Reyes placed on 15-day DL; Birkins activated

The injuries keep on coming. Rays reliever Al Reyes was put on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with right shoulder impingement, akin to inflammation.

Essentially, impingement happens when the rotator cuff muscle swells, leading to pain when a pitcher reaches his arm back.

Reyes will be replaced by LHP Kurt Birkins, who was activated from the DL after coming off successful rehab of left elbow neuritis. Reyes said he started feeling the discomfort in his last two-to-three outings, a feeling similar, but less serious than the shoulder injury which sidelined him last season. Manager Joe Maddon said Reyes could be back in less than the 15 days, but the stay was long enough he needed to make a move.

Reyes, the Rays primary setup man, was 1-2 this season with a 9.00 E.R.A. The 38-year-old righthander last pitched on Monday, giving up the game-winning homer to Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano. In his place, look to see more of Dan Wheeler in the setup role, with Trever Miller and Gary Glover also getting some late-inning work. Maddon said Birkins could also be used in the long role, similar to what J.P. Howell has been doing, making Howell available for more situational matchup stuff.

Reyes will be the ninth Ray on the disabled list.

Birkins has been on the disabled list since spring training, when he suffered the nerve injury to his throwing elbow. The Rays said he's expected to join the team here in Minneapolis, where the Rays begin a two-game series against the Twins. Birkins was all smiles when he arrived (flight got in at 4:30 pm), saying he got the call at 11:30 p.m. the night before; he was all packed to make the drive to Durham.

Some other pre-game news and notes:

*C Dioner Navarro's rehab game today at extended spring went well, with him catching behind the plate, even throwing out a runner trying to steal. Maddon said he didn't hit, because he needed to get wrapped up a little more, but Navarro is still on schedule for his slated return, likely early next week.

That'll leave an interesting decision for backup catcher, with Mike DiFelice performing so well, making it a tough call between him and Shawn Riggans.

*RHP Matt Garza is scheduled for a bullpen session Thursday in St. Petersburg; if it goes well, Garza (radial nerve irritation) would move to a start at Vero Beach on Sunday...

*RHP Juan Salas, who has been infamously stuck in the Dominican Republic due to visa issues, is expected to arrive at the Naimoli Complex Thursday in St. Petersburg. Salas would have competed for a bullpen spot in the spring, but now that he's here, we'll likely hear word tommorrow on the where he'll be optioned to.

A slight switch in the lineup, Maddon moved B.J. Upton to the third spot, calling it a Pena "sandwich;" the reason was to give the Twins something to think about matchup wise, breaking up the left-handed bats at the top of the order..

RAYS

Iwamura, 2b

Crawford, lf

Upton, cf

Pena, 1b

Longoria, 3b

Hinske, rf

Gomes, dh

RIggans, c

Bartlett, ss

TWINS
Gomes, cf

Span, rf

Mauer, c

Morneau, 1b

Young, lf

Kubel, dh

Harris, 2b

Lamb, 3b

Punto, ss

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

ww

Comments

[cw]

Any chance this injury happened in the bar fight he was in last Thursday? Reyes, less time in bars and more time in the training room you chump.

[Mitchell]

I hurt
for you
my Reyes.

[TD]

I don't know how much more Reyes has in the tank. This injury may have affected his fastball velocity and offspeed pitches. If he does not improve, Dan Wheeler should permanently take over the 8th inning role with Reyes being more of a 1-2 batter situational reliever.

[TD]

Also, I am glad that Haynes is not in the lineup tonight. He sucks! Hinske should do a good job at RF in the Metrodome, which has a lot less room to cover than left field.

[Jeff Gilbert]

Where are all the people complaining about Joe "screwing with the lineup?" I guess you never look stupid doing what everybody else would do huh? One thing to note about Joe being reluctant to move BJ to 3rd in the order before now has to be his readiness for that role. It is great to see his K rate down from last year, but last year his batting average on balls hit in play was far outside of statistical norms, so it is natural to expect he will see the average fall quite a bit. He probably isnt a 300 hitter, but I would love to see it. Heck, his brother Justin has a crazy high batting average on balls hit in play also, so hopefully it runs in the family and decades of statistical analysis will have to be reevaluated. Go Joe!

[Thankyou]

Thank you Joe for breaking up the lefty at the top thing........three is a row in modern baseball is not a good idea. With so many specialty lefties out there....3 lefties in a row is just insane.

[Nick]

This Bartlett guy is really starting to annoy me. I hope he starts playin better because this is horrible. Grounding into DP's with runners in scoring position, errors, bad throws, horrible batting average.............Brendan Harris was solid everyday....

[Thankyou]

I wish Bartlett would get injured.

[Maddummb]

Would someone please teach Maddummb how to manage a pitching staff?

[JBC]

Good call, TD. Hinske allows Young to go from 1st to 3rd on a horribly played fly ball in right.

Gee if they just had a new stadium I bet they would be winning this game.

[Brian]

Any chance the Twins will take Bartlett back? Is it too soon to start talking about the worst trade in Rays history?

[Ray]

It's amazing how quick these guys fake injuries after giving up runs for losses.

And I've never seen so many mental mistakes by one team. These kids have not been taught fundamentals and that's the manager's job to make sure they're ready.

All little-leaguers know that with less than 2 outs and a man on 3rd, you let a foul-ball drop if it's not within throwing distance to get the guy going home. Especially with the game tied and that late into the ballgame. But, that wasn't the only one tonight.

[Jesse]

Obviously Ray you have never played left field before..If a ball is hit and its close to being fair/foul with a r.i.s.p, you dont let it drop and take the chance of not getting an out..CC did the right thing in hustling and diving for it..If he pulled up and watched it bounce fair you probably would have called him out for not hustling..And who faked an injury??? Have you ever even played organized baseball before??

[Lori]

THey need to pull it together.
http://the6-4-3.mlblogs.com
check out my Rays blog for more chatter with other Rays fans.

[Joe DiMaio]

Al needs some time off to get his act
together. Let's hope Joe keeps Pena
at cleanup for the foreseeable future.

Joe
http://fantasyplayersedge.blogspot.com

[TD]

Hey JBC, that's Maddon's fault. Hinske hit a homer earlier in the game and should be subbed out late in the game for a defensive replacement. Haynes fits that role perfectly. Hinske did his job with the bat, but Maddon did not do his by putting in Haynes in a tie game late for better defense. Haynes has so far been terrible offensively, so he should be mainly used for pinch running and late game defense. I don't think that Maddon does a good job using some of his players properly in certain game situations.

[Dave]

Haven't we seen enough of the Andy Friedman Hour? Why do so many people continue to refer to him as some kind brilliant young GM? He's a mess. He should have been fired the day he left Josh Hamilton unprotected and watched him walk out for $50K. He followed that by getting fleeced on Young and Dukes. This guy is clearly in over his head. He needs to go yesterday.

[Chris]

Hey Mark,

Why doesn't the media get on Maddon for his idiotic antics and his patent inability to manage this team?! The Times doesn't spare Chucky the rod - EVERYTHING wrong with the Bucs gets pinned on him. He's constantly criticized. Yet Clueless Joe manages to skate by notwithstanding his abysmal W-L record. There's too much talent on this team to continue losing like he does. I, for one, think it's the media's obligation to start making some noise.

[Merlot Joe]

Man this season is really not going well. Ten guys on the DL already .. I doubt Casey Stengel would have won 3 games with this crew.
I'm stressed ... I think I am going to take off for Napa for a few days to go to my niece's wedding ...
Zim, can you watch the boys while I'm gone?

[Bodog]

I read some of these comments / criticisms by so called Rays fans of Maddon's management (lack of management) style and I shake my head in disgust. Clearly some of you have no clue of what the hell you are talking about, These last few games have been so frustrating, not only for Maddon , but us as well - being a Rays fan. How many times must Maddon make excuses for bone-headed plays by BJ when he overthrows the cut-off man. How many excuses will he make to cover-up Bartlett's ineffectiveness at shortstop ( Both offensively & defensively. Maddon doesn't have the final say in personnell - point in case. Haynes is a very good defensive RF, but his offensive SUCKS. Every night, Maddon has to make a descision on who plays RF. Do I play Hinski or Gomes for offensive and pray that they make good defensive plays, or do I play Haynes and get good defensive play and no offense. BJ has played CF long enough to know that he ISN'T going to throw out every runner every time. Make the safe and smart play dummy - hit your cut-off man. Last night's loss can clearly be attributed to three plays.

(1) Bartlett's throwing error to first with two outs and the bases loaded on that ground out.

(2) Hinske's inability to get to Harris' pop fly that allowed Young to go from first to third.

(3) Shields inability to get batters out when he had two strikes on them.

There were other mistakes but those three stood out. It's high time people stop blaming Maddon for loses and brain farts these players are having. How many times does the man have to address these same issues with the same players night after night after night. This team is solid in certain positions but until the team can button up RF, catcher, and these damn pitcher start to understand that strikeouts aren't the only way to get an out - this team will continue to struggle with close games. It's not like we're getting blown out with these losses, it's the lack of critical thinking in critical situations that's hurting us. I'll admit that last night's lineup was good, but also with that lineup - we get offense and lack defense.

[Ray]

"Obviously Ray you have never played left field before..If a ball is hit and its close to being fair/foul with a r.i.s.p, you dont let it drop and take the chance of not getting an out"

Yes Jesse, I have. It's not all CC's fault, he should have also been helped in determining the foul-line by Longo. Longo's got to run out, tell him it's foul and the pitcher backups 3rd.

[Chris]

What is so difficult about this RF situation? I guess if you're Maddon it is, but to anyone else with half a baseball mind, it isn't. Play Hinske for his offense. If it's a tight game late, put in Haynes for his defense. This is not rocket science.

Clueless Joe simply ignores all statistics and, worse, seems to lack any and all baseball instinct. Case in point: he pulled a LEFTY (who was dominating, by the way) and put in Wheeler, a RIGHTY, to face two lefty power hitters in Mauer and Morneau. WHO DOES THAT?! Mauer proceeds to rap a base hit and, by dumb luck, Morneau grounds out. DUMB LUCK. Play the odds, idiot. And STOP changing the line up every night! And STOP batting three lefties in a row at the top of the order. WHO DOES THESE THINGS?! Clueless Joe, that's who!

And WHY, oh why, can't he teach ANY of these guys some basic fundamentals?! I agree with you that if there is a mental breakdown here or there among a player or two, that's not the manager's fault. But when NO ONE has any sense of fundamentals - no patience at the plate, no ability to bunt, no baserunning sense, no instinct in terms of where to throw the ball when in play - the manager IS responsible. These problems run rampant, meaning that NO ONE with any leadership skill is addressing them.

[cw]

Thank you Chris for bring up Maddon's decision to remove a lefty from the game, Burkins (who had also thrown only 9 pitches), and bringing in a righty, Wheeler, to face two power lefties. This makes no sense and he is lucky it worked for him this time.

And the lack of fundamentals...where is this "Rays Way" that I've heard so much about that Maddon was going to implement? These mistakes occur more often now than they did when Maddon inherited this team 3 years ago. Barlett booted a costly ball last night too, but at least he knew where he was going to throw it when it was hit to him. The fundamentals, (Upton/Maddon) no excuse.

One final thought… who stays and who goes when Navi comes back early next week? I say Difelice stays based on the way he manages the game (and pitchers) behind the plate. Pitchers ERA with him catching is more than a point lower than Riggins or Navarro. Thoughts?

[Bodog]

Chris - it's very easy for you, I, and the others to sit back and second guess Maddon AFTER the play. Maddon did what he thought was best to give the team a chance to win. They have the scouting reports on all opponents. Before Maddon went to Birkins, I would best my life on it that you were jumping up and down second guessing Maddon on that move. Here is a guy just off the 15 day DL and on his way to Durham - who would have thunk it that Birkins would come in and do the job he did - certainly not you. The move he made with Wheeler to face Mauer and Morneau WAS against all odds, but Joe decided because Mauer and Morneau's batting average was better against lefty's than righty's he went with Wheeler. It paid off.
As far as teaching these guys fundamentals, how long would you guess these guys have been playing ball - The boneheaded miscues being made by some of these guys should never show up in their game at this stag of their careers, they should know how to bunt, which base to throw too, stealing, and all those other instincts you mentioned - they should have been taught to them in minor league ball - not the big show. You don't walk before you crawl. By the way, the lineup tonite has the feel of a MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM - MADDON should leave it alone, let it be.

[Bodog]

CW - read my post and you will get your answers. I definitely agree with you on sending Riggans down once Navi returns. I'll go one further with, let Navi ride the pine and let Defelice start.

[jeff]

It appeared to me in spring training that Reyes was not into the setup guy role. He needs the drama of the closer role, such as the antics on our scoreboard when he entered the game - or maybe he's just washed up?

[jeff]

It appeared to me in spring training that Reyes was not into the setup guy role. He needs the drama of the closer role, such as the antics on our scoreboard when he entered the game - or maybe he's just washed up?

[Tazed & Confused]

I was washed up after last year's all-star break --- now I'm just short circuited!
Sincerely,

Big Al