Diamonds All Around For New Rays Star Hinske

By MARTIN FENNELLY The Tampa Tribune

Published: Apr 26, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Friday was another day at the office for Eric Hinske, Rays professional. He arrived at Tropicana Field, dressed, stretched, hit, fielded and picked up his World Series ring. You know, the usual.

"It's awesome," Hinske said.

His former team was in town, and the Boston Red Sox surprised Hinske with his 2007 World Series ring. Diamonds gleamed.

"I thought they'd give it to me when we went to Boston," Hinske said. "But their clubhouse guy called me over to the weight room. They were all there."

Surprise, surprise.

"He meant a lot to our team," Red Sox shortstop and former Ray Julio Lugo said. "He played good and hard."

Hinske batted only .204 for Boston, but more than half his hits went for extra bases. And there was the game where Hinske, 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, barreled over Yankees catcher Jorge Posada in Fenway Park.

"I was out, but I ran over Posada, so everybody loved me," Hinske said.

He came to Tampa Bay, looking for work.

Surprise, surprise.

A Chance For A Job

Meet this year's Carlos Pena.

Hinske, 30, arrived at Rays camp as a non-roster invitee, a left-handed bat with no guarantees, other than a chance to fight for a job.

Six years ago, he was American League Rookie of the Year after hitting 24 home runs and driving in 84 runs for the Toronto Blue Jays. His numbers fell off from there, season after season, until all that was left was the fight.

Meet a fighter.

This season, Hinske has gotten his shots in. Entering Friday night's game, he was hitting .322 with five homers and 13 RBIs. He leads the Rays in extra-base hits and would lead the AL in slugging percentage if he had enough plate appearances. He has played third base, first base, right field, DH, anywhere the Rays have needed him.

"I've just wanted to do things the right way," Hinske said.

"He's a good baseball player is what he is," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

The Rays have found their share of men like Hinske, castoffs such as Lugo, who once came to Tampa Bay and made good on a second chance.

"This team does a good job of giving guys fresh starts, finding the diamonds in the rough, like Lugo, Ty Wigginton and Carlos Pena," Hinske said.

And him?

"A diamond?" Hinske said. "I don't know. But you give a guy who's not making a lot of money and hopefully he produces."

He made big money after that rookie season in Toronto, but his almost instantly declining numbers rode his career into the ground. Somewhere in there, the Jays gave up. Hinske was traded to Boston.

"You can get labeled in this game," Hinske said. "It isn't very hard."

He didn't know what to expect this spring.

"I was a little nervous coming into camp. You try and open someone's eyes …"

Playing Another Old Team

Hinske met his old team earlier this week. He hit a homer and drove in five runs in the Rays' three-game sweep of the Jays at Disney. He nearly hit for the cycle in the first game. He drove in the winning run in the last two.

He played another old team Friday. Hinske made his first postseason with the Red Sox. He had one at-bat in the World Series against Colorado. The Rockies catcher and home-plate umpire both wished him luck when he came to the plate.

"That was pretty cool," Hinske said.

So was Friday at the Trop, hugs and handshakes from the Sox. It nearly ended with another storybook finish, as Hinske drove a ball to the warning track in right with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning of a 4-4 game. But it was caught. Hinske flung his helmet down with two hands.

It was still a big day. Nathan Haynes - repeating: Nathan Haynes - beat the Red Sox in the 11th with a run-scoring single. And there was before the game, when Eric Hinske reached into his locker and opened a wooden case. His ring sparkled. World champion, that's a label, too.

"Just being a part of a team that was 25 guys who didn't care about themselves, just winning," he said.

Diamonds on rings.

Diamonds in the rough.

They'll open eyes every time.