Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli started this season as a special instructor to the team despite being only 28-years-old. He recently returned to the active roster, and plans to continue playing as opposed to coaching, according got Ben Shpigel of the New York Times.
“I like playing; I don’t know what else I would do,” Baldelli said. “I have some ideas. What I did earlier this year was definitely pretty nice, but there’s nothing better than playing. Coming out here every day, it’s something that I’ve done the last 10 years of my life and it’s not something I’m going to let go of easily.”
Baldelli enjoyed his time on the coaching side, but he hopes to not pursue that route for awhile.
“Right now I’d rather he focuses on getting well or better and seeing how long he can play baseball,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Because he’s still really good.”
Baldelli signed a Minor League contract on July 20 and worked his way up to the Majors when the rosters expanded on September 1.
Original Story:
