Sports: Ready or not, the kids are getting their trial by fire

Having cleared out a half-dozen veterans since the start of the season, and with the possibility of another trade or two by today's 4 p.m. non-waiver trading deadline, the Rays have moved rapidly into the future, calling up nearly a dozen top prospects from their heralded farm system.

Over the next two months, they'll find out how many of them can play.

"Now that we have the first group of our players that have come through our system in the major leagues, it's crucial to make the right decisions on those young players," general manager Chuck LaMar said. "Some of them will turn out to be outstanding major-leaguers, and some will not. And the future of the organization will be based on who to keep out of the young players and who to move on and replace.

"For a team to call up as many young players as we have and not have some turnover is not realistic. They're young and talented, or they wouldn't be here. But now it's who can develop into winning players at the major-league level. I congratulate them, and I congratulate us for developing them, but now that they're here, the real work starts."

In just a few months, the Rays have become the youngest team in the majors in terms of average age (26.69) and experience (2.106 years of service time), and it shows.

Four of their eight position players (catcher Toby Hall, second baseman Brent Abernathy, third baseman Aubrey Huff and centerfielder Jason Tyner) began the season in the minors. So did seven of their 12 pitchers: Nick Bierbrodt, Jesus Colome, Joe Kennedy, Travis Phelps, Jason Standridge, Jeff Wallace and Victor Zambrano.

A few more kids could be here in September, including pitchers Delvin James and Cedrick Bowers. And a few others, such as Travis Harper and Dan Wheeler, could be back.

By bringing all the young players up at the same time, the Rays get to see not only who can play but how they play together. And they'll have a better sense of what other changes they need to make to ensure next season is better.

"These are the guys we're going forward with, and I hope they grow," manager Hal McRae said. "If it all meshes, these are the guys we'll be looking at next year. Hopefully we'll add some players, or these guys will get better. But this is what we're looking at."

The players, naturally, are excited by the opportunity.

"We've all pretty much played together at Double A and Triple A; now it's just a matter of getting up here and everybody learning the league and getting out there and playing every day," Huff said. "We're going to make mistakes, but that's what you learn from. Hopefully next year we'll come into spring training knowing we're going to be a young team and shoot for .500-plus ball. We might surprise some people."

"We have a good core group of young guys here at important positions that know what we're doing; it's just a matter of getting the experience in the major leagues," Abernathy said.

"I'm sure as an organization they're trying to use this time to go into spring training with as few questions as possible. Hopefully everybody that's here can perform and will be part of the club for next year and the years to come. I think we've got all the parts. It's just a matter of that experience."

It's easy to talk about waiting 'til next year, and several younger players have made comments recently about how this season is more about learning than winning. LaMar bristles at the thought, suggesting the players had better make the most of the final two months.

"It's critical, whatever our record is, that the intensity is there on a nightly basis, that we're trying to win each game each night," LaMar said. "Some teams tend to drift through the rest of the season, but that cannot happen here. Our young players have to appreciate the opportunity that is before them. Those who appreciate it will prosper, and those who don't won't. It can be a tremendous building situation and we can gain some momentum if they handle it the right way and not take for granted their position at the major-league level."

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