Kennedy ills trigger latest staff shuffle

CHICAGO - Another new week, another new look for the Devil Rays pitching staff.

Tuesday they put Joe Kennedy on the disabled list, put Nick Bierbrodt back in their revolving rotation, put Steve Parris in the bullpen and put Bobby Seay in the minors.

"We're still looking for answers," manager Lou Piniella said. "Here we are in June and we're still looking for answers."

Putting Kennedy on the disabled list makes sense. He left Saturday's start with soreness and a pinching in his left shoulder, and though a Monday MRI exam showed only inflammation and no damage, they saw no reason to take any chances with their 24-year-old ace.

Kennedy will rest for 4-5 days, take some anti-inflammatory medication and then resume a throwing program. He is eligible to come off the disabled list June 16 and should be ready shortly after.

"We fully anticipate a two-week thing," Piniella said.

SECOND CHANCE: The decision to put Bierbrodt back in the rotation was not as clear. Piniella first considered other options but decided the young pitchers at Double A weren't ready and, as intriguing as it was, he really couldn't go without a fifth starter.

"You're going to laugh, (but) I was thinking really seriously for two weeks of going to a four-man, I really was," Piniella said. "Then the thought, "My God, we get one more pitcher hurt here, where do we go?' So I think we'll back off of that four-man."

Instead they'll turn Friday to Bierbrodt, who was 0-2 with a 13.19 ERA in four starts before losing his job and moving to long relief.

He has pitched better out of the bullpen and showed some good things during a five-inning outing Saturday, though it took a mound visit from Piniella, and a few pointed words, to get him focused.

"I challenged him," Piniella said. "I told him it's time you start showing that you're a major-league pitcher. He sort of responded."

One of Piniella's goals is to find out which of the young pitchers can be counted on in the future, and this will be Bierbrodt's second chance.

"It's up to Nick now whether he wants to stay in the rotation," Piniella said. "He's got a nice arm, but it takes more than a nice arm to pitch up here."

Bierbrodt will be pitching a day before the one-year anniversary of the June 7 shooting in Charleston, S.C., that nearly cost him his life. He has recovered, though he still is trying to build his strength.

"I have to look at it as a good opportunity," Bierbrodt said. "Hopefully I'll pitch well enough that I can show Lou I can be a starting pitcher up here. Hopefully my career as a reliever is over."

AND FURTHERMORE: Parris, on the disabled list since May 7 to allow him time to build arm strength, will replace Bierbrodt as the long reliever.

Seay, a left-handed reliever who had been on the disabled list since April 24, was activated and optioned to Triple-A Durham.

There was some good pitching news. Piniella said Seth McClung, out since May 23, will have another MRI exam on his sore right elbow early next week. If there is no damage, McClung could start a throwing program a few days later.

C.C. RIDER: Because Carl Crawford doesn't walk much (10 in 230 plate appearances), Piniella talked to him about being more aggressive and swinging at the first good pitch he sees rather than getting deep in the count and swinging at bad pitches. "I told C.C. (Monday), "What's the sense of working the count, you're not going to walk anyway,"' he said.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Jared Sandberg got a treat: a visit from his uncle Ryne, the former Cubs star. Ryne came in from Arizona to see Jared for the second time in a big-league uniform and to visit with the Cubs, for whom he is a spring instructor. "It's always fun," Jared Sandberg said.

MISCELLANY: Wrigley Field is the 23rd stadium the Rays have visited. They are 4-19 in debuts. ... The Cubs also are the 23rd team the Rays have played, and they are 4-19 in debuts. ... Former Rays manager Larry Rothschild, the Cubs pitching coach, visited with Piniella and some team officials before the game.