. ¡°I was happy that I was able to get some action out there. ¡ Everything is kind of different out there -- bigger glove, bigger space. It¡¯s just trying to get normal out there, that's all.¡±
Top prospects among spring roster cuts
The Rays sent six players to Minor League camp on Friday ¨C five of their top 30 prospects and one of their most intriguing young relievers.
Tampa Bay optioned right-hander Yoniel Curet (their No. 15 prospect) and lefties Ian Seymour (No. 20) and Joe Rock (No. 22) and reassigned infielder Brayden Taylor (No. 3), outfielder Matthew Etzel (No. 27) and reliever Paul Gervase.
Seymour and Rock finished last season in Triple-A, where they are set to return as part of Durham¡¯s rotation. Curet, Taylor, Etzel and Gervase ended the year with Double-A Montgomery.
This was the first big league Spring Training for Taylor, the Rays¡¯ top pick in the 2023 Draft. Regarded as a well-rounded player with above-average skills across the board, Taylor flashed some serious power on his final day in camp, launching a fastball way out to the right-field boardwalk for a sixth-inning home run.
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¡°It was really fun being around everyone, being around all these guys that have been doing it for a little bit longer, being around a great coaching staff, great trainers,¡± Taylor said. ¡°I¡¯m just nothing but grateful. Time to go get better, and hopefully one day I can be up here.¡±
Caminero update
Third baseman Junior Caminero did not play on Friday, as expected, after leaving Thursday¡¯s game early due to lower back tightness. Cash said he had ¡°no real update¡± on Caminero, ¡°other than he¡¯s doing fine.¡±
¡°Not overly concerned,¡± Cash said.
The Rays don¡¯t believe Caminero is dealing with any sort of significant injury. He underwent treatment on Friday and could return to the lineup this weekend.
Around the horn
? Shane Baz had a rough start, allowing eight runs (six earned) on six hits, four walks and a hit batter without recording a strikeout. As frustrated as he felt, Baz said he would do his best to move past the outing and on to the next one.
¡°Just poor execution from pretty much the first pitch and just didn't turn it around,¡± Baz said. ¡°It¡¯s just one of those days where you're just a little out of sync. ¡ Just flush it and get ready for the next one.¡±
? The Rays broke out the bats as well, recording 17 hits. They scored four runs in the third inning, with RBIs from Yandy D¨ªaz (double), Jonathan Aranda (double), Caballero (single) and Palacios (single).
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? After the game, the significant others of both teams¡¯ players took the field for the fifth Rays Families vs. Twins Families Charity Softball Game. The game will benefit United Way Suncoast¡¯s hurricane relief efforts, as the Rays Baseball Foundation and the Twins each donated $5,000.