Bouncing back ...
Principal owner Stuart Sternberg took the train down from New York and arrived shortly after 6, saying he was pleased with how the team has been playing and feels they have the pieces - once all players return from injury - to win "a bunch of ballgames.''
No major news from manager Joe Maddon, who said he has been pleased with the first month of the season and that he expects the defense to remain solid and the offense to get better but is curious to see if the Rays can keep pitching as well as they have been.
Andy Sonnanstine starts tonight aware that he has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates to be dropped from the rotation when Scott Kazmir returns Sunday, but Maddon said he doesn't expect the subject to be an issue in Sonnanstine's performance.
As for the lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Hinske, dh
Navarro, c
Gross, rf
Bartlett, ss
Sonnanstine, p
Follow the Rays through spring training and the season with Marc Topkin, Joe Smith and the Times sports staff. We invite your participation in the comments area.
New York and Boston Fans Suck.
Posted by: steve | April 30, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Agreed.
Posted by: Bodog | April 30, 2008 at 10:03 PM
Sonnanstine's the real deal. He IS our true number 3 after Kaz and Shields. Trade Hammel - or stick him in the pen and send down Dohmann.
Posted by: Sep | April 30, 2008 at 10:07 PM
This is going to tell us a lot. If they are truly commited to winning then Sonnanstine MUST stay and Hammel must be put through waivers. If someone is 'out of options' then they have had plenty of time to prove themselves.
Posted by: moment of truth | April 30, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Package Hammel and Gomes for prospects while they both have trade value. Gomes is not a good fit for the role they want him to play and he deserves to go someplace where he can get playing time. Hammel is just the odd man out. Rays have too many good starters here and in the minors for Hammel to get a descent shot.
Posted by: Jim | April 30, 2008 at 10:25 PM
thank you, moment of truth. i couldn't have said it better myself. sonny's still got a lot to learn, but he's got the killer instinct -- and we're winning when he's on the mound. hammel to the junk heap. and yes, being out of options does seem to indicate that you haven't exactly justified why your @$$ hasn't found a spot in major league baseball!
Posted by: raysfan | May 01, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Hammel had a horrible spring to begin with and said he didn't deserve to be on the team on merit alone. He's had his chances...........Sonnanstine has delivered.
Posted by: spring | May 01, 2008 at 07:06 AM
ROCKN' WITH KAZMIR
Posted by: jeff | May 01, 2008 at 08:12 AM
ROCKN' WITH KAZMIR
Posted by: jeff | May 01, 2008 at 08:13 AM
I'm Kaz Krazy...
Posted by: I'm | May 02, 2008 at 08:56 AM