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Youthful trio wait for turns

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 18, 2000

CHICAGO -- Should the story someday warrant re-telling, the moment occurred in the fourth inning Monday night at Fenway Park.

Having just hit a double off the fabled Fenway wall against the fabulous Pedro Martinez, Aubrey Huff stopped, looked and realized just where he was.

Two and a half years ago, he was playing at the University of Miami. Two and a half weeks ago, he was playing in Durham, N.C. Monday, he was essentially in baseball heaven.

"That felt really good to get a hit against Pedro, and then I'm there at second base and behind me is Nomar Garciaparra," Huff said. "I'm looking around, and I'm like, "God, this is really happening.' This is something you just dream about doing. And it's reality now. It's hard to soak up."

Huff, though, has shown he fits in. He is the first from the Rays' talented group of young position players to make it to the majors, the first of many according to hopeful club officials. He's home-grown, having been a fifth-round pick in the 1998 draft, while others, such as Jason Tyner and Russ Johnson, have been acquired in trade.

The future may not be now, but the Rays think it's close. And the three are getting a chance to show how they may be able to help.

Huff, 23, moved quickly through the system, playing a half-season at Class-A Charleston, a full 1999 season at Double-A Orlando and 31/2 months at Triple-A Durham.

In 13 starts since being promoted, he has led the team with a .333 average.

"Aubrey's done a good job," manager Larry Rothschild said. "He has a way of hanging around an at-bat and end up putting a good swing on the ball, which for a young hitter is good to see. Defensively, he may not be the most graceful guy, but so far he's gotten the job done."

Huff would probably have been a September call-up, but got an earlier opportunity when Vinny Castilla went out with a sore back. He certainly has taken advantage of it.

"I believe I can play with these guys," he said. "If you go up there thinking you don't belong here, you don't."

But that doesn't mean Huff, who plays first and third, will be in the big leagues next season. Castilla is expected to return, and Fred McGriff is signed for another year with a no-trade clause. Assuming Steve Cox (or McGriff) is the primary left-handed DH, Huff may not have a job except as a spare part.

Barring an unexpected trade, the Rays would have to weigh whether it's better for him to play every day at Triple A or sit the bench in the majors.

Huff seems to know the answer.

"To tell you the truth, I wouldn't want to be a utility guy," he said. "I've kind of got to be a guy that plays every day. Whether they make a move, that's out of my hands. That's why the game's a business, and it's always going be a business. I work for these guys, and I do whatever they tell me."

Tyner, the speedy 23-year-old acquired in July from the Mets, is hoping to play his way into a starting job, too. First, though, he has to get to play, having made just 10 plate appearances.

"I kind of arrived ahead of schedule this year," Tyner said. "Next year was supposed to be the year I'd get the opportunity to shoot for a starting position. Hopefully that will be the same case with the Devil Rays. I'm going to come into spring training ready, come in stronger and come in real early. I'm sure they're going to give me an opportunity, and hopefully I'll take advantage of it."

Rothschild said he's working on getting Tyner more playing time. From what little he's seen, though, he says Tyner is solid defensively and has "the ability to steal bases almost at will."

At the least, the Rays expect Tyner to be on their bench next season. "I would think so," Rothschild said, "with the opportunity to make his way into the lineup."

For Tyner to earn a starting job, though, would require some shuffling. The Rays would either have to move Greg Vaughn permanently from leftfield to DH, which he isn't going to be enthused about, or shift Gerald Williams from centerfield to right.

While Huff and Tyner are getting their first looks around the big leagues this year, Johnson has seen it before, spending parts of the past three seasons with Houston. The difference is that this time he's getting the chance to stick around and enjoy the view.

Work, though, has come in spurts. He's filled in at second, started at third against left-handed pitchers, made a few late-game appearances at shortstop. The utility label seems to have been affixed.

"I can play three positions, and I think I can hitter better than I've hit," he said. "But it's my first full year, and you're going to struggle. It hasn't been an everyday deal for me, playing three or four days and being off two or three days, and I realize that. I still want to be the best at that job I can be. That may be my role."

Tough and hard-nosed, Johnson says he believes he can be an everyday player and wants to do so for the Rays.

"I think I can help this team win playing every day," he said.

But he faces several roadblocks. Castilla will be back at third, Felix Martinez has much greater range at shortstop and the Rays are getting extraordinarily deep at second, with Miguel Cairo, Bobby Smith and recently acquired prospect Brent Abernathy.

"He's not going to be given a job as a flat-out everyday guy," Rothschild said of Johnson, "but he'll have the opportunity to earn that."

Opportunity. There's that word again.

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