All-Star Sunday at the Trop
The lingering question this afternoon, as the Rays prepare to host the Royals for a 1:40 matinee, will be which Ray - or Ray(s) - make the All-Star team, which will be announced around 2 p.m.
Will C Dioner Navarro (at right in photo) get his first all-star invite? Might ace Scott Kazmir also join him? Manager Joe Maddon said in his pre-game chat that he knows, but couldn't reveal it.
In the meantime, Tampa Bay will go for three straight against the Royals today (view photo gallery) in a Sunday matinee at the Trop. Navarro was given the day off, with backup C Shawn Riggans in the lineup. So is Willy Aybar (at first base), and Gabe Gross (in rightfield). Maddon said he just wanted to give those guys a chance to get back into it, having all been successful in their fill-in stints before. Pena is still DH, but Maddon wanted to give him a day off throwing the ball to give his left index finger (which was fractured last month) a break.
*In pre-game medical news, RHP Al Reyes said he will begin a rehab assignment in Vero Beach, pitching Tuesday and Thursday, then after two days off, pitching back-to-back days (Sunday and Monday). At that point, he'll likely be re-evaluated.
The Royals have switched up their lineup a bit, with the Rays lineup coming soon...
RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, dh
Longoria, 3b
Aybar, 1b
Zobrist, ss
Gross, rf
Riggans, c
Shields, P
ROYALS
Gathright, cf
Grudzielanek, 2b
DeJesus, lf
Guillen, dh
Teahen, rf
GLoad, 1b
Buck, c
German, 3b
Pena, ss
Hochevar, p
-- JOE SMITH
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 James Shields, we're your source for Tampa Bay Rays scores and schedules.
The bad thing is the announcers on ESPN will bash the area for not attending Monday's game. We get almost no credit for increasing attendance by 35% and packing the Trop with more Rays fans than Sux fans the entire series. Let alone it was a mid-week series. They just complained again about today's attendance. We would have had about 8,000 there in the past for a Sunday/Royals game. I have complete confidence that our fans will show up in droves after the all-star break to make sure the Pit stays The PIT! Vote for Longo! Can't let Giambi get in!
Posted by: Mark | July 07, 2008 at 12:04 AM
With Monday's game vs Kansas City at 12:40, don't expect the fans to be plentiful, but C'mon, Kansas City, 12:40, MONDAY!
Posted by: Kurt Thoreson | July 06, 2008 at 08:02 PM
I don't know if its showcasing, but it sure is nice having some depth. Now on to a shallow comment...anyone getting sick of watching the sign lady? FSN is giving her way too much air time.
Posted by: Kennedy | July 06, 2008 at 03:15 PM
Showcasing Zobrist seems to be the move these days. I hope it works.
Posted by: Chet | July 06, 2008 at 01:32 PM