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It will be a few more weeks before Rays manager Joe Maddon sees Wil Myers in
person, watches the kid's already legendary swing up close. But Maddon is
quickly becoming a fan of the 2012 minor league player of the year plucked
from the Royals farm system in the James Shields/Wade Davis trade.
"I'm more interested not in that he's going to hit 30 homers, I'm more
interested in what people think of him and how he answers question and I'm
trying to determine what makes this guy tick," Maddon said. "From what I've
heard so far I do discern calm, I do discern self-confidence, and I do
discern a team player, which is all good stuff. All that other stuff, the
stats, that should take care of itself. But we have high expectations of
winning, and we're looking for that stage three player turning into a stage
five player as soon possible, going from I belong to I want to win."
By now we should all be familiar with Maddon's five stages of a major league
player:
1. Happy to be here.
2. Trying to survive.
3. I belong here.
4. I want to make my money.
5. I want to win.
"The stage one and stage two guys, you lose with those guys," Maddon said.
Just don't expect Myers to begin moving toward stage five on April 2 when the
season begins.
While the Rays like to delay the arbitration/free agent clock on all their
young players, Myers will most surely begin the year at Triple A Durham so he
can continue to develop and so he can build the confidence that comes with
playing everyday before he faces the bright lights of the major leagues for
the first time.
"I've always felt that it should be easier for a young player to make the
team season in progress as opposed to out of spring training," Maddon said.
"When they make the team out of spring training expectations get raised even
higher, and I think if you're really looking for a young man to apply
pressure to himself it's then, when he makes it out of camp and Opening Day
comes and all the stuff is being written and it's tough. It's not an easy
place to be, because you go from spring training when people are getting
ready to the season, when they turn it up a notch."
Maddon listed a number of key contributors to the Angels 2002 World Series
champion team who joined the big club for the first time while the season was
already in progress.
Jim Edmonds was a September call-up in 1993. Garrett Anderson made his debut
in July 1994. Darin Erstadt came up for the first time in June 1996. Tim
Salmon reached the bigs in August 1992. Troy Percival came up April 26, 1995.
In fact, the last five position players to win the American League Rookie of
the Year Award – Mike Trout (2012), Evan Longoria (2008), Dustin Pedroia
(2007), Bobby Crosby (2004) and Angel Berroa (2003) – either made their
debuts after the season began (Longoria) or reached the big leagues for a
short time in previous years.
You have to go back to 2002 AL ROY Eric Hinske to find one whose major league
debut came on opening day.
"My experience has been it's always been good when a guy comes up in season,"
Maddon said.
The wish list
Rays executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he wants to add
"one to two" more relievers and "a bat or two."
Roberto Hernandez, signed early last week to a one-year deal, has incentive
clauses bases on innings pitched and appearances, meaning he could work out
of the bullpen if he doesn't earn a spot in the rotation.
That Hernandez has pitched more than 200 innings twice during his career with
the Indians means he could be the replacement for Shields in the rotation,
which would then return some of the depth at starting pitching lost when
Shields was traded.
Friedman said free agents J.P. Howell and Kyle Farnsworth are in the mix of
relievers the Rays are looking to sign.
A happy Thanksmas
Maddon served approximately 650 meals and raised almost $18,000 during his
annual Thanksmas program that served meals and donated food, shoes and
blankets to area Salvation Armies in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
Wil Myers新球季将从3A起步
应该不用多久还是回升上来 ￣︶￣