Gamel has familiar feeling in joining club
LAKE BUENA VISTA — Veteran Ben Gamel, to be candid about it, was hoping for a better offer.
But when spring camps opened last week and there were no major-league deals to be had, he and Tampabased agent B.B. Abbott started considering options for a minor-league contract.
Having played parts of seven seasons in the majors, the 30-year-old Gamel was well acquainted with the Rays’ success. He liked the potential to be relatively close to the Jacksonville area, where he was born, raised and still lives. He asked around and heard good things about Tampa Bay’s culture and manager Kevin Cash.
And his wife, Lauren, is from Indian Rocks Beach.
“[The Rays] were kind of the first team my agent threw out there,” Gamel said. “And my wife heard it and was like, ‘Yeah, that’s where we want to be.’”
Gamel will have to earn a job, competing with at least two other lefty-hitting outfielders — Josh Lowe and Luke Raley — for a spot on the 26-man roster. In spending most of 2021-22 with Pittsburgh, Gamel hit .242 with 17 homers, 72 RBIs and a .720 OPS in 226 games.
“His bat is probably his driver,” Cash said. “It’s certainly a nice option to talk about. Let’s see how it plays out once we get him in the games.”
To increase Gamel’s appeal, and potentially roster versatility, the Rays also plan to give him some work at first base, where he has played a handful of times.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” Gamel said. “I’m gonna do whatever I can. I’m gonna do the little things. I’m gonna play hard. That’s really the only guarantee I can do — I’m gonna play hard.”
Game time
The Rays start a 30-game exhibition schedule on Saturday, facing the Twins in Fort Myers.
The travel will be tough at times because the schedule was drafted before damage from Hurricane Ian forced the Rays from their Port Charlotte base, with camp based at Disney World through Tuesday, then shifting to Tropicana Field. For example, they play in Fort Myers Saturday and Sunday (Red Sox), at Sarasota (Orioles) Monday, at Disney (Yankees) Tuesday and at North Port (Braves) Wednesday before their first true home game on Thursday.
Between the schedule and 12 players leaving in early March for the World Baseball Classic, lineups will be more disjointed than usual. Bigger names slated to play Saturday include Francisco Mejia, Harold Ramirez, Isaac Paredes and Josh Lowe, with Josh Fleming pitching in relief.
Cash said Randy Arozarena, Yandy Diaz, Wander Franco, Brandon Lowe and Manuel Margot won’t go to Fort Myers but are scheduled to play in Sarasota.
Medical matters
Three players have been sidelined at the start of camp by injury: infielder Taylor Walls (oblique), and relievers Shawn Armstrong (neck) and Calvin Faucher (oblique). Faucher is closest to action, as he is playing catch . ... Outfielder Jose Siri was sick and missed Friday’s workout butisexpectedtoplaySunday.
On TV
Bally Sports Sun will provide TV coverage of nine spring games, all at home, starting with the March 2 game against the Twins. Also being shown are games on March 6, 10, 13, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24 . ... Tuesday’s game vs. the Yankees at Disney is expected to be sold out.