ST. PETERSBURG - With one month left before the trade deadline, it's possible the Devil Rays could do some wheeling and dealing. It's more likely, though, that Rays general manager Chuck LaMar will be taking rather than making calls.
Still in the rebuilding stage, the Rays appear to be looking to acquire young players in exchange for veterans rather than the other way around.
While teams in contention are looking to add veterans, teams such as the Rays are looking to add to their future.
"It's a different mind-set," manager Lou Piniella said of being in the position the Rays are in.
The first step, according to Piniella, is seeing what the Rays have in the system. The Rays likely will call up several prospects in the second half for cups of coffee, just to gauge what the future looks like.
"Our job basically is to really ascertain what we have," Piniella said. "And at the same time make sure if we are in the market, we keep the right kids."
LaMar said last week there are no such things as untouchables on a last-place team. He also indicated there is a nucleus the Rays are trying to build around, including Rocco Baldelli, Toby Hall, Carl Crawford and Victor Zambrano.
Teams in contention might be interested in veteran bats such as Ben Grieve, Travis Lee and Al Martin or pitchers Joe Kennedy and Al Levine.
"I wouldn't be surprised, quite frankly, if Chuck didn't start getting some calls on some of our pitchers," Piniella said. "I wouldn't be surprised at all. And that might be a way we can help ourselves position player-wise."
CUP OF JOE: Kennedy will make one more rehabilitation start before he is scheduled to rejoin the Rays rotation.
Kennedy, out a month with left shoulder inflammation, pitches Friday in Richmond for Triple-A Durham, his second rehabilitation start. He started Sunday for Double-A Orlando. If all goes well, Kennedy will pitch a week from today in Oakland.
"We want to make sure he's all right," Piniella said. "If you rush him back and put him out there and he struggles a little bit and he tries to overdo, that's how you hurt yourself. We want him in the rotation the rest of the summer. This is more for Joe than anybody else. And what's good for Joe is good for us."
LIKE A GLOVE: Damian Rolls has provided plenty of offense of late. That's no surprise. What is striking, though, has been his play defensively at third base.
He has started 17 consecutive games at third since returning from the disabled list (dislocated thumb) June 13. He has raised his average from .222 to .276 in that span.
More impressive is this: no errors at third base.
"He has done very well with the glove, very well," Piniella said. "In fact, truthfully, he has surprised me some."
FUTURE STAR: Pete LaForest, the Rays catching prospect at Durham, has been selected to play in the Futures Game during All-Star Sunday (July 13) at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.
PEDRO WITH A K: By striking out Grieve in the fifth, Pedro Martinez moved into second place on the Red Sox all-time strikeout list. It was his 1,342nd, moving past Cy Young. Roger Clemens has 2,590.
CENTURY MARK: Baldelli became the 23rd rookie to reach 100 hits before the All-Star break. Piniella was one of the other 22.
[Last modified July 3, 2003, 02:17:40]
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