Hello from City of Palms Park. It's getting to be crunch time around here, with cuts coming tomorrow. Sounds like they might save a few roster moves for Saturday, as well. The big question is Jorge Cantu's status. He's starting at DH today, and if he does manage to make the team that probably will be his role. That's another reason he's been limited to pinch-hitting duties in many recent games. Anyway, the lineups:
Rays
Carl Crawford LF
Ben Zobrist SS
Carlos Pena 1B
Jorge Cantu DH
Delmon Young RF
Akinori Iwamura 3B
Elijah Dukes CF
Shawn Riggans C
B.J. Upton 2B
Edwin Jackson P
Red Sox
Julio Lugo SS
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Manny Ramirez LF
Mike Lowell 3B
Coco Crisp CF
Wily Mo Pena RF
Doug Mirabelli C
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Clay Buchholz P
That comes from our good pal Marc Lancaster, you may have skipped the intro to look at the lineups but read it again...unless I have lost it that basically is signaling that B.J. Upton will be the Rays starting second baseman this season, splitting time with Ty Wigginton and Brendan Harris, but basically Cantu will no longer be playing at '4'. Upton had played the majority of his time in the outfield, though second was the next most populated position by Bossman Junior this spring. Also to complete the Jan. 2nd deal the Rays sent cash to the Reds.