Baldelli’s New Role

After spending last season coming off the bench for the Red Sox, Rocco Baldelli has returned to the place he began his big league career, Tampa Bay. Being hampered by a disease that causes him to fatigue easily and be prone to injuries, Baldelli has seen limited playing time over the past several years and was placed in the difficult spot of having to hang up his cleats, at least temporarily. Luckily for all of us, Baldelli will remain in baseball as the special assistant to the Tampa Bay Rays, working with younger players and their development.

Baldelli has always been a player who epitomizes patience and respects the game. His potential for success at the major league level appeared limitless after he made his debut in 2003 with Tampa Bay playing in 156 games, hitting .289 with 11 HRs, 78 RBIs and 27 SBs. In the following 2 years, Baldelli continued to improve his power and was impressive defensively until injuries began to creep up on him and limit his playing time.

Over the next few years, Baldelli’s playing time decreased due to injuries and fatigue, leaving the Tampa Bay organization concerned about their young talented outfielder. Finally in 2008, Baldelli was diagnosed with mitochondrial disorder, explaining his sudden drop in playing time and increase in injuries. His career would never be the same, but his passion for the game remained and when healthy and rested, Baldelli’s ability is still there.

In 2009 with the Red Sox, Baldelli appeared in 62 games and hit .311 with 7 HRs in 150 ABs, playing a pivotal 4th outfielder role off the bench. This off-season Baldelli had been battling an injury, and it became clear teams were not interested in bringing on a player that could only appear in a game every few days, despite his age and ability when healthy.

"I don’t think I’m ready to retire, I’m only 28 years old. But at this point I can’t really do what I want to do on the field. I wasn’t comfortable going to spring training this year, because I wouldn’t be able to perform. – Rocco Baldelli (courtesy of tampabay.com)"

I am extremely glad Baldelli has gotten the opportunity to share his excitement and passion for the game with others, even if he isn’t on the field. His career is certainly not over and I would love to see him play in the majors in the future, but for now, Baldelli can give back to the organization that helped him grow and develop into a major league player.