We often hear of ballplayers heading to the park early in the morning to take their swings in the batting cages, work out, or study film on the opposition. It is all part of their preparation and desire to work harder than the next person. And, in a lot of ways, it is expected. If a player does not appear early, he gets labeled as lazy.
This year, the Tampa Bay Rays are going to have a different mindset. When Spring Training begins, instead of starting at 9:30 AM as they had in the past, practices will begin an hour later.