--LHP Scott Kazmir, who missed the early part of last season with an elbow injury, will not pitch for the United States in the World Baseball Classic due to the Rays' concertn about the injury risk. Team VP Andrew Friedman said the team prefers to have Kazmir prepare for the season in the less-pressurized setting of Grapefruit League games.

--LHP Brian Shouse officially joined the Rays bullpen, giving the team a needed second lefty. Shouse, 40, got a one-year deal for $1.35 million with a 2010 option for $1.9 million, or a $200,000 buyout.

--C Dioner Navarro lost his arbitration hearing but apparently didn't lose any goodwill toward the organization. "Navi wants to thank the Rays organization for making this a fair debate and for handling the hearing with class," agent Kendall Almerico said. "He is very excited to report to spring training and help the team get back to the World Series."

--RHP Juan Salas, whose minor league success never translated to the major leagues, was designated for assignment as the Rays made room on the 40-man roster for LHP Brian Shouse. Salas pitched in only five games for the Rays last season, and he was suspended 50 games in 2007 for failing a drug test.

--Senior adviser Don Zimmer reported to camp for his 61st season in pro ball despite suffering a slight stroke in December.

--RHP Matt Garza said he won't be held back at all as a result of offseason surgery to address a chipped bone in his right foot. Garza said he will be on the same schedule as the other pitchers, though he has not yet been cleared to run on the field.

--LHP David Price said he welcomes the competition for the No. 5 spot in the rotation and is confident he will be in the rotation to start the season. "I don't want to think I'm going to be anywhere else," he said. "I'm not coming into camp thinking, 'OK, I'm going to go to Triple-A for a couple months and just work on stuff there.' Absolutely not. I don't ever want to play another day in the minor leagues in my life. And I think that's everybody here. If everybody had the choice of being in the big leagues or in the minor leagues, they're going with the big leagues."

--Joining the group of about 20 players doing early workouts Feb. 11 were RHP Matt Garza, LHP David Price and RHP Andy Sonnanstine.

BY THE NUMBERS: 5 -- Rays recovering from offseason surgeries -- 1B Carlos Pena, OF B.J. Upton, RHP Chad Bradford, RHP Troy Percival and RHP Matt Garza.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "For me, it really needs to come to the point where I'd like to see like an amnesty, basically, and move forward, and then create a situation where the penalties are so severe, nobody would ever even consider doing it again." -- Manager Joe Maddon, suggesting a way to keep the steroids saga from lingering over the game for years.