Tampa Bay Rays Spring Training Thread

[Lets Go Rays]

UPDATE, 3:42: Rays win 3-1, SS Tim Beckham makes a running, diving catch in shallow leftfield for the final out.

UPDATE, 2:53: Kazmir said everything felt good, and he was happy with his slider, which he threw about 10 times. He also experimented some with the slide step delivery out of the stretch and said he liked how it felt. Rays lead 3-1 after six innings, with Willy Aybar going deep in the fourth.

UPDATE, 2:16: Kazmir is done, having worked four innings, allowing five hits and one run, and striking out three.


UPDATE, 1:44: LHP Scott Kazmir has looked pretty sharp in his first two innings on the mound (as opposed to his unimpressive strikeout at the plate), and the Rays lead 2-1 going to the bottom of the third.

UPDATE, 1:16: Good start for the Rays, with two runs in the first on hits by Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena and Pat Burrell.

UPDATE, 12:05: Manager Joe Maddon said that by the middle of next week (ie, after Tuesday's off-day) the Rays may start winnowing the field for the No. 5 starter's job. One reason is that have to start making decisions, the other is that the top four starters need to start pitching deeper into games so there are less innings available. The Rays are also considering having some of those guys pitch in minor-league games so they can get a longer look at the finalists for the fifth spot against big-league hitters.

Maddon also confirmed his plans to have Matt Joyce make his spring debut as the DH on Thursday.
Here is the Reds lineup, which doesn't include Jonny Gomes, who is having a strong spring for the Reds with a .364 average, 3 homers and 10 RBIs:

Taveras, cf
Keppinger, ss
Nix, rf
Ward, 1b
Francisco, 3b
Tatum, c
Hopper, lf
Janish, 2b
Arroyo, p

- - -
The Rays are bringing the big boys on the (relatively) short trip up to Sarasota for this afternoon's exhibition and reunion with former teammate Jonny Gomes. Also of note, Willy Aybar makes his first appearance since returning from the World Baseball Classic, Pat Burrell starts in rightfield since there is no DH today, and Ben Zobrist gets some work in centerfield. And Scott Kazmir will be on the mound.
The lineup posted in the clubhouse this morning looks like this:
Bartlett, ss
Crawford, lf
Longoria, 3b
Pena, 1b
Burrell, rf
Aybar, 2b
Navarro, c
Zobrist, cf
Kazmir, p

[Lets Go Rays]

Scott Kazmir put together another solid spring outing Saturday, building off his nice first start.

Kazmir pitched four sharp innings to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The All-Star left-hander allowed one run and five hits, struck out three and walked none.

"Kaz had command of his breaking ball," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "When he does that it makes his other pitches that much better."

Kazmir, who was 12-8 with a 3.49 ERA last season, gave up one run and three hits over two innings in his Grapefruit League debut on Monday against the Minnesota Twins.

Bronson Arroyo went 4 2/3 innings in the longest outing by a Reds pitcher this spring. He allowed three runs and four hits.

Carlos Pena and Pat Burrell hit back-to-back RBI doubles off Arroyo in the first inning and Willy Aybar hit his first homer of the spring in the fourth.

"Them hitting me around in the first inning gave me a high pitch count," Arroyo said. "Even in a spring game a high pitch inning can affect how deep you go in the game. I got some good work in today."

The Reds have scored a single run in each of their last two games but manager Dusty Baker remains upbeat.

"We hit some balls hard today," Baker said. "(Norris) Hopper hit the ball hard three times and I thought Rosy (Adam Rosales) got one."

Rosales hit a long fly to center with a man on in the eighth that died short of the warning track.

Notes

Reds relievers Daniel Herrera, Arthur Rhodes, David Weathers, Francisco Cordero and Jared Burton combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings. Herrera got one out and Rhodes, Weathers, Cordero and Burton each pitched an inning. ... Jeff Niemann threw two scoreless innings for the Rays.

[General]

Arthur Rhodes is still around?

[Lets Go Rays]

The Rays are ready to host the Pirates today. Here is the lineup posted in the Rays clubhouse:
Ruggiano, rf
Crawford, lf
Kapler, cf
Pena, 1b
Burrell, dh
Ensberg, 3b
Brignac, ss
Riggans, c
Kennedy, 2b
Garza, p

And here is the Pirates lineup:

McCutchen, cf
Tabata, lf
Adam LaRoche, dh
Monroe, rf
Pearce, 1b
Andy LaRoche, 3b
Bixler, ss
Cruz, 2b
Jaramillo, c
Gorzelanny, p

[Lets Go Rays]

RHP Matt Garza, making his second spring start, has a pretty clean and quick first inning, retiring the side in order, including a strikeout of Adam LaRoche.

[Lets Go Rays]

Garza got out of a little jam in the second, thanks to a nice defensive play by Morgan Ensberg. Garza gave up a one-out walk and single, putting runners on first and second. After a visit from pitching coach Jim Hickey, Garza got Luis Cruz to line to to Ensberg, who doubled off LaRoche at second.

[Lets Go Rays]

The Rays have a rally going here in the third, with three straight hits (Riggans, Kennedy and Ruggiano) loading the bases with no outs for the heart of the order.

[Lets Go Rays]

Crawford had an RBI fielder's choice, and Gabe Kapler came up with an RBI single to leftfield. It could have scored two, but Crawford was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second.


Rays 2, Pirates 0

[Lets Go Rays]

Though LaRoche got on base due to an error by Ensberg (looked like he lost the ball in the sun on an infield popup), Shawn Riggans threw him out trying to steal second to end the inning. Garza has gone four innings, giving up just three hits.

[Lets Go Rays]

RHP Jason Isringhausen has entered in the sixth for his Rays debut.

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RHP Troy Percival has come in for the fifth, his second spring outing of the season following offseason back surgery.

Percival worked a quick hitting, striking out Bixler swinging, getting Cruz to pop out.
The veteran closer has looked pretty sharp so far this spring - two quick innings, using both his fastball and offspeed stuff.

[Lets Go Rays]

Isringhausen, one of the career leaders in saves, has been impressive so far in bullpens following offseason elbow surgery.

Today, Isringhausen had a decent outing, overcoming a rocky start. He gave up a leadoff triple to McCutchen, who ripped the ball to the wall in left-center. Tabata then hit the ball hard to leftfield for a sacrifice fly.

Isringhausen threw 17 pitches, striking out Craig Monroe swinging to end the inning.

[Lets Go Rays]

RHP Dan Wheeler has come in and has had a rough outing so far. He gave up a one-out homer to to Andy LaRoche here in the seventh, then a triple and hit a batter. The second run scored when the Rays couldn't execute a double play (Reid Brignac's throw to first was wild).


Pirates 3, Rays 2

[Lets Go Rays]

Reid Brignac's hefty homer to rightfield tied the game 3-3 in the seventh. Grant Balfour is on the mound for the Rays.

[Lets Go Rays]

Balfour got into trouble, then got out of it by striking out Brian Bixler with the bases loaded to preserve the tie.

[Lets Go Rays]

Ray Sadler jump started the Rays offense in the eighth, doubling to lead off, and then stealing third with a headfirst slide.

Elliot Johnson just knocked Sadler in with an RBI single to leftfield to give the Rays a 4-3 lead.