Despite an inconsistent start, Rays officials do not plan to make any changes to the roster based on spotty performance. "I feel as confident about this group as I did when we broke camp," executive VP Andrew Friedman said. "We had a tough stretch of games that happen throughout the course of a 162-game season and obviously get magnified a little bit more when it happens at the beginning of a season, but we're extremely confident we're going to playing competitive games in September and it's going to be very much in line with what all of our expectations were coming into the season."
PLAYER NEWS: --LF Carl Crawford tied a modern-day major-league record by stealing six bases. He is the fifth player to do so, joining Eric Young, for the Rockies on 6/30/96; Otis Nixon, for the Braves on 6/16/91; and Eddie Collins, for the A's, on 9/11/12 and 9/22/12.
--C Dioner Navarro, hitting just .159 and having thrown out only 21 percent (4-of-19) of base-stealers, was on the bench for the second time in four games Sunday. Michel Hernandez started, though manager Joe Maddon said it was merely a standard day-game after night game maneuver.
--RHP James Shields was confident after rediscovering his changeup in Sunday's game. He felt he had been pitching without it for the first month of the season, and by having it back felt he had his full arsenal. "When my changeup is there for the first time all season long, my stuff's there," Shields said. "My changeup's there; everything comes right off of that."
MEDICAL WATCH:
C Shawn Riggans (right shoulder tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10.
RHP Chad Bradford (right elbow surgery in February 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He is scheduled to start a rehab assignment in early May, aiming for a late-May return to the Rays.
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 scratched from his first scheduled appearance for Class AAA Durham on April 30 due to a mild abdominal strain.
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 Willy Aybar
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Carl Crawford
CF B.J. Upton
RF Gabe Gross
DH Pat Burrell
OF Gabe Kapler
OF/INF Ben Zobrist
