[Update: 8:24pm] The White Sox put away the Tigers 8-2. The Rays post-season opponent will now be determined tomorrow at 7:30 ET in a 1-game playoff.

[Update: 7:26pm] Gary Glover's first pitch was a grand slam for Chicago. About right. 6-2 White Sox.

[Update: 7:24pm] White Sox have tied the game at 2-2 and Detroit just brought in Gary Glover with the bases loaded, which should just about a guarantee a White Sox win and a 1-game playoff tomorrow with the Twins.

[Update: 6:08pm] Game announcers just said the Twins are in Minneapolis with a charter ready to bring them to Chicago.

The White Sox and Tigers are currently in the 4th inning with the White Sox leading 1-0. A Chicago win will force a 1-game playoff tomorrow at home against the Twins...Interesting question: Are the Twins in Chicago today? Today's game was delayed by rain for 3 hours. Would the Twins wait until after the game to travel? Can't imagine they would fly in tomorrow morning.

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA...

• Carl Crawford went 0-4 in 5 plate appearances during an Instructional League game today. He reported no pain and indicated he was playing at 100%. Crawford also says his hamstrings "feel good", no doubt benefiting from the time off. [Rays Report]
  
• Reid Brignac is healthy and playing in the Fall Instructional League. Andrew Friedman said he would not hesitate to put Brignac on the postseason roster should an injury necessitate the addition of a middle infielder...Marc Lancaster also reports that Jeff Niemann, Mitch Talbot and Juan Salas have been told they will not be on the postseason roster. [Rays Report]
• Ben Zobrist was named co-player of the week. He is the 4th Ray to win the award this season. [Rays Report]
  
• Outs Per Swing has a nice list of the Rays' top 10 pitching performances this season. A testament to this year's squad, all 5 of the Rays' starters make the list at least once. However, 7 of the outings came via Matt Garza (4) or James Shields (3) with the other 3 starters each appearing once. Our only argument might come with #1. We probably would have gone with Garza's 1-hit, 10-K performance against the Marlins (#2 on the list). That was the most dominating performance we have ever seen by a Rays' pitcher. Still, 1-hit shutout by Shields is hard to argue against. [Outs Per Swing]
  
• Sorry we missed this one yesterday...Baseball Digest Daily spoke with Buster Olney of ESPN.com during their weekly podcast. Among the topics covered were the Rays. You can catch the Rays segment at about the 35 min mark. [Baseball Digest Daily]
• The Angels "Ain't S#!t" compared to the Rays. [Bugs and Cranks]
• The first pitches for games 1 and 2 will be thrown out by senior VP John Higgins, the Rays' first-ever employee and Paul Azinger, the captain of the recent US Ryder Cup team, and Bradenton resident. [The Heater]

THE GOOD: Something good? Something good? Guess we could say the Rays chances of making the playoffs are now 99.4% according to Baseball Prospectus and 98.4% according to CoolStandings...That's good, right?

THE BAD: Of course what the hell does it matter if the team makes the playoffs if they are just going to be swept in 3 games when they face the Angels in the first round? Huh? Is that what we want? To go into the playoffs and just prove on the friggin' national stage that the Rays are still the Devil Rays and shouldn't be playing with the "Big Boys". If this doesn't turn around, this is going to get ugly...We picked a bad week to quit drinking whiskey...BJ Upton left the game in the 5th after straining his left quad while running (hard) to first base...The home run Edwin Jackson gave up in the first inning landed an hour earlier than the time it left the bat...With Jonathan Papalbon called on with 2 men on base and 2 outs in the 8th, Joe Maddon decided not to pinch hit for Rocco Baldelli. It was not like he was calling on Ben Zobrist or John Jaso. He had Cliff Floyd on the bench. We haven't gone through the at bats, but how many times has Rocco faced a 98-mph heater in the last 2 years? Once? None? And Rocco hadn't touched a pitch all night, and Papa Joe "felt good" about Rocco in that situation? Floyd would have been better prepared. And he had the match-up advantage being a lefty. $#%@#!!!!

THE TELLING: The Rays haven't scored a run since the Truman administration.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Juan Salas suffered an epileptic seizure prior to last night's game and was taken to a Boston hosptal. This is apparently not the first time this has happened to Salas and the Rays say he should be fine. [Rays Report]
• Evan Longoria was available to pinch-hit last night, and we assume that will be the same tonight and tomorrow. [St. Pete Times]
  
• Marc Lancaster says BJ Upton actually injured his quad while running (hard) after a flyball in the first inning, and won't be back until the weekend series. Joe Maddon said he will talk to Andrew Friedman about adding a player from Durham, possibly Jonny Gomes or Elliot Johnson...Did we mention that Upton was injured while running hard? It's true. [Rays Report]
• Cliff Floyd called a players-only team meeting prior to the game yesterday. Marc Lancaster says the meeting was "productive"...How productive could it have been. The Rays scored ZERO RUNS. [Tampa Tribune]
• John Romano is preaching to the choir, but at least somebody isn't afraid to say it...Translation: the Rays are pissing away the division. [St. Pete Times]

But there is considerable shame in the way the Rays are allowing this to happen...No matter how you frame it, the Rays are giving the division away. For five months, they were the best team in baseball, and they have allowed much of that prestige to unravel in eight September days...Trust me, this is not a question of semantics. It matters whether the Red Sox take the division, or the Rays surrender it. And, as of this morning, the white flag is halfway up the pole.

• Peter Gammons reports that Jeff Niemann has been so impressive recently that he "will definitely fit into the Tampa bullpen this month." Also, Andrew Friedman makes it sound like the Rays will not promote David Price...This would not surprise us at all. Also, we will reiterate what we have said before: If the Rays can clinch early, Niemann will make at least one start and possibly two, to give the regular starters a chance for a couple of extra days rest. [ESPN]

"We don't want people getting ahead of themselves, anointing [David Price] a savior and putting undo pressure on a kid in his first full professional season."--Andrew Friedman

• Matt Wieters was named the "Minor League Player of Year" by Baseball America. This is different from the USA Today player of the year award, for which David Price is a finalist. [Baseball America]
  

[Update: 11:29pm] Marc Lancaster is reporting that the Rays will recall Salas in time for Tuesday's game. At this point, Salas will not be eligible for the post-season roster, since he will not be on the active roster at midnight tonight. However, the Rays also put the injured JK Ryu on the major league DL. With Ryu and Chad Orvella on the DL, the Rays will have the option to add two players to a potential playoff roster, even after tonight's midnight deadline, to replace the injured players.

Lancaster says Perez was chosen over Jonny Gomes due to his defensive abilities and Jaso was chosen over DiFelice because the Rays do not expect to use their third catcher much, except as an occasional late-inning pinch-hitter.

Lancaster also indicates that this will be the only promotions until the Bulls complete their post-season run, which begins next week.

[10:56] Marc Topkin is reporting that the Rays promoted Fernando Perez following this afternoon's game. To make room, Juan Salas was optioned back to Durham. Andrew Friedman also announced that John Jaso, and not Mike DiFelice, will be promoted prior to Tuesday's game.

With the Rays deciding to use Jaso as the third catcher for the final month, DiFelice was released so that he may have a chance to catch on with another club for the final month.

Perez, a center fielder, was hitting .288/.361/.393 with 5 home runs and 43 stolen bases for the Bulls. Jaso, a catcher, spent the first half of the season with the Montgomery Biscuits in double-A and was hitting .278/.339/.481 in 31 games since being promoted to Durham. Jaso, a left-handed batter, had 72 walks to only 47 strike outs this season. He is generally considered a work-in-progress defensively, but a source close to the Montgomery team told us he has shown improvement behind the plate.

To fill the void left by the loss of two catchers from the Durham roster, the Rays also acquired Michel Hernandez from the Pirates organization for cash. The Bulls won the Southern Division of the IL and has qualified for the playoffs. Hernandez is a veteran of 11 minor league seasons, spending half of the 2007 in the Rays organization, playing 51 games for the Bulls. He made a brief 5-game appearance for the Yankees in 2003.

OF Fernando Perez called up; C John Jaso likely, too [The Heater]
Maddon convinced Orioles intentionally plunked Bartlett [St. Pete Times]

THE GOOD: The "Good" starts and ends with Matt Garza who pitched a 2-hitter for his second shutout of the season. One night after Joe Maddon was forced to use all 7 of his relief pitchers in an extra-inning contest, it was imperative Garza work deep into the night and he did not disappoint. Garza did not allow a hit until 2 outs in the 6th, when a blooper fell between Justin Ruggiano and Aki Iwamura...We should also point out that every starter had at least 1 hit, and the Rays "weak" offense produced 4 home runs, including number 24 for the red-hot Carlos Pena, who has now homered in 3-straight games and for the 9th time in his last 20 games.

THE BAD: BJ Upton. How angry was Joe Maddon that Upton failed to run hard twice last night? Papa Joe employed the harshest punishment a manager can do to a player. He embarassed him in the middle of the game. Having already decided to remove Upton from the game in the middle of the 6th inning, Maddon let Upton take the field in the bottom-half of the inning. Before Matt Garza was able to throw a pitch, Papa Joe sent Justin Ruggiano out to the field to replace Upton, foricing Upton to make the baseball-equivalent of the "Walk of Shame" back to the dugout.

THE TELLING: Jason Bartlett was back at SS last night for the first time in 12 days...Matt Garza and James Shields each have 2 shutouts which is tied for the major league lead. The Rays' 4 complete game shutouts is tied with the Dodgers, Milwaukee and Cleveland for the most in baseball. The pitching staff now has 7 complete games and this was the 11th time the team has shutout an opponent. That is second only to the 12 shutouts by the Red Sox and the Indians...The Rays magic number for the playoffs is now 36 over the White Sox/Twins. And the Yankees lost. Again. They should be ashamed of themselves. It is not even September and they are very close to being an afterthought even for the Wild Card.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Thank you Marc Lancaster...Finally a local media member stood up and emphatically said Barry Bonds is not going to play for the Rays. Of course it took a telling report from Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports in which Bonds agent says he sent Andrew Friedman a text message asking if the Rays would be interested in Bonds and the message went unanswered. [Rays Report]
  
• BJ Upton will also be benched on Saturday. Joe Maddon would not talk to Upton on Friday after the game for fear of saying something he would regret...That is a side of Papa Joe we haven't seen before. [The Heater]
  
• Troy Percival went on the DL with an injury to the cartilage in his knee. Juan Salas was recalled from Durham. Percival will miss 2-4 weeks. [The Heater]
• Joe Maddon said Grant Balfour will not be the de facto closer, instead choosing to go closer-by-comittee. [St. Pete Times]
  
• Andrew Friedman says Juan Salas has been prepped in Durham to give the Rays more than 1 inning at times. [MLB]
  
• The Rays finally signed their 2nd round pick, LHP Kyle Lobstein avoiding the possibility of losing him to the University of Arizona basketball team. Lobstein received a $1.5 million signing bonus. Of the players signed as of yesterday morning, that is the highest bonus given to any player outside of the first round, including supplemental picks between the first and second rounds. The Rays will will wait until next season for Lobstein to make his pro debut...The Rays signed 26 of their top 28 picks. [Rays Report]
• Joe Maddon, a former catcher, spoke with Peter Gammons about what makes a good catcher. [ESPN]

"A well above-average catcher for me would be Mauer," says Rays manager Joe Maddon, a former catcher and noted catching mentor. "An average catcher would have to have the mental acumen to take charge of your staff and display a caring that can be felt by all the pitchers. Next, he has to have the receiving ability and stamina to play at least five games a week. Throwing, I would like to have at least average arm strength with a quick release and accuracy. He has to block balls well and is fearless on plays at the plate. He should be the best worker on the team, and hitting, I would settle for .250 hitter with around 10 home runs or better." "We are," says Maddon, "describing the player who wears 'the tools of intelligence.'"

• One Red Sox blog feels the Rays are upsetting the natural order of things in the AL East and they are not happy about it. [RedSoxSoul]
  

Yesterday we presented our updated Trade Value Index (TVI). With a little over a week until next Thursday's trade deadline, rather than take a look at the players the Rays may target we will take a look at the players most likely to be sent packing should Andrew Friedman and Co. decide to pull the trigger on a deal.

Gerry Hunsicker, Rays' Senior VP for baseball operations and Friedman's guru, has made two of the best deadline deals in recent memory. In 2004, Hunsicker landed Carlos Beltran and 6 years earlier he traded for Randy Johnson. While the Astros failed to reach the World Series in either year, both Beltran and Johnson were key figures in Houston's playoff runs.

On the other hand Friedman sounds more like a guy that is willing to sit on the talent in place.

Keep in mind all of the "rumors" in the media recently are 99% speculation. They have a simple formula and the Rays always fit the formula. The media looks at a player and picks the teams still in contention that would view that player as an improvement. Then they decide which teams have the stronger farm system. The Rays will almost always satisfy both criteria.

The problem is the Rays are not like most ball clubs and are in the process of redefining success for small-market clubs. We feel that the Rays are more likely to follow the blueprint of the Angels who rarely make in-season deals and prefer to hold on to their homegrown talent.

That being said, there is still a chance the Rays will swing a deal for a mid-level player such as a middle reliever to add depth to a staff that has suffered a number of injuries. There is also a need for a right-handed hitting outfielder as the Rays have struggled against lefties this season and possibly a utility infielder that is an upgrade over Ben Zobrist and can serve as a backup shortstop.

So if a trade is made, which players are most likely to be used as bait...

Jason Hammel 3:2
Any deals involving pitchers will almost certainly involve Hammel to open a spot in either the bullpen or the rotation (with either Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine moving to the bullpen). Hammel can still bring the heat with a mid-90s fastball, but do any teams still think he can be a starter?

Jeff Niemann 2:1
While other teams will certainly ask for David Price, Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson, Niemann is the piece of value that the Rays would prefer to trade. While certainly Niemann's star shines less brightly these days, he is still young, and very big and he has a lot of upside.

Jonny Gomes 3:1
Like Hammel, any deal for a right-handed hitting outfielder will almost certainly involve Gomes going in the other direction. Nobody doubts Gomes' power or his intensity, and if given regular playing time, he could be a solid DH or outfielder for another team.

Fernando Perez 7:2
Perez has loads of talent but he still struggles with strikeouts. The Rays have no room in center with BJ Upton but could Perez play right field in '09 and be the Rays leadoff hitter? Or is he expendable? Like Niemann, Perez is one player we can see the Rays using as trade-bait.

Ben Zobrist 5:1
Whether as a utility infielder or a starting shortstop, Benny Boo Boo has proven that he can be a major leaguer. He will never be an all-star, but there are plenty of teams out there with worse options plaing short or second.

Mitch Talbot 5:1
Talbot would not be the key player in a trade, but he could be the arm that puts a deal over the top. He is a bit of a tweener. He has shown flashes of brilliance, like his performance in '06 SL playoffs, but he has been very up-and-down since moving to Durham. There is some upside and there does not seem to be a future for him with the Rays.

Dale Thayer 7:1
Thayer who seemed destined to be a career minor leaguer, has blossomed this season in Durham with a 1.43 ERA and 57Ks in 50.1 innings with only 17 walks. With Jeff Niemann and Juan Salas also in Durham as bullpen insurance, Thayer is certainly expendable. He is also Rule 5 eligible this winter, so now may be a good time to move him.

Eric Hinske 7:1
Hinske is a free agent at the end of the year, and with Gabe Gross and a healthy Cliff Floyd, Hinske is certainly expendable. But he has also been one of the Rays better hitters this season. Would the Rays risk moving an offensive contributor with the offense struggling a bit?

Juan Salas 8:1
If the Rays don't trade for a relief pitcher, Salas is probably the next guy up from Durham when somebody is needed. He has pitched well for Durham, with a 2.12 ERA and 38Ks in 34 innings with only 8 walks. Might somebody be enticed by the comparisons of Salas' cutter to Mariano Rivera's?

James Houser 8:1
Like Jeff Niemann, Houser is another name that the Rays will counter with when teams ask for one of the big pitching prospects. He is a tall lefty with some upside. Could be more tempting than a Mitch Talbot.

Justin Ruggiano 8:1
Ruggiano is similar to Mitch Talbot in that he is a bit of tweener. He posts good numbers in triple-A and could be serviceable as a 4th outfielder in the major leagues, but does he have a future with the Rays? Again, would not be the key player in a trade, but he could be the bat that puts a deal over the top.

Joel Guzman 10:1
Won't be 24 until November, and while he has a ton of power and a very good glove with plenty of positional flexibility, he still strikes out way too much (88 in 355 ABs this year) and his OBP is embarassing (.271). He will also be out of options in '09, so a move now or this winter may be necessary. Might somebody else be tempted by the talent?

Shawn Riggans 10:1
To us, this is the most intriguing name on the list. Riggans can hit. He still has plenty of room for improvement behind the plate and he is not that young (even for a catcher; 28 in a few days). The Rays also have Mike DiFeLice in Durham. DiFelice will be on the team in September no matter what happens, but would Maddon prefer DiFelice on a potential playoff roster? There is also John Jaso who was recently promoted to Durham and could make Riggans even more expendable.

Reid Brignac 10:1
Have the Rays soured a bit on Brignac? We can't see Brignac being traded, especially until Tim Beckham shows that he is a major leaguer-in-waiting. And there is also that open right field slot in '09. Could the Rays give Brignac a shot at RF in spring training? Still, no matter what the plans are, teams will ask for Brignac. Will the Rays bite?

Dan Johnson 12:1
Having a huge season since being demoted to Durham. Unfortunately, he has shown little or no power in the majors and has very little positional flexibility for a guy that is better suited for a bench role. Still, he has big league experience which a NL contender might value.

Al Reyes 15:1
A free agent at the end of the year, but has been struggling with injuries which make him more valuable to the Rays than to any suitor.

Chris Mason 15:1
Would anybody want him?

Gary Glover 20:1
Ditto

Grant Balfour 50:1
Another name that is very intriguing to us. If there is any inkling in the Rays front office that this recent run by Balfour is a fluke, then now is the time to trade the power righty and sell high. But everything we have seen indicates that Balfour is the real-deal and maybe he just needed to find some confidence which he has plenty of right now.

ODDSMAKERS

Trading David Price to the Cardinals for Albert Pujols?

We understand the temptation. The Cardinals are in rebuilding mode and are pitching-thin. The Rays have a set rotation, and a top pick that so far appears to be toying with minor league hitters. A Pujols in the Rays lineup would instantly make them a legit World Series contender. In addition, Pujols is the type of player that would brings fans to the Trop. And while we believe the Rays still have some flexibility in the payroll, are they willing to add a player that makes $16MM a season over the next 3 years? In today's market, that is a bargain, but it still isn't cheap. And they still owe Carlos Pena $18MM over the next 2 years. Not to mention, can the Rays give up already on Price who looks like an Ace in the making?...0.1%

TOSS UP

If Troy Percival goes on the DL...Grant Balfour, Juan Salas or Kurt Birkins?

The Rays have an open spot on the 40-man roster, so the fact that Balfour is not on the roster should have little bearing. Salas has been solid since his first outing of the year in Durham, but he still only has 6 games and 11.2 innings under his belt since finally resolving his Visa issues. This is basically his spring training and we have to imagine the Rays will like to get him a couple of more weeks in Durham before a call-up. Birkins was solid for the Rays when he made 6 appearances (0.90 ERA) earlier this season, but he has been knocked around in Durham since his demotion (9.45 ERA), and the Rays already have 2 lefties in the bullpen. That leaves Balfour who is toying with IL batters so far. 23.2 ip, 5h, 10bb, 39Ks, 0.38 ERA...GRANT BALFOUR

If Andy Sonnanstine is relegated to the bullpen at any point...Jason Hammel, Jeff Niemann or David Price?

Since the beginning we have been very bearish on Price. Everything the Rays say and do suggests that it is longshot for Price to make his big league debut before 2010(!) much less sometime this season. But after seeing him mow down FSL batters in his first 2 starts, it is very clear that he is the real-deal. Still, the Rays are going to be patient. Last week we said 10 starts at Vero Beach. We are sticking to it, but it will be less before it is more. As for Niemann, he has battled a bit of shoulder soreness and if the Rays need a starter in the next couple of weeks, it will not be Niemann as he was limited to 75 pitches his last outing. That means Hammel if there is a need in the next few weeks, but in the long-run we have to believe that Hammel's career as a starting pitcher with the Rays is over. That means Sonny's job is safe, at least until Niemann is ready...Jeff Niemann

OVER/UNDER

15 wins for Matt Garza:

He has about 20 starts left in the season, assuming he can stay healthy. Garza seemed to finally be putting it all together in his last 2 starts. His season-high strikeouts prior to last night was 4. Last night he had 10. This one is going to be close. We have to assume there will be a few bumps in the road along the way, but this kid has nasty stuff. In fact he probably has the best stuff on the staff, which is saying a lot. It has always just been a question of location and not being so cocky with the fastball. He is going to end up somewhere within the 14-16 range. But if we have to pick one or the other...OVER

20 games for Rocco Baldelli this season:

There were reports earlier this week with quotes from Baldelli that he is still planning on playing for the Rays at some point this season. Rocco has a little extra incentive now to get on the field. After the Rays bought out his 2009 option, he is now scheduled to be a free agent after the season. Will any team be willing to offer a major league contract to Rocco if he spends the entire season on the DL? The most-likely scenario has Rocco signing a incentive-laden, minor league deal with the Rays. But keep in mind that the doctors still haven't pinpointed the problem. And if Rocco does attempt a comeback he will have to spend at least 2-3 weeks on a minor league rehab assignment to show that he can at the very least DH against lefties. Until we hear a confirmed diagnosis and a scheduled rehab assignment, we are very skeptical...UNDER

2.5 wins for Rays in this 4-game set versus the White Sox:

Who woulda thunk that this would be a battle of first-place ballclubs at this point in the season. In fact, if the playoffs started today, these two teams would face each other in the first round of the playoffs...After winning 8 straight games, the Sox are only 3-3 in their last 6 games, having dropped 2 of 3 to the Angels at home and winning 2 of 3 in Cleveland. The White Sox are winning with their starting pitching, sporting 4 starters with ERAs below 4, although only 3 of those will face the Rays. At the same time, the Rays get 2 of their big 3 in this series. The biggest question mark is Andy Sonnanstine. We just don't know which Sonny will show up. The good news is he is facing Mark Buehrle in the 4th game, and he has been bad all year. Still. At this point we have zero confidence in The Duke. If that game is an L, can we count on W's from Edwin Jackson, James Shields and Scott Kazmir? That is tough. This is a good squad, and we know Ozzie Guillen will be fired up...UNDER

Syracuse 7, Durham 2. Jeff Niemann made his first start since being demoted on April 20th. He was limited to 3 innings, and allowed only 1 hit. He struck out 4 and did not walk a batter...Juan Salas made his first appearance of 2008, giving up 5 runs in 2 innings...Justin Ruggiano was 2-4 and hit his 2nd home run...Reid Brignac was 0-3 with 2 strike outs.

Montgomery 4, Birmingham 3 (gm 1). Gabby Martinez led off the bottom of the 7th with a home run to win the game, his second of the game. He drove in 3...Richard De los Santos gave up 2 runs in 5 innings...

Birmingham 9, Montgomery 5 (gm 2). Wade Townsend made his first start of 2008 and took the loss, as his defense let him down. He gave up 4 runs in 3 innings, but only 1 was earned...John Jaso was 2-4 with his 3rd double.

Vero Beach 5, Lakeland 2. Ryan Morse gave up 2 runs, but was not around long enough to pick up the win...Garrett Groce was 3-5 and is now hitting .330...Matt Fields was 2-3 with his 7th home run.

Columbus 5, Augusta 3. Jason Ragan picked up his 5th win, on 6 innings of work. He gave up 3 runs...Emeel Salem and Maiko Loyola were each 2-5 and Loyola stole his 15th and 16th bases.

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• Jeremy Hellickson and Emeel Salem were the pitcher and player of the month, respectively, for the Rays minor league system. [Biscuits Batter]
  

Pawtucket 3, Durham 2. After scoring 2 in the 6th, the Bulls' last 10 batters went down in order...Mike Prochaska started and gave up 3 runs in 4.1 innings...Reid Brignac was 1-3...The Bulls only managed 5 hits total...Fernando Perez was 0-3 with a walk.

Birmingham @ Montgomery, ppd. rain. The Biscuits and Barons will play a double-header today.

Lakeland 4, Vero Beach 3. Jeremy Hellickson actually walked a batter. He worked 5.2 innings, giving up only 1 unearned run. He struck out 3 and walked 1...JT Hall was 2-2 with a walk and a triple and his 2nd home run.

Augusta 6, Columbus 4. Josh Johnson allowed 3 runs in 5 innings, but got the no-decision...Henry Wrigley keeps the torrid pace, with his 3rd multi-hit game in the last 5. He was 3-4 with an RBI...

NOTES FROM DOWN ON THE FARM...

• Juan Salas is scheduled to join Durham this weekend. [Biscuits Batter]
• We *kinda* linked to this yesterday at DRays Bay, but for the sake of repetitiveness, Desmond Jennings, who has yet to play this season, has suffered a "setback" and there is now no indication as to when he will return. Jennings is yet to play 100 games in any given season. [Biscuits Batter]
  

THE GOOD: The Rays did not lose their 12th game.

THE BAD: The Rays are still in last place in the AL East.

THE TELLING: The Rays will still be in last place tomorrow.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• A programming note: The Rays Index Live Blog-A-Baloo will be held tonight at the RAYSHEADS Facebook Group page. [RAYSHEADS Facebook Group]
  
• Another programming note: We are now running the "Down on the Farm" feature as the first post each day. Call it our calisthenics. So if you missed it, just scroll down a little farther.
• The Rays will be hosting the Jays for the next three days just outside of Orlando at Disney's Champion Field. The Rays say that the Orlando area is beginning to embrace the Rays. [St. Pete Times]
• The Rays are expected to activate Dioner Navarro in time for tonight's game with Mike DiFelice being DFA'd to make room. [Rays Report]
  
• You might be a redneck Rays fan if... [Her Rays]
• Marc Lancaster caught up with Juan Salas who had his first bullpen session yesterday and is at least a week away from seeing live action. [Rays Report]
• Beyond the Boxscore notes that Andy Sonnanstine is not using his fastball nearly as often as he did last year, while he is throwing more cutters and curve balls. [Beyond the Boxscore]
• Elliot Johnson's home town paper talks to the rookie about his first month in the big leagues. [Eastern Arizona Courier]
• Sabernomics takes a look at the Economics of the Evan Longoria extension. [Sabernomics]
• DRays Bay makes a case for Jason Hammel to keep his spot once Scott Kazmir returns from the DL. [DRays Bay]
  

THE GOOD: Eric Hinske hit his 4th home run and is red hot. That is a home run in back-to-back games and 3 in the past week, of which he has started 6 games. Since April 9, he is 9-24 (.375) with 3 home runs and 5 RBI...We would be remiss if we did not point out the great stop and throw made by Jason Bartlett for the 2nd out in the 3rd. With a runner on first and 1 out, Bartlett ranged to his right to grab a ground ball in the hole, spun 180 degrees and fired to Akinori Iwamura at second base for the force...The bullpen continues to shine. JP Howell picked up his first career save, of the 3-inning variety. He did not allow a run and gave up only 2 hits, no walks. The bullpen now has an ERA of 3.08, which is a little better than the 6.20 ERA posted in 2007...We don't want to go crazy about Jason Hammel's performance, 6 hits, 2 walks, 3 runs in 6 innings, but he has given the Rays exactly what any team needs from a 5th starter. He goes out and gives the Rays 6+ inning, and gives the team a chance to win.

THE BAD: Carlos Pena left the game in the 4th inning with "hamstring tightness". He is listed as day-to-day...In the 4th inning, with the Rays up 3-1 and with Justin Morneau on second base after a lead off double, Delmon Young came to the plate. Why would anybody ever throw Young a first-pitch strike? There is ZERO reason. Hammel throws a pitch down, but in the zone and Young ropes it for an RBI single. Not smart...Will the baserunning brainfarts ever end? With 2 outs in the 6th, Carl Crawford was picked off first base.

THE TELLING:The Rays are now 1-2 in games started by Hammel, meaning that the Rays have lost at most 2 wins so far due to the injury of Scott Kazmir, but more likely only 1 win...Evan Longoria is not about to sell out on any pitches. With 2 strikes in the 5th inning, he nearly spun himself into the ground with a huge swing. He struck out...Jonny Gomes started for the 3rd straight game and the 2nd straight against a right handed pitcher, going 1-4 with a double and RBI...Mike DiFelice got his 3rd start in 5 games, and we have to wonder if he stays once Dioner Navarro comes off the DL and it is Shawn Riggans that is sent to Durham...The Yankees play in Baltimore this weekend and we have no idea who to root for? It depends on whether you are rooting for the Rays to finish 4th or if you think there is still a chance for the Rays to make a run for the playoffs...San Diego and Colorado did not score a single run for the first 14 innings last night. Considering the Rays offense, the offenses of the rest of the AL East and the still shaky nature of the Rays pitching staff, what is the over/under on most innings the Rays will go this year in a game with a scoreless tie? We say 6.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Another power ranking with the Rays in the top 10? Hell is a little colder today. [Bugs & Cranks]
• Jayson Stark takes a look at some early season performances and tries to determine which are real and which are not. Edwin Jackson comes in a third category "Hung Jury". [ESPN]

"...while he had more "for real" votes than "not for real," he even makes his supporters nervous. One scout praised his improved take-a-little-off-to-get-strike-one approach, quipping: "He's like a NASCAR driver working the gas pedal. When he goes into the corners, he slows up. When he gets into a straightaway, he lets it loose." But another spoke for just about everyone when he said: "I'd lean more toward 'for real' than not. But even when he's good, your instinct is not to believe it because you've seen too much of the other way."

• Juan Salas has finally arrived. It is like the Beatles landing in the U.S. for the first time. WooHoo! Salas was placed on the 30-day restricted list, in essence giving the Rays 30 days before they have to decide what to do with him. [MLB]
• If you are curious, Marc Lancaster explains why the Rays just played back-to-back 2-game series. [Tampa Tribune]
  
• In a move about as surprising as a Shawn Camp implosion, St. Petersburg's Council of Neighborhood Associations voted against the Rays proposed waterfront stadium, 19-3...The council cited reasons such as "will block view of the bay", "fear of crowds", "fear of change", "onorariness", "worried other people will want to live in downtown St. Pete" and "a love of being pains in the ass"...OK, maybe they didn't give those reasons, but those are the real reasons. [Bay News 9]
  

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]
  

THE GOOD: We could mention that Aki Iwamura broke out of his mini-slump by getting on base 4 times, or we could mention the diving catch by Carl Crawford or the 3 RBI from 2 lucky off-the-end-of-the-bat hits by Mike DiFelice, or the home run from Eric Hinske that gave the Rays the lead and seemed to ignite the offense...But none of that mattered. "The Good" begins and ends with Edwin Jackson who was just as dominating as his 4-hit shutout in the second half last year. Jackson pitched 8 shutout innings allowing only 2 hits (both singles) and 4 walks. He struck out 6. His performance was a much needed (non-HGH) shot in the buttocks for a pitching staff that is now missing 2 of it's top 3 starters...By the way, another "Good" is the Orioles were swept yesterday in their double-header and probably did not get into the Tampa area until 3-4am.

THE BAD: We can feel ourselves getting our hopes up about Edwin Jackson. Nobody expects him to pitch this well everytime out, but if Jackson can suddenly develop into a pitcher that gives his team a chance to win most of his starts, the Rays pitching staff will indeed be formidable once everybody is healthy.

THE TELLING: The name on the back of the jersey still said "Jackson". The number on the back was still "36".

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Not exactly the DL, but we thinks Al Reyes might miss a couple of games after being tasered and friggin' arrested early this morning...IDIOT! *banging head on desk*. The damn bullpen is the one thing that has been steady and consistent early on this year...Reyes got his ass really stupid drunk and got himself punched in the nose. He then started spitting blood and swinging his arms and basically acting like a friggin' lunatic...If we were to put the 25-man roster and coaching staff in order of chances of something like this happening, Al Idiot Reyes would have been near the bottom. Geez! He is like 86 years old! [My Fox Tampa Bay]
• The Stumblng Tumblr mocks the "confidence" of Rays fans...We just think it is cute that The Stumblng Tumblr won't let his inability to spell to keep him from writing. [The Stumblng Stumblr]
• Martin Fenelly writes that Edwin Jackson's is finally living up to his potential and his early season performances are giving fans and the team hope when it easily could have been lost by all the injuries. [Tampa Tribune]
  
• We still are amazed that somebody from The St. Pete Times actually "live blogs" the public debates about the Rays proposed stadium. You can either read our interpretation, or you can follow the link for a play-by-play. [St. Pete Times]
  
• Willy Aybar sat out yesterday's game with the same sore hamstrings that have plagued him since spring training...Also, Scott Kazmir will throw another batting practice session today. [The Heater]
  
• Carl Crawford is already closing in on 1,000 hits and Joe Maddon says that C.C. will only get better. [MLB]

"Probably except a few more walks, he'd hit for a higher average," Maddon said. "Something I used to discuss with Garret Anderson all the time ... when you have that many at-bats in the season it's hard to hit for the highest average you're capable of doing without taking your walks. If he learns to walk a little more and keeps doing what he's been doing, he's going to continue to increase his batting average and run production."

• Nothing new on Juan Salas, but Bill Chastain notes that another player in the same situation as Salas had his visa issues resoved. It could be a sign that Salas will be returning to the States soon. [MLB]

Tampa Bay Devil Dogs (36 days until opening day)

DRG here again to get you through the weekend...

Rays Anatomy interviewed David Price. It is a solid interview with good questions.

However...And this is not a jab at RA because we have seen plenty of other Q&As with Price...but when the hell is somebody going to ask him if the team is going to give him a start in Spring Training? This is the single most pressing and important question.

Has this question been asked and we have just missed it? I have asked three people and nobody remembers having seen this question asked by anybody, including the Rays beat reporters or columnists.

If the Rays even think it is possible that Price will pitch for the Rays in 2008 then they will want to see him pitch against major league batters in the Spring. And not just a few cursory batters in the 8th inning of a Spring game in which the batters are all wearing numbers north of 70. If Andrew Friedman and Joe Maddon think Price is close to being ready they will want him to start at least one Spring game and throw him to the wolves, and see how he handles the pressure. If there are no intentions to have Price in the majors in 2008 then he will most likely be reassigned to minor league camp very early.

Maybe Price won't answer the question. But I would love it if somebody would at least ask. And I don't want anybody to tell me that this decision has yet to be made. This has been discussed.

Rays Anatomy And The MLB Source Interview David Price [Rays Anatomy]

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA...

• Delmon Young is keeping quiet after the challenge from Carl Crawford. Certainly Twins brass strongly suggested he do so. And certainly, it is killing Young to not be able to say something. It must be eating him alive and I think that is funny. [Tampa Tribune]
• Three players (Willy Aybar, Joel Guzman and Juan Salas) remain stuck in the Dominican Republic without Visas. Joe Maddon spoke to the issue and said that Salas is the one that stands to be hurt the most by his absence as he is fighting for the last spot in the bullpen. [St. Pete Times]

"The longer Salas is out," Maddon said, "the more difficult it's going to be for him."

• Willy Aybar and Joel Guzman are expected in camp on Wednesday. Juan Salas is not. It is believed that his Visa issues are due to his drug suspension last year. [Tampa Tribune]
  
• Edwin Jackson will pitch the Grapefruit League opener on Friday. He will be followed by Scott Kazmir on Saturday and James Shields on Sunday. Kid K's start on Saturday would have him on pace to start the season opener in Baltimore. [The Heater]
• Joe Maddon said that the decision to start Edwin Jackson has no bearing on who will make the rotation in the final two spots of the rotation. [Tampa Tribune]
  
• Dioner Navarro didn't exactly change his diet. He still loves himself some fried chicken. However, he did change when he eats it (not as late at night), and apparently he looks slimmer this Spring. [Tampa Bay Rays]
• The Bradenton Herald takes a look at the other player in the Delmon Young-Matt Garza swap...Jason Bartlett. [Bradenton Herald]
• Matt Garza almost quit baseball in college. [Tampa Tribune]
  
• Am I the only one that is confused by this? Just askin'. [DRays Bay]
  

Tampa Bay Rays (38 days until Opening Day)
These links are starting to get out of hand. Is it just us or does it seem like the amount of Rays coverage has gone through the roof this Spring? We may have to make an executive decision to break up "The Hangover" into two posts. One in the morning and then one in the afternoon. We'll see....

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• David Price faced major league batters for the first time yesterday during batting practice. [St. Pete Times]

Price's command wasn't perfect, but his form - and his fastball, slider and changeup - was good enough to earn plaudits from Rays brass, which suddenly flocked from all corners of the Naimoli complex to gather on Field 2 as the tall left-hander took the mound and claimed he didn't notice the crowd.

"Perfectly fine," pitching coach Jim Hickey said. "Very impressive."

"He throws like (Francisco) Liriano up there," Bartlett said. "Obviously he doesn't have the changeup Liriano has just yet and the kid's young, but they've probably got Liriano in the future. The guy has to work hard and he'll be up there for a long time."

• Troy Percival has taken well to his new role of team leader, spending time everyday talking baseball with all his teamates. [Herald-Tribune]

With coffee cup in hand, Percival goes from table to table. It doesn't matter if it's a group of veterans or a bunch of non-roster players who have little to no chance of making the major-league team, Percival stops to chat.

"We talked about the cutter," said left-handed pitcher James Houser, a Sarasota High graduate. "The other day it was about the curveball. With me, it's been all about baseball."

"That's the guy you ask," Rays ace Scott Kazmir said. "Any question. I can't think of anything you wouldn't want to ask him."

• Willy Aybar, Joel Guzman and Juan Salas all remain in the Dominican Republic unable to obtain visas to come to Spring Training. The Rays have asked for assistance from Major League Baseball but are unsure when the situation may be resolved. [Tampa Tribune]
• Many of the Rays players and coaches are getting to know Matt Garza the pitcher for the first time. And Garza appears to be maturing as a pitcher, finally realizing that he does not need to strike out every batter. Something we can only hope that Scott Kazmir learns sooner, rather than later. [Bradenton Herald]

"I was a strikeout pitcher. I was always trying to strike out the side, which wasn't necessary because we had a good defense," Garza said. "But if I pitched to contact, I could pitch six or seven innings. I did that until I got up there, and I changed a little bit. I changed back to a strikeout pitcher."

• Last year BJ Upton spent much of Spring Training having to learn several new positions. This year, Upton is able to concentrate on one position and his hitting. [Tampa Tribune]

"It's definitely night and day from last spring," Upton said. "Back then, I wondered where I was going, but I fought through it."

• Carlos Pena is confident he can become an even more complete hitter, even if he does not hit as many home runs in 2008. [Fox Sports]
• John Romano notes that Jeff Niemann may just be following the same trend of all pitchers of his height (6'9") or taller. That is, late maturation. [St. Pete Times]

Future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson did not make it to the big leagues until he was 25. The same is true for San Diego All-Star Chris Young. Niemann? He turns 25 in six days.

Admittedly, the sampling is small. Only eight pitchers as tall as the 6-9 Niemann have ever reached the majors. But among those eight, only one had more than a handful of appearances before age 25. And that one is Andrew Sisco, who turned 25 last month and has a 3-9 career record with a 5.18 ERA.

• Mitch Talbot feels that his emotions may be holding him back. Rays bullpen catcher Bobby Ramos a former major leaguer, has taken John Jaso under his wing. [Tampa Bay Rays]
  
• How young are the Rays? 18 of the Rays 40-man roster spent time in Durham in 2007. [Our Sports Central]
  
• The St. Pete City Council opened the floor to hear opinions from both sides on the debate for a new stadium for the Rays. Our favorite quote is from Caesar Civitella who waited over 5 hours to be heard. "When the Rays decided to move (their spring training) to Port Charlotte, they turned their back on the city of St. Petersburg,"... Huh, wha?!?! He waited over 5 hours to say that? Apparently 78 home games is not enough. Wow. At least nobody was killed. [Bradenton Herald]
  
• DRays Bay interviews Stuart Sternberg. [DRays Bay]
  
• The Tampa Bay Rays have increased the number of promotional giveaways and special theme nights for third consecutive year. In 2008, over half of the home dates (42) will feature some sort of promotion. [American Patriots]
• In 2007, the Rays lost 568 player-days and $1.9 million in salary to player injuries. Will Carroll also predicts some of the Rays' quotes from the upcoming FanFest. [Baseball Prospectus]
  
• This is a little stale as the ads have been running for a while now, but the the Tampa Bay Rays unveiled their marketing slogan for 2008. "We are one team" [St. Pete Times]
  
• This headline made us do a double-take. Link may be NSFW for some, I don't know. [Queer in the Cincy]
  

Tampa Bay Rays (46 days until Opening Day)
Today is the first official day of Spring Training as pitchers and catchers are required to report. However, according to Marc Lancaster, this is a mere formality as players have been reporting to the Naimoli Complex, three days a week for weeks now.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, beginning last fall, Rays players have convened for workouts. According to Scott Kazmir, a dozen or so players have been present regularly throughout the winter. In recent weeks, that number has swelled considerably.

James Shields participated in his first full workout at the complex last Wednesday and was stunned by what he saw.

"I swear to God there were 40 guys," said Shields. "It was amazing. I normally come back a week before spring and I see maybe 10, 12 guys. But it was a full squad out there. It was crazy."

Of the 35 pitchers and catchers required to report today, 34 will be on time, as only Juan Salas, who is having visa problems will be late.

Lancaster speculates that the level of participation could be a sign of maturity and anticipation.

The level of participation could be interpreted as a sign of maturity among a still-young group, but anticipation of the upcoming season has been a driving force as well. Especially for those who have suffered through one losing campaign after another, there is a sense that this could be the breakthrough season everyone has awaited.

Kinda makes us want to grab a mitt and some spikes and see if James Shields wants to warm up.

Rays Ready For Reporting Day [Tampa Tribune]

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA...

• Evan Longoria welcomes the challenge of winning the third base job in Spring Training. [The Heater]

"That's basically what I came into spring hoping would happen,'' Longoria said. "If they would have made the decision early, obviously if I was in the big leagues that would be good, but I feel like now it just puts a little more added pressure on me, which I like. It's going to make me work harder.''

• Anaheim Angels All the Way ran a full season simulation using the CHONE projections. The Rays finished the "regular season" at 89-73, just 3 games behind the Yankees and the Red Sox in the AL East. Don't put too much weight on this projection as it was only run once. Every March Replacement Level Yankees runs a series of simulations. One of the projections used is CHONE. The difference is they will run the projections 1,000 times. Last year, after 1,000 projections the Rays averaged 71.3 wins per simulation. However, at least once the Rays won 93 games. They won the division two times and were the AL Wild Card winner three times. When running simulations like these, anomalies happen. Let's wait until RLY gets a chance to run the 1,000 simulations and then we will have a better idea what to expect from the 2008 Rays. [Angels All the Way via DRays Bay]
• RaysBB has finished their round-table rundown of the Rays top prospects. 13 people participated and we were the only one that did not have Evan Longoria in the top spot. To us it is really 1a and 1b and since we have little experience actually seeing any of these guys play we consider "value to the organization" as the top criteria and to us winning is always about pitching and the pitcher gets the slight edge. [RaysBB]
  
• Bill Chastain wraps up his "Around the Horn" series by taking a look at the Rays DHs and Bench. [RaysBaseball.com]
• Refrigerator Logic lists the reasons fans should pay attention to the Rays in 2008. [Refrigerator Logic]
• Outs Per Swing questions why Rob Neyer leaves Scott Kazmir off his list of top young pitchers even though Kid K meets the criteria set forth by Neyer. [Outs Per Swing]
• Baseball Analysts concludes their break-down of the best young players by age. The latest lists look at 20 and 21 year old. Desmond Jennings(#7) and Jake McGee (#9) both make the list of top 21-year olds. [Baseball Analysts]