Shields honored as AL's best
Update, 10:05 p.m. LHP Scott Kazmir worked into the sixth inning in his rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Monday, throwing 81 pitches as he allowed three hits (including a solo homer) and walked one. Kazmir, completing his recovery from a left elbow strain, is expected to join the Rays in Baltimore on Tuesday and assuming all is well start preparing for his first start of the season, likely on Sunday in Boston.
RHP Al Reyes also had a successful outing for Class A Vero, striking out the three batters he faced. If all is well with Reyes, who had been out with a shoulder impingement, he will be activated on Thursday.
Rays starter James Shields got two wins, and Monday he got something to go with them - American League Player of the Week honors.
Shields was 2-0 with 1.13 ERA in beating Toronto and Boston, as the Rays won six straight and moved into a tie for first atop the AL East. He allowed two runs in seven innings against the Jays on Tuesday, then threw a two-hit complete shutout against the Red Sox on Sunday.
Shields was chosen over former Rays prospect Josh Hamilton, who hit .429 with 10 RBIs for Texas in the week ending Sunday, as well as Texas teammate Michael Young (.462, 5 extra-base hits), Detroit's Magglio Ordonez (.400, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs), Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang (2-0, 2.08 ERA) and Cleveland's Cliff Lee (1-0, 0.00).
Shields will receive a Swiss Tourneau watch for the award.
[Brian Cassella, Times]
Follow Tampa Bay Rays baseball from spring training to the World Series with Marc Topkin, Joe Smith and the St. Petersburg Times sports staff. From Evan Longoria to B.J. Upton and Scott Kazmir, we're your source for Tampa Bay Rays scores and schedules.
Right on, floridianbychoice! I was at Saturday night's game and the Red Sox fans seated near me acted like I was rooting for the wrong team. Hmmph, I was so glad when Navi, Aki, and our bullpen led by Percy silenced all their smart comments. GO RAYS!!!
Posted by: Carol | April 29, 2008 at 01:33 PM
Amen on that floridianbychoice...sickens me to go to The Trop and see Yanks fans and Red Sox fans fill half the stadium on game day. Move back to the snow morons cause you are in Rays country. Sooner or later though the crabs will be out numbered.
Posted by: Dominic in SRQ | April 29, 2008 at 01:26 PM
The S ux & their fans can get use to wicked whippings from the Rays b/c they are going down & we have alot of catching up to do. We'll continue to knock the socks off of them & make them walk the plank.
The more we win, less S ux fans @Trop in our house. Keep up the great job Rays players and lets stand up Rays fans in mass and cheer on / support the home team.
Rays rock Fla style!
Posted by: rayray | April 29, 2008 at 11:24 AM
YES JAMES! WE HEAR EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!! PERHAPS ALL THOSE RED SOX FANS WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL STATE COULD SHOW A LITTLE PRIDE IN WHERE THEY ARE NOW INSTEAD OF WHERE THEY ARE FROM. AFTER ALL, I BELIEVE THEY
CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE. GO RAYS!!!!!
Posted by: floridianbychoice | April 28, 2008 at 09:40 PM
Great job! The organization as a whole needs an applause as well!! Keep working hard at everything - winning games, attracting more fans, & building a new ball park!!!!
Posted by: Rays fan | April 28, 2008 at 05:49 PM
Congrats James! Well deserved.
Posted by: Hawkeye | April 28, 2008 at 05:15 PM
http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/wilbur/
Read how dumb Eric Wilbur of the Boston Globe Blog is. Then comment on his stupidity.
Posted by: It's pronouced CAR not CAAAA | April 28, 2008 at 03:48 PM