Rays and Yankees coming and goings

Injury updates and roster moves are the theme of the afternoon at Tropicana Field for both teams.

The biggest headline is from the Yankees clubhouse, with word that SS Derek Jeter is back in the lineup for the first time since last Monday, when he left the game with the Rays in New York due to a strained left quad.

There was positive news from the Rays side, where ace LHP Scott Kazmir threw two innings in an extended spring game - a day earlier than the Rays had announced - and said all went well. He will advance next a 3-4 inning rehab start for Class A Vero on Friday, with a plan to pitch twice more in the minors and rejoin the Rays for the May 3 game in Boston.

Also getting good reports are C Dioner Navarro, who had the stitches removed from his right middle and ring finger and did some throwing and swinging today with minimal discomfort and could be ready to return on schedule on April 20.

RHP Matt Garza (radial nerve irritation) also continues to progress well and is scheduled to throw off the mound on Tuesday. INF Ben Zobrist had his fractured left thumb checked by the doctor today and will have to wait two more weeks to have the pins removed.

The Yankees are also missing INF Wilson Betimet, who was placed on the DL due to pink eye; and are without RHP Joba Chamberlain, who went home to Nebraska to attend to his ailing father, and C Jose Molina, who has a sore hamstring. They brought up Chad Moeller from Triple-A and he will start tonight.
Chamberlain was put on the bereavement list and the Yankees called up Jonathan Albaladejo to bolster their bullpen.

The Rays lineup has a slightly different look, with Evan Longoria moved up to fifth in the order, hitting behind B.J. Upton to put back-to-back righthanders behind the first three lefties in the order.

So does the Yankees, with struggling 2B Robinson Cano benched and rookie Alberto Gonzalez, who had been filling in at short for Derek Jeter, moving to second.
The lineups:
RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Pena, 1b
Upton, cf
Longoria, 3b
Hinske, dh
Riggans, c
Haynes, rf
Bartlett, ss
Sonnanstine, p

YANKEES
Damon, lf
Jeter, ss
Abreu, rf
Rodriguez, 3b
Matsui, dh
Ensberg, 1b
Cabrera, cf
Moeller, c
Gonzalez, 2b

Comments

[Joe DiMaio]

Fantasy owners nationwide are applauding
Jeter's return.

For everyday advise visit: http://fantasyplayersedge.blogspot.com

[JB]

Some guy went on the DL for pink eye? No more needs to be said.

[chux2]

pink eye is extremely painful, and you can barely see. Your lids are almost swollen shut. Plus, it is very contagious.

[CharlieRay]

I don’t care what CC likes he belongs at lead off
Crawford
Longoria
Pena
Upton
Hinske DH
Iwamura
Ruggiano
Riggans
Bartlett
This would be a winning line-up with more run production and defence. Also break up all the leftys

[ray]

I agree about CC but the rest of the order would go like this in my line-up:

1. Crawford LF
2. Iwamura 2B
3. Pena 1B
4. Upton CF
5. Longoria 3B
6. Hinske DH/RF
7. Gomes DH/RF
8. Riggans C
9. Bartlett SS

Gomes strikes out a lot i know, but the intensity he brings to the dugout isn't matched by anyone i've ever seen wear a Rays jersey. If Ruggiano gets that fire, maybe. Navarro was swinging a hot bat early on, but i agree Riggans is the real deal. He just needs to settle down and take more pitches.

[Eli]

Iwamura
Crawford
Upton
Pena
Gomes
Longoria
Hinske
Riggans
Barlett

i dont like the idea of having 3 lefthanded batters bunched at the top so moving upton to third in the order is perfect because it splits up the order, he sees better pitches because pena protects him, and he can do it all at the plate which is what you want from a third batter.

[Sean]

I say we put the line up like this...

Upton
Crawford
Longoria
Pena
Hinske
Iwamura
Ruggiano
Navarro/Riggans
Bartlett

Iwamura has sucked in the lead off spot. He looks like he is trying to hit HR's. Upton would be like Alfonso Soriano. He has had very good at bats and can hit HR's. It breaks up the lefties and righties in the top 6 so you can't bring in a specialist.

[Mitch]

Why would you want Upton hitting in front of Crawford? I agree that Aki is a bit chilly right now but to me the natural progression would be to move Crawford into the leadoff and stick Upton behind him. Then again, Crawford isn't exactly working the count these days.

Crawford
Upton
Pena
Longoria
Iwamura
(scrubs)

[raysfan]

one thing that's affecting this team more than anything:

lack of selectivity at the plate. it's embarrassing to see our guys go down on three pitches. this first pitch swinging (and missing) HAS GOT TO GO! and we see it every game! how hard is it for maddon or steve henderson to absolutely insist that the guys work the count? successful teams work the count and take walks and find a way to get on base. unsuccessful teams hack at everything and strike out with RISP. frankly we are looking much more like the latter right now and it is getting old.

i know the season is very young but the ONLY rays i have noticed who work the count are pena and upton so far. i have no idea what's wrong with everybody else.

[Kit]

Now why should this City incur more debt for a new stadium?