Editor's Note-I have decided to go with a different formatting for my News & Notes piece, a drastic change considering I have made one of these pieces before. This one will take less effort on my part, yet still bring you the essentials of what happened in Devil Ray world on a particular day. The minor league box scores will remain untouched, however I will link to and quote a source for a game recap, and news stories, and then offering any comments I have on those to under the quote block. I hope you all like the new formatting, and I hope it does not sacrifice too much content in sparing me some effort.
3 Up
2B Ty Wigginton: 1-3, RS, 2 RBI, BB, SF
RF Damon Hollins: 2-5, solo HR
RP Travis Harper: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
3 Down
SP Mark Hendrickson: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 3 HR
SS Tomas Perez: 1-4, K, 4 LOB
RP Dan Miceli: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R
-On these "3 Up, 3 Downs", I add up the points of each player, three for the "top up", then two, then one, and do the exact opposite and subtract the same number of points for the "Down" players. Now, I didn't do this piece for several games, however I will catch up on all of the games I missed one day to keep an accurate count.
Extra, Extra, Read All About It
Rico suspended, Injury Updates
Down on the Farm
AAA Durham-W, 4-1
AA Montgomery-W, 6-4
A+ Visalia-W, 5-2
A- Southwest Michigan-W, 1-0
Kevin Mench and Brad Wilkerson hit back-to-back homers for Texas, which has won nine of 12. The Rangers swept the two games from Tampa Bay to win a fourth consecutive road series for the first time since 1992.
Robinson Tejeda (1-0) won in his Texas debut, allowing two runs, three hits and six walks in five innings. He was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma before the game.
[Associated Press via AL.com]
Rays Reads
-Raise your hand if you have ever heard of this guy before. Uh huh, yeah. I consider myself to be well-informed on Rays prospects, but I knew nothing of this guy other than his name before this news release came out. Some viewers going to the main site may have seen the headline 'Rays Prospect Suspended for 100 Games' and thought 'That's an awfully harsh punishment for Delmon Young', alas, the situation is much better now that we know it is a scrub.
Rico, 24, was a sixth round draft choice of the Rays in 2001, and has been toiling in Single A for most of his career sans seven at bats with Double A Orlando in 2003. His career line of 232/.294/.341does not evoke fear. Once you put in together, it equals a .635 OPS, and believe it or not, he has actually done worse than that over the last two years with Bakersfield and Visalia, both of the California League. How pathetic is that? Maybe that is why he was converted to a pitcher. My take is that we just can this guy, if not for his poor decision regarding 'roids, for the second time I might add, for his piss-poor play. Wasting time trying to convert him to a pitcher is futile and will take longer now, so why bother? Rico, awaiting an assignment in minor league camp, will get no help from Rays GM Andrew Friedman, who backed up the statement with an all-purpose remark that looked like the Delmon Young statement with a few words changed.
[Matt Rico]
-Rocco back in the coming weeks, eh? Now where have I heard that before. Then again, it is a correct statement, as 'coming weeks' could encompass anywhere from this month to June of 2027, and even beyond, when Rocco becomes a Popsicle like Walt Disney and Ted Williams. Anyways, good to hear that Huff is on the recovery trail, though two games in the Cal League may give Huff a production level that will equal his output in the majors from now until the final 2/3 of the season. Anyways, cheap travel date for the Rays, all Aubrey has to do is drive his pickup up I-5 to McAfee Coliseum, where the A's host the Rays (hee hee, rhyming is fun) this weekend. Also, seeing Lugo almost ready to rejoin is a good sign as well, these past few weeks that have seen such horrors as Crawford leading off and Cantu batting in the two hole are about to end.
[News Courtesy of DevilRays.com]
Down on the Farm
AAA Durham-W, 4-1:
SS B.J. Upton: 2-3, RS, BB, K
CF Darnell McDonald: 2-4, RS, RBI (21), 2 K
DH Shawn Riggans: 1-3, RBI (7), BB, 2 K, SB (2)
C Kevin Cash: 1-4, RS, 2B (2), 2 K
SP Brian Stokes: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, WP, W (1-0)
RP Chad Harville: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (ER), 1 BB
RP Bart Miadich: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, WP, S (6)
Bulls Up Next-OFF (5/4 vs IND)
AA Montgomery-W, 6-4:
2B Elliot Johnson: 2-3, RS, 2 BB, SB (4), CS (6)
CF Jason Pridie: 1-4, RBI (6), BB, K
1B-LF Michael Coleman: 1-3, solo HR (5), RBI (13), BB
3B-1B Gaby Martinez: 0-2, BB, HBP
LF Francisco Leandro: 1-4, RS
C Ryan Christianson: 1-4, 2 run HR (5), 2 RBI (12,13), 2 K
RF Jeremy Owens: 2-4, 2 RS, K
SP Andy Sonnanstine: 5 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
RP Jeff Ridgway: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (ER), K, H (6)
RP Juan Salas: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, S (7)
Biscuits Up Next-vs Mississippi, 11:35 AM (Peguero)
A+ Visalia-W, 5-2:
SS Reid Brignac: 1-4, RBI (21), K, E (10)
DH John Jaso: 2-4, RS
LF Patrick Breen: 2-4, 2 RS, 2B (7), 3 run HR (7), 3 RBI (19,20,21), K
SP Chris Mason: 8 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, HB, W (2-1)
Oaks Up Next-at San Jose, 10:00 (Feldkamp)
A- Southwest Michigan-W, 1-0:
CF-Garrett Groce: 1-3, RS, 2B (7), BB, K
C Matt Spring: 1-3, RBI (7)
DH Christian Lopez: 1-3, BB, K, SB (2)
SP Mike Wlodarczyk: 8 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 2 WP, W (2-1)
M-Rays Up Next-OFF (5/4 at BEL)