Armed and dangerous


Bill Moloney looks and sounds like the quintessential Baseball Man, the sort of no-nonsense field presence who lacks anything resembling pretense.

Chances are you haven't heard of him, but he might have one of the most important jobs in the Tampa Bay Rays minor league system. Heading into his second season as the Columbus Catfish's pitching coach, Moloney realizes the work he does at Golden Park this season could shape the future success of the Rays at the major league level.

While Tampa Bay has struggled to raise itself from the cellar since joining major league play a decade ago, it has remained consistent in its mission of building through its minor league system. Lately, the Rays' farm system has become stocked with a bumper crop of talent that would seem capable of helping the parent club grow into a postseason threat before too long.

There are some parallels between the Rays and the pre-1990s Atlanta Braves, who took their lumps for so long before building around young pitchers like Tom Glavine, Steve Avery and John Smoltz. With pitchers like David Price, Tampa Bay's top draft choice in 2007, waiting in the wings, it's not inconceivable that the Rays could one day build a comparable rotation.

That's where Moloney comes in. Last season, he worked wonders with a pair of impressive talents in Heath Rollins and Jeremy Hellickson. Rollins set Tampa Bay's organizational record with 17 wins in helping the Catfish claim the South Atlantic League title, while Hellickson went 13-3. Both pitchers posted an earned run average well under 3.00.

Rollins and Hellickson moved up the minor league ladder, but Moloney likes the prospects he'll guide this season. The group includes lefty Glenn Gibson, ranked the Rays' 11th-best prospect, and right-hander Alex Cobb, ranked 14th.

‘‘It's a lot of fun for me because it makes me look like a genius,'' Moloney said of the talent on hand. ‘‘Last year's staff was outstanding and I'm anticipating this year's staff can be just as good. Obviously, I've heard some comments down at spring training that this is the deepest. It's a testament to the organization how they're going out and getting these good arms.
‘‘It makes my job easier. It makes me look like a smart guy.''

The Catfish open the season Thursday night at 7 against Savannah.

Moloney, who played in the Boston Red Sox minor league system for six years before an injury led to his release in 1984, said the Rays will demonstrate major improvement over the next few seasons because of the competitive climate in the minor league system.

‘‘The premium is on pitching since it's so hard to come by,’’ Moloney said. ‘‘Everyone is getting an opportunity to show what they can do. Years ago, it was kind of like if you weren't a high draft pick you'd get thrown to the back of the bus, so to speak, until you got your chance. Now these kids are coming out of college on the map.

‘‘Now, the whole mood around the organization is, hey, we have something working here. There's no telling what can happen. With all this young talent pushing them, it can light a fire under some guys. Obviously, it gives these kids the sense that there's light at the end of the tunnel.''