Colome to work on control in minors

NEW YORK -- One night after his inability to throw strikes prompted benches to clear and bullpens to empty, hard-throwing reliever Jesus Colome was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

Pitcher Jason Standridge was recalled.

"The move was really one for Colome so that he could go down and regain confidence in himself," manager Hal McRae said. "We weren't searching for anything. We're trying to fix Colome."

Rookie Jorge Sosa will take Colome's place as a late-inning reliever. Standridge joins Steve Kent as a setup man.

Colome endured his meltdown in the eighth inning against the Yankees on Tuesday. He allowed six runs on four hits, walked four, threw one wild pitch, hit one batter and threw 36 pitches.

"I thought he was lost and I was hoping he could get out of it," McRae said.

Finding the strike zone, keeping runners close and learning a second pitch will be Colome's assignment at Durham.

The right-hander was 1-3 with an 11.57 ERA and three blown saves. He allowed 40 baserunners in 14 innings and eight steals, second-most in the majors entering Wednesday.

"It's important that he learns another pitch and it's important that he learns to control the running game," McRae said. "It's important that he learns to pitch and not throw. He's a thrower right now."

BACK IN THE BIGS: Though he had trouble figuring out which subway train to take to Yankee Stadium (it's the No. 4 uptown), Standridge felt right at home when he joined the Rays.

"Last year there was the fear of the unknown," Standridge said. "Today that same excitement was there. But there was a feeling of security where I know what's going to happen, I know what it's going to be like."

The right-hander, who appeared in nine major-league games last season, was 2-3 with a 4.20 ERA in eight games at Durham. He last pitched Saturday against Pawtucket.

"I've worked on getting ahead of hitters, throwing strikes," he said. "I was being aggressive with pitches other than my fastball. I felt like I was working the counts a little better and keeping my pitch count down. I was real happy with that."

SITTING IN: Catcher John Flaherty, the team's union representative, attended a meeting at union headquarters in midtown Manhattan on Tuesday.

The discussion centered around the expired labor contract and the state of negotiations between the union and owners. Union head Donald Fehr spoke during most of the meeting.

"It was very laid back," said Flaherty, who was the lone player in a room with about 50 agents and eight union representatives.

Gene Orza, associate general counsel for the union, told the New York Times that discussions have begun regarding setting a possible strike date. In 1994, players went on strike Aug. 12.

The sides are expected to meet in the coming month.

"We're trying to get the owners and representatives to the negotiating table," Flaherty said. "They've come up with a bunch of dates here in May and June. But for some reason the negotiations haven't picked up the pace at all. It's disappointing, but we're still trying to make every effort."

VETERAN MOVE: Greg Vaughn likes to share the wealth sometimes.

Such was the case when pitcher Ryan Rupe was fined $1,500 for hitting two Red Sox batters May 5. Vaughn wrote a check and sent it to the league office on behalf of Rupe.

"I make the most money on the team," said Vaughn, who's making $8.75-million this year. "I thought I'd try to help out."

Bob Watson, baseball's vice president of discipline, returned the check to Vaughn before Tuesday's game because Rupe must pay himself. Rupe said he will send a check in his name.

ODDS AND ENDS: Russ Johnson started at third. Jared Sandberg will return to the lineup today. ... Sosa and Kent, both Rule 5 rookies, had a combined 3.38 ERA in 24 appearances through Tuesday. ... Pitcher Delvin James, who was scratched as Tuesday's starter with stiffness in his right shoulder, threw in the bullpen and reported no pain. ... Rays employees will help paint and restore the concession stands at the Campbell Park youth league fields this morning.