I saw him play for Vero Beach in the Single A rehab stint. I wasnt very encouraged with what I saw and I immediately thought that he wouldn’t be back. But as I have learned on this board I have to look at a bigger sample size than one game.

Rocco is a great person. I think he doesn’t want to be the center of attention. Not that any of the team does, but, I don’t think Rocco wanted to be in the spotlight for his illness. When I got a chance to see him play it was a typical attendance for an A ball game 4 to 5 hundred people at the most and I was sitting in the second row behind home plate with some family and friends. The Rays were the visiting team in Sarasota, most of the shirts were red or red and white. So I guess about five or six guys sitting in the second row wearing blue Rays gear kinda stuck out. During pre game warm ups he came out of the dugout, we clapped and cheered. He looked over and smiled. When warm ups were over he brought a couple of autographed baseballs over and handed them to my nephews. I thought it was a nice gesture. I didn’t expect anything more than a chance to see him play and a personal interaction was what I got. Rocco is a first class guy all the way and he deserves all of the success that comes his way.

When he hit his first home run in Chicago my eyes got a little moist. He came a long way and for that moment the game was about him and not his illness. My nephews were coincidentally watching the game with me and could not believe he had come so far either.

Welcome back Rocco we have missed you.

Rocco for 08 MLB comeback player of the year.

I’d like to see him resigned as a 5th OF/DH for next season. Low base with a ton of incentives. I would believe Rocco will show loyalty to the Rays for all they’ve done for him the past few seasons with his various injuries. It’s a shame bad things happen to good people like Rocco.

Rocco