Rays add Dan Johnson

Update, 6 p.m.
Carlos Pena said he couldn't believe how good he felt when he woke up Friday and is confident he will return soon to the lineup. He had an MRI on Friday that was negative, took some batting practice and said he felt only a "little bit" of soreness. "I think it will be a non-issue,'' Pena said.

Update, 4:05 p.m.
Dan Johnson is still in Oakland and not on the lineup card, which means he won't be arriving in time to play tonight. Manager Joe Maddon said the Rays didn't know if Johnson would be here Saturday either, so it could be Sunday, or Tuesday, until he joins the Rays. Maddon said he didn't know yet how Johnson would be used.

1B Carlos Pena, who left Thursday's game with right hamstring tightness, is not in the lineup, but is feeling good enough, according to manager Joe Maddon, that he might be available as a pinch-hitter tonight and could be the DH on Saturday.

And while the Rays are playing the White Sox here, there is another important game Friday night in Vero Beach, where ace LHP Scott Kazmir is making the first of three scheduled rehab starts, and C Dioner Navarro is catching.

Maddon also acknowledged that the pending decision between veteran Mike DiFelice and Shawn Riggans as the backup to Navarro is "becoming a tough call' based on how well DiFelice is playing.

As it is now, this is the lineup:
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Hinske, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Gomes, dh
DiFelice, c
Haynes, rf
Bartlett, ss
Niemann, p

With Cliff Floyd out and Carlos Pena at least sore, the Rays claimed former Oakland 1B/DH Dan Johnson off waivers Friday.

Johnson, designated for assignment by the A's after one at-bat this season, played most of the past three seasons with Oakland, compiling a .249 average with 42 homers and 157 RBIs. He was most productive last season, hitting 18 homers with 62 RBIs in 117 games, but posting just a .236 average.
The Rays will have to make room not just on the 25-man roster but also the 40-man roster. And they did so by designating for assignment Durham RHP Calvin Medlock, who was 1-0, 1.08 in relief for the Bulls. Medlock was acquired from the Reds last year in the deal for Jorge Cantu.

That could involve moving a player from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL, or designating for assignment a player with hopes of getting them through waivers, such as OF Nathan Haynes or Durham INF/OF Joel Guzman.

Comments

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[Bob]

After what Chris Richard did last year for the Bulls and after seeing his game tonight, I am shocked that the Rays would ignore one of their own and bring in Johnson. What's the incentive for a AAA player if they're going to be ignored. His bat is starting to come around (.280), and he's by far the best defensive 1st baseman the Rays have, including Pena. Just ask Joe Montoya.

[CharlieRay]

They would loose Guzman the minute he becomes available

[Chris]

This is odd... A left 1B? Does that mean Pena is hurt worse than they've let on?