Howell finds his role out of the pen

FORT MYERS – Boston catcher Dusty Brown singled with two out in the fifth inning off Matt Garza and Rays manager Joe Maddon popped from the dugout and signaled to the bullpen.

It wasn’t so much that Garza had run out of gas or had reached his pitch count. Maddon wanted J.P. Howell to enter a game with a man on base. That could be Howell’s role this season, a lefty who can come out of the bullpen and get out a tough left-handed batter or a right-hander and even pitch another inning or two.

It’s a role Howell, a starter during his pro career, would welcome.

“I’d fill bottles of water in the majors than start in the minors every day of the week,” Howell said.

It’s also a role Howell thinks he can handle.

“Mentally it’s more fun because every day you’re more in the mix to pitch,” Howell said. “It keeps me more involved too. I don’t get lost during those four days off.”

Howell pitched 2 1/3 innings. He allowed two hits and an unearned run in the 3-3 tie.

“I like how he does that,” Maddon said of Howell’s ability to pitch out of the bullpen. “Part of it is to stretch him out just in case, but part of it is to see how he does in that roll. Every time he’s come out this spring he’s pitched extremely well. I think there’s a confidence he has about this role. I think he likes it. I think he feels good about it.”

Howell, who was 1-6 with a 7.59 ERA in 10 starts with the Rays last season, admitted he struggles the second time through an order. Pitching in relief would eliminate that problem. Also, if he can get his curveball over he could be very effective facing lefties out of the bullpen.

“When you get him one time through the batting order like that he can be very effective it seems,” Maddon said. “He’s not comfortable to hit against. He gives hitters different looks, both righties and lefties, and that’s the nice thing about him. He gives the righty a tough time also. So far, so good. I really like what he’s been doing.”

Maddon agreed with Howell assessment that he sometimes gets lost in the four days between starts.

“I could see him getting lost. He’s beyond the typical left-hander,” Maddon said. “I can see where having to come to the park each day with a specific goal in mind that he might actually pitch might keep him more centered.”



Garza getting sharper

Garza allowed four hits and no runs in his 4 2/3 innings giving him consecutive scoreless outings against two of the Rays top division rivals – the Yankees and the Red Sox.

“I think that’s a good thing for us to see,” Maddon said. “It’s a competitive situation, and I think every time out he’s gotten better and you can see where he can compete against these better lineups. He’s got the equipment to compete against these guys. I think he’s the kind of guy who’s up for the challenge.”

Garza said he made some adjustments from his last start, working on his balance and keeping his shoulder from flying open.

“I like what I did (Thursday), but I’m not done yet,” Garza said.

Maddon was impressed with the way Garza worked primarily off his fastball, and the way he moved the fastball around the strike zone.

“He pitched primarily with his fastball, and I liked it,” Maddon said. “He was around the zone better. I thought he threw strikes on a consistent basis.”

As for facing such tough lineups in the spring (keep in mind Garza opened against the Tigers in Lakeland), Garza said, “It’s great. I’m going to see them in the season, so that’s what this is for, right? I can get my face kicked in now, but in the season is when it counts.”



Weber continues to impress

It wasn’t enough that Jon Weber faced Scott Kazmir early Thursday morning when Kazmir took the final step in his rehab by throwing batting practice, Weber then rode the bus to Fort Myers and played all 10 innings against the Red Sox.

His solo home run in the second off Bartolo Colon gave the Rays a 1-0 lead.

“He deserved to get that hit,” Maddon said. “The 8:15 (a.m.) batting practice against Kazmir paid off (Thursday).”



More on the brawl

Akinori Iwamura didn’t like the photos shown to him Thursday morning of Shelley Duncan’s spikes flying toward his crotch.

“This is not how you play at the professional level,” Iwamura said through his translator.

When asked if he thinks Duncan should be suspended, Iwamura said, “It’s not my decision to make.”

Major League Baseball is expected to hand down the suspension Friday, and Jonny Gomes, who charged Duncan after the incident during the second inning of Wednesday’s game, and Maddon think Duncan should be suspended.

“He’s got to get suspended,” Gomes said. There’s no room in the game for that.”

Said Maddon: “Somebody asked me (Wednesday) if I thought it was a suspendable offense, and I said yes. But I’m going to stay out of that. That’s not my job. My job is to manage my team and have us play the way we want to play on a daily basis, hard and according to the rules, So it’s up to MLB to create the sanctions that deem necessary at this point, and I have full faith that they will come down with the proper decisions.”

Should Gomes be suspended, too?

He doesn’t think so since he didn’t throw any punches.

“Maybe a suspension would be harsh,” he said. “But any time you get thrown out of a big league game you’re going to wear something.”

Maddon doesn’t think Gomes should be suspended.

“If you look at the whole situation appropriately, I don’t think what Jon did was wrong,” Maddon said. “I think what Jon did was right, and I would really challenge anybody on any level, whether it’s professional sports or just your body, what you would do under those same sort of circumstances. I think that’s embedded in the American people. It’s embedded in our nature. You’re going to fight for your body under those circumstances, especially when it’s so blatantly wrong.”



Cash to backup Varitek

Former Rays catcher Kevin Cash will be the Boston Red Sox backup catcher this season. That became evident Thursday when the Red Sox unconditionally released Doug Mirabelli, who had served as Tim Wakefield’s personal catcher.

But Cash impressed the Red Sox last season with the way he handled Wakefield’s knuckleball when Mirabelli was hurt late in the season.

Cash will also serve as Jason Varitek’s backup.



Another award for Pena

Rays fist baseman Carlos Pena will receive the Roger Maris Award on Saturday ar the Major League Alumni Baseball for Kids Dinner in Tampa. The award is given each year to the player who best typifies the former Yankee. Kevin Maris, son of Roger, will present the award.



Today’s action

Edwin Jackson starts Friday against Toronto. Jesse Litsch, the former Rays' bat boy from Pinellas Park, will start for the Blue Jays.



This & That

Elliot Johnson played shortstop for the first time this spring and could be make the
Opening Day roster as the utility infielder if Ben Zobrist isn’t ready to go. Zobrist, who suffered a hairline fracture on the tip of his right thumb Sunday, has said he will be ready by the end of spring training … Weber was 2-for-4 and got his batting average over .200. He’s hitting .211 …B.J. Upton doubled for the fourth time this spring.

- Roger Mooney, Herald Staff Writer