The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 28

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2008 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE TB com Bucs Might1 Need Patience To Sign Top Free Agents the league. The Bucs don't have a lot of top players from signing right away, and that trend apparendy already has begun. Though he has been on the market for more than a week, free-agent tight end Alge Crumpler remains unsigned. He visited the Bucs on Tuesday, but then headed off for other visits. The same held true with defensive tackle Rod Coleman, who was released by the Falcons along with Crumpler.

He completed a visit with the Bucs on Wednesday then headed for Charlotte, N.C., for meetings with the Panthers. The Bucs have had contract dia TAMPA BAY AMONG TEAMS WITH LOTS OF CAP SPACE By ROY CUMMINGS and ANWAR S. RICHARDSON The Tampa Tribune TAMPA The days of griping about a lack of available cap space are over for General Manager Bruce Allen and the Bucs. When the free agency signing period opened up promptly at midnight, the Bucs had an unheard-of $44 million worth of available cap space, more than almost every other team in logue with the agents for both players, but there was nothing to indicate a deal was imminent in either case because both players were still making visits. How long players such as corner-back Asanie Samuel, wide receiver Bernard Berrian and defensive end lustin Smith remain on the market is hard to determine.

It's possible they'll be scooped up right away. There is also a possibility they'll linger for a while because more teams seem to be planning to take the approach the Bucs have taken in recent years. That approach includes putting a priority on re of real pressing needs, but what they do need is usually quite cosdy. Not only that, but the free-agent talent pool is considered to be rather shallow this year. That has a tendency to drive up the costs of not only the elite players but the average players as well.

The Bucs, though, are not the only team with a lot of room under the cap. At least 10 teams entered the market with more than $30 million worth of cap space. That means more teams can stay in the fight for top-level players longer. That, in turn, could keep a lot signing your own free agents, but that's another area where the Bucs appear to be taking a different route this year. Though they have not ruled out the possibility, it seems unlikely they will re-sign players such as running back Michael Pittman, tight end Anthony Becht and center John Wade.

Pittman wants to remain a Buc, but he is not sure the feeling is mutual. "It's already tough enough to leave a place you feel comfortable with and See FREE AGENCY, Page Pittman is seemingly the odd man out. Decisions, Decisions A 1 I 3. TT MARTIN FENNELLY Columnist USFReady To Take Shot At Joba, Yankees TAMPA South Florida baseball coach Lelo Prado was preparing his team for 21st-ranked Oklahoma State on a chilly Thursday night at Red McEwen Field. "This game won't be easy," Prado said.

"And it won't be easy after, because none of my guys is going to sleep tonight, I guarantee you." Bulls freshman infielder and Jesuit High graduate Jonathan Koscso agreed. "I mean, we're playing the Yankees." Heaven is a playground today, and the playground is Legends Field, where USF will meet the real live New York Yankees, the power and the glory, 39 pennants, 26 world championships and who knows how many drug tests. Matt Stull, 19, a redshirt freshman from St. Petersburg Catholic, will be USF's starting pitcher. The first six Yankees batters: Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi and Jorge Posada.

"My parents are coming," Stull said. Everybody's parents are coming. As an added bonus, the Yankees will use their young pitching studs, including, in the very first inning, the already-near-legendary Joba Chamberlain. Joba, a fun-loving 22, attended the University of Nebraska before his high-90s fastball began arriving at major-league plates in a foul mood. Thursday, Chamberlain considered what he would have done if, as a 19-year-old, he'd pitched to the Yankees.

"I probably would have peed myself." Play ball! The Associated Press Rays manager Joe Maddon, left, watches practice with Andrew Friedman, executive vice president of baseball operations. As Grapefruit League games begin, the Rays primarily are focused on pitching. By MARC LANCASTER The Tampa Tribune ST. PETERSBURG There are still a few key decisions the Rays must make before Opening Day, but their overriding goal in navigating the Grapefruit League schedule that begins today is straightforward. "The No.

1 biggest thing is to get through it healthy," executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. The Rays already have lost the services of projected Opening Day starter Scott Kazmir for the time being after he strained his left elbow Tuesday, and they would prefer to stop the damage right there. At the same time, they have to get the rest of their players up to speed for the season and sort out a few roster odds and ends. Both tasks will kick into a higher gear today when the Rays visit Sarasota to open their spring training schedule against the Reds. Tampa Bay's starting lineup will include Carl Crawford, B.J.

Upton, Carlos Pena, Akinori Iwamura and Jason BarUett all of whom are expected to play the vast majority of games once the regular season begins along with top prospect Evan Longoria. Fans will come out to see them play, but the Rays' decision-makers will be focused on the pitchers slated to take the mound. Edwin Jackson, Andy Sonnanstine and Jason Hammel are in the mix for the final two rotation spots, and all will pitch today, as will bullpen contenders Grant Balfour and ChadOrvella. Jackson will take the ball first, and it can't come too soon after two weeks of bullpen sessions and live batting practice. "I'm ready to go," Jackson said.

"I know it's not the season, but spring training's still pretty im portant to me. Unless you have a roster spot on lock, you pretty much have to be in game mode if you're trying to battle for a spot." Jackson was in the same position last spring and beat out J.P. Howell for a rotation spot with a strong Grapefruit League showing. He then dropped his first eight regular-season decisions, proving there is as much art as science to making projections based on spring-training performance. Friedman and Rays manager Joe Maddon have reiterated time and again that they try not to put See RAYS ROSTER, Page 7 Competition getting more intense.

See FENNELLY COLUMN, Page 7 I 1 Fun is top priority for Bulls. One Day These Eagles Will Reflect On Season Bolts Newcomers Halpern, Jokinen Are Eager To Fit In TONIGHT: Maple Leafs at Lightning 8p.m; Sun Sports TOftONTO I MM I UAH LAKELAND All the questions had been asked and answered. The crowd, by now, had filtered out of The Lakeland Center. Many of them would be headed back west on Interstate 4 for the half-hour drive to Brandon. They had come to see their Brandon High Eagles play a tremendous team from St.

Petersburg Lakewood in the state Class 5A boys basketball semifinals Wednesday night. The Eagles made quite a showing, but the glum faces on their bench as the final seconds counted down told the story. Lakewood won, 56-50. And now, Coach Mark Hermann had to say goodbye to eight seniors. "I love those guys, and I always will," he said quietly in a hallway a few yards from the main arena.

"I want them to look back on this ALREADY MADE FAVORABLE IMPRESSION IN DEBUT By CARTER GADDIS The Tampa tribune BRANDON Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern have combined to play 343 more NHL games than Brad Richards. Yet, Richards has produced nearly 100 more points, 494-396. The Lightning newcomers certainly don't harbor any illusions they're here to make fans forget Richards. "I wouldn't compare myself to Brad Richards," Halpern said. "I think the respect and honors that he's gotten for this organization and around the league speak for No, Richards' legacy with the Lightning, once it's finally defined with the passage of time, more than likely will be far too enduring for even two fairly accomplished players to challenge.

But jokinen and I Ialpcrn are here, after a trade-deadline deal Tuesday with the Dallas Stars, to help begin the process of making the Lightning a deeper, more consistent, more affordable team. "It's a good deal for us," said See LIGHTNING NEWCOMERS, Page 4 lokinen pores over game videos. JOE HENDERSON Columnist Jhendersoiitampatrib.com night as a special time. I want them to understand how hard it was just to get here. I can walk away from this loss and feel good because of these kids.

"We have a family here at Brandon. We have a special bond. That's See HENDERSON COLUMN, Page 4 Hermann expected a big season. 5 Assists For Richards Former Lightning center puts on a show in his first game with the Stars. DETAILS, Page 4.