PORT CHARLOTTE — Brad Miller looked around the Rays clubhouse at Charlotte Sports Park the other morning and noted the familiar faces and the connections he has with each one.
Logan Morrison, Danny Farquhar, Erasmo Ramirez and Nick Franklin were teammates back in Seattle. For a time, Franklin was his double play partner.
Richie Shaffer was a college teammate at Clemson. Miller was in Shaffer’s wedding party in January.
“The baseball world is crazy how connected it is,” Miller said.
The Rays’ new shortstop also has a Forrest Gump-like connection to a former Rays shortstop — Ben Zobrist.