Hard-throwing Cuban defector Danys Baez is eager to prove he can excel as the Rays closer.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published February 17, 2004
[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys]
The Rays believe new closer Danys Baez, who comes armed with a mid-90s fastball, is an ideal combination of youth and experience.
ST. PETERSBURG - Tough situations are nothing new for Danys Baez.
Defecting from his native Cuba 41/2 years ago, he left his parents and older brother behind without knowing when or if he'd see them again, sneaked away from the Cuban team's hotel during a tournament in Canada, accepted $14.5-million from the Indians and the expectations that accompanied it and came to the big leagues determined to prove he could compete.
So ask him about the pressure of taking over as Devil Rays closer and Baez flashes a broad smile that makes it clear he is not exactly intimidated by the circumstances.
"I love that," Baez said. "That's good. It's a very important job. It's the last three outs of the game. You're going to be out there when the game is on the line. You're three or two or one run ahead, or maybe the game is tied, it's very exciting. Everyone is waiting for the last out."
The Rays made plenty of moves during the winter, bringing 27 new players with big-league experience to camp. But none might have as much impact as Baez, a 26-year-old with a 96 mph fastball who could prevent a lot of wins from turning into losses.
"We went into the offseason trying to bolster our bullpen and we knew we wanted someone with some experience pitching the eighth and ninth inning," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said.
"We thought it would be more of a veteran, experienced type of guy, but it just worked out that Danys Baez (DAN-ees BUY-ez) was available. We think we got that experience in the eighth and ninth inning with a young arm who has a chance to get better. It really worked to our advantage, and hopefully his. ...
"I've been impressed. He's a big strong guy with a good arm. We like everything about him, his age, the chance to get better, his aggressiveness, his velocity. I think he can pitch here for a long time."
Baez welcomes the opportunity. The Indians used him as a closer, and a starter, and a setup man. After a year and a half in the minors, he bounced from role to role during 21/2 seasons in Cleveland and thought he didn't get the opportunity to excel at any.
So when the Indians tried to circumvent major-league rules and reduce his salary, he was happy to leave Cleveland as a nontendered free agent and sign a deal with the Rays that could be worth more than $10-million over three years.
"It's a very good feeling for any player when you know one team wants you and one team needs your help," Baez said. "It make you feel better, makes you feel confident, makes you feel like you have to do your job."
He certainly has the ability to do his job well, specifically a blazing fastball and nasty splitter, and the aggressive personality to use them.
His results as a closer have been mixed, 31 saves in 44 opportunities, but the Rays are confident that he will get better with regular duty and that the bullpen will be better with 2003 All-Star Lance Carter handling the setup work.
"Baez has great, great stuff, all the ability in the world," Rays DH Aubrey Huff said. "He has more "closer' stuff. Lance has that changeup and is more of a setup guy, and he's going to take that role and he's fine with it. We're all excited to have Baez here. Hopefully he'll come in here and to know that's his role and that's what he's doing ... that will help him confidence-wise. It's one of the bigger moves of the year."
"You have to feel good about the closer we have," pitcher Jeremi Gonzalez said. "I think he'll save 30-40 games, and I look forward to it."
Baez is equally excited, and not just about his new job. He is increasingly comfortable with the English language and American culture and has found the Tampa Bay area to his liking and conveniently near his Miami home. He and his wife, Mireya, are expecting their first child in June.
Even his sadness over leaving his parents and brother, Denny, soon may be abated.
"Baseball is baseball, and personal things are personal things," Baez said. "That's been the most hard part of my career. I haven't seen my family for four years and I can't go back to my family. It's tough sometimes. I think sometimes you have to pay some price when you make some decisions, so that's my price. Everything's going to be fine. They're over there, they're good, there's no problems. That's very important for me."
Baez keeps in regular phone contact with his relatives in Cuba. He's optimistic they soon might be allowed to leave the island and join him in Florida.
"I never stop trying," he said. "You never know. I want them to be with me."
