The depth the Rays talked so much about is about to be tested as they headed out to the West Coast hurting a bit, as backup C Shawn Riggans was on the disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis, CF B.J. Upton was "day to day" after leaving Sunday's game with tightness in his right quad, and 3B Evan Longoria, who missed two games following a death in his family, had to be switched from third base to DH on Sunday after "tweaking his foot" making a play the night before.
PLAYER NEWS: --OF Ben Zobrist started his third consecutive game in right field Thursday and his sixth in the team's 16, but manager Joe Maddon said he is not making Zobrist the regular starter. "We're not ready to go there," Maddon said. "Gabe (Gross) is going to get back out there, of course Gabe Kapler is going to be out there."
--RHP James Shields was somewhat philosophical after losing Thursday's game when a second-pitch-of-the-game homer by Ichiro Suzuki stood up as the only run. "Yes, it was frustrating," Shields said. "We got a loss today, and that's all I care about, whether I pitch well or not. My job is to go out there and win ballgames, and I just got outpitched."
--DH Pat Burrell had three walks Thursday, one shy of his career high.
--LHP Scott Kazmir starts Friday in Oakland hoping to forget everything about his last start, when he began Saturday's game against the White Sox with 10 straight balls, walked six and didn't get out of the fifth inning. He has pitched extremely well against the A's, going 6-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts. And he's been pretty good in Oakland, going 3-2, 3.40 in seven games.
MEDICAL WATCH:
C Shawn Riggans (right shoulder tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10. He is expected to miss two to three weeks.
RHP Chad Bradford (right elbow surgery in February 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He is making a good recovery and hopes to be back in late May or June.
RHP Jason Isringhausen (right elbow surgery in September 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 31. He began a rehab assignment with Class AA Montgomery on April 20. He was scheduled to make two more appearances there before moving to Class AAA Durham.
OF Fernando Perez (dislocated left wrist) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He is projected to miss four or five months because further exams showed ligament damage as part of the injury he suffered March 10. The Rays hope he will return in time to play regular-season games.
ROTATION:
RHP James Shields
LHP Scott Kazmir
RHP Matt Garza
RHP Andy Sonnanstine
RHP Jeff Niemann
BULLPEN:
RHP Troy Percival (closer)
RHP Dan Wheeler
RHP Grant Balfour
LHP J.P. Howell
LHP Brian Shouse
RHP Joe Nelson
RHP Lance Cormier
CATCHERS:
Dioner Navarro
Michel Hernandez
INFIELDERS:
1B Carlos Pena
2B Akinori Iwamura
SS Jason Bartlett
3B Evan Longoria
INF Ben Zobrist
INF Willy Aybar
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Carl Crawford
CF B.J. Upton
RF Gabe Gross
DH Pat Burrell
OF Gabe Kapler
