FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays' middle-infield situation has become the most active volcano of their spring. Don't blink or you may miss a new development gurgle to the surface.
To begin, shortstop was unsettled, with Asdrubal Cabrera and Nick Franklin considered the logical options. Then Cabrera, the obvious choice, was awarded the position.
To begin, it was assumed Franklin and Logan Forsythe would form a platoon at second base if Cabrera became the shortstop. Then Franklin sustained a strained left oblique Monday, forcing manager Kevin Cash to yell "OMAHA!"
To begin, the picture was fuzzy, but there figured to be some clarity after a shortstop was discovered. Then Franklin's injury forced more audibles to be called on the fly.
For now, the vision appears to be Forsythe receiving most of the reps at second base to start the regular season until Franklin returns, which the Rays hope will be sometime by mid-April. Cash said he also has confidence in Tim Beckham and Jake Elmore, who have 92 major-league appearances between them, to be serviceable at the spot.
What's one more twist in this weird, wild spring?
What's one more detour?
"With Logan, a lot of confidence," Cash said Wednesday at Hammond Stadium, when asked about the confidence he has in the second-base options minus Franklin. "I think Logan has had a really good spring. He has hit the ball well. Logan is a good defender. He plays second base really well. With Beck and Elmore, there's definitely confidence. I think Elmore, you look at him as being very solid. Beckham, you could argue he's as good as anybody in the infield defensively. There's a little bit of an unknown with Beck offensively, but we said from Day One that we don't put too much weight on spring training."
Cash's confidence aside, Franklin's injury should serve as a blessing in disguise for Forsythe. It's no coincidence that Forsythe's best month as a hitter last season happened when he batted the most. He hit .315 with two home runs, five RBI and an .814 OPS in 54 June plate appearances. He closed the year hitting .223 with six home runs, 26 RBI and a .616 OPS.
Forsythe was sour to start 2014, but he sweetened up to most fans by the summer's end thanks to better comfort. He should be a known commodity after receiving 74 appearances at second base with 58 starts, two errors and a 0.5 defensive WAR in his first season with Tampa Bay. He should be ready to embrace a larger role, at least until equilibrium within the Rays' lineup is restored.
"With more opportunity, there's more likelihood that there might be more consistency," Forsythe said earlier this spring. "So we'll see what happens."
Still, it's unlikely that he could have foreseen this scenario. The injury to Franklin is far from ideal, but like with the minor ailments affecting Alex Cobb (forearm tendinitis), Drew Smyly (shoulder tendinitis) and Alex Colome (pneumonia), the Rays are fortunate that the utility man won't be out for a longer time.
Forget bullets. The Rays have dodged darker fears by tiptoeing around landmines.
"It's a tough blow with the pitchers getting hurt, a tough blow with the infielders hurt," Beckham told reporters Wednesday. "You never want to see your teammates get hurt."
Still, Franklin's absence will allow the Rays' depth at second base to be tested. Depending on your perspective, that's either a silver lining or another dark cloud in what has been a stormy spring with injuries. Franklin has a team-high four errors, Beckham follows with two, Forsythe one and Elmore none.
More will be learned about all the faces with potential at second base. But make no mistake: Forsythe, who's hitting a solid .240 with a team-high three home runs and four RBI, will become comfortable in the catbird seat until Franklin returns. He's Cash's guy at the moment.
"We're very happen with the way his spring is going," Cash said. "Him and Shelty (hitting coach Derek Shelton) have had a lot of discussions on some of the adjustments. They seem to have paid off. He has barreled a lot of balls this spring."
Forsythe's progress is promising, but there will be no one-man show at second base. If a theme has developed in the Rays' spring, it's this: Decent depth will be needed for them to remain competitive, and those reinforcements must be strong in a hurry with an American League East-heavy schedule in the season's first month. The urgency is clear with the pitching injuries, but Franklin's absence emphasizes the point.
Remember what Mike Tyson said about plans? Injuries have punched the Rays in the mouth, and the coming weeks will show if their Plans B, C and D can keep them off the mat. Franklin's injury represents the latest need to scramble.
"The one thing about our lineup -- five years ago, you had your nine position players and then your backups," Cash said. "I don't really view us as having bench players. Our players are all going to play. And we're going to utilize them throughout games, throughout series. Some are going to be in there more than others. But we utilize our bench quite a bit."
Part of that is by choice, part is by necessity.
In what seems like an ever-changing picture in the middle infield, the necessary faces must answer the call.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
