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 became the sixth player since 1954 (as far back as records are available) to steal a base in eight straight games. He joined Kenny Lofton and Vince Coleman, who also had eight; Corey Patterson, nine; Rickey Henderson, nine and 11; and Bert Campaneris, a record 12.
--RHP Troy Percival got one out for his 356th save, and manager Joe Maddon said he would try to use him in shorter situations like that, with other relievers working earlier in the ninth, such as Brian Shouse did Tuesday.
--RHP Andy Sonnanstine starts in New York on Wednesday with a plan to throw more pitches in the strike zone but not too many in the middle of the plate. The Rays have been working with him on fastball location and feel he was too much "in the cross hairs" two starts ago and "too much on the periphery" in his last start.
MEDICAL WATCH:
DH Pat Burrell (ribs) didn't play May 4 after being hit by a pitch the day before. He was day-to-day.
C Shawn Riggans (right shoulder tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10. He was scheduled to start a rehab assignment May 5.
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
