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Trade to Rays offers Souza opportunities

 
After coming to the Rays from the Nationals, Steven Souza looks for a better chance at breaking into a starting lineup.
After coming to the Rays from the Nationals, Steven Souza looks for a better chance at breaking into a starting lineup.
Published Feb. 20, 2015

PORT CHARLOTTE — Coming to a new team billed as the key part of a big trade and having your first real chance to make a big-league roster would seem like enough stress.

New Rays OF Steven Souza mixed in getting married last weekend.

"It was chaotic, but (Mikaela) did a good job getting everything organized," Souza said. "It was awesome. It was a great day, a great event."

Souza, acquired from the Nationals in the three-way deal that sent Wil Myers to San Diego, flew from his Seattle-area home to work out at the Trop last week, jetted back on Friday night, got married on Sunday then headed back to Florida on Tuesday, joining the players working out early in Port Charlotte.

With the nuptials behind him, Souza, 25, is locked in on taking full advantage of the opportunity the Rays are presenting, acknowledging "there might be a little more at stake," but that the game itself is no different and he is confident in his abilities.

"You dream as a kid to get in this position, and at one point in my career I didn't think this was going to happen," he said. "I'm just super-thankful (manager) Kevin Cash, (baseball operations president) Matt Silverman and the rest of the Rays staff believe in me."

CASH CALL: Cash got his first look around the Port Charlotte facility — aside from a couple of spring games as a visitor in 2009-10 — and was quite impressed: "It's awesome. They did a great job designing it."

He also liked that 30 of the 63 players on the roster were already in camp, even though the first official workout for pitchers and catchers isn't until Monday, noting their energy and enthusiasm. "Pretty cool to see," he said.

FAMILY AFFAIR: OF Brandon Guyer couldn't imagine leaving home for spring training following the Dec. 30 birth of daughter Riley. Instead, he brought his wife, Washington D.C. sportscaster Lindsay Murphy, and Riley with him. "That definitely made it a lot easier," Guyer said. "It's definitely a great feeling having my wife and daughter here with me."

A DUCK, GUMBY and MORE: The Rays released their promotional schedule featuring an Evan Longoria rubber duck for kids (April 19), Alex Cobb Gumby (April 18), Chris Archer bobblehead (April 25), Kevin Kiermaier "Outlaw" action figure (Aug. 29) and a Rays fedora (Aug. 8). For the full schedule, see tampabay.com/blogs/rays.

TICKET TIME: Single game tickets will go on sale Feb. 28 via raysbaseball.com, with a pre-sale for Rays Insider members. On March 2, tickets will be available at other outlets such as Ticketmaster, Tampa team store and Tropicana Field box office by calling toll-free 1-888-FAN-RAYS.