Cantu sent down ...

The Devil Rays sent 2005 team MVP Jorge Cantu to Triple-A on Saturday. Cantu was optimistic he would return to his 2005 form after an injury shortened 2006 season, but lost his starting 2B job to B.J. Upton.

Cantu was obviously unhappy with the move. He said he asked the Rays ro trade him and said he didn't know if he would report to Triple-A Durham. "I'm not a minor-league player," he said.

Also, the Rays optioned catcher Shawn Riggans to Triple-A, an indication that starter Dioner Navarro and backup Josh Paul will be healthy enough to start the season.

And they reassigned to minor-league camp OF Dustan Mohr, C Raul Casanova and INF Jorge Velandia.

What they Rays had not decided as of early Saturday morning was how to replace Greg Norton, who will be sidelined with a right knee injury. Bringing back 1B Carlos Pena, who was sent down Friday, is a possbility.

The starting lineup for Saturday's exhibition may be what the Rays use for Monday's opener:
Carl Crawford, lf
Ben Zobrist, ss
Rocco Baldelli, dh
Ty Wigginton, 1b
Delmon Young, rf
Akinori Iwamura, 3b
Dioner Navarro, c
Elijah Dukes, cf
B.J. Upton, 2b

Cantu sent down

The Devil Rays sent 2005 team MVP Jorge Cantu to Triple-A on Saturday. Cantu was optimistic he would return to his 2005 form after an injury shortened 2006 season, but lost his starting 2B job to B.J. Upton.

What it means ...

So with RHP Seth McClung - who didn't know he contractually could be sent down - and RHP Chad Orvella optioned to Durham, the Rays have cobbled a seven-man bullpen quite different than predicted at the start of spring:
Al Reyes
Shawn Camp
Ruddy Lugo
Brian Stokes
Gary Glover
Juan Salas
Jae Kuk Ryu

Only Camp and Lugo were regulars last season.

The Rays still have some more roster moves to make, plus a decision on whether C Dioner Navarro and CF Rocco Baldelli will be recovered enough from hamstring problems to be on the active roster for Monday's opener.

McClung was disappointed and surprised with the decision since he he wasn't aware he had an unsual fourth option. He said he was pitching this spring with a plan to be ready for the season and felt he was judged on results.

"I'm disappointed,'' he said. "To the layman, you look at may spring and you see numbers that are ugly. But for me what I see out of my spring is an individual who took an intelligent approach to a spring training situaiton where I knew I hard to work on some things.''

The final roster moves may include a decision between 2B Jorge Cantu and DH/OF Jonny Gomes for the final spot.

McClung, Orvella sent down

The Devil Rays reduced their spring roster to 30 on Friday  by sending RHP Seth McClung and RHP Chad Orvella to Triple- A Durham. That would seem to indicate RHPs Gary Glover, Jae Kuk Ryu and Juan Salas have made hte team.

Also, first baseman Carlos Pena was reassigned to minor league camp.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

Miceli released

It's the top of the fifth here at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers and the Rays have announced that they have released veteran reliever Dan Miceli.

Entering spring training Miceli, 36, was thought of as one of the relievers who had a bullpen job because of his experience. He was 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in 32 innings last season, but he struggled this spring, pitching to a 9.53 ERA in exhibition play. He allowed seven runs -- six earned -- on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Miceli, in the second year of a three-year contract, will still cost the Rays $850,000 -- $650,000 in 2007 base salary and a $200,000 buyout for 2008.

The move trims the Rays' spring roster to 33 and also opens up a roster spot on the 40-man, likely for spot starter/reliever Gary Glover.

With just two days left until the Rays have to trim their roster to 25, the move speaks to the competition Tampa Bay has had in camp -- especially in the bullpen. Out of Seth McClung, Chad Orvella and Juan Salas, only one reliever will make the team. And maybe Miceli's past record of character issues crept up in an organization that has done everything to improve its clubhouse atmosphere.

Rays cut roster

The Rays reduced their roster to 34 on Wednesday by sending pitchers J.P. Howell, Tim Corcoran and Scott Dohmann to Triple-A Durham. Howell's demotion means Edwin Jackson is the fifth starter.

Howell and Corcoran were optioned; Dohmann was outrighted and taken off the 40-man roster after clearing waivers.

Got tickets?

If you're thinking about coming to Saturday's exhibition finale against the Mets at Tropicana Field on Saturday, the team released ticket prices for the game. Outfield seats will be $7, press level seats are $15, baseline box and loge box $17,lower infield box and lower box $20, the Whitney Bank Club $85 and the Kane's Club $125 --- yes, $125 for an exhibition game.

Back here at Knology Park, where you would only have to dig in your pocket for $18 for the best seats in the house, they've announced the starting lineup. You will notice that CF Rocco Baldelli and C Josh Paul are absent from the lineup card with injuries, but that LF Carl Crawford is back. On a side note, in today's lineup card given to the media, RF Delmon Young's name is spelled "Delmin.''

Rays: LF Carl Crawford; SS Ben Zobrist; 2B Ty Wigginton; DH Jorge Cantu; RF Delmon Young; 3B Akinori Iwamura; CF Elijah Dukes; 1B Carlos Pena; C Shawn Riggans; LHP Casey Fossum.

Blue Jays: LF Reed Johnson; 1B Lyle Overbay; CF Vernon Wells; DH Frank Thomas; 3B Troy Glaus; RF Alex Rios; 2B Aaron Hill; SS Royce Clayton; C Sal Fasano; RHP Geremi Gonzalez.

Governor in the house

New Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will come home to St. Petersburg to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Rays April 6 home opener.

Crist was raised in St. Petersburg, graduated from St. Petersburg High and served as general counsel for the St. Petersburg-based National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues from 1982-87.

Said Crist: "To throw out the first pitch at a major league game is, of course, very exciting for me but even more so when it is the first game of the season at the ballpark in my hometown.''

Last year, three generations of the family of Tampa Hall of Famer Al Lopez handled the duties.

Here are the other previous first-pitchers:

Previous first pitches at Rays home openers.

1998 Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Monte Irvin and Al Lopez

1999 Larry Doby

2000 Wade Boggs

2001 St. Petersburg Mayor David Fischer

2002 U.S. Army General Tommy Franks

2003 Jon Gruden and Rich McKay

2004 Winky Wright, World Junior Middleweight Champion

2005 Racing legend Michael Andretti

No Navi, no C.C ...

C Dioner Navarro, expected to make his third start since recovering from a left hamstring strain, was unexpectedly scratched from the Devil Rays lineup for Monday's game in Winter Haven after feeling what manager Joe Maddon said was "a little bit of soreness.''

Navarro will miss Tuesday's game to attend to a family medical matter, but if he can return to the lineup on Wednesday, and then play again Friday and Saturday, Maddon said he should be able to open the season on time April 2.

Backup C Josh Paul also remains idled by a bruised right hand, but is expected to be back on the field in a couple days.

LF Carl Crawford, who was supposed to play for the first time since being scratched from Friday's lineup due so he could rest a tight groin, was also not available. The team sent him to be checked by a doctor and expects him to play today in Dunedin.

The Rays will also announce today that Gov. Charlie Crist will throw out the first pitch at the home opener on April 6.

The lineup for today includes B.J. Upton at second, Ben Zobrist at short, Ty Wigginton at DH, Greg Norton at first, Delmon Young in right, Akinori Iwamura at third, Raul Casanova behind the plate, Jonny Gomes in left, and Elijah Dukes in center. James Shields is the starting pitcher.

Crawford a late scratch

Injuries are hitting the Rays outfield. The second of Tampa Bay's talented trio missed action due to injury Thursday night.

"Maybe I'm a germ," joked Rays centerfielder Rocco Baldelli.

Rays LF Carl Crawford, originally slated to bat leadoff in tonight's game against the Reds, was a late scratch with left groin tightness. The Rays moved CF Elijah Dukes to the ledoff spot and inserted Jonny Gomes in left, hitting eighth.

The team is still awaiting the return of Baldelli, who is out of the starting lineup for the third straight night.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he still expects Baldelli back in the lineup on either Sunday or Monday, but Baldelli wouldn't give any timetable on his return, but said he'd be ready by Opening Day.

As for Crawford, he said he didn't know how long he'd be out. He will receive daily treatment on the groin and be re-evaluated day by day.

Timetable set back on Rocco

Rays manager Joe Maddon's remarks about the health of Rocco Baldelli are beginning to sounds eerily similar to the ones from last spring training, when a hamstring injury kept the Rays starting centerfielder out until June.

Maddon said Baldelli, who tweaked his right hamstring Tuesday, is still day by day, but that he will take no chances in bringing Baldelli back before he's ready. Already, Maddon pushed the timetable back. He thought Baldelli might be able to return Saturday or Sunday, but told reporters before Thursday's game it will be more like Sunday or Monday.

Maddon, however, said head trainer Ron Porterfield likened the injury to one that kept Baldelli out for four games last season.

"I'd like to believe that's true," Maddon said. "We're hoping it's like it had been last year with the four-day window." 

Speaking of hammys, catcher Dioner Navarro, who has been out with the left hamstring strain, will return to the lineup and catch three innings. Maddon said he will take a day off, then extend to five innings, in hopes that he will be ready to start opening day.

Baldelli update ...

Devil Rays CF Rocco Baldelli will miss at least a few days of spring training games due to a right hamstring injury and said it's possible he could be out longer.

Manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday he didn't expect Baldelli to be out for more than a few games: "I don't think it's anything serious at all.''

But Baldelli, who was out until June last season with hamstring problems that popped up around the same time of spring, said he had no way to know how severe the latest injury was and couldn't say whether it was more likely he'd  be out for three days or three months.

"I hope it's not the latter but I can't say. I honestly can't,'' Baldelli said. "If I told you guys I'd be lying.''
Baldelli said he couldn't tell if this injury was more severe than what happened to him last year.

"I can't tell anymore,'' he said. "I don't know. I've strained it and it's felt better in a day or two, and other times like last year in spring training I thought it was going to be fine and it wasn't. I wish I knew.''

Maddon said he did not think it was as serious as last spring and described it as "only a mild piece of tightness back there.'' He also said he would not come up with a contingency plan because Baldelli "is going to be there" on opening day.

Baldelli went through a light workout on Wednesday, including some jogging, and said he would be evaluated on a daily basis. It seems unlikely he would return before Sunday. He left Tuesday's game after four innings with tightness in the hamstring.

In Baldelli's absence, Elijah Dukes was to start in centerfield on Wednesday and Ty Wigginton was to move up to third in the batting order.

Also Wednesday, the Rays reduced their roster to 40 by optioning LHP Jeff Ridgway to Triple-A Durham.

Baldelli leaves game ...

CF Rocco Baldelli, who was sidelined for months last season with hamstring problems, left Tuesday's game at the end of four innings after feeling tightness in his right hamstring. Baldelli said he wouldn't know until Wednesday how serious the problem was.

New look lineup ...

Manager Joe Maddon unveiled a dramatically different lineup today that he expects to carry into the regular season, with LF Carl Crawford going back to the leadoff spot, SS Ben Zobrist hitting second and CF Rocco Baldelli moving into the prized No. 3 spot. Maddon said he wanted to split up Baldelli, who had been hitting leadoff, and Crawford to spread the offense more throughout the lineup.

Zobrist will be more of an "old-school" type No. 2 hitter, taking pitches, bunting and advancing runners, giving the Rays more of a National League style offense.

Maddon expects Ty Wigginton to be the cleanup hitter and said he is still refining the rest of the order. On Tuesday, DH Greg Norton was hitting fifth, 2B Jorge Cantu sixth and RF Delmon Young seventh. 3B Akinori Iwamura was eighth and C Josh Paul ninth.

Earlier this spring, Maddon had moved Crawford from third to second and Young to third.

Also Tuesday, Maddon confirmed the obvious, that LHP Scott Kazmir will be the opening day starter on April 2 against the Yankees.

Also, C Dioner Navarro (strained left hamstring) likely won't return until the end of the week, but Maddon said he can still be ready for opening day.

Double dip ....

The Rays are playing two games today, with one squad in Clearwater against the Phillies and another in Lakeland against the Tigers. Third-base coach Tom Foley is managing in Clearwater as Joe Maddon made the trip to Lakeland since the Rays were playing an AL opponent.

LHP Scott Kazmir is starting in Clearwater, and front-liners Carl Crawford, Ty Wigginton and Ben Zobrist are among those with him. LHP J.P. Howell, who is battling for the fifth starter's spot, starts in Lakeland, where Rocco Baldelli, Greg Norton and Delmon Young are playing.

No. 5 down to four

The Rays have narrowed the competition for the fifth and final starting rotation spot to four after reassigning RHP Jason Hammel to Triple-A Durham and moving RHP Brian Stokes to the bullpen.

That leaves RHPs Edwin Jackson, Tim Corcoran and Jae Kuk Ryu and lefthander J.P. Howell as the remaining candidates.

Read more about the fifth spot and how Stokes moving to the pen affects the staff in tomorrow's Times.

More cuts

The Devil Rays further reduced their roster Wednesday by optioning the following players to Triple-A Durham: INF Wes Bankston, RHP Jason Hammel, INF Elliot Johnson, LHP Chris Seddon. The moves reduce the Rays roster to 42, 17 over the opening day limit.

Roster reductions

The Rays made their first significant cuts of the spring, reducing their spring roster by 10 to 46:

Reassigned to minor-league camp were

RHP Stephen Andrade
RHP Tony Peguero
3B Evan Longoria
SS Reid Brignac
OF Jason Grabowski
RHP Andy Sonnanstine
C Ron Arhart
OF Fernando Perez

Optioned to Triple-A Durham were:
RHP Jeff Niemann
RHP Mitch Talbot

end

Searching for a win

The Rays and Phillies play today at Progress Energy Park and Tampa Bay is still searching for that elusive second spring win after 10 consecutive losses. You won't see your normal Phillies lineup today because many members of the organization flew to Philadelphia for John Vukovich's funeral. Meanwhile, the Rays lineup has a different look, with Aki Iwamura given the day off, Jorge Cantu at DH and B.J. Upton continuing his assimulation to second base.

Rays ace Scott Kazmir will pitch for Tampa Bay and right-hander Adam Eaton will throw for Philadelphia.

Here are the lineups:

Rays
Rocco Baldelli CF
Carl Crawford LF
Delmon Young RF
Ty Wigginton 3B
Greg Norton 1B
Jorge Cantu DH
B.J. Upton 2B
Shawn Riggans C
Ben Zobrist SS

Phillies
Shane Victorino RF
Aaron Rowand CF
Greg Dobbs LF
Wes Helms 3B
Brennan King 1B
Karim Garcia DH
Abraham Nunez SS
Rod Barajas C
Brent Abernathy 2B

Navarro improving

Update
* LHP Casey Fossum's spring debut went fine. He threw 20 pitches, allowed a couple of singles and a walk, and got helped out when the Tigers tried a double-steal.

Manager Joe Maddon said Monday morning that  C Dioner Navarro's mild left hamstring strain has improved and he is likely to return to action by the end of this week. Navarro is getting daily treatment and has been able to take some practice swings.

He also said team officials will meet tonight to discuss the upcoming roster cuts.

The key to today will be how LHP Casey Fossum, the likely No. 3 or 4 starter, does in his first game appearance. He has been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

The Rays are mixing their front liners and job candidates for today's game with the Tigers. Here is their lineup:

Rocco Baldelli, cf
Carl Crawford, lf
Ty Wigginton, 1b
Carlos Pena, dh
B.J. Upton, 2b
Akinori Iwamura, 3b
Elijah Dukes, rf
Josh Paul, C
Ben Zobrist, ss
Casey Fossum, sp

The Tigers lineup hasn't been posted yet, but they have brought many of their big-name players, including Gary Sheffield, Ivan Rodriguez, Jeremy Bonderman, Sean Casey, Carlos Guillen, Placido Polanco and Marcus Thames.

Rays arrive in Fort Myers

About a 2 1/2-hour drive south down I-75 from St. Petersburg, the Rays split squad will play the Twins here in Fort Myers. While many of the veterans stayed up in St. Pete for the home tilt against the Phillies at Progress Energy Park, a lot of the Rays younger starters and others vying for roster spots will receive innnings here at Hammond Stadium.

Here are the lineups:

Rays
B.J. Upton 2B
Elijah Dukes CF
Delmon Young RF
Jonny Gomes LF
Hee Seop Choi DH
Shawn Riggans C
Carlos Pena 1B
Joel Guzman 3B
Ben Zobrist SS

RHP Brian Stokes

Twins
Luis Castillo 2B
Nick Punto 3B
Mike Redmond C
Michael Cuddyer RF
Justin Morneau 1B
Torii Hunter CF
Rondell White LF
Jeff Cirillo DH
Jason Bartlett SS

RHP Ramon Ortiz

Navarro hurt; Kazmir sharper

Update

* The Rays may have sustained their first setback of the spring when starting C Dioner Navarro pulled up trying to score in the seventh inning. Navarro left the game and the Rays announced the injury as "a mild strain" of his left hamstring.

Early report
LHP Scott Kazmir's second start of the spring went better Thursday, as he pitched three innings against the Pirates in Bradenton, giving up three hits and two walks. Kazmir had a rough second inning, allowing all three hits and a walk.

Not much news from manager Joe Maddon's pre-game media session:

LHP Casey Fossum looked good again in batting practice and could make his first game appearance on Monday.

LHP Jon Switzer will only be out a few days after being on the right hand by a batted ball on Wednesday. All tests and x-rays were negative.

The Rays will use most of their regulars in Friday night's soldout game against the Yankees in Tampa.

New look lineup

The Rays play the Indians today at Progress Energy Park for a 1:05 p.m. start, and Manager Joe Maddon's lineup is taking a different look. Leftfielder Carl Crawford remains in the No. 2 hole. B.J. Upton receives his first start in right field and Ty Wigginton will make his first spring start at second base. Here's how it looks:

Rocco Baldelli CF
Carl Crawford LF
Ty Wigginton 2B
Jonny Gomes DH
Greg Norton 1B
Joel Guzman 3B
B.J. Upton RF
Josh Paul C
Jorge Velandia SS

And for the Indians:

Jason Michaels RF
Luis Rivas 2B
Casey Blake 1B
Ryan Garko DH
Kelly Shoppach C
Andy Marte 3B
Ben Francisco LF
Franklin Gutierrez CF
Asdrubal Cabrera SS

Sixth-inning stumble

A one-out hit batsman unraveled the sixth inning for Rays RHP Gary Glover, who went on to allow four hits in a three-run inning that was the difference in the Rays' 3-1 loss to the Reds Tuesday, dropping Tampa Bay to 1-4 in Grapefruit League competition.

"We have to score more runs than that," manager Joe Maddon said. "We only gave up three and I thought we pitched pretty well. Then again, I will also defend the at bats. We're working on some things at the plate. We're starting to work better at bats. They pitched well."

Red Tuesday

Update
* James Shields looked very impressive in two quick innings. The new batting order worked well in the first when Carl Crawford singled, stole second and scored on Delmon Young's 3-2 single.

* Another sloppy defensive inning led to three Cincinnati runs in the sixth inning.

Another beautiful day at Progress Energy Park as the Rays get ready to play the Reds, who didn't bring OF Josh Hamilton for a reunion.

The Rays are again starting their A team, though manager Joe Maddon wanted to "test drive" a new version of the lineup, with LF Carl Crawford hitting second and RF Delmon Young third. Also, 3B Akinori Iwamura makes his third start seeking his first hit.

Here are the lineups:

Rays
Rocco Baldelli, cf
Carl Crawford, lf
Delmon Young, rf
Ty Wigginton, rf
Jorge Cantu, 2b
Greg Norton, dh
Akinori Iwamura, 3b
Dioner Navarro, c
Ben Zobrist, ss
James Shields, p

Reds
Ryan Freel, cf
Alex Gonzalez, ss
Scott Hatteberg, 1b|
Adam Dunn, lf
Jeff Conine, dh
Mark Bellhorn, 2b
David Ross, c
Juan Castro, 3b
Chris Denofria, rf
Eric Milton, p

Another blown lead

The Devil Rays went into the top of the eighth inning with a two-run lead, but  the Twins tagged Ruddy Lugo for one in the eighth and pounded Chris Seddon for three in the ninth for a 4-2 win.

Eli Tintor hit a leadoff triple in the ninth. Justin Morneau’s single to center scored Tintor to tie it. After a sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Chris Heintz to second, the inning snowballed with a fielding error by shortstop Reid Brignac that scored one run and a two-out single by Denard Span (Tampa Catholic) that scored another.

“I think the biggest problem was the leadoff triple,” Maddon said. “That’s a part of the Twins’ concepts that we’re trying to get done, runner on third base, less than two outs, use the middle of the field.”

Make that sloppy Sunday

The Devil Rays dropped to a new low Sunday, making six errors in their spring training game against the Blue Jays. It was the most errors the Rays have ever made in a game.
B.J. Upton made two on throws from third, Ben Zobrist and Jorge Velandia each made one at short, Carlos Pena made one at first, and Elijah Dukes in rightfield.

Sunny Sunday

Not sure what the local weather forecasters saw on their computer screens, but it is a beautiful day at the ballpark as the Devil Rays take batting practice before playing the Blue Jays.

Not much news out of manager Joe Maddon's morning media session, though he is still hopeful that QB Jake Plummer - a personal favorite - will reconsider and join the Bucs. The Rays are sorting out their pitching plans after Saturday's game was shortened to six innings.

An interesting sidelight today will be the performacne of RHP Victor Zambrano, the former Ray who was traded to the Mets for Scott Kazmir. Zambrano is trying to win a spot with Toronto.

The Rays are back to using their regular players, and the Jays are not. Here are the starting lineups:

Rays
Rocco Baldelli, cf
Delmon Young, rf
Carl Crawford, lf
Ty Wigginton, DH
Jorge Cantu, 2b
Greg Norton, 1b
Akinori Iwamura, 3b
Dioner Navarro, c
Ben Zobrist, ss
Jae Kuk Ryu, p

Jays
John McDonald, ss
Adam Lind, lf
Russ Adams, 2b
John-Ford Griffin, rf
Jason Phillips, c
John Hattig, 1b
Jason Smith, 3b
Robinson Diaz, DH
Jeff Duncan, cf
John Thomson, p

Kazmir not sharp, Gomes hot

LHP Scott Kazmir returned to the mound for the Devil Rays on Saturday after missing the final six weeks of last season, and he got plenty of work. Kazmir threw 41 pitches to eight batters over 1 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and walking two. What the Rays were most concerned about was that he had no discomfort, and he did not appear to.

Jonny Gomes, meanwhile, hit homers in his first two at-bats.

Chilly Saturday

It's chilly and cloudy in Dunedin on Saturday morning as the Rays and Blue Jays are getting ready to play.

The Rays lineup includes a number of players competing for jobs, with most of the front-liners staying back in St. Petersburg for a workout. Ace Scott Kazmir, however, will be on the mound for his spring debut.

Here is the Rays lineup:

B.J. Upton, 2b
Brendan Harris, ss
Jonny Gomes, lf
Elijah Dukes, cf
Carlos Pena, 1b
Hee-Seop Choi, dh
Dustan Mohr, rf
Joel Guzman, 3b
Josh Paul, c
Scott Kazmir, lhp

The Jays are playing a number of their big-name players, but not the Big Hurt, Frank Thomas:

Royce Clayton, ss
Lyle Overbay, 1b
Vernon Wells, cf
Troy Glaus, 3b
Gregg Zaun, c
Aaron Hill, 2b
Alex Rios, dh
Chad Mottola, rf
Rob Crosby, lf
A.J. Burnett, p

For openers ...

Update

* The Rays lost the opener 3-1. They led 1-0, but Ruddy Lugo allowed a three-run homer in the eighth to non-roster infielder Chris Basak.

* The Rays scored their first run of the spring when Shawn Riggans beat out an infield single, allowing Fernando Perez to score with two outs in the seventh.

* The Rays got their first hit of the spring when CF Rocco Baldelli singled to open the fourth. The score was 0-0 after four innings.

* The skies parted, the sun came out and the game started on time. James Shields started well by striking out Johnny Damon on three pitches, but threw a lot of pitches to No. 2 hitter Derek Jeter, who eventually singled, and lasted only one inning.

With a band of thunderstorms expected to roar through the area, the Rays hit the field early Friday to prepare for their sold-out exhibition opener against the Yankees.

The Rays lineup is as expected:

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

RHP James Shields will be on the mound. LHP Scott Kazmir, the projected opening day starter (against the Yankees .... ) will face Toronto on Saturday in Dunedin.

Not much news in manager Joe Maddon's pre-game briefing. Regulars will normall stay in the game until they get two at-bats for the first week or so, pitchers will all be used in the first three or four games.

The Yankees are starting LHP Andy Pettitte and are expected to bring all regulars expect C Jorge Posada.

Andy Freed and Dave Wills will call the game on 1250-AM.