Experienced Lugo gets another chance

TORONTO - With the need for an experienced shortstop greater than their concern about the pending legal situation, the Rays signed Julio Lugo to a contract that includes a club option for next season.

Lugo, 27, was arrested April 30 outside Houston's Minute Maid Park on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge after allegedly punching his wife in the mouth and banging her head against a car window. He has a restraining order against him and faces a July 14 court date.

The Astros got rid of Lugo, their starting shortstop much of the past three seasons, almost immediately after his arrest. But the Rays, and several other teams that expressed interest, were willing to give him another chance.

"The organization has done a tremendous amount of background work on this situation," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said. "We'll just let the judicial system run its course. We feel comfortable with the research that we've done."

Lugo is expected to join the team in Baltimore today and is likely to be activated and in the lineup Saturday, replacing Felix Escalona as the fill-in for injured Rey Ordonez, who will be out at least another three weeks with a sprained left knee.

Lugo also can play second and third base and in the outfield. And with the Rays holding a $1.75-million option for next season, they could keep him if they don't re-sign Ordonez. This season, the Rays will pay only a pro-rated share of the $300,000 minimum, with Houston paying the rest of his $1.575-million contract.

"This gives us an experienced shortstop until we get Ordonez back, and at the same time gives us an athletic kid who can play quite a few positions, can swing the bat and hit the ball with a little power," manager Lou Piniella said. "It'll help us out."

The Rays had room to add Lugo to the 40-man roster after the league moved troubled prospect Josh Hamilton to the restricted list. Hamilton on Monday was granted a personal leave for the remainder of the season to "address certain private, non-baseball matters."

The Rays will have to send down a player when they activate Lugo, and another to make room for pitcher Jeremi Gonzalez, who will start Saturday. Escalona and rookie infielder Antonio Perez are the likely candidates.

NIGHT AND DAY: Piniella wants Carl Crawford to get out more when the team is on the road.

Noting the disparity in Crawford's home and road performance - a .344 average at the Trop; a .147 average elsewhere - Piniella talked to the 21-year-old about his road routine.

The problem isn't that Crawford stays out too late, Piniella said, but that he doesn't get out enough in the morning.

"I told him he needs to get up and get around during the day," Piniella said. "He stays in his room too much. Basically, he has room service and stays in his room. I told him to get out and walk around, take a nice shower in the morning and get some energy. See the world a little bit. Go to a museum. Walk around. Buy some socks. Buy a record."

LUNCH DATE: Piniella plans to have lunch Monday in Texas with new Cowboys coach Bill Parcells, but it will be more than a social visit.

Piniella's nephew, Gabriel, is a 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman who just finished his career at Bethune-Cookman. Piniella is hoping to help him get an invitation to an NFL training camp. "We're trying to get him an opportunity," Piniella said.

DEJA VU: Tanyon Sturtze was excited to sign a one-year, $1-million contract with the Jays when the Rays decided to let him become a free agent. But he wasn't too happy Thursday when he was told his 3-4 record and 6.14 ERA earned him a demotion to the bullpen. "I think my decision this past offseason would have been a little different if I knew I was only going to get eight or nine starts in and then be judged on that," he said.

MISCELLANY: Perez made his first start and got an infield single in his first big-league at-bat. ... Toronto's Carlos Delgado was okay after nearly knocking himself out on the final play of the game when his bat broke and hit him in the head.