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Smith wins shot at second

The Rays send Brent Abernathy to Durham, enabling them to keep both talented infielders.

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2001

LAKELAND -- It wasn't that the Rays didn't want to take a chance on rookie Brent Abernathy. It's just that they really wanted to give a chance to Bobby Smith.

The Rays on Saturday named Smith their starting second baseman, sending Abernathy to Triple A in a somewhat expected series of moves to reach the 25-man roster limit by the midnight deadline.

Pat Borders, Aubrey Huff, Rusty Meacham, Travis Phelps, Jason Tyner and Dan Wheeler also were sent to Durham; Ozzie Guillen was released and is expected to retire and take a job in the Tampa Bay organization; and Wilson Alvarez and Juan Guzman were put back on the 15-day disabled list.

Damian Rolls and Russ Johnson made the team as backup infielders, Randy Winn joins Jose Guillen as reserve outfielders and newly acquired Mike Judd and Ariel Prieto got spots in the bullpen without pitching in an exhibition game for the Rays.

The team payroll will be about $56.3-million (including $15-million to the injured pitchers), although about $13.25-million will be deferred through agreements with six veterans.

Team executives met late into Friday discussing the roster and said their most difficult decision was regarding the second basemen.

"They both had very good springs, extremely good," manager Larry Rothschild said. "Brent Abernathy showed he was the player people said he was and Bobby competed just as well. It was a tough decision. They were really very even in what they did and how they played. It just came down to giving Bobby the chance to be the second baseman for the first time on opening day."

In each of Smith's first three seasons with the Rays, there had always been someone (Wade Boggs and Vinny Castilla at third, Miguel Cairo at second) or something (a sprained knee in July) in his way. But in between extended slumps and two demotions to Durham, Smith had shown the potential for steady production when playing regularly, such as the 20-game stretch last summer when he hit .311 with 14 RBI. Now, the Rays want to see if he can do it on an everyday basis.

"We wanted to give Bobby that chance and let him know he's the starting second baseman here really for the first time and see how he runs with it," Rothschild said.

Smith, who hit .306 this spring, couldn't be more eager for the opportunity.

"Knowing I'm going to play every day is big for me," said Smith, 26. "I can get in a routine and I can get in a rhythm and I think that's how things work in baseball. You have to get in a routine and a rhythm and know your role. And now that I know I'm the second baseman, I can definitely get comfortable and do what it takes."

General manager Chuck LaMar praised Smith for his development on and off the field.

"He seemed to handle the competition with more maturity than he has shown in the past," LaMar said. "He has always shown the ability since we got him, but he rose to the occasion and competed better on a daily basis, more consistently, than we have seen in the past. ... We've been through some ups and downs with Bobby and there's going to have to be a lot more ups than what there has been in the past. But he earned the right to win the job and he won it."

Abernathy, a 23-year-old acquired from Toronto in July, made a strong case, hitting .351 in his first major-league spring training season. While he wasn't happy about the demotion, he wasn't upset either.

"I think I've proven I can play at this level and that I'm ready to play at this level," Abernathy said. "It's just a matter of going to Durham, getting the work done that needs to be done, getting an opportunity, and taking advantage of the opportunity when it presents itself."

While the decision was said to be based on performance, the net result was that the Rays were able to retain two talented young players. Had Smith not made the team, he would have been exposed to waivers and likely would have been claimed.

"Win-win," LaMar said.

The same thinking apparently went into the decision to keep Rolls, who essentially made the team over Guillen.

Because Rolls, 23, is still under the restrictions of the Rule 5 draft, the Rays have to keep him on active roster for 59 more days or risk losing him through waivers. Rothschild said they didn't want to take that chance.

"The decision with Ozzie is as hard as it gets, but you've got a young player that an organization like ours can't lose," Rothschild said. "He was impressive in winter ball, he was impressive in spring. I like the way he goes about it. He plays hard, and since I saw him last year he's grown leaps and bounds. He's a good athlete, a young kid, and you can't give up on that."

-- Staff writer John Romano contributed to this report.

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