Rays claim OF Haynes off waivers

Posted Mar 28, 2008 by Marc Lancaster

Updated Mar 28, 2008 at 01:58 PM

The Rays have claimed outfielder Nathan Haynes off waivers from the Angels. He will join the team Monday in Baltimore.

Rocco Baldelli will be put on the 60-day disabled list with a “mitochondrial disorder” to clear a 40-man spot for the left-handed hitting outfielder.

Haynes, 28, would seem to fill the Rays’ reserve outfield spot that previously had appeared to be Eric Hinske’s. Then again, the Rays may choose to keep Hinske’s bat and option Joel Guzman down, crossing their fingers that Willy Aybar is healthy enough to play every day and Elliot Johnson can back him up.  Haynes is out of options, so he can’t be sent to the minors.

A former first-round pick of the A’s (1997), he spent 10 years in the minors before finally breaking through to the big leagues with the Angels last season, hitting .267 in 40 games. He saw time at all three outfield positions for the Angels last year. The one RBI he collected for the Angels last season apparently came against the Rays on Sept. 17 in Anaheim.

Haynes hit .265 (9-for-34) with four stolen bases in 19 Cactus League games for the Angels this spring. He has 254 career stolen bases in the minors.

More to come…