Ryan Webb comes home to Rays

PORT CHARLOTTE (FOX 13) - After five stops in the majors, Ryan Webb has made it home to pitch for the Tampa Bay Rays. Webb now wears the jersey for the team he grew up cheering for. It comes 12 years after being drafted out Clearwater Central Catholic.

"It's every kids dream to play where they grew up watching their team," said Webb. "To have the privilege to play for the team that I grew up watching, while my family still lives in the same area, is a blessing. I just couldn't be more happy."

As a free agent, Ryan Webb had plenty of options. He waited until right before spring training to decide which team he wanted to play for. He's happy to be coming home, but it's not the main reason he signed his name on a Rays contract.

"I wanted to make the decision based on somewhere I thought I could go and win," said Webb. "Every player that I talked to said this was where their best years were. For [the Rays] to want me was a big thing. We worked out a deal and I couldn't be more happy to be here."

At 30 years old, Webb brings experience to a bullpen that needs it. He's not a pitcher that's going to blow guys away with a fastball. After seeing him work in Cleveland, Kevin Cash made the call to bring him here to get guys out. Webb does it well. He finished last season with fifth-highest groundball-to-flyball ratio among American League relievers.

"A dimension that we really didn't have last year in the bullpen is a ground ball-type pitcher," offered Cash.  "As long as that sinker is running, we're good."

"I just want to do what I've always done and a little bit more," added Webb. "Hopefully keep the ball in the park. Keep the ball on the ground. Use my experience from the past to help make the bullpen one of the best in the league."