Tampa signed another trio of relievers to minor league deals this past month, including RHP Lee Gardner, RHP Wayne Gomes, and RHP Jose Paniagua. Gardner first joined the Devil Ray organization as a nondrafted free agent in 1998, and though he was granted free agency, he chose to re-sign with the team this off-season. While he experienced some control problems in his first exposure to the majors, the 28-year-old has displayed solid skills as a reliever throughout the minors. Last season at AAA, he compiled a 52:15 K:BB with 50 H and 1 HR allowed in 49.2 IP.

I suspect Gardner will once again begin the season in the minors and receive a mid-season call-up once someone is stricken with injury or ineffectiveness. The Devil Rays used him as a closer in the minors last season, so he could factor into their major league committee if their first choices are struggling when he joins the team. However, I don't expect him to make a big splash.

Gomes began last season with the Pirates but signed with Boston in late April after Pittsburgh released him. The 30-year-old has yet to display the command necessary to hold more than a AAAA relief role, however he's solid bullpen filler if needed for a short while.

Paniagua hasn't quite mastered his control difficulties, though he continues to improve. The 29-year-old seems likely to break camp in the bullpen, given his major league experience and history with new manager Lou Piniella. My primary concern regarding this acquisition is that Paniagua has developed a significant tendency towards fly balls, which hasn't hurt him too much in Seattle or Detroit but which could become apparent in the form of home runs in Tampa. Tropicana Field generally reduces power but not to the extent of Comerica or Safeco.

I don't think Piniella feels the need to identify a single closer, so any of the right-handers in the pen not pitching long relief could close. Piniella has said he wants to have two lefties in the pen when they break camp. LHP Brian Fitzgerald signed a minor league deal with Tampa in late December and should be one of the two southpaws. Seattle drafted Fitzgerald out of Virginia Tech with their 20th round pick of the 1996 draft. The 28-year-old has demonstrated solid skills at AAA and should be able to provide the Devil Rays with quality short relief. Piniella should be somewhat familiar with him, as he was in the majors with the Mariners for a short while last season before Colorado claimed him off waivers. Unfortunately, Piniella's desire for a second left-hander will likely lead to Jim Parque making the team over several more qualified right-handed candidates. Parque will likely also serve as the long reliever.

Travis Harper and Lance Carter will probably receive the majority of the save opportunities. Both have displayed strong skills in recent years and should do a fine job. However, Piniella also realizes that the middle innings sometimes require more skill than closing, so he may not want to limit Harper and Carter to the ninth. He has reportedly made comments that indicate he views Harper as a middle relief candidate.

Paniagua, Travis Phelps and Bob Wells are likely to round out the pen. Tampa has better pitchers than Wells, but they'll want his "major league experience". Taking Wells and Parque will mean that they won't have room for any overflow from the rotation battle to spill into the bullpen. Blake Stein, who signed a minor league deal with the Devil Rays in December, could factor into the mix. However moving to the pen didn't overly improve his walk rate, so Tampa is probably better off stashing the 29-year-old at AAA until they need him. Time in AAA could be what Stein needs to work out his control difficulties, as he was rushed through the level on the way to the majors.

Mel Rojas and Carlos Reyes have also been mentioned as possible bullpen and closer candidates. The Devil Rays signed Rojas to a minor league deal in late December. He spent last season in the independent Atlantic League, where he pitched effectively but not spectacularly. The 36-year-old also did not play for an MLB affiliate in 2001 and missed most of 2000 due to injury problems. As the last time he pitched effectively in the majors was 1997, he should not be allowed to stand in the way of pitchers with upside.

Carlos Reyes signed a minor league deal with Tampa in early February after spending last season as a Rookie ball pitching coach in the San Diego system. The 33-year-old has substantial major league experience but has never displayed skills that would suggest he should bump one of the younger pitchers from the pen after a year off.

Of course, Piniella could realize how silly it is to take an inferior left-hander over better right-handed pitchers, making room someone like Dan Reichert or Steve Parris in the pen. Tampa plans to cut their extended roster substantially this week, but I don't know that we'll have a clear picture of their pen until a month into the season. Although a few poor roster choices could leave the pen hurting, the Devil Rays have solid relief depth and their bullpen could be one of the few bright spots on the team this season.