Gonzalez makes Rays look wise

RAYS 4, ROYALS 0: Surprising ace shows why club was smart not to trade him as Tampa Bay knocks Kansas City out of first.

ST. PETERSBURG - Last month, the debate was whether the Devil Rays should trade Jeremi Gonzalez. Now the better question might be how quickly can they get him signed for next year.

Gonzalez showed again he could be part of the future with a dominating eight-inning performance Friday as the Rays beat the Royals 4-0 and knocked them out of first.

The red-hot Rays have won eight of their past 11 and are 13-9 since the All-Star break and 19-15 since July 1. Their 12-7 record since July 20 is the best in the AL East. The Royals, who'd been in first place in the Central since July 1, dropped a half-game behind the White Sox, who beat Oakland.

Gonzalez gave up three hits and didn't allow a runner past second while throwing 122 pitches. He evened his record at 5-5, lowered his ERA to 3.46, decreased his opponents' batting average to .209 and continued to make the Rays look smart for hanging on to him.

"First of all, we want this kid back. That's No. 1," manager Lou Piniella said. "No. 2, why trade people that are doing the job for you? Unless somebody wants to get crazy, and nobody did. When people are doing the job for you, these are the people you want to build with and grow with."

Gonzalez was a minor-league free agent looking for opportunity when the Rays signed him in November. They gave him time to pitch at Triple A, then gave him the chance to pitch in the majors for the first time since 1998, when he had the first of three major surgeries.

"Three years ago I was a nobody," Gonzalez said. "Sometimes in baseball you can turn your life around. I think I proved to myself and everyone I can still pitch in the big leagues."

"This organization did an outstanding job giving this man a chance," Piniella said. "He's probably been as good an acquisition as anybody. ... I'm well-pleased with all the kids we brought in here. These are people we want to grow with and take it to the next level with. We've got to add to it, not subtract."

The Rays have the rights to Gonzalez, but he will be arbitration eligible, so the ultimate question may be financial: Do they want to pay the $1.5-million to $2-million he is likely to command?

Gonzalez hopes so.

"I love this ballclub and this staff and I think I'm going to finish here," he said. "I feel good here. ... I can't be more happy than where I am right now."

Gonzalez has been consistently good, allowing three runs or fewer in 12 of his 16 starts and five hits or fewer in 11. In the five games he lost, the Rays scored five total. Four times he left with the lead but didn't get the win.

The statistics, however, are only part of the story.

"He's got a big heart," Piniella said. "He's got good stuff to go along with it, but the way he competes, it's good to see. I think it's been a godsend for our young pitchers here to see the way he competes on the mound.

"If I was a young pitcher, I certainly would pay heed and get that quality in me, because that's really what it takes up here. Tonight was no exception."

The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the first against nemesis Kevin Appier, who'd beaten them eight straight times, and made it stand up, with three of their scuffling youngsters, Antonio Perez, Aubrey Huff and Rocco Baldelli, rapping consecutive hits. They added two more, played decent defense and got a solid ninth from Jesus Colome.

"It was a good win for us," Piniella said.

He has been saying that a lot lately.