L: I’m joined by one of the top rookies in the American League, and that’s Rocco Baldelli of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. I say that name, and it brings back John Boccabella, names like that. Do any of the PA announcers around the league have fun with you with the name?

B: Yeah, I think a couple of them do. I think our home PA announcer in Tampa Bay probably has the most fun with it. He takes a long time to say the name.L: How does he do it? What does he do?

B: You’re not gonna get me to do that on the air, I’ll tell you that. But he has fun every time he goes through it. It’s a good time.

L: Well, you’ve certainly taken the American League by storm, and I think folks should know a little bit about your background. A three-sport star in high school in Rhode Island, volleyball scholarship to UCLA, possible basketball, baseball as well. Tell us a little about your amateur background back home.

B: When I was younger I played all the sports I could. I didn’t really concentrate on one in particular. I played baseball in the spring, basketball in the winter, and I picked up volleyball in high school, too, which isn’t the biggest sport where I’m from, but our high school had a team so I played that. And I ran some track, too.

L: You know, you’re not on the All Star team, which I think maybe is one of the big injustices of this season as we look at the people who should be on. How do you feel about it?

B: I’m not really too worried about it. This is my first long season, my first big-league season, and I’m not really used to playing this many games, so I think these three days off will probably help me out a lot. I’m not really worried about making the All Star team or being there too much. I mean, it would’ve been a real nice honor to be able to go and represent your team and your league, but I can use the three days off, too.

L: Coming into spring training, you were what was known as a nonroster player, an invitee to spring training. And realizing, of course, that the Devil Rays are a team that will give young players a chance. What did you think coming into spring training? Because you have all this background, Baseball America player of the year, heralded player coming up, everyone said, “Who is he? What can he do?” What did you think you could do?

B: My expectations coming into this season were just to try to make the team out of spring training. That was my goal all winter. That’s what I was working for. Coming in, I really didn’t know what to expect. But I realized that I’d have to play pretty well in spring training to impress the new coaching staff and Lou, and hopefully win a spot. And I came in, started a little slow, but they gave me the opportunity and it ended up working out.

L: You know, Rocco, you’re still over .300, and here we are into July. The All Star Game is coming up next week. What’s the secret to this? Because you’re a rookie. Rookies don’t do this. The graphics that come out every day about the number of hits you have, you’re getting into pretty high territory with some of the great players of the game, with the amount of hits you have at this point in the season. So give us your philosophy on hitting. How do you do it?

B: I don’t have too scientific an approach or anything like that. I kinda just go up there and I’m looking for a strike. If they throw a strike, I’m gonna be ready to swing the bat. I’m not up there looking to walk and take pitches and work the count. If I get a good pitch to hit, I’m ready to swing.

L: What’s it like being around Lou Piniella and the intensity that he brings? Of course, he comes from the Mariners, a team that had played so well for him for so many years. This game is judged really by wins and losses. Your team hasn’t won a lot. But tell me about Lou Piniella. What’s it like playing for him?

B: It’s kind of a different experience playing for Lou. He’s not a guy, he’s not the kind of manager I’ve played with too much. I’ve had a lot of laid-back managers and guys who just let you go out and play, but if Lou feels something he’s gonna let you know. And he’s gonna let you know whether it’s positive or negative, he’s gonna tell you. It’s pretty good, though, when you know how much your manager wants to win and how successful he’s been in the past. So just being able to play for him gives you kind of a confident feeling.

L: Tell us some of the things he tells you, good or bad, some of the improvements he says you have to make, or when you do things well. What are some of the things he tells you? Give the fans an understanding of that.

B: He normally would just go into specific things during the game. If I do something wrong during the game, whether it be on the base paths if I do something silly, he’ll sit me down and explain. Or when I’m at the plate in a certain situation, maybe what to look for, and if I’m looking for something that’s wrong, he’ll point it out to me, he’ll pull me aside and let me know. Kinda like that. It’s more individual circumstances than it is big picture stuff.

L: You know, I’ve seen you in the field, and of course you can go get ’em as a center fielder has to do in baseball. Your arm is pretty spectacular, too. You get to the ball quickly. Last night you made a couple of throws that may not have been typical for you. You threw one that looked like it was heading to the coach’s box that should’ve been coming to the plate, another one didn’t have a lot on it that was cut off at the mound. Tell us about your arm and what happened last night.

B: I was just glad to get out of that inning in one piece. The firs throw I made ended up basically right in the middle of home and third base, which isn’t a pretty sight. I was gonna throw home and I realized that I wasn’t gonna throw him out, I was too deep, and I realized Tejada, I think, was on second and was gonna tag and go to third, so right in mid-throw I tried to change and go to third instead, and it just didn’t work out. And the other one I just held on too long and skipped it in. It’s something that you can’t really worry about too much because it’ll drive you crazy if you keep thinking about it. So I’m over it.

L: Growing up in New England, Rhode Island is where you grew up, the home of course of Davey Lopes, one of our friends who is on the show quite often. Who did you root for as a kid? You’re right in the middle of that Yankee-Red Sox territory. Maybe one of those? Or was there somebody else?

B: I really didn’t root for anyone. I kinda watched all the games I could. I’d go to Fenway and watch some games, and Pawtucket Red Sox are right near my house, too, so that’s where I saw most of my professional baseball growing up. But I really didn’t root for the Red Sox too much, but I didn’t root for the Yankees, either. So I’d kinda just enjoy the game and just enjoy being able to watch big-league players play and not really cheer too much. I kinda was more into the game than the teams.

L: Now, as a kid growing up, you play center field in the big leagues, what position did you play in baseball as a young man?

B: When I was real young I did the pitcher and the shortstop thing in Little League like everyone else does, but in high school I only played first base. I played there my first three years, and my last year actually a couple of scouts talked to my high school coach and asked if maybe they could put me in the outfield. So I went out and played center field my senior year and ended up there ever since.

L: So, if you had to describe your game, what’s the best part of your game? If you said, “Boy, Rocco Baldelli, this is my game.” What’s the best part of it?

B: I don’t know if I have a best part. I have a lot of so-so parts. But probably my speed helps me out the most, whether it be on offense or defensively. It’s something that no matter how you’re playing that day it’ll always be there, whether it be getting an infield hit or running the bases or shagging balls in the outfield. It’s something that helps me out a lot.

L: Well, I appreciate you being on Right Off the Bat. This is one of the good young players in the American League. He’s not in Chicago, he should be in Chicago for the All Star Game, but it’s a lot of fun to see you at the park. I think you bring a lot of enthusiasm, and that’s what baseball needs. So, Rocco, thanks for being on the show.

B: Thanks for having me.