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Rocco Baldelli played three innings in right field tonight for Montgomery.

2 months ago R.J. Anderson Comment 47 comments 0 recs |

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I posted this on RaysBB.com, but...

WTF, RLY?

by Vin on Jul 23, 2008 8:22 PM EDT 0 recs

I am getting optimistic that Baldelli just may be in a Rays uniform this year.

by Cory Alexander on Jul 23, 2008 8:25 PM EDT 0 recs

Also,

you most certainly should hold a DRaysBay live chat on the 31st, by the way.

by Vin on Jul 23, 2008 8:26 PM EDT 0 recs

Aren't the comments a live chat though?

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 23, 2008 8:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

I guess.

This whole Rocco deal just reminded me of when i said he had little to no value as a DH in the last live chat you guys hosted. I was only there for a few minutes but it was I had a lot of fun…

Maybe just a July 31st all-day thread then?

by Vin on Jul 23, 2008 8:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Wow

I sound a lot less coherent than I thought I would.

...fuckin beer.

by Vin on Jul 23, 2008 8:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't recall the chat

But the all-day thread is certainly happening.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 23, 2008 8:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

It was before the season started. I’m pretty sure it was just you, me, and Matt at the end. And Rocco is pretty much all we talked about.

by Vin on Jul 23, 2008 8:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

I miss Rocco :(

by Sylar on Jul 23, 2008 8:38 PM EDT 0 recs

Good news in Princeton

So far Beckham is 1-2 with a 2B and a Sac fly, for 2 RBI’s.

And Price has 2 ER 4 k’s 1 BB through 4.

by Cory Alexander on Jul 23, 2008 8:41 PM EDT 0 recs

I don't get the Rocco thing

He was a decent enough player but nothing exceptional, and he has been out for a long time now, the odds of getting back to his old form are pretty slim.

Imo the best thing is to cut him loose or try to trick another team into taking him.

by Gator80 on Jul 23, 2008 9:09 PM EDT 0 recs

He was awesome when he played. I'd take him healthy over CC.

by Cory Alexander on Jul 23, 2008 9:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

How can he be awesome

when he never had a 20 homer or 80 rbi season? That’s not a lot to ask out of an outfielder.

by Gator80 on Jul 24, 2008 9:00 AM EDT up 0 recs

Rocco would be invaluable to THIS team

Rocco has ALWAYS killed lefties. If he could occasionally fill in at RF, he would be the player we’re missing.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jul 23, 2008 10:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

Rocco is my favorite player.

I hope that he can at least DH sometime in the near future.

Me to Rocco : RJ to BJ.

Here was a good/sad article on Rocco on ESPN a couple of weeks ago…

by EminenceFront on Jul 23, 2008 9:10 PM EDT 0 recs

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=3490813

by EminenceFront on Jul 23, 2008 9:10 PM EDT up 0 recs

I dont think that Rocco could make a huge impact

but if we can work himself back into shape and get some ABs in September and be back at 100% next spring he is our RF. He is a little like Hamilton that he has never really reached his prime despite being out of baseball essentially for a couple years. He could quite possibly be a .300 20 HR 90 RBI next year if healthy

by Dbullsfan on Jul 23, 2008 9:25 PM EDT 0 recs

Are you suggesting Roc smokes the rock?

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.

by Sandy Kazmir on Jul 24, 2008 12:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

subject line reffering to this year

by Dbullsfan on Jul 23, 2008 9:25 PM EDT 0 recs

...and the comeback continues...

TAMPA BAY RAYS: 2008 CITRUS SERIES CHAMPIONS

by JMB on Jul 23, 2008 9:44 PM EDT 0 recs

Interesting hypothetical

Let’s say for a moment that Rocco didn’t have this disorder he has. He doesn’t have injury problems, he’s perfectly healthy, and everything is right in the world. Let’s also pretend that we don’t need a right-fielder and that CC is having a career year.

Who would your rather have in center, BJ Upton or Rocco Baldelli?

by kericr on Jul 23, 2008 11:13 PM EDT 0 recs

B.J. Upton.

Baldelli was a hacker, albeit with potentially more power than Upton. Baldelli’s arm isn’t nearly as good as Upton’s, and I’m not sure about speed. Plus Upton is younger.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 23, 2008 11:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

Same question

If you pick BJ, where do you put Rocco?

by kericr on Jul 23, 2008 11:38 PM EDT up 0 recs

Right field

"I'm like a retarded Adam Dunn mixed with Jason Bartlett" - R.J. Anderson

by P Brady on Jul 23, 2008 11:43 PM EDT up 0 recs

Other outfield positions are unavailable

That was a stip of the original post

by kericr on Jul 23, 2008 11:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

If the parameters of the original post applied

I’d stock up on beer and let the championships take care of themselves.

by GomesSweetGomes on Jul 23, 2008 11:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

Agreed

If we had managed to keep Hamilton it would have been a very interesting problem to have.

by kericr on Jul 24, 2008 9:17 AM EDT up 0 recs

rocco anyday (when healthy)

by RaysOfHope on Jul 23, 2008 11:26 PM EDT 0 recs

So if you pick Rocco, then where do you put Upton?

Keeping in mind that the other outfield positions are not available.

by kericr on Jul 23, 2008 11:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think he meant over Blake.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 23, 2008 11:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

k

by kericr on Jul 23, 2008 11:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

I was at the game, talked to Rocco...

He said that he is feeling better and hopes the new round of medicine/therapy will work out for him. He went on to say…(hold your breath)....that he will be playing DH for Montgomery the next few days as they face two lefties and that is what they are bringing him up to do, face lefties. I would take that to mean that he SHOULD be at the Trop soon….As far as his play tonight, he made a strong run for a ball right on the line a bit behind first, but relatively lackluster at the plate.

Another interesting thing is that he was playing Right Field, which would lead me to believe he will be joining the platoon!

Go Rocco, Go Rays!!!

by knoxvillerayfan on Jul 23, 2008 11:52 PM EDT 0 recs

Rocco deserves to be a part of this special season with the Rays......

But he must prove that he’s healthy. If Baldelli shows even a glimpse of the old Rocco then there is no need to shop for a RF. Ease him back while including him with the current platoon in RF/DH. Then we can focus exclusively on trading for some help for the bullpen.

by Rays Rule on Jul 24, 2008 12:16 AM EDT 0 recs

More likely we'll call him up when the roster expands in September and he'll play sparingly

by Rays Rule on Jul 24, 2008 12:19 AM EDT up 0 recs

I suspect

he won’t come up until September, but when he does, there’s a possibility he could end up as an injury replacement, if he can handle batting against LHPs exclusively.

Vogt early, Vogt often.

by Brickhaus on Jul 24, 2008 12:19 AM EDT 0 recs

Maybe they can call him up to Durham and we can finally get Nathan Haynes out of the system

by Dbullsfan on Jul 24, 2008 1:12 AM EDT 0 recs

o?_P)

by Dbullsfan on Jul 24, 2008 1:28 AM EDT 0 recs

--------------------------------------------------------n ]

by Dbullsfan on Jul 24, 2008 1:29 AM EDT 0 recs

For the most part, I agree with what you just said.

B Rad the Ray Fan
www.we-use-more-than-one-stat-here.com

by B Ray on Jul 24, 2008 12:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Is there another Rocco Baldelli?

Or are we talking about the guy with the .282/.324/.443 career line? The guy whose career line is almost identical to Gabe Gross’s current line (.228/.323/.428)? The guy who hasn’t shown any ability to remain healthy for five consecutive days in over two years?

I’m not saying that’s his fault, and I’m rooting for him. But even a completely 100% healthy Rocco Baldelli won’t be that good this year. And the chances of having a completely 100% healthy Rocco Baldelli are very, very low.

by Peter Bendix on Jul 24, 2008 10:52 AM EDT 0 recs

The difference is that Rocco can be to LHP what Gross is the RHP

and that is the worst case for Rocco in the majors

TAMPA BAY RAYS: 2008 CITRUS SERIES CHAMPIONS

by JMB on Jul 24, 2008 11:54 AM EDT up 0 recs

Can he honestly be any worse than Jonny Gomes has been this year?

I think I might have been a better option than Jonny Gomes.

by kericr on Jul 24, 2008 12:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

That was my point

He was a better hitter and MUCH better defender than Gomes even with the injuries. I still wouldn’t expect him to be here until after the rosters expand.

TAMPA BAY RAYS: 2008 CITRUS SERIES CHAMPIONS

by JMB on Jul 24, 2008 12:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

Just to be clear

I was agreeing with you, It just didn’t make sense for me to say the same thing as you when responding to Bendix.

by kericr on Jul 24, 2008 12:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

Barring the completely obvious

TAMPA BAY RAYS: 2008 CITRUS SERIES CHAMPIONS

by JMB on Jul 24, 2008 11:54 AM EDT up 0 recs

In 2006, Rocco had a very good season while healthy..

In 364 AB’s he posted a OPS+ of 122. That same season, his numbers were actually better against righties then lefties. I dont expect Rocco to come back this season. If he does, great, I hope he can contribute. But what Rocco are we going to see? The pre-2006 version that really was a right handed version of Carl Crawford, the 2006 version that was very good, or an injured Rocco that just cant do much…

by td32 on Jul 24, 2008 4:09 PM EDT 0 recs

Jim Tocco Biscuits play by play man on Rocco

He looks unnatural out there.

To clarify that statement:

He’s running slower than usual, but he’s not limping. Just looks a bit unsure in tracking the ball, like a high schooler, just the effects of having been out of practice fielding for so long.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Jul 24, 2008 4:10 PM EDT 0 recs