Tokyo trip may rush Rays' hand

ST. PETERSBURG - The trip to Japan will give the Devil Rays a chance to see the world, get some rare vast exposure and increase their business and baseball presence in the Far East.

"This trip is a good opportunity for us," manager Lou Piniella said. "Probably half the people in Japan haven't heard of the Devil Rays."

But it also will force them to make quick and difficult roster decisions.

By the time the Rays leave on March 25, they're going to have to be pretty close to knowing their final 25-man roster despite having played fewer than 20 exhibitions.

"The only problem we're going to have here with our pitching is that we have to make some decisions here quickly," Piniella said.

The Rays can take 33 players to Tokyo, but the strategy Piniella and pitching coach Chuck Hernandez use in making those selections has to be determined soon. The schedule also will be a factor.

The Rays play exhibitions against Japanese League teams March 28-29 and regular-season games against the Yankees March 30-31, then play their next regular-season games April 6-7 against the Yankees at Tropicana Field.

Conceivably, the Rays could use their top two starters (Victor Zambrano and Jeremi Gonzalez) in Games 1 and 2 in Japan and again in Games 3 and 4 at the Trop.

"We're going to have to look at that," Piniella said. "That's an advantage. The only problem is that the Yankees (likely to start Mike Mussina and Kevin Brown) can do it, too."

Another question is whether to have their Nos. 3 and 4 starters take what would be their regular turns and pitch in the Japanese exhibitions or be available in the bullpen for the Yankees games. If they are in the bullpen, the Rays have to bring extra pitchers for the exhibitions.

And because the Rays have a light early schedule, they'll use a four-man rotation until April 24. That means a young starter who has options, such as Doug Waechter or Mark Hendrickson, could open the season in the minors while the Rays carry eight relievers on a 12-man staff.

"The pitching coach has got some work to do with this," Piniella said.

The Rays also have to deal with the logistics and aftereffects of flying to the other side of the world and back in seven days. There were jokes in Piniella's office Saturday about trying to practice jet lag - "We could send our players over to Houston to NASA," he said - but the potential for problems is real.

Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner put his squad on notice, saying: "Going halfway around the world is very draining. It's a test for the guys."

Piniella expects the Rays to be able to bounce back because they're a young team, but he's considering talking to members of the Mets and Cubs who made a similar trip in 2000. He could also consult with buddy Jon Gruden, whose Bucs opened the preseason in Tokyo and went on to have an ugly season.

"I think I'd rather talk to Gruden about other things than the Japan trip," Piniella said.

RAYS RUMBLINGS: Rays and Yankees players will get to divide a lump-sum payment, much like the way teams vote playoff shares, and could get around $25,000 each. ... So far, ESPN plans to show only the first of the two regular-season games. ... Shortstop B.J. Upton is No. 2 and outfielder Delmon Young 10th on MLB.com's list of top 50 prospects. ... The Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier says suspended outfielder Josh Hamilton "spent time in 2003 at a drug rehabilitation clinic." ... Former manager Hal McRae, an assistant to GM Chuck LaMar, was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. ... Reliever Todd Jones is again writing his "Closer" column for the Sporting News. ... Pedro Martinez said he has no reason to apologize to Don Zimmer over their ALCS incident: "I didn't do anything wrong. He was trying to punch me and I had to let him go."

EX-RAYS FILE: Sound familiar? The Brewers are trying to get Ben Grieve to be more aggressive at the plate. "He was a disciplined hitter in Oakland and then he ended up not being as aggressive," GM Doug Melvin said. "He can still be selective at the plate, but be more aggressive." ... Reliever Mark Malaska said he at first was surprised and "a little frustrated, a little mad" the Rays put him on waivers. "I had good numbers and was pretty confident I had a job secured (for this season)," Malaska told Boston reporters. "But I guess they're going in a different direction. I know Lou likes his veterans." ... Former infielder Aaron Ledesma is working with Major League Partners, a Clearwater company that sells computer programming that can analyze a player's swing and compare it to major-league stars.

BABE BASHING: The suggestion that players not talk about steroids might not be such a bad idea. Not when you have Jeff Kent wondering aloud if Babe Ruth used the stuff.

"People are saying Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. How do you know those guys didn't do steroids?" Kent told the Houston Chronicle. "The problem going on right now is the fact that we all sit here and argue and b---- and moan and say guys are breaking records now that were set a long time ago. How do we know those guys were clean? Did they test those guys?"

MISCELLANY: The Metrodome is installing FieldTurf, the same surface used at the Trop. ... Phillies players are wearing "Now Is The Time" T-shirts. ... Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon actually said the three NL players "who really impress me with their approach to the game" are Jason Kendall, Mike Piazza and Raul Mondesi. ... Mike Hargrove is back in an Indians uniform as a senior adviser.

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.