BOSTON –– Rocco Baldelli stood in the corner of the Red Sox clubhouse Sunday evening and watched his teammates sit in despair.

He saw the disheartened look on their faces. He knew the anguish they felt. He knows all too well what it’s like to have the season ripped away from you.

Before coming to the Red Sox on a one-year contract in 2009, the Rhode Island native spent his entire career with the Tampa Bay Rays, beginning when he was the organization’s first pick (sixth overall) in the 2000 draft. It wasn’t until 2008 that the Rays reached the postseason for the first time, so there were a lot of seasons that just . . . ended.

Baldelli and the Rays beat the Red Sox in the ALCS in 2008 before they lost to the Phillies in the World Series. Once Baldelli signed with Boston last January, he knew there was a strong possibility he could return to the Fall Classic with his hometown team.

That dream ended on Sunday.

The Angels had just completed a three-game sweep of the Red Sox in the ALDS at Fenway Park and Baldelli, suffering from a left hip flexor, was not on the series roster. All he could do was watch.

"Everyone is disappointed. We ran into a team that was playing really good baseball," he said. "No one likes the season to end. The last day of the season is always tough. You come in here and sit at your locker and no one wants to leave. You kind of just sit there with your jersey on and stare into space and wish you were still playing. In a way it’s a sad time for a baseball player. As a whole, we can be proud of ourselves. We played well and did a good job this year."

From a team standpoint, Baldelli knows exactly how his Red Sox teammates feel. From a personal standpoint, no one in that clubhouse can empathize with him.

There are few athletes who possess the natural athletic ability as Baldelli does. Unfortunately, there’s also a part of his body that resists that ability and strangles it.

Everyone knows by now the remarkable comeback Baldelli achieved in 2008. Before he was properly diagnosed with the cell disorder, channelopathy, he thought his career was over and he feared for his life.

Once he received the proper diet of medications, he knew baseball was something he could handle and wanted to continue doing.

He was able to rejoin the Rays for the stretch run of the 2008 regular season and helped Tampa reach the World Series. It was an emotional season beyond belief for the former Hendricken standout, and he didn’t think he could match it.

He did in 2009 with the Red Sox.

First and foremost, he realized his body can handle an entire season and even though he officially spent three stints on the disabled list, it was only his recent hip strain that probably warranted a trip to the DL. Early in the season he suffered a hamstring pull and played a couple of rehab games for the PawSox, and in the second half was placed on the shelf with an ankle bruise.

"When I was out there most of the time last year I was the DH and didn’t play much in the field," he said. "Most of my time this year was playing right field, and I think except for a few times when I tried to exert myself, maybe when I shouldn’t have, I stayed healthy and I can be happy with the way I played when I was out there."

Baldelli said during spring training that it was going to be interesting playing for the Red Sox and wondered what it would be like dealing with everything that comes with it for a hometown boy.

"I had a lot of fun," he said. "It’s a great place to play and I enjoyed my time here. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m pretty happy with how it went, to be honest with you. We played well and we got to the playoffs. I’m happy with how my season went. I mean, there are some things I wish went a little different, but in the big picture I’ll take it and I know I can be proud of myself."

In 62 games for the Sox, the Cumberland native posted a .253 average with seven home runs and 23 RBI as Boston’s fourth outfielder.

The right-handed hitter’s specialty is stepping in the box against left-handed pitchers and that’s exactly what the Red Sox needed in ’09. Baldelli hit .290 with four homers and 15 RBI in 102 plate appearances in that role, and his bat was sorely missed in the ALDS against the Angels, who a southpaw starter in Scott Kazmir. There were also a couple of times during the series when Anaheim would bring in a left-handed reliever, so having Baldelli off the bench would have been a big weapon for Boston.

Baldelli’s future with Boston is up on the air.

"He was a fantastic guy to have around. He’s just a terrific human being and teammate. It was a pleasure having him here this year," said Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. "We knew it would be a challenge for him and the organization to balance health, availability and contributions. That proved to be the cause just because of what he has to deal with, but he always worked as hard as he possible could to be ready."

The communication was always open from Day One with Baldelli, manager Terry Francona and the medical staff on a daily basis.

"In the end he did make a contribution. It was a shame what happened at the end, he wasn’t available, because I think he would have been a bit of a weapon for us, especially against the left-handed pitchers in the first round. We’ll sit down and talk about what the fit looks like next year –– if there is one. It’s a shame this guy has some of these limitations that are beyond his control because he gets the absolute most out of himself."

If Baldelli does not re-sign with the Red Sox, there will be plenty of clubs ready and willing to give him a deal. In the meantime, his days in Boston were well worth it for everyone involved.

"He was a pleasure to have around and a pleasure to have part of the organization," Epstein said.

jmcdonal@projo.com