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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 30, 2002
ST. PETERSBURG -- The waiting continues.
No decision regarding Esteban Yan's actions during the Rays' July 18 game against the Red Sox was announced Monday, and that was because baseball's chief disciplinarian just finished reviewing the tapes.
"It's still, in my opinion, under review," Bob Watson, MLB vice president of on-field operations, said from his office in New York.
Yan and manager Hal McRae were ejected after the reliever hit Boston outfielder Manny Ramirez in the left shoulder with a 95 mph fastball.
Both teams had been warned by home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez after second baseman Brent Abernathy was hit by Boston starter Frank Castillo in the third. That was in apparent retaliation for Rays starter Tanyon Sturtze hitting Ramirez the inning before.
"It's not as cut and dry as everyone thinks," said Watson, who said a decision could come in the next couple of days. "I'm talking to everyone involved. ... I've got a lot of work to do."
SOMETHING NEW: The fifth inning ended with Abernathy being restrained by third-base coach Tom Foley and McRae arguing with second-base umpire Mark Hirschbeck.
The reason?
With the bases loaded and Abernathy on first, Aubrey Huff hit a slow-bouncing grounder to second. The ball bounced off the glove of Orioles second baseman Jerry Hairston moments before Abernathy crossed his path. Hirschbeck called Abernathy out for interference.
"Because (Abernathy) confused the fielder," McRae said. "Not that he ran into the fielder. Not that he didn't give him a chance to catch the ball, but he confused him." Asked if Hirschbeck's explanation was unique, McRae replied: "I've heard a lot of things that I haven't heard often. It seems like everyone wants to participate in the demise of the Devil Rays."
FEELING LUCKY: The Rays left 16 men on base, tying a club record, and 10 in scoring position. They were 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-8 with the bases loaded.
"The whole game, I'm thinking if we lose, as frustrating as it's been this year, this is one of those games where you really could have blown it open early and we didn't," Rays catcher John Flaherty said.
GUESSING GAME: Coaches want him to be more aggressive. Ben Grieve tends to think his offensive woes are more an issue of mechanics.
"Maybe if my mind-set is to be more aggressive I'll work the mechanics out," Grieve said. "But which do you do first? I don't know."
The Rays rightfielder entered with a team-leading 89 strikeouts (43 looking) and was fifth in the American League in pitches taken (62.8 percent). He went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
BULLPEN WORK: Pitcher Wilson Alvarez worked out at Tropicana Field for the first time since being placed on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow tendinitis.
Alvarez threw in the bullpen for about 30 minutes, his third bullpen session since going on the DL July 17, and said he felt fine. He is scheduled to throw batting practice Thursday.
BRUSHING UP: Joe Kennedy is tied with Mark Buehrle of the White Sox for the American League lead with six pickoffs this season.
Yet the Rays left-hander spent about 15 minutes Monday practicing his move to first base.
"The last few games I've felt a little sloppy with it," Kennedy said. "It's something if you don't really work on you'll lose."
ODDS AND ENDS: The five-run margin of victory was the largest for the Rays since they beat San Francisco 8-3 on June 18. ... Rays Reliever Jesus Colome, who pitched the ninth, has pitched 91/3 scoreless innings in his past seven appearances. ... Rays wives raised $41,000 for ALS during their annual celebrity dinner Sunday at the Grill at Feather Sound. In four years, the dinner has raised $217,000.
-- KEVIN KELLY, MARC TOPKIN