Rays/MLB

New catcher takes no time to impress

RAYS 3, MARLINS 1: DIONER NAVARRO'S TERRIFIC BLOCK OF HOME PREVENTS A POTENTIAL TYING RUN AND KEYS THE WIN.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published June 29, 2006

MIAMI - After traveling essentially all night and day to join the Devil Rays on Wednesday afternoon, catcher Dioner Navarro pulled on his new uniform, met his new boss and walked up and down the dugout before the game saying hello to many of his new teammates.

But he really introduced himself in the sixth inning, when he made a tremendous play at the plate to save a run and send the Rays to a 3-1 victory over the Marlins.

Navarro, acquired with pitcher Jae Seo from the Dodgers on Tuesday for Toby Hall and Mark Hendrickson, took a red-eye flight from Las Vegas to Tampa, went to his Riverview home long enough to grab some clean clothes, then boarded a midday flight to Fort Lauderdale.

He met with manager Joe Maddon, sat with catcher Josh Paul and starter Casey Fossum to go over a game plan, and, wearing No. 30, got off to a good start on what the Rays (34-45) hope will be a long and successful career.

"I thought he made a really good first impression," Maddon said.

Navarro, 22, was 0-for-2 with two walks at the plate but earned rave reviews for his work behind it.

"He's great back there," said Fossum, who picked up the win for five innings of work. "He called a great game. He's really smooth back there. . . . I felt pretty comfortable throwing to him. I think he's going to be a good addition to the team."

Maddon said he liked pretty much everything he saw.

"I thought he did a real nice job," he said. "I thought he settled in after the first couple innings. I thought he received the ball really well. I thought he did a nice job of handling our pitchers for the first time out not knowing the guys. I thought he moved around really well.

"He had good at-bats. He's going to hit a little bit, I can see that. He had a nice demeanor in the dugout. A nice steady way about him. A very even-keeled approach to the game. I kind of like that. Before the game he was going up and down the dugout greeting everybody - 'Let's go!' I kind of like that, too."

Navarro, who was playing with Triple-A Las Vegas, said he was just happy to contribute to a win: "Every little thing I can do to try to help the team."

What he did was actually a big thing.

The Rays were leading 2-1, having scored twice in the first thanks mainly to Marlins leftfielder Josh Willingham botching Jorge Cantu's line drive.

With Seo on for a two-inning relief debut, the Marlins loaded the bases with one out. Leftfielder Damon Hollins, starting for resting Carl Crawford, caught Mike Jacobs' fly ball and fired home, but his throw was several feet to the first-base side of the plate.

Navarro went to his right to make the catch, then smoothly got back into position, blocking Jeremy Hermida off the plate with his left leg and applying the tag.

"I think that was the key to the game right there," said Julio Lugo, who was on base five times and scored two runs.

Maddon complimented Navarro on his technique. Hollins raved about the way Navarro got back to the plate. Navarro said he was just doing what he was supposed to.

"At the beginning I thought we had no chance because of the way the throw was coming," Navarro said. "After the ball passed third base it took a pretty good hop for me. I just realized I had to get it and go back there as quickly as possible, and I think I did a pretty good job. It saved a run."

The Rays turned another odd double play in the fourth when the Marlins had men on first and second and Fossum lost Alfredo Amezaga's popup in the twilight sky. The ball fell as Fossum and first baseman Ty Wigginton staged an awkward ballet, but the umpires correctly called Amezaga out on the infield fly rule, and the Rays tagged Wes Helms out as he tried to get from second to third.

The Rays won because Fossum pitched well enough to limit the Marlins to one run despite walking five, and Seo, Shawn Camp and Brian Meadows didn't allow more. And they won because they did just enough to get three runs.

But they also won because of what Navarro did, and that made everyone feel good.

"It was great," Navarro said.

[Last modified June 29, 2006, 05:47:14]