Baseball heritage figures in Rhault's path to Princeton

PRINCETON — The path to the big leagues can go through even the smallest state. Just ask Daniel Rhault, or Rocco Baldelli.

After all, Baldelli did it. He was raised in Rhode Island, started his professional career in Princeton, made it to Tampa Bay, and now plays for the Red Sox. Rhault hopes to take the same route to Tropicana Field.

“If something happens big in the state, everybody knows about it,” said Rhault, a shortstop with the Princeton Rays, whose high school coach was Baldelli’s uncle. “It is kind of cool, Rocco Baldelli is the hometown hero, so it’s kind of cool just knowing that he is still playing.”

There are other similarities. Baldelli batted just .216 with Princeton in 2000, having been the sixth overall selection in the draft by Tampa Bay. Rhault has also struggled, batting just .139 (5-36) with three doubles, two RBIs and seven walks heading into Friday’s game at Pulaski.

Still, Rhault isn’t worried. He’s where he wants to be.

“Absolutely, this is the reason you play college ball and why you grow up playing baseball, is to get here,” Rhault said. “It’s not over, there’s a lot more stuff to take.”

Rhault has shown flashes at the plate. In Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Pulaski, the University of Rhode Island product had two hits, including a double. He also had two hits on July 1 against Greeneville. Rhault admits to still making the adjustment from the aluminum to wood bat.

“Wood brings out the best and brings out the worst in your swing,” Rhault said. “I’m just struggling right now. Wood definitely brings out the worst in you, but you can always make adjustments. Baseball is a game of adjustments ... .

“You can cheat with the aluminum bat a little bit. You can do certain things with mechanics there that you can’t do here.”

Defensively, Rhault plays what is arguably — after catcher — the most difficult position on the diamond. Still, this rangy shortstop doesn’t let that fact bother him.

“You just kind of relax and let it happen. There is a reason why I got here so kind of relax and just see the ball down and if you get a ground ball, throw them out,” Rhault said. “A ground ball is no different everywhere you go. A ground ball is a ground ball wherever you go ... .”

A native of Lincoln, R.I., Rhault batted .463 as a prep senior in a town that also produced former Dodgers’ hurler Clem Labine.

“My town is a big baseball town, they’re big on baseball,” Rhault said. “I just love it, it’s a great game. It’s a game of a lot of failure, but it’s the only thing I really grew up knowing.”

He spent four seasons at Rhode Island, earning Atlantic Ten Player of the Year honors as a senior, batting .393 with a school record 60 RBIs, 12 home runs — including three grand slams — and a .460 on-base percentage. He was on the final watch list for the Brooks Wallace Award, which goes to the nation’s top collegiate shortstop.

“It was cool, it was a big adjustment when I first got there, playing from high school ball to Division I with some really good players,” said Rhault, who graduated with a degree in Environmental Horticulture and Turfgrass Management. “I loved it there, I liked it a lot, I’m glad I went to college.

“Some players come out of high school and go to the pros. That’s fine for them, but I’m glad I went to college and I still have a degree so I am happy with it.”

A 26th round selection in June’s draft by Tampa Bay, the Rays were definitely a good fit for the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Rhault.

“I don’t know if I expected to get drafted, but I was hoping to,” said Rhault, who will turn 23 on Sept. 16. “I wasn’t worried, but you never really know. I’m just happy I went to Tampa Bay.

“I really wanted to go to them. I like their organization, plus in my home town you’ve got Rocco Baldelli, the town is right next to each other. At some point you just want to go. That is great, but I really wanted to go with them so I was happy to go here.”

A star at Rhode Island, Rhault realizes he’s just another player trying to make it at this level.

“You play in college and you’re the team’s best player, you’re one of the top players in the conference and then all of a sudden you get here and everybody is just as good if not better,” said Rhault, who also led the Rams as a junior, batting .316 with six home runs. “It is a lot different, it is real humbling. You’re no longer the big fish in the pond, you’re a little fish in a huge pond.

“It’s a little different, I don’t feel intimidated and our team looks real good so I’m happy about it. I like playing with these guys, everybody is good, the pitching and the defense and the hitting is coming around.”

Despite his early struggles at the plate, Rhault can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.

“I like it, I like playing pro ball,” Rhault said. “It’s a whole lot more work, but I like it better than college ball. You get paid.”

Growing up as a Red Sox fan, Rhault enjoyed seeing Boston finally win the World Series in 2004, and adding another in ‘07. Still, he’s all about the Rays now.

“I was pretty excited, but I’m not worried about the Red Sox anymore, I’m playing for Tampa Bay now and I’m worried about them,” Rhault said. “Was it exciting? Yeah, it was cool to finally see them win after all those years, but it’s kind of whatever now.

“It’s out the window for me. I want to get up to the major leagues and play for Tampa and beat the Red Sox. I could show my face in my home town, that would be nice. That would be the main thing is being able to show my face there and beating them too.”

First of all, Rhault would like to beat all the teams in the Appalachian League and bring the Rays their first title since their first one in 1994.

“When you get here, you want to get to the next level, that is the main concern, but personally I want to win,” said Rhault, whose Rays were 8-8 and just 1 1/2 games out of first place heading into Friday’s game. “I’m here to move up, but I’m here to win. I don’t care where I am I want to win games and get a ring. I want to wear a ring.”

He’d also like to have a good season and move forward in his chosen career.

“I’ll keep to myself what goals I want to set, but I want to win,” Rhault said. “Personally I just want to have the best season that I can.

“I’ve started off a little rough, but it’s not where you start it’s where you end. As soon as you make some adjustments, I’ll start feeling better at the plate and I’ll be seeing the ball better. I just want to have the best season that I can and you end up where you end up, you can’t do anything about it.”

Winding up in Princeton has been just fine for Rhault.

“It is a little different leaving home, I live about an hour from my (college), but I like it,” Rhault said. “It’s a real small town, there’s not much to do, but we are here to play baseball.

“All it is is baseball. Now it is my life and my job. It is my life.”

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

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