THE GOOD: Jonny Gomes and Justin Ruggiano started against the lefty and went a combined 3-6 with a walk and an RBI...Last night during the Live Blog-A-Baloo we introduced a new nickname. McGlovin. For Gary Glover. He really is faking the whole major league pitcher thing (For those unfamiliar with the reference, google 'McLovin').

THE BAD: We don't know what to call Edwin Jackson's performance. If he had pitched like that in '07 against the Yankees, we might have actually been impressed, but this was a little dissapointing for the '08 Jackson. At least when he isn't on top of his game against a good team he didn't embarras himself or the team. He very easily could have given up 9 runs...However, the pitching staff as a whole which was walking less than 3 batters per 9 innings entering last night's game, walked 9, including 5 from the bullpen in only 4 innings...Twice early in the game the Rays had a runner on third base with 1 out and failed to score...

THE TELLING: Getting swept, even if it is just a 2-game series. The Rays need to be winning series and right now they are letting opportunities slip away...Joe Maddon wanted to give Aki Iwamura the night off. He had Elliot Johnson start at second. That's fine. But he replaced Aki with Jason Bartlett at the top of the order. Bartlett who entered the game with an OBP below .200. He did go 2-5 and drive in a run, but Bartlett at the top of the order is not something we want to see very often. We know Carl Crawford doesn't like leading off and we know Maddon likes stability in the order, but would it kill CC to lead off 4-5 times a year when Aki is given a night off?...Mike DiFelice is hitting .429 and the staff has a better ERA with him behind the plate.With Dioner Navarro returning soon, might Shawn Riggans be on the way out to make room for the veteran catcher the team always said they wanted?

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Matt Garza had his first bullpen session since going on the DL. He said he threw pain-free after he was diagnosed by the team doctor's and given a cortisone shot. Garza says he feels good enough to come off the DL the first day he is eligible, April 24. [MLB]
• Here is one issue that we have with Fantasy Baseball...You websites that run stories titled "Who Is Better: Evan Longoria Or Kevin Youkilis". Would this ever be a question in real life? [Fake Teams]
• A preview of things to come? Andy Sonnanstine will be available for relief duty tonight rather throw his usual between-starts throwing. The Rays say it is because the bullpen has been overused recently...Mike DiFelice is not only hitting well, but the pitching staff has a better ERA with him behind the plate (3.25) as compared to Dioner Navarro (5.21) and Shawn Riggans (4.50)...Juan Salas is expected to return to the US today. [St. Pete Times]
• Dioner Navarro will play in extended spring training games today and tomorrow and then will catch Scott Kazmir's rehab start at Vero Beach on Friday. [Tampa Tribune]
  
• Sean Deveney of The Sporting News says that it is only one start but Jeff Niemann's performance was a glimpse into the future of the Tampa Bay Rays. Niemann is the first of several top pitching prospects that will eventually make their way to the Rays. [Sporting News]

No one is confusing the Orioles with the 1927 Yankees. But Niemann is 25, making his debut. The fact that he -- and catcher Mike DiFelice -- had confidence in his entire repertoire says a lot about where this guy's stuff is. He wasn't just using the breaking ball when he was ahead. He was throwing it when he was behind or even in the count.

• Fanhouse says a Yankees-Rays rivalry is good for baseball. [Fanhouse]
  
• DRays Bay continues their profiles of the candidates for the top pick in the June draft. Up next is Aaron Chow. [DRays Bay]
• Outs Per Swing has moved shop over to the MVN Network, replacing the previous Rays blog. We had forgotten there was a Rays blog on MVN. [Outs Per Swing]
• Sports Indeed is clearly depressed over the loss of Rays Anatomy...Nahhh! We're BS'n you. Sports Indeed threw a party. [Sports Indeed]
• Home Run Derby notes that Carlos Pena may be leading MLB in home runs but he is not hitting anything else. [Home Run Derby]
  
• Evan Longoria recounts his first major league home run. [MLB]
• Sticks of Fire noticed some peculiarities in the treatment of governor Charlie Crist and Mike Alstott on opening day. [Sticks of Fire]
  

Tampa Bay Rays (33 days until Opening Day)

Even though the MRI results are not due until today, the St. Pete Times this morning is reporting that Scott Kazmir will be sidelined for approximately two weeks.

The news on Rays ace Scott Kazmir's left elbow appeared relatively good Tuesday night - no serious injury, but he's expected to be sidelined about two weeks, which makes it unlikely he'd be ready for the opening day start.

Kazmir, 24, walked off the mound Tuesday after feeling "a little discomfort" while warming up for an intrasquad game and ended up in an MRI machine at Dr. Koco Eaton's office. Kazmir said "it felt like it just jammed a little bit, kind of like a hyperextension."

Of course the immediate concern is the status of Kid K's elbow. In relation to the Rays opening day roster...this set-back for Kazmir may be an opportunity for another starting pitcher.

Joe Maddon has stated the five are fighting for the final two spots in the rotation, with incumbants Edwin Jackson and Andy Sonnanstine the early favorites. If Kazmir does indeed miss two or three starts in April, One of Jason Hammel, JP Howell and Jeff Niemann may get a shot to extend their audition into the regular season.

If one of those pitchers is slated to become a long reliever, Maddon may be more inclined to start that pitcher in the role immediately and fill the hole in the rotation with one of the other two. For example, if Hammel is to be the long reliever, he may not be considered to fill Kazmir's spot in the rotation.

This set-back for Kazmir now means that we have a significantly better chance of seeing Niemann on the opening day roster.

Rays concerned for Kazmir [Bradenton Herald]
Kazmir checks out [St. Pete Times]

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• If you missed it yesterday, we included a "Webtopia" in the "Happy Hour" segment yesterday afternoon. So you will find a number of links there. This may become more common during Spring Training when the media coverage is at it's highest. [Rays Index]
• The Rays held their first intrasquad game yesterday. Not a lot of action, outside of Jonny Gomes making a falling down diving catch. [Herald-Tribune]
  
• Joel Guzman finally resolved his Visa issues and arrived at camp yesterday. Willy Aybar is expected to arrive today. We finally get to see exactly how good the super-platoon, Jolly Guzbar, can be. [Tampa Bay Rays]
  
• Stuart Sternberg said he would be open to adding payroll to the team in-season if it meant strengthening the team. [St. Pete Times]

"Obviously our payroll has been at or near the bottom. But it's a big business, and with a business like that you need to have some flexibility," Sternberg said during his first appearance of the spring at training camp..."So we will always be in a position to add. The question is, at what cost and not just at the cost, but how does that affect us 2009, 2010? The money isn't endless. It will just have to come from another year."

• Florida Governor Charlie Crist supports the Rays proposal for a new stadium, stating that he believes the new park and the redevelopment of Tropicana Field would be an economic boost for the city. [Rays Report]
  

The new stadium “means a lot. I want to do everything we can,” Crist said, “That is why I wanted to reinstitute the [Governor’s Baseball Dinner], to show how much Florida appreciates what baseball does for the whole Sunshine State. Anything we can do in order to support baseball – and all sports being in Florida – is important...Annually, sports means $32 billion a year for the Sunshine State. That’s a huge economic driver and makes an enormous impact in the production of jobs...[A new Rays stadium is] not just for owners and players but for an awful lot of people that work at the stadium that park the cars and provide the food. It’s very important for all of us and I want to do whatever I can to help.”

• Fire Jay Mariotti rips apart a piece from The Sporting News that thinks the Rays should sign Barry Bonds. [Fire Jay Mariotti]
  

Team USA 10, Chinese Taipei 7.
Justin Ruggiano and Evan Longoria helped Team USA clinch the top seed in the quarterfinals by leading the team to a win over Taipei in the final game of group play. Ruggiano went 3-5, hitting 2 home runs and driving in 5. He had an RBI single in the 4th that gave Team USA a 3-1 lead. In the 7th, Ruggiano broke a 6-6 tie with an opposite-field 3-run home run and added one more with a solo shot in the 9th inning. Longoria finished 3-5, with a double an RBI and 2 runs scored. Team USA will face Korea on Friday in the quarterfinals.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Florida Governor Charlie Crist is supporting the Rays plans to build a new ballpark on the current site of Al Lang Field on the St. Pete waterfront. While he supports the idea, he has yet to back the idea of a tax break on the construction of the new stadium, which may be key to getting the deal done. [tampabay.com]

"I think the opportunity to create an ambiance right on the waterfront in St. Petersburg is brilliant, I really do," Crist told reporters in the state Capitol..."It provides jobs, jobs, jobs for a lot of people," said Crist, whose rental condo in downtown St. Petersburg would be blocks from the new park.

• In a move that surprised nobody, the Rays picked up the $2.3 million option on Al Reyes and declined the $1 million option on Greg Norton. Reyes' option was originally for $1 million but was upped once he hit certain incentive marks in 2007. [Yahoo! Sports]
• Sports Grumblings has analyzed the Rays farm system and has listed the top 10 prospects. Not much to argue with as the top tier of talent in the system seems pretty clear cut. We would probably still place Mitch Talbot in the top 10 despite a disappointing 2007 and we are not as sold on Jeremy Hellickson and Chris Mason as much as others are. Hellickson is a small right hander and those rarely succeed in the majors. Mason wins but he is a big right hander that does not throw hard, so there are still questions as to whether or not that will translate to the same level of success above AA. [Sports Grumblings]