Three pitchers competing for the final two spots in the rotation – Edwin Jackson, Jason Hammel and Andy Sonnanstine – each pitched Friday in the Rays spring training opener against the Reds in Sarasota.
Jackson started, allowed one hit and struck out two.
Hammel followed and was touched for a pair of runs in his two innings. He also walked two.
Sonnanstine worked a perfect inning.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said the key to earning a spot in the rotation is throwing strikes. Jackson and Sonnanstine did that.
“Hammel was just a little off,” Maddon said.
A win for the hometown lad
About the only thing that went wrong for James Houser was a flat tire on his jeep, which he parked in the players parking lot beyond Ed Smith Stadium.
Houser, whose 50-game suspension for violating minor league baseball’s drug policy last season, ended prematurely when he was added to the Rays major league 40-man roster, pitched the eighth inning. He entered with the bases loaded and no out, allowed a run scoring single but nothing else.
The Sarasota High grad got the victory when the Rays scored one in the ninth.
“He gave up the hit to center, but otherwise he did a really nice job after a really difficult moment,” Maddon said. “We talked about him the other day. He came in that intrasquad game, I thought he had nice composure, and he showed it again (Friday). He made some nice pitches.”
Go, go, go; run, run, run
In the first inning of the Rays first spring training game they pulled off a double-steal.
Carl Crawford was on second and Carlos Pena was on first. They both took off, swiping third and second, respectively, off Reds starter Homer Bailey.
“I like the aggressiveness on the bases,” Maddon said. “One of our top priorities is to be considered the best base running team in either league, and I really want us to get to that point.”
Longoria’s stick
Evan Longoria swung the bat well in his two at-bats.
He lined out to center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr., in his first at-bat, then smoked a ball off the left-center field fence to drive in the Rays first run of the game in a three-run fourth.
The double was more impressive considering the strong breeze that was blowing in from the outfield.
“If the wind is not blowing in, that ball is out of here,” Maddon said. “He crushed that.”
McGee struggles
Jake McGee started the eighth inning and allowed two hits and three walks. One of those walks forced in a run.
“If he gets by that first hitter, that 1-2 breaking ball, if he doesn’t hang that I think he’s OK,” Maddon said. “He threw the ball great.”
His troubles started when Jay Bruce dropped lined that 1-2 breaking ball in front of Fernando Perez in center field.
“Boom, he lost the plate a little bit,” Maddon said. “But his velocity was real good. Just one of those first time things. He’s fine.”
Mason earns the save
After allowing a pair of singled to start the bottom of the ninth, rookie Chris Mason retired the next three batters for the save.
He helped himself off by bouncing off the mound to field a bunt and throwing the lead runner out at third. Then, after a bouncer to first moved the runners up, Mason got Drew Anderson to line out to right field to end the game.
Blue is you
The Rays played their first game in their new blue uniforms, wearing dark blue jerseys and gray pants. They won, too.
“I’m basically the same guy. It has to be the uniform,” Maddon said.
Price update
Maddon did not have a timetable for when David Price will return to the mound.
The top pick in last June’s draft felt tightness in his left shoulder while warming up before his scheduled one-inning in Wednesday’s intrasquad game.
“He felt better (Friday),” Maddon said. “With that, we’ll get to the point of getting him back on the mound before we get him back in the game.”
Coming Saturday
James Shields makes his spring debut Saturday against Toronto as the Rays play their first game at Al Lang Field. Dustin McGowan will start for the Blue Jays.
Former Ray Lance Carter of Bradenton is not scheduled to pitch for the Jays.
Coming Sunday
Jeff Neimann will start for Tampa Bay against the Pirates in the Rays only appearance at McKechnie Field. Paul Maholm is the scheduled to start for the Pirates.
Quote of the day
“That’s just for show, the interpreter. He speaks fine.” Shortstop Jason Bartlett on communicating with Japanese second baseman Akinori Iwamura.
Friday, February 29, 2008
In race for Rays' rotation, it's three for two
Could this be it?
The Tampa Bay Rays team that took the field Friday in Sarasota for the spring training opener against the Reds could be, with just a minor tweak, the same lineup that takes the field March 31 in Baltimore for the season-opener.
Carlos Pena (first base), Akinori Iwamura (second), Jason Bartlett (shortstop) and Evan Longoria (third) filled out the infield.
In the outfield were, from left to right, Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton and Jonny Gomes.
Shawn Riggans caught.
Edwin Jackson was the starting pitcher.
Willy Aybar was the DH.
What will change?
Dioner Navarro should be the Opening Day catcher, Cliff Floyd will likely DH and James Shields will start.
Rays manager Joe Maddon did this by design, even though teams normally don’t bring the starting nine on the road in the spring.
“I want to get these guys going,” Maddon said before the game at Ed Smith Stadium. “It’s exciting for me. I want to get Jason out there. I want to get Aki out there. See what they look like up the middle. Everybody wants to see Evan at third base. Carlos coming back.”
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Rays say goodbye to spring complex
The Tampa Bay Rays held a short workout Thursday as the clubhouse attendants packed up their belongings and shipped everything across town to Al Lang Field.
That’s a normal occurrence each spring when the Rays leave their spring training complex for Al Lang and the start of the exhibition games.
But Thursday was different.
It was the last time the Rays will use the complex as a team. The clubhouse, indoor batting cage and five baseball fields will still serve as the minor league complex and treatment center for rehabbing players over the summer. But starting next February, the Rays will train in Port Charlotte.
“It’s a real functional place to begin your spring training,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “There are plenty of fields. They are really well-kept. The clubhouse is definitely big enough. Covered batting facilities. It’s a good spot. We’re moving along. We’re going to a better place actually in regard to getting our work done. But I think this place has a neat feel to it, and I will miss it for that.
Shields in the opener?
Should Scott Kazmir not be ready for Opening Day, and based on Maddon’s insistence that the team will be patient with Kazmir’s rehab, it doesn’t appear that he won’t, than you could read a little into the fact James Shields was moved up a day and will pitch Saturday instead of Sunday.
This puts Shields on pace to pitch Opening Day on March 31 in Baltimore.
Price update
Maddon didn’t offer much in way of an update on David Price, who was scratched from his one inning during Wednesday’s intrasquad game because of tightness in his left (throwing) shoulder.
“It’s not going to be, I don’t think, overly long,” Maddon said. “It’s just one of those things where whenever we feel he’s ready we’ll get him back out there.”
NOTEWORTHY
Jeff Neimman will start Sunday’s game against the Pirates in Bradenton …
Don’t expect the Rays to bring the big guns to McKechnie Field. Maddon said the starters will play Friday and Saturday and have Sunday off …
The Rays will use the DH on Friday against the Reds, even though they are playing in a National League park …
Catcher Dioner Navarro won’t play until Monday the earliest. Since he missed the first week of spring training to attend to his ailing mother in their native Venezuela, Maddon wants Navarro to have a few more days to work on his arm strength before letting him catch in the games.