Grieve's blood clot a fairly serious issue

ST. PETERSBURG - Devil Rays designated hitter Ben Grieve continued receiving treatment Saturday for a blood clot under his right arm.

"Look, this is serious," manager Lou Piniella said. "This is not anything to take lightly."

Rays head trainer Ken Crenshaw said Grieve's clot certainly is not life threatening, but it could keep Grieve sidelined for a while.

How long? That is unknown.

Grieve received medication to dissolve the clot at St. Anthony's Hospital on Friday, but it was not completely gone as of Saturday morning. He received another dose Saturday, and doctors were awaiting results before determining the next course of action.

It's possible, Crenshaw said, doctors will insert a stent to open up the vein before treating Grieve with blood thinners.

"Hopefully the scenario we want ... is this clot will dissolve," Crenshaw said. "Playing baseball with blood thinner medication is certainly questionable."

Crenshaw added, "It's not a life-threatening thing, but it's a pretty important thing. It's really unusual. You don't see a lot of them."

This is Grieve's second strange illness of the season. In April, he had an infected left thumb that required surgery and sidelined him for 27 games. Crenshaw said doctors do not believe the blood clot is related to the infected thumb.

"We're thinking about him," Piniella said. "The important thing here is that he gets well. Forget everything else. Get well (no matter how) long it takes."

THE MAGNIFICENT ANDERSON: It's a week of firsts for the Rays' Marlon Anderson.

Friday, he was the designated hitter for the first time in his career. Saturday, he played leftfield for the first time since spring training and in the outfield for the first time in a regular-season game.

The Rays put Anderson in left to replace Carl Crawford, who began serving a three-game suspension for his actions in a brawl against Pittsburgh last month.

"I figured I would play out there," Anderson said. "I knew. I understand. I don't mind."

Anderson could be close to serving the first suspension of his career. Anderson, alsosuspended for three games for the brawl against Pittsburgh, appealed his suspension and had his hearing Friday.

"I feel pretty good that they will take at least a game away," Anderson said.

If and when Anderson is suspended, it won't begin until Crawford's suspension is completed after Monday's game.

WELCOME MATT: When Matt Diaz was called into the office of Triple-A Durham manager Bill Evers on Friday, he didn't like what he heard.

"We need a roster spot in Durham," Evers said. "So we have to send you ... "

Diaz thought the next word was going to be "down." But Evers was just teasing Diaz. His next words were, "... up to the majors."

Diaz, a graduate of Lakeland Santa Fe Catholic High, was called up for the first time.

"(Evers) did it in the dry way only he can," Diaz said. "It scares the (heck) out of you but makes you savor it for the rest of your life."

The 25-year-old, who makes his home in Winter Haven, is expected to get his first big-league start today in leftfield. He is leading the organization after hitting .363 at Double-A Orlando and Durham.

He made his debut Saturday as a pinch-hitter and grounded out to short for the last out.

RECORD NIGHT: Starter Victor Zambrano set a club record and tied a major-league record by hitting four batters. He is the 24th pitcher since 1900 to hit four batters in a game. The last was Anaheim's Scott Schoeneweis on June 7, 2001.

MISCELLANY: Catcher Javier Valentin has a career-high eight-game hitting streak. ... Texas' Juan Gonzalez left in the second with tightness in his right calf. He is day to day.