Surgery will reveal Hamilton's future

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays will know more about the status of Class A Bakersfield outfielder Josh Hamilton today.

The No. 1 pick of the 1999 draft, Hamilton had an MRI on his injured left shoulder Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala. While the exam didn't show severe damage, medical director James Andrews will perform exploratory arthroscopic surgery today to determine the extent of the injury.

The 21-year-old continues to experience pain, and Rays officials are not sure if he will return this season.

Hamilton has never played a full minor-league season and has appeared in 195 games entering this season.

In 56 games with Bakersfield this season, he played all but eight as the designated hitter. He is batting .303 with nine homers and 44 RBIs.

THE LONG MAN: Tanyon Sturtze is gaining the distinction around the majors as a hard-luck pitcher.

The right-hander is the first to throw four games of nine innings or more without getting a decision since the Cardinals' John Tudor in 1986.

"The whole year has just been kind of funky," Sturtze said.

"There have been some weird things that have been happening. I know no one has any control over that."

ROLE PLAY: During a series against the Yankees in late May, Boston manager Grady Little held starter Pedro Martinez back a day instead of starting him against New York.

"We'd like to have him pitch every game against them or play the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 162 times instead of these teams," Little said at the time.

The Rays haven't forgotten that comment.

With 27 games left against playoff contenders, Tampa Bay could have an impact on the playoff race win or lose. The Rays play the Angels six times, the Yankees 10 and the Red Sox 11. "You would get some satisfaction from that," manager Hal McRae said.

"We need a reason to be here, a reason to go out and play hard. We'll take any reason we can come up with."

TOUGH TRIO: One of the toughest stretches of the season is over.

Rays batters faced Freddy Garcia of the Mariners, the A's Mark Mulder and Boston's Derek Lowe in three of the past four games.

The trio went 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA, 4 walks and 10 strikeouts. Lowe and Mulder, who earned wins, allowed two earned runs on eight hits over 15 1/3 innings.

"It's been a frustrating run," first baseman Aubrey Huff said.

"It's one of those stretches where we've been getting good pitchers. What else can you do except go on and keep trying?"

SEEING CLEARLY: Third baseman Jared Sandberg, who did not start the past two games because he was waiting for new contact lenses, is expected to be in the lineup today.

Sandberg, who replaced Felix Escalona in the seventh against Oakland on Tuesday, visited the optometrist before Wednesday's game.

"I was over-corrected in one eye," he said.

ODDS AND ENDS: Durham pitcher Luis De Los Santos is expected to be recalled today and meet the team in Toronto, where he will start Saturday's game. ... Escalona could be out until Tuesday with a pulled right groin. ... Durham pitcher Gerardo Garcia is on the disabled list after a groundball back to the mound dislodged the fingernail on his index finger. ... Durham outfielder Carl Crawford's batting average was .300 through Tuesday. His average has been .300 or above since April 9. ... The crowd of 15,672 marked the 10th time this season 15,000 or more have attended a home game. Three were against Red Sox.