Hamilton is absent from camp

© St. Petersburg Times
published March 24, 2003

FORT MYERS -- Josh Hamilton's once-promising career has taken another detour if not a serious wrong turn.

The Rays announced Sunday that the talented outfielder "left minor-league spring training camp due to personal reasons."

In an unusual step, team officials refused to say any more than that, such as what was wrong or when -- or if -- he is expected back.

Their refusal to discuss any details indicates the matter is not a standard baseball injury or other issue and possibly more serious. The team took a similar posture last summer when Russ Johnson left the club to be treated for anxiety and depression. Attempts to reach Hamilton's father, Tony, and agent, Casey Close, were unsuccessful.

Hamilton, 21, was named the No. 1 prospect in baseball before the 2001 season but has been hampered by a string of injuries. He has raised questions among team officials with his infatuation with tattoos (he had 26 at the start of spring training) and by being late to workouts two times within a week last month, saying he had car trouble one time and overslept the other.

According to several Rays players, Hamilton missed several days of workouts last week.

When the Rays optioned Hamilton to the minor leagues on March 10, he said he felt great and was excited to start playing regularly again. He told manager Lou Piniella he appreciated the opportunity and would be back soon.

"I'm going to do my thing, go down there, tear it up, put up some numbers and see them later this summer," he said.

RAYS ROBBED: Just when it looked like the Rays had tied the score with a ninth-inning rally Sunday, it appeared -- at least to the Tampa Bay dugout -- that the umpiring crew wanted to get the game over with. And as a result of two controversial calls, the Twins held on to win 4-3.

The Rays started a comeback when Ben Grieve singled and Damian Rolls was awarded first on catcher's interference while trying to execute a hit and run. Jason Conti's long fly to left allowed pinch-runner Rocco Baldelli and Rolls to move up to second and third.

That's when it got interesting.

Jason Tyner hit a sinking line drive to center, which Twins minor-leaguer Alex Romero dived for. The Rays believed he trapped it. The umpires ruled it a catch.

Nevertheless, Baldelli went back to tag up and appeared to score easily. But the Twins threw the ball to third for an appeal. And umpire Tim Tschida called him out for leaving early, much to the shock of Baldelli, who said there was no doubt he tagged up properly.

Piniella raced out of the dugout, yanked off his cap and confronted the umpires, but it did no good.

"I want the plays called right," Piniella said. "It was a trap. It didn't look like one. It was one. And the guy was tagged up at third. Double mistakes."

Said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire: "I support the umpires' decision."

PARQUE OKAY: Jim Parque's description of his five-inning outing was "so-so." He gave up three runs, all on a third-inning home run by Jacque Jones, and was concerned that it took him too long to make some slight mechanical adjustments.

Otherwise, he said he felt about right with one appearance left before opening the season as the No. 3 starter.

"I like to build into the season rather than peak and go down," Parque said.

ROSTER REVISING: Veteran outfielder Ryan Thompson was reassigned to minor-league camp, reducing the roster to 31, though Piniella said he could be back during the season. The roster must be down to 25 by Saturday night.

Three pitchers from a group of Brandon Backe, Cedrick Bowers, Gerardo Garcia, Travis Phelps and Jorge Sosa are likely to go down along with Dewon Brazelton. So is at least one more outfielder, Conti or Jason Tyner. And a decision must be made between leader Jorge Fabregas and Hector Ortiz for the backup catcher spot.

MISCELLANY: Opening-day starter Joe Kennedy will take his regular turn Wednesday against the Yankees rather than pitch in a minor-league game. ... Saying they want to keep WFLA-970 AM available for news, team and radio station officials agreed to bump the 18 scheduled weekday afternoon games to sports-talk station WDAE-AM 620 ... The Rays will complete preparations for the season with a closed workout Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at Tropicana Field.