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Success with Rays builds Boxberger's confidence

 
Brad Boxberger’s numbers were impressive, even historic, once he got a shot last year.
Brad Boxberger’s numbers were impressive, even historic, once he got a shot last year.
Published Feb. 28, 2015

PORT CHARLOTTE — It has been more than a year since catcher Rene Rivera played regularly with reliever Brad Boxberger, back when they were both trying to stick on the Padres' major-league roster.

And though Rivera hasn't caught Boxberger much in Rays camp this spring, he can already notice the change in the 26-year-old right-hander.

"He's more confident," Rivera said. "You get better with confidence, with having the opportunity to know what you can do and learning yourself. I guess he did it last year."

Boxberger certainly did, compiling one of the most prolific seasons by a reliever in club history.

He set a team bullpen record with 104 strikeouts — 12 more than J.P. Howell's mark in 2008. No right-handed reliever in AL history has struck out a higher percentage of batters (42.1), and only two since 1974 have held left-handed hitters to lower batting averages (.107).

"Definitely knowing that my stuff plays at the level, that's probably one of the biggest things to feeling comfortable," Boxberger said.

His stuff was on full display in May, when he replaced David Price with the bases loaded in the sixth inning against Baltimore. Boxberger struck out the side on nine pitches. The feat hadn't been accomplished in more than six years, and even the rarely talkative Boxberger admitted it was a cool memory.

"That'll give anyone some confidence," fellow reliever Jake McGee said.

As Boxberger and the Rays prepare for today's first full-squad workout, he said he feels more assured and settled than this time last spring.

When Boxberger came to camp a year ago, he didn't recognize many faces after being traded from San Diego a few weeks earlier. He had never been to spring training in Florida, let alone played with his new teammates. He had to learn where to go and what to do before, eventually, deciphering what his role on the team might be.

"Trying to get my feet under me for that was probably the biggest thing," Boxberger said.

He started the year in Triple-A Durham but finally stuck with the Rays in May. By the end of the season, Boxberger and McGee were splitting high-leverage situations in the eighth and ninth innings, with Boxberger earning two of his three career saves.

"Every time you knew he was going into the game," McGee said, "you knew what you were getting."

After a year of transition, Boxberger finally knows what he's getting with the Rays. His spot on the team is safe.

With McGee still working his way back from offseason elbow surgery, Boxberger is expected to contend for more save opportunities. He said he doesn't need to be anointed as the closer, and he's fine with whatever role he inherits in the restocked bullpen.

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New manager Kevin Cash said he doesn't need to see anything special from Boxberger this spring.

"Whatever he was doing last year — kind of the same thing," Cash said.

Because whatever Boxberger did last year, it worked. He said he didn't change much in the offseason, though he focused on boosting his strength to prepare his body even better for the grind of 162 games.

Boxberger said he doesn't expect to do much differently this spring, either. Now that he's finally secure in the system and in his settings, he doesn't need to.

"It's always a relief to have some kind of idea where you stand with a team, especially not being the new guy," Boxberger said. "It's a little more settling feeling."

Contact Matt Baker at mbaker@tampabay.com. Follow @MBakerTBTimes.