New Rays, old story

BLUE JAYS 20, RAYS 11: Roster turnover provides no instant panacea as Tampa Bay ties a team record for runs allowed.

[Times photo: Michael Rondou] The Rays' Brent Abernathy flies past after being tagged out by Blue Jays catcher Ken Huckaby while trying to score in the first inning.

By KEVIN KELLY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 26, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays clubhouse was in disarray.

Players were being summoned into the manager's office for closed-door meetings, packing their belongings for forthcoming trips to the minors, unloading bags still marked with baggage claim tags or fleeing the fracas entirely.

Tuesday was the busiest day in Rays history, a day in which 20 percent of the 25-man roster changed and yet little seemed to change overall.

"It was necessary," Rays manager Hal McRae said before the game against Toronto, "that we did something to show everyone that we didn't fall asleep at the wheel."

Ten roster moves and a few hours later, the Rays lost 20-11 to the Blue Jays before 10,380 at Tropicana Field. It was their sixth straight loss, 50th of the first half and one of the ugliest displays this season.

The 36 hits combined tied a club record for a nine-inning game, and the 31 runs tied records for both teams.

"You try to keep morale up to show everyone that you're trying to make adjustments, that you're aware of what's going on, you don't like it and you're trying to do something about it," McRae said.

"It's a morale thing so you never know how it's going to affect the club. ... One day doesn't really mean the changes are not going to help the ballclub. It was just a poorly pitched game."

The Rays' recent 3-6 road trip prompted the sweeping changes.

Catcher Toby Hall and pitchers Travis Phelps and Jesus Colome were recalled from Triple-A Durham. Pitchers Victor Zambrano and Jason Jimenez were sent to Durham. Pitcher Ryan Rupe and leftfielder Greg Vaughn were placed on the 15-day disabled list. Catcher Paul Hoover was designated for assignment. Veteran outfielder Dave McCarty was selected from Durham.

And pitcher Jorge Sosa was reinstated from the 15-day DL to start his first big-league game.

"I wish I could tell you the player moves led to us giving up 20 runs," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said. "But I can't honestly say that."

Claimed off waivers in March and coming off two rehabilitation starts at Double-A Orlando, Sosa lasted three innings and threw 67 pitches.

The rookie right-hander, who converted from the outfield in Class A last season, walked three, hit one and allowed four runs in the first inning alone. The Blue Jays scored two more in the second before Sosa, who is scheduled to get at least one more start, pitched a scoreless third.

"I feel that I can do the job," he said through a translator. "I am learning. I am doing the best I can. Everything has a beginning and that was my beginning, and it is a long way to go."

The bullpen had been the primary culprit in most of the losses during the road trip and, even with a few new faces, it didn't fare much better Tuesday.

Rays relievers have allowed 26 earned runs and 38 hits and have a 13.00 ERA over the past six losses.

The Blue Jays scored 14 earned runs off the bullpen and became the first team since the Indians in 1999 to score 20 against the Rays. Most of those runs came on five home runs.

"We missed the extra point," Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca said. "We were going to go for the two-point conversion. I should have done that."

Lost in the pitching meltdown was a solid performance from the Rays offense, which trailed Toronto 9-7 after the fifth. It scored 11 for the second time this season and had 17 hits, two off the season high.

It continues a cycle in which one aspect of the Rays game performs well while another struggles. Thus it begs the question: Will things ever come together at the same time?

"After a while it's like, 'Oh boy we've got a long way to go,"' Steve Cox said. "Then you feel we're getting close again. It's a perpetual battle."

Eight Rays starters had at least one hit, and every player that went to bat reached base at least once.

Cox had three hits and three RBIs and Hall had three hits, including two doubles, in his first game back. Ben Grieve drove in two runs.

"You don't see games like that very often," Cox said. "Hopefully there won't be many more like that. It's one of the weird things about baseball. That kind of stuff happens."

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