Lining up ...

Manager Joe Maddon insisted not to read much into it, but the starting lineup for the A team in Wednesday's intrasquad game could look a lot like the opening day lineup on April 2:

Charlie's Angels
Rocco Baldelli, cf
Delmon Young, rf
Carl Crawford, lf
Ty Wigginton, 1b
Jorge Cantu, 2b
Greg Norton, DH

Akinori Iwamura, 3b
Dioner Navarro, c
Ben Zobrist, ss

Scott Kazmir, sp

The other squad - Hoff's Hackers - is made up more of players competing for a spot on the big league team:
B.J. Upton, 2b
Brendan Harris, 3b

Jonny Gomes, lf
Elijah Dukes, cf

Carlos Pena, DH
Dustan Mohr, rf
Hee-Seop Choi, 2b
Raul Casanova, c
Jorge Velandia,. ss
Dan Miceli, sp

The Rays also released their pitchers for the first five exhibitions:
Friday - James Shields
Saturday - Scott Kazmir
Sunday - Jae Kuk Ryu

Monday - Jae Seo
Tuesday - James Shields

Sternberg visits, talks

Principal owner Stuart Sternberg made his first visit of the spring to Devil Rays camp on Tuesday morning and had plenty to say. He expressed confidence in his team, which had a major-league worst 61-101 record last season. He said the team was on track for improvement and that his one specific goal for this season is for the Rays to increase their number of home wins from 40 to 50.

Here are some excerpts of his comments. Check Wednesday’s Times for more, as well as Gary Shelton’s column:

Q. What are your thoughts going into your second year?

A. My thoughts are, we are in a great place. We’re just where we wanted to be. And there’s nothing I would have changed looking back to this point. I feel good about it.

Q. Are you in line with what you envisioned in terms of payroll (which will be about $24-million on opening day):

A. We didn’t have an exact expectation of what we’d be spending. We’d spend what was necessary and what we could spend to improve the entire organization and give us the best chance to complete. So I feel fine about it.

Q. Do you feel more pressure to compete this season?

A. I feel like the honeymoon is over. I don’t feel more pressure to compete. We have pressure to compete, to put an organization together. After that, things are going to happen how they are going to happen. We are doing what’s in the best interests of the entire organization from the major-league level on down. I feel extremely confident that we’ve got the pieces in place.

Q. What have you learned in the past year?

A. There haven’t been a lot of surprises. I think I was kind of surprised that people were accepting and that the honeymoon lasted as long as it did. I think people are still confident in what we're trying to accomplish here. There is nothing that has been really surprising, fortunately.

Q. Do you have expectations in terms of wins? What would satisfy you at the end of the season?
A. Improvement. An exact number, I couldn’t say. If I have a personal goal, and it is purely personal, not an organizational type of goal, it’s to win 50 games at home this year. I think we showed last year we can have some real success at home. It gave the players something to build on. Obviously our road record (20-61) was putrid, to say the least. So I’m focusing on our home advantage and what we were able to do at home, and consistently compete and consistently beat teams. My goal is to get to 50 wins at home and after you do that, a lot of good things can happen. That’s basically it. I  don’t generally set goals in terms of wins.

Q. Is it realistic to think you can be a legit playoff contender next season?

A. I’d like to think we’re a contender right now. In baseball, there is so much optimism, especially this time of year. Obviously the Yankees are in a better place to contend than we are, and a number of teams are in a better place than we are, but I think we are in a very good place. I would not measure the success of this season by whether we are a contender or not. It’s if, are we putting ourselves in a position to contend to succeed. It’s sort of a small step; the 50-win number at home is really my issues, my sort of bugaboo right now.

B.J. in right

fiEven though the fog still hasn't lifted from Field 1, the lineups for the Rays intrasquad game this morning at 10:30 are posted.

Among the most highlights is B.J. Upton penciled in to leadoff and play right field for Hoff's Hackers. It will be the first time Upton plays the outfield. He took flyballs for 15 minutes before practice on Monday.

Also, Jonny Gomes will play left and hit third for the same team, and Elijah Dukes will bat fifth and play center.

Wet morning ...

Monday morning rain disrupted the Rays workout plans, as the position players went to the inside batting tunnel to talk about baserunning and the pitchers had small sessions. There was supposed to be live batting practice, but it was unclear if the skies would clear up in time.

There was more chatter in the clubhouse over the comments regarding the lack of professionalism last season, which manager Joe Maddon first addressed on Saturday. Here is the link to Monday's story in the Times: http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/26/Rays/Rays_veterans_want_to.shtml

Promo time

The second full squad workout of the spring ended without any casualties on Friday, which is something of a success given the schedule featured live batting practice - with pitchers who have been in camp for a week throwing to hitters who just showed up.

Jonny Gomes had another big day, knocking a number of balls over the fence. J.P. Howell looked impressive on the mound.

The front office was busy too, announcing a promotional schedule that includes a team-record 37 giveaways. Highlights include a replica of Tropicana Field (April 7), Akinori Iwamura Thunderstix (June 14), Don Zimmer Turn Back the Clock bobblehead on June 23, a Carl Crawford Action Figure (July 29), a Scott Kazmir baseball card with a piece of a game-used jersey (Aug.4), figurines of Rocco Baldelli (Aug. 18) and Delmon Young (Aug. 25).  There are giveaways for children at all Sunday home games.

First day in the books

Year two of the Joe Maddon era officially opened today with the Rays' first full-squad workout at the Naimoli Complex.

There were plenty of highlights: Jonny Gomes' return, Casey Fossum's bullpen session and Elijah Dukes' batting practice show. But without a doubt, all eyes were on new Rays third baseman Akinori Iwamura.

With about 50 media members -- including some 30 Japanese reporters -- looking on, Iwamura participated in his first major league workout. It seemed like Aki had some trouble reading some of the plays (With a runner on first, he didn't understand when catcher Dioner Navarro called "One!" and he threw to second for a force), but he showed a solid glove and quick bat speed.

Left hander Casey Fossum threw 35 pitches in a bullpen session and said afterward that his surgically repaired left shoulder feels good. A leaner Jonny Gomes looks to have his swing back after shoulder surgery.

And then there was Elijah Dukes, who put four balls over the left-field wall on Field 3 in batting practice, hitting a couple of trees along 80th Street.

For more on Iwamura's debut and Gomes' return, check out Friday's Times

Ready to rock

The Devil Rays are set to open full squad workouts on Thursday morning at the Raymond A. Naimoli complex, 7901 30th Ave. N in St. Petersburg. Save for a few players delayed in the Dominican Republic by vias issues, the full group will be together and welcomed by manager Joe Maddon, who will deliver the keynote address.

High on the list of things to watch will be Japanese 3B Akinori Iwamura, who will participate in his first official major-league workout. Also, look for DH/OF Jonny Gomes, who reported in tremendous shape; CF Rocco Baldelli, who is fully healthy; LHP Scott Kazmir, whose left shoulder is a big key to what success the Rays will have; and RHP Seth McClung, who is making a big push for the closer's job.

Gomes, Zobrist report

The position players continued to file in Tuesday morning, with the most recent additions to Rays spring training camp being outfielder Jonny Gomes and shortstop Ben Zobrist.

Gomes, a popular clubhouse guy, made quite an entrance. He also appeared to have lost about 15 to 20 pounds. He said he was the same weight -- 238 pounds -- as he was this time last season, but it was just in the "right places now."

Gomes, whose season was cut short last year with right shoulder surgery, said his throwing shoulder feels the best it has since his junior college days. He's been throwing long toss and hitting live batting practice, not bad for a guy who couldn't physically swing the bat without pain in August.

"I’m full go," Gomes said. "There’s no exercise, no hitting, no throwing that I have to hold back."

With a crowded outfield, the Rays asked Gomes in December if he would be willing to try playing first base. Gomes said he happily obliged, even borrowing Rocco Baldelli's first base mitt in order to get a feel for it. But on Tuesday Rays manager Joe Maddon said that if Gomes is healthy enough to throw and run well, he'll remain an outfieder.

Filling up

With shortstop prospect Reid Brignac returning to camp Tuesday, the Devil Rays are getting close to a full house as full-squad workouts begin Thursday. The position players who have not checked in yet are: OF Johnny Gomes, SS Ben Zobrist, 2B prospect Elliot Johnson, OF/INF Joel Guzman, and non-roster 1B Hee-Seop Choi and INF Jorge Velandia. Two pitchers remain missing due to visa issues in the Dominican Republic - Tony Peguero and Juan Salas.

Tuesday afternoon, the Rays will unveil the new FieldTurf playing system that has been installed at Tropicana Field.

The Rays have scheduled two instrasquad games that will be played at the Naimoli complex, 7901 30th Ave. North, in St. Petersburg - Feb. 28 at 9:30 a.m. and March 1 at 10:30 a.m.

Chilly Sunday

The Devil Rays started their second workout for pitchers and catchers on a blistery Sunday morning at the Raymond A. Naimoli Complex.

Yesterday's opening workout included plenty of introductions, including new pitching coach Jim Hickey first official day on the job.

Left-handed starters Scott Kazmir and Casey Fossum, both coming off shoulder injuries at the end of last season, threw their first bullpen sessions of the spring.

For Fossum, it was his fourth bullpen session since arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder. This morning he said his arm felt good and had no pain or soreness.

Spring fling ...

It may seem more like winter is in the air, but the Devil Rays will open spring training on Saturday morning.

The first workout for pitchers and catchers is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at the Raymond A. Naimoli Complex, 7901 30th Ave. N.

Despite not making many changes to a team that finished with a major-league worst 61-101 record, Rays officials are optimistic they will be improved this season, citing the continued development and increased experience of their promising young players, such as LF Carl Crawford, LHP Scott Kazmir and CF Rocco Baldelli, along with the addition of Japanese INF Akinori Iwamura.

Daily spring training coverage starts Saturday in the Times.

Taking his hacks ...

Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura took his first swings as a Devil Ray Thursday during a light and informal morning batting practice. As interesting as what he did was what he used to do it - a specially batting made green, gold and black bat.

Veteran infielder Greg Norton, pitcher Edwin Jackson and non-roster outfielder Dustan Mohr joined the group of players going through early workouts. None of the rostered catchers - Dioner Navarro, Josh Paul or Shawn Riggans - have shown up yet.

The Rays are planning to make a big splash this weekend in Orlando to promote ticket sales for the May regular-season series they will play at Disney. Delmon Young, Ty Wigginton, Iwamura and senior adviser Don Zimmer are among those scheduled to sign autographs at the Mall at Millenia on Saturday from 11-1.

Pitching help added ...

The Rays completed a minor trade to add some depth to their pitching staff, acquiring righthander Jae Kuk Ryu (pronounced Jay Cook You) from the Cubs on Tuesday for two low-level minor-leaguers - OF Andrew Lopez and RHP Greg Reinhard.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays designated for assignment RHP Marcos Carvajal.

Ryu, 23, pitched in 10 games during three stints with the Cubs last year, compiling an 0-1 record and 8.40 ERA. He allowed 23 hits - including seven homers - and six walks in 15 innings while striking out 17.  But he was 8-8 with a 3.23 ERA at Triple-A Iowa and has an overall minor-league record of 36-28, 3.42.

Ryu has been in the Cubs system since 2001, signing for $1.6-million after graduating from high school in Seoul, South Korea. He is most famous for a 2003 incident when he was pitching for Class A Daytona and threw a ball that killed an osprey.

The Rays will look at him first as a starter, and have the option to send him to the minors, but will also consider him for bullpen duty.

Change for the better?

With spring training opening this week, the question is whether the Devil Rays are any better?

They made only a few offseason additions to a team that finished with a major-league worst 61-101 record, with Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura the only one expected to play a significant role.

But they expect their young players and pitchers to be improved with age, they don't figure to have as many players miss as many games due to injuries as last season, and they are counting on strong full seasons from players who came up from the minors during the year.

Check Tuesday's Times for a more detailed look at the situation .....

 

lunch bunch

Now that that Super Bowl is over, we can get back to the business of baseball.

The Rays held what is essentially the kickoff - oops, there's another football reference - of their winter caravan, the Tampa Chamber luncheon at the downtown Hyatt Regency. Among the more interesting things said, manager Joe Maddon said new Japanese infielder Akinori Iwamura will "most likely" play third rather than move to second, the number of over-the-air TV games in Orlando has been increased, more changes are coming to make Tropicana Field more fan friendly, and executive VP Andrew Friedman reiterated they are looking to acquire relievers.

For more on the luncheon, see Thursday's Times.