Young decision pending ...

People in and around the game have been throwing out their opinions on how long of a suspension Delmon Young should get for throwing his bat at an umpire last week. The suggestions range from the whole season to 50 games to a few weeks. Further ideas are welcome by commenting on this site. The incident certainly ranks among the most outrageous in baseball history at any level. The one opinion that matters is that of International League president Randy Mobley, and he said last week he expects to issue a decision by midweek. He plans to talk to Young as part of his information gathering process, and it would very interesting to hear how Young tries to explain his actions. He still has not commented beyond the apology released through his agent, Arn Tellem. The Rays say they will support any decision the IL makes, but you wonder is that will be true if Young is suspended for the remainder of the season.

The Rays have been making news on the field too, with their bullpen coming through in a big way Friday and then faltering in a big way on Saturday, as the Rays lost for the third time already this season after leading by four or more runs.

Sunday's game features an interesting aces-high matchup between Sox veteran Curt Schilling and Rays young gun Scott Kazmir. What makes it more interesting is Schilling's running commentary on the past problems between the teams and his opinions that Kazmir is a big reason behind it. Should be interesting to see what happens the first time one of them buzzes a pitch inside.

Manager Joe Maddon gave Travis Lee another day off on Sunday, no doubt because of his poor numbers against Schilling: 6-for-37 with 14 strikeouts. Jonny Gomes likely will be limited to DH duties for the near future due to a tight right shoulder.

Delmon Young suspended

Devil Rays prospect Delmon Young was suspended indefinitely Thursday by the Triple-A International League pending a review of Wednesday night's incident when he flipped his bat at an umpire.

“The Devil Rays organization supports the decision by International League President Randy Mobley to suspend Delmon Young indefinitely for the incident that took place last night in Pawtucket,'' executive vice president Andrew Friedman said in a statement. " We do not tolerate this type of conduct from anyone in the Devil Rays organization.  We will meet with Delmon and his representatives as soon as possible to further address this unfortunate situation.  It cannot and will not be repeated.'' The Bulls played again Thursday afternoon in Pawtucket, R.I. Young was not at the stadium.

Cantu out

The Devil Rays got even more bad news Wednesday when it was learned that 2B Jorge Cantu has a small nondisplaced fracture in his left foot and will be out at least two to three weeks.

Cantu was first hurt April 7 when he fouled a ball off his foot. He missed five starts, then returned to play 10 games but did not look comfortable running. He was unable to play Tuesday and was examined Wednesday by a doctor in New York.

Cantu, the team MVP last season, will be the fourth key starter to be placed on the DL, joining CF Rocco Baldelli, 3B Aubrey Huff and SS Julio Lugo. Cantu will be replaced in the lineup in the short term by Nick Green, though the Rays may consider other options.

LF Carl Crawford did rejoin the team Wednesday after missing Tuesday's game to attend his grandmother's funeral.

New York state of mind

The Rays return to the field Tuesday against the Yankees, but they will do so without LF Carl Crawford, who is in Houston attending the funeral of his grandmother. Crawford is expected back on Wednesday.

In a late lineup change they also will be without 2B Jorge Cantu, who is bothered again by his bruised left foot.

RHP Edwin Jackson was optioned back to Triple-A on Tuesday, creating roster space for LHP Mark Hendrickson, who will be activated off the DL to start Tuesday. The Rays braintrust of principal owner Stuart Sternberg, team president Matt Silverman and executive VP Andrew Friedman were all at the game. Ex-Ray John Flaherty also made an appearance in his new role with the Yankees TV network.

A respite

After the rough weekend in Texas the Rays had Monday off in New York to regroup, though the cold, damp weather probably did little to lift their spirits.

Manager Joe Maddon was expected to chat with executive VP Andrew Friedman Monday afternoon about the state of the team, including the makeup of the rotation. Edwin Jackson's name was sure to come up given his strong showing on Saturday.

Tuesday the Rays open a three-game series against the Yankees and it should be their best chance for a victory since Scott Kazmir will be on the mound.

Jackson makes case

Manager Joe Maddon said, officially, the Rays are still committed to sending right-hander Edwin Jackson back to Triple-A Durham. But after Saturday night's performance in which he allowed just three hits and retired the last 11 batters he faced, the Rays have something to think about. Mark Hendrickson's shoulder may be fine (and he is scheduled to start Thursday), and Maddon made it clear Saturday he is still committed to struggling Seth McClung. But Maddon said he and executive vice president Andrew Friedman will have discussions this week about Jackson's future. Could Jackson stick? Tampa Bay doesn't have to make a decision until Thursday, when Hendrickson starts, and McClung pitches Wednesday.

The umpires got one right. Second base umpire Eric Cooper's safe call Saturday when Rays shortstop Tomas Perez took the neighborhood play to new extremes was correct. Even Maddon went out of his way Sunday to compliment Cooper and the way he handled the subsequent discussion. Yes, Perez had the ball and yes you've seen that kind of play called out many times before. But Perez was far enough off the bag that had Cooper called runner Gerald laird out, he would have strained his credibility. Would Derek Jeter have gotten that call? Let's hope not.

Hendrickson back in rotation

Mark Hendrickson (shoulder) apparently pitched well, and with no ill effects, in an extended spring training game in St. Petersburg, and manager Joe Maddon said the lefty will start Thursday in New York against the Yankees. He also shifted around the rotation slightly. Scott Kazmir will pitch Tuesday against the Yankees, Seth McClung will go Wednesday and then Hendrickson. Doug Waechter will miss a start and go to the bullpen. The move was not a demotion. The Rays are a man short in the bullpen after Jason Childers was optioned to Triple-A Durham to make room for starter Edwin Jackson, who pitched Saturday in place of Hendrickson. The expectation is Hendrickson will come off the disabled list, Jackson will be sent back to Durham and Waechter will start Saturday against the Red Sox.

Maddon said he is behind McClung and expects to keep him in the rotation. McClung was banged around pretty good Friday by the Rangers and is 1-3 with a 10.90 ERA. But Maddon said McClung has too many physical gifts (a 95-mph fastball, for instance) and once he gets it all together, "He's going to be very, very good.'' Maddon said McClung needs to be better at the "nuance'' of pitching, that is, pitch location, letting up on pitches in certain situations, expanding the strike zone, elevating pitches in the strike zone. McClung said he knows he has to be better. He also said he appreciated Maddon's vote of confidence. "I feel like I have the ability,'' he said. "I just have to learn.''

It's Jackson on Saturday

Manager Joe Maddon said right-hander Edwin Jackson will start Saturday's game against the Rangers. It is a one-time deal, Maddon said, unless something happens to change plans. What might those circumstances be? Well, left-hander Mark Hendrickson pitches in an extended spring game Saturday to see if his shoulder stiffness is healed. If not, well, then things could change. The Rays need to make a roster move to accommodate Jackson, but that was not to be announced until after Friday night's game.

Scott Kazmir's cramping thumb was actually a cramping forearm muscle that caused his thumb to fold over into the palm of his hand. The left-hander who had to leave Thursday's Red Sox game said he was suffering from a cold and the medicine he took likely dehydrated him. He said drinking lots of water after the game and taking some electrolyte tablets calmed the pain.

Leftfielder Carl Crawford said his aching right shoulder is about 70 percent, but said he is committed to playing if he is able. Maddon said he will leave the decision to Crawford, who was in Friday's lineup.

Injuries, injuries and more injuries. Shortstop Julio Lugo's painfil oblique strain is such that he may not get back in the lineup before centerfielder Rocco Baldelli. Maddon said Baldelli will play in an extended spring game soon and could be back in the Rays lineup (either as a DH or fielder) the first week of May.

Kazmir leaves game with injury

Ace lefthander Scott Kazmir was pitching really well for the Rays as they led 2-1 into the sixth inning, but things got bad in a hurry when he started shaking his left arm, drawing the attention of the coaches and trainers. After talking to Kazmir and watching him throw one warmup pitch, the Rays decided that there was enough concern to take him out. The official reason was announced later as ""muscle cramps in his left thumb and wrist,'' and both Kazmir and manger Joe Maddon said he was fine, and that the cramp was probably the result of dehydration from cold-fighting medicine he had been taking.

Quick recovery

LF Carl Crawford didn't expect to be playing again for several days, but when his sore right shoulder responded to treatment and he made it through a light early afternoon session in the batting cages he told manager Joe Maddon he was ready to go and he was in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Red Sox and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. The Rays certainly were glad to have him, given that CF Rocco Baldelli, 3B Aubrey Huff and SS Julio Lugo are still out.

Maddon said Baldelli was doing better in his recovery from a strained left hamstring but the Rays would continue with a cautious approach, meaning he is unlikely to play for another couple weeks. Maddon also said Aubrey Huff (left knee sprain) was doing better and could be back sooner than expected.

The Curt Schilling comments about Scott Kazmir being the reason for bad feelings between the teams continued to be a topic of discussion, fueled in part by ESPN's repeated hyping of the subject, which was probably not coincidental since Thursday's game was being shown on ESPN2. Maddon, however, said he didn't want to say anything to further the rhetoric. ""It's entertainment,'' he said.

The Rays remain officially undecided on a starter for Saturday's game in Texas, but it looks more and more like it will be Edwin Jackson, who will be called up from Triple-A Durham.

More bad news ....

As if it's not bad enough that the Rays are without SS Julio Lugo, CF Rocco Baldelli and 3B Aubrey Huff, now LF Carl Crawford is sideline with an injury. Crawford hurt his right shoulder diving for a ball in Tuesday's game and it was so sore on Wednesday that he was scratched from the lineup and said he didn't think he would be able to play Thursday either, with the weekend in Texas a possibility.

With Crawford out, and manager Joe Maddon giving 3B Sean Burroughs his first start due to his good numbers against Boston starter Curt Schilling, the outfield for Wednesday will feature Ty Wigginton in left, Joey Gathright in center and Damon Hollins in right.

Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir said he was surprised to be dragged into the controversy betweeen the teams by Boston pitcher Curt Schilling, who went on his radio show Tuesday and said Kazmir was to blame for the problems because he hit too many people. ""I don't know why he would say that,'' Kazmir said. ""It's his opinion. He wants to be heard.''

The big buzz pre-game was about the radical shift the Rays employed against Boston slugger David Ortiz, playing four outfielders at normal depth and moving 2B Jorge Cantu into short right field. ""It's the 34 defense,'' Maddon said. The Rays plan to do it again on Wednesday, though Maddon said there may be a few "twists.''

Maddon said the Rays still had not decided on a starter for Saturday's game.

Boston garden

OF Joey Gathright was a popular figure in the Rays clubhouse and on field before Tuesday's game as reporters asked him - over and over - about his spring training altercation with Red Sox reliever Julian Tavarez. Gathright said much the same thing Tuesday as he told the Times over the weekend, that he considered the incident to be in the past and was not expecting any additional trouble - though he'll be ready it if occurs. Manager Joe Maddon said he was not concerned about further problems either.

If you are looking for something to occupy 20 minutes, go to www.bostondirtdogs.boston.com and listen to Curt Schilling's latest radio show ramblings.

Maddon said he didn't know who would start Saturday's game in Texas, but that it would not be Mark Hendrickson, who is going to need several more days to recover from shoulder stiffness that landed him on the DL. Most likely, the Rays will call someone up from the minors, with Edwin Jackson a possibility.

Reliever Chad Orvella was happy to rejoin the team, having been sent to the minors at the end of spring training to work on a few mechanical adjustments. Maddon said he wasn't sure what role Orvella would fill in the ""amorphic'' bullpen.

Shortstop Julio Lugo stayed back in St. Petersburg to continue his rehab from the strained abdominal muscle that landed him on the DL, though Maddon said it could be another week to 10 days until he rejoins the team.

While it was a pleasant afternoon in Boston, temperatures dropped into the 50s by Tuesday evening and were headed down from there. The Rays were breaking out the ski caps and heavy jackets.

Mellow Sunday

Jason Hammel didn't pitch that poorly, but the Rays decided after Sunday's game to send him back to Triple-A Durham and are calling up reliever Chad Orvella to take his place on the roster. With Mark Hendrickson at least a few days behind in his recovery from shoulder stiffness, the Rays may have to make another move to find a starter for Saturday's game in Texas. Hendrickson hopes to rejoin the rotation in New York during the April 25-27 series. Orvella was sent to the minors at the end of the spring but should be an upgrade to the bullpen.

Maddon gave the Rays the morning off, giving them until 11:45 a.m. to report for the 1:15 p.m. game. The players seemed to appreciate it given that it was a holiday and that they leave Monday night for an 11-day trip.

The biggest surprise in the lineup is thet Nick Green is playing rightfield - his first regular season start there at any level.

Most interesting stat of the day - the Rays woke up Sunday morning leading the major leagues with 55 walks.

Saturday in the park

The highlight of the afternoon has been listening to the kidding Jonny Gomes is getting from his teammates over the looks of the figurine the team is giving away to fans at Saturday's game. ""They've got him too skinny,'' Carl Crawford said. Gomes, naturally, took it all well: ""Too rad.''

The Rays seem to be getting closer to getting some of their injured players back. LHP Mark Hendrickson will throw in an extended spring training game on Monday in hopes of rejoining the rotation next week, though rookie Jason Hammel is expected to join the Rays on their trip to Boston-Texas-New York in case Hendrickson isn't ready.

SS Julio Lugo is also improving, though manager Joe Maddon said it now appears unlikely Lugo will be ready when eligible to come off the disabled list on Wednesday in Boston. The strong play of Tomas Perez has made that a little bit easier to deal with.

Maddon made a few changes to the lineup for Saturday, but the top four is intact - Carl Crawford in left, Jorge Cantu at second, Travis Lee at first, Jonny Gomes at DH. After that, Russell Branyan is in right, Ty Wigginton at third, Josh Paul is behind the plate, Tomas Perez at short and Joey Gathright in center.

Another addition

After a week of being depleted by injuries, the Rays are getting some reinforcements. 3B Sean Burroughs was activated off the disabled list and was available for Friday's game. Manager Joe Maddon sounded like he will ease Burroughs back into action, planning to use him primarily as a pinch-hitter and late-inning defensive replacement, though he said he may start him at times at third. For now, Ty Wigginton will get most of the playing times at third while Aubrey Huff recovers from his left knee sprain.

Nick Green got a second straight day off, with Tomas Perez starting again at shortstop. The rest of the lineup has Carl Crawford in left, Jorge Cantu at second, Travis Lee at first, Jonny Gomes at DH, Russell Branyan in right, Wigginton at third, Toby Hall catching, Perez at short and Joey Gathright in center. Lee moved up to the No. 3 spot because he is swinging a hot bat.

Despite the disappointment of Thursday's loss, the Rays seemed in decent spirits Friday, as Maddon promised they would. Basically, his view of the game-changing home run of Dan Miceli was simply this: ""It happens.''

Pleasant change

The Devil Rays actually got some good news Thursday afternoon when 2B Jorge Cantu's bruised left foot improved enough for him to rejoin the lineup for the first time since Friday. Cantu is one of three starting infielders who have been sidelined, joining SS Julio Lugo and 3B Aubrey Huff.

Ty Wigginton is playing third again Thursday in place of injured Aubrey Huff, but the Rays will have another option by Friday, manager Joe Maddon said. Most likely it will be Sean Burroughs, who has been on the DL since spring training due to a back strain. Burroughs has been working out in the mornings at the minor-league complex and in the afternoon with the Rays and, barring any setbacks, is likely to be activated on Friday when the Royals come to town.

Jonny Gomes was still basking in the glory of his eighth-inning grand slam that led the Rays to victory on Thursday. Gomes said he received about 30 phone calls and messages from friends and relatives. Saturday is another big day for Gomes as the Rays are giving away Gomes figurines to the firist 15,000 fans.

There wasn't much talk about the Rays' power, but their 12 home runs are their most ever through nine games.

Huff out 4-6 weeks

The bad news continued for the Devil Rays Wednesday when they found out starting third baseman and cleanup hitter Aubrey Huff will be sidelined 4-6 weeks due to the left knee sprain sustained in Tuesday's game.

Though Huff was off to a slow start, hitting .182 with one extra base hit, he is considered one of the Rays top run producers and his absence will be felt throughout the Rays lineup.

""It's too bad about Aubrey, it's just one of those things we have to deal with,'' manager Joe Maddon said. ""Plug the hole in the dike and move on. It's unfortunate; Aubrey's one of the best hitters I've seen.''

Huff, who was placed on the 15-day DL, will not require surgery, but it could be June until he returns to the lineup.

With Huff sidelined, Ty Wigginton will take over at third base, at least for now. The Rays may not initially replace Huff on the roster, instead waiting until Friday, when Sean Burroughs is eligible to come off the disabled list.

Huff, injured in a fourth-inning collision with SS Nick Green, was the fifth Rays player to leave a game with an injury in the first eight games. He is the third member of the starting infield to be sidelined, joining SS Julio Lugo and 2B Jorge Cantu. The Rays are also wthout CF Rocco Baldelli, LHP Mark Hendrickson, RHP Shinji Mori, backup INFs Luis Ordaz and Luis Rivas, and Burroughs.

Cantu, who was injured in Friday's game, missed a fifth straight start on Wednesday, but expects to be back in the lineup Thursday.

Bouncing back

As much as Monday's home opening loss may have seemed disappointing, the Rays were in good spirits Tuesday afternoon. Knowing the season lasts 6 months can have that effect on people.

Jason Hammel, the rookie called up to pitch Tuesday night, arrived in late afternoon and appeared pretty excited about the opportunity. Manager Joe Maddon said the one thing he told Hammel not to do was change the way he pitched.

2B Jorge Cantu remains sidelined by a bruised left foot but is available to pinchhit. Maddon hopes Cantu can start on Wednesday.

Since Tuesday is Joe Maddon retro glasses giveaway night, all the writers wore a pair for the pre-game interview session. "I don't think you've all ever looked so good," Maddon said.

Buzz at the Trop

Tropicana Field was buzzing from early afternoon as fans lined up for the 4:15 opening of the gates, greeted by Rays players, manager Joe Maddon and new principal owner Stuart Sternberg. Many waited it line just to say "Thanks' to Sternberg. The game was officially sold out at about 1:30 p.m., though the Rays decided to sell some partially obstructed view seats at the top of the stadium. The stadium looks clean and fresh, a welcome change. And there seems to be a heavy dose of Bruce Springsteen in the pre-game music rotation.

2B Jorge Cantu's bruised left foot has improved to the point that he will be available to pinch hit Monday night and expects to return to the lineup on Tuesday. He has been out since Friday night.

SS Julio Lugo expects to be fully recovered from his abdominal strain when he is eligible to come off the disabled list on April 19.

Though the Rays have already played six games, Monday is opening day for bench coach Bill Evers, who missed the first week recovering from surgery to remove a benign tumor. Evers spent 30 years in the minors before landing his first major-league job, and his parents, Jayne and Bill, came down from New York to see his first game.

Sold out ....

The Rays can already consider Monday's home opener a success - at 2 p.m., they announced the game had sold out. With the addition of the high-end club along the first-base line, the capacity at Tropicana Field has been reduced to around 40,000. It is the fourth sellout in franchise history.

Heading home

After a long, cold week on the road the Rays seem excited about heading home after Sunday's game. The home opener, and all the pomp and circumstance that comes with it, is usually a big deal. The home opener is not quite as exciting for the Rays as other teams, though, since they spend the whole spring in St. Petersburg. And there's not as much excitement about going to Tropicana Field since they worked out of the clubhouse there during the final week of spring training.

2B Jorge Cantu's bruised left foot is still sore and he will miss his second game on Sunday. He hopes to play Monday, but manager Joe Maddon said it may not be until Tuesday.

Maddon stacked his lineup with lefthanders against Toronto righthanded ace Roy Halladay. The most interesting move was batting power-hitting and strikeout prone Russ Branyan second, but Maddon had a reason, figuring that if he wants to pinch-hit late in the game and use a righthanded hitter, Branyan would be the guy he hits for.
The full lineup includes Carl Crawford in left, Branyan in right, Aubrey Huff at third, Jonne Gomes at DH, Travis Lee at first, Ty Wigginton at second, Toby Hall catching, Joey Gathright in center and Tomas Perez at short. Nick Green got the day off.

Saturday in the park

The night goes quick with a 1:07 p.m. game following a night game, so manager Joe Maddon eliminated regular batting practice, with the players having the option of working in the batting cages. Plus, it's really cold - with the temperature, as forecast, in the low 20s. Luckily the Rogers Centre roof will stay closed today.

2B Jorge Cantu's bruised left foot was still very sore Saturday morning and he is receiving treament on it. It's unlikely he'll play at all today, and Maddon is hopeful (at best) Cantu will be available on Sunday.

The resulting lineup - with 1B Travis Lee and C Toby Hall getting the day off - is hardly what the Rays projected a week ago: Carl Crawford in left, Nick Green at shortstop, Jonny Gomes at DH, Aubrey Huff at third, Ty Wigginton at first, Damon Hollins in right, Josh Paul catching, Tomas Perez at second and Joey Gathright in center.

New principal owner Stuart Sternberg is here with his two sons, watching the games with the passion of serious fans.

North of the border ...

Friday was a downright ugly day in Toronto, with wind, rain and cold temperatures. Yet another reason why it's a good idea that they have a domed stadium. Saturday will be interesting too, with a forecast low of -6. That's Celsius, of course, but it's still pretty cold for us Florida folks - probably around 20 degrees.

The Rogers Centre has been fixed up by the way, and looks much better. Probably similar to what the Rays are doing to the Trop.

The Rays were still talking about Mark Hendrickson's stellar effort Thursday in the three-hit, complete game win over Baltimore. It not only was big what he did, but also how he did it, providing a good example for the Rays young pitchers to follow. And it was tangible evidence that manager Joe Maddon and pitching coach Mike Butcher meant what they said about letting the pitchers throw complete games.

Maddon said he was still ""a little choked up'' about Hendrickson's gesture to present him the game ball as a souvenir of his first victory with the Rays.

Friday's lineup seems to be the somewhat regular group when the opponent starts a lefthander - Carl Crawford in left, Jorge Cantu at second, Jonny Gomes in right, Aubrey Huff at DH, Ty Wigginton at third, Travis Lee at first, Toby Hall catching, Nick Green at short and Damon Hollins in center.

Maddon said that may change on Saturday, though, as he wants to give Lee a day off (with Wigginton playing first) and he doesn't want Joey Gathright to sit back to back games, so he is likely to be in center.

Catcher Kevin Cash and pitcher Carlos Hines cleared waivers and were outrighted back to Triple-A Durham. They were taken off the 40-man roster earlier this week.

Julio Lugo is on the 15-day DL but decided to stay with the team, which is good for the clubhouse enviroment.

Lots going on ...

The net result of the flurry of moves today is that the bullpen just got a little less experienced, with Scott Dunn taking the place of the Jesus Colome, who was released, and the lineup got considerably weaker, with SS Julio Lugo going on the 15-day DL and the Rays signed veteran utility man Tomas Perez to share time at shortstop with Nick Green, rather than call-up top prospect B.J. Upton. Perez showed up during batting practice and Dunn, who is 27 but has pitched in only three major-league games, was expected to be in Baltimore by game time. The Rays said they just wanted to ""go in a different direction'' by releasing Colome, but there is no question he has frustrated team officials for years with his inconsistent pitching and frequent complaints that his arm hurts. Since being acquired from Oakland in July 200, Colome has gone 11-22 with five saves and a 4.73 ERA in 186 games for the Rays.

Manager Joe Maddon and executive vice president Andrew Friedman both tried to downplay the impact on the team of making this many changes this early in the season, by saying it's just part of the game. But Friedman admitted, ""This is definitely not the way we drew it up.''

With Lugo out, Maddon apparently will stick with Carl Crawford in the leadoff slot. The rest of Thursday's lineup has Jorge Cantu at second, Aubrey Huff at third, Jonny Gomes at DH, Travis Lee at first, Russell Branyan in right, Josh Paul catching, Joey Gathright in center and Nick Green at short.

The Rays also made a small trade that could pay off big down the road, acquiring righthanded pitcher Marcos Carvajal from Seattle. Carvajal, 21, pitched last season with the Rockies as a Rule 5 draft pick, then was traded to Seattle. The Rays will send him to Double-A for now, but expect him to eventually pitch in the big leagues. They gave up minor-league pitcher Jose De La Cruz.

The post-game comments Wednesday were interesting in that several of the hitters, most visibly Jorge Cantu, made it clear that they too blame the pitching for the team's first two losses. Cantu said: ""We're trying everything we can offensively to get us going, but we didn't have that support so far in these two games from our pitching. It needs to get better.''' Starter Seth McClung, on the other hand, shrugged off his poor effort as a "bad day at work.''

The Rays were to fly to Toronto after Thursday's game, then open a weekend series against the Blue Jays on Friday. And though it will be cold in Toronto, at least the Rogers Centre roof can be kept closed.

Busy day (again)

The Rays had to reshuffle their roster again before Thursday's game, releasing reliever Jesus Colome, placing SS Julio Lugo on the 15-day disabled list, signing INF Tomas Perez, and promoting reliever Scott Dunn, who had been claimed on waivers Wednesday. They also said INF Luis Ordaz would undergo surgery on his left knee and be out at least two months.

Name that team

The Devil Rays have notified the MLB that they are considering changing their name, in part to exorcise the devil. What do you think the team’s new name should be?

Staying warm ...

The Rays had a busy afternoon, and that was before the game started. In addition to putting infielder Luis Ordaz on the 15-day disabled list and bringing up infielder/outfielder Russ Branyan, the Rays had a few other things going on - they claimed reliever Scott Dunn from the Angels and sent him to Triple-A Durham, they designated for assignment minor-league pitcher Carlos Hines and catcher Kevin Cash to make room on their 40-man roster, and they said that reliever Chad Harville accepted his outright assignment to Durham and that reliever Tim Corcoran cleared waivers and was also sent to Durham.

Branyan is likely to get his first start on Thursday against Orioles righthander Kris Benson, possibly in rightfield.

Shortstop Julio Lugo was not in the lineup and the Rays are expected to decide by Thursday or Friday whether he will need to be placed on the disabled list. Nick Green started Wednesday, but if Lugo goes on the DL the Rays are going to need to find another shortstop, and it sounds like it most likely won't be top prospect B.J. Upton, who is playing at Durham.

The "feels-like'' temperature was down into the mid-40s during batting practice, and it's probably going to drop from there once the sun sets. The coldest Rays game on record was a few years ago in Boston with a first-pitch reading of 33 degrees. And, yes, the press box in Baltimore is open air.

With the Orioles starting a lefthander on Wednesday, Rays manager Joe Maddon decided to get righthanded hitting Ty Wigginton into the lineup and is playing him at third base, with Aubrey Huff serving as the DH. Makes sense, since Wigginton is probably more comfortable at third.

Branyan summoned

With INF Luis Ordaz placed on the 15-day disabled list due to bruising behind his left knee, the Rays on Wednesday called up INF-OF Russell Branyan.

Cold start

The Rays just finished taking a round of early batting practice and though you couldn't tell by their attire - since some were in shorts - it is cold here.

Like real cold - temps in the 40s. That's actually an improvement from this morning when I saw actual snow flurries - from the warmth of the hotel workout room!

A (supposed) day of rest

It may seem odd that the Rays played Monday and had Tuesday off, but it is actually something of a baseball tradition. The idea is that since opening day - especially in a town such as Baltimore - is such a big deal, that they build in a "protection day" in case the game is rained out - or snowed out. That way, the game would be rescheduled for the next day all the fans who bought opening day tickets would get to go, rather than the normal rain out procedure, which is to get a raincheck for a future date.

By early evening, it appeared that infielder Luis Ordaz was headed to the disabled list due to a bruised left knee and would be replaced Wednesday by infielder/outfielder Russell Branyan, who had been in the running for the final roster spot but was instead send to Triple-A.

Starting shortstop Julio Lugo, who left Monday's opener due to an abdominal strain, received treatment and Tuesday and the Rays probably won't know until close to game time Wednesday whether he can play. With temperatures forecast to be in the 40s, Lugo may be better off sitting out, which would mean Nick Green would likely start at short.

Rough start

First, centerfielder Joey Gathright took an awkward stumble trying - and failing - to catch a fly ball. He said his left shoulder hurt when he hit the ground but it was not a major concern.

In the second inning, trainer Ron Porterfield came out to check on struggling lefthander Scott Kazmir, who a lengthy conversation, ended up staying in the game. Manager Joe Maddon said Kazmir briefly felt some tightness in his lower back.

Then shortstop Julio Lugo appeared in obvious discomfort while taking a swing during a third inning at-bat and had to leave the game. He ended up with an infield single and came around to score, but was obviously in pain and did not come out to play the field in the bottom of the third. He was replaced by Luis Ordaz.
Lugo's injury was later diagnosed as an abdominal strain and the Rays said they won't know any more about his status until their next game on Wednesday. Ordaz also ended up leaving the game due to soreness in his left knee. An X-ray was negative, but he will undergo an MRI on Tuesday. If Lugo is going to be out for more than a few days, the Rays might have to consider calling up top prospect B.J. Upton.

For openers . . .

What it is about rainy days and Mondays? It's been raining and threatening most of the day here in Baltimore, but within an hour of game time the skies started to clear and the sun actually peeked through. Maybe there is something special about Opening Day.

The Orioles found a way to use the weather to their advantage. They took batting practice through light rain, but as soon as they were done the decision was made that it was raining too hard for the Rays to hit, so they had to instead use the indoor tunnels. Coincidence? You decide.

New principal owner Stuart Sternberg and some of his partners are here, and Sternberg is very much excited about the first game. He has been making a point to try to at least say Hello and Good Luck to each player. ""It's my first first day,'' he said.

Another visitor attracting a lot of attention has been manager Joe Maddon's mom, Beanie. She came over from their hometown of Hazleton, Pa., with Joe's sister Carmine and her husband, to see her son's first game as a fulltime major-league manager. And she brought him a treat - a cold-cut hoagie from the restaurant where she still works - the Third Base Luncheonette.

Maddon said the lineup he is using today will be the regular lineup against righthanded pitchers until Rocco Baldelli returns from injury in a few weeks. The plan is this:
1. Julio Lugo, ss; 2. Carl Crawford, lf; 3. Jorge Cantu, 2b; 4. Aubrey Huff, 3b; 5. Jonny Gomes, DH; 6. Travis Lee, 1b; 7. Toby Hall, c; 8. Damon Hollins, rf; 9. Joey Gathright, cf.