Miller faces old team

By ROGER MOONEY
rmooney@bradenton.com
JUPITER — Trever Miller, who helped pitch the Rays to the World Series last season, is a member of the cardinals bullpen this season.

He took a few minutes Monday morning to reflect on last season.

“We’ll last year was a historical year,” Miller said. “Really didn’t get a whole lot of chance to sit down and think about everything that took place, and how could you? There were so many things. It seemed like every day we won a ball game that was a historical mark for the organization. It was one of the best stories in baseball, maybe of all time. I was proud to be a part of it and really proud to bring the Devil Rays of old into the Rays of new and make that organization what it’s future is going to be, which is very competitive, well-run ball club.”

The Rays did not pick up the option on Miller for this season, but the left-hander still tried to work out a deal with the team.

“I went to the team early and said, ‘Let’s get something done.' I was very reasonable with my offer. They just weren’t ready, and I told them I don’t want to get tempted on the market because there are teams I want to play for and these guys (the Cardinals) were one of them,” Miller said. “I grew up in Louisville watching these guys in Triple A, and that’s where I kind of fell in love with the aura of professional baseball. It kind of captured my interest, so there was that connection there. We couldn’t pull anything off and I jumped on these guys.”

Miller wasn’t surprised at the Rays success last season. He knew they would be an improved team.

“I thought we came together really fast in spring training,” he said. “It takes teams usually a couple of months into the season to really jel and get to know guys, who you can mess around with and poke fun of, guys demeanors and attitudes. After two weeks there we were all buddies and it was like we had been playing together five, six years straight. I thought that was strange, not something you see every day in the big leagues. That was probably a tell-tale sign of what was going to come. I think the little brawl we had with Boston, the one in spring training helped facilitate that because men in that type of situation tend to stick together and learn more about each other. That did play a role in how we played later. We just had fun. We had a group of guys that all came from backgrounds where they weren’t supposed to make it, possible. Everybody played with a chip on their shoulder. They were an underdog. We were an underdog all year, so you get a bunch of underdogs on one team who play underdog baseball, good things are going to happen right into the World Series.”

Another Super U?
Adam Kennedy, a second baseman by trade, will start at third base Tuesday against the Astros at Charlotte Sports Park.

The former Angel and Cardinal is the latest player to fitted for the super utility role that Rays manager Joe Maddon loves.

Kennedy, who signed after camp began, will also get some innings in the outfield.
“He’s going to do some different things,”

Zorilla
Ben Zobrist looked at the lineup card for Monday’s game and found himself batting in a very unfamiliar spot — cleanup.

“I bet (the Cardinals) are looking at the lineup and going, ‘Wow,’ “ Zobrist said.
Maddon defended the move, citing Zobrist’s 12 home runs last season, though it might have had more to do with the traveling roster for the game in Jupiter.

Zobrist couldn’t remember the last time he batted cleanup.

“I thought about it for about two seconds when I looked at the lineup,” Zobrist said. “Then I hoped to have some good at-bats.”

Zobrist was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

NOTEWORTHY
The Rays beat the Cardinals 8-5 on Monday at Roger Dean Stadium. Wade Davis threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Adam Kennedy, Evan Longoria and Ray Olmedo each had two hits and an RBI. Longoria, Justin Ruggiano, Gabe Gross and Elliot Johnson all doubled.