Rays may play in Orlando area

Seeking to expand their fan base in the Orlando area, the Devil Rays are exploring playing a three-game May series at the Disney sports complex.

The team has held preliminary talks about the shift, team president Matt Silverman said, but numerous issues - including approval from Major League Baseball and the players union - need to be resolved for the May 15-17 games against Texas to be moved. The Rays also would have to satisfy season-ticket holders and sponsors who were expecting a full 81-game schedule at Tropicana Field.

"We want to cultivate support throughout our region and the Orlando area is an important part of what we consider our region,'' Silverman said.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker said he has spoken with Rays princial owner Stuart Sternberg about the possibility and was open to anything that made the team stronger.

Baker said he was not concerned the shift was a first step of the team moving to Orlando, and Silverman said that was not at all an issue.

"That's not the reason for considering this,'' Silverman said. "All of our regional efforts are focused on increasing our fan base throughout the state of Florida and bringing more fans to St. Petersburg and Tropicana Field.'

The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports is the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves. Capacity is about 9,500, but with berm seating it can hold in excess of 11,000 and could possibly be slightly expanded further.

Butcher out as pitching coach; Hickey in

Pitching coach Mike Butcher, a close associate of manager Joe Maddon, left the Rays after one season to return to the Angels, where he will replace Bud Black. The Rays replaced Butcher by hiring Jim Hickey, who was fired last month by the Astros after 2 1/2 seasons as their pitching coach.

Hickey, 45, has been in the Houston organization for 16 years, and was promoted to the major-league staff in July 2004.

     "Jim helped build a tradition of pitching excellence in Houston at both the minor and major league level and we are excited to add him to the major league coaching staff,'' Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said in a team statement. "His experience and background in development is going to benefit the whole organization.''

Hickey was fired by Houston Oct. 4 even though the Astros finished second in the National League in earned run average for a second straight season. His staffs were anchored by Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Roy Oswalt. The Associated Press reported that Houston general manager Tim Purpura  was disappointed Hickey didn't get more out of the Astros younger pitchers.

Rays release '07 spring training schedule

The Rays will begin the 2007 spring training season on March 2 against the New York Yankees at Progress Energy Park, the team announced today. It will be the first time the Rays have opened the spring season against the Yankees.

See  the full schedule here.