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ST. PETERSBURG - Hitting coach Lee Elia has had quite a month.
Elia felt ill when the Rays were coming home from New York on April 14, got probed and prodded for days as doctors searched for a cause and ended up having surgery to remove his gall bladder.
He rejoined the Rays on April 30, and they haven't exactly given him much to feel good about, trapped in an offensive slump reaching historical proportions.
"There's been a lot of peaks and valleys," Elia said. "I can honestly say I haven't had a month like that."
The Rays are the lowest scoring team in the league with 100 runs in 30 games. Over the past 20 years, only two AL teams scored fewer, the 2003 Tigers (80 in 30 games) and the 1988 Orioles (85).
The reasons for their struggles are plentiful, including the lowest team batting average (.236), the fewest extra-base hits (66) and the worst on-base percentage (.297) in the league.
Individually, Jose Cruz suffered through a career-worst 0-for-37 streak, and he has a higher average (.206) than Aubrey Huff (.194). Robert Fick (.172) and Geoff Blum (.193) have also struggled. Rocco Baldelli has only four extra-base hits. Rey Sanchez hasn't driven in a run.
Elia, an eternal optimist, is confident a turnaround is coming. "Right before I left, things were clicking pretty good," he said. "I really do believe we're going to get it going. We've got to stay positive in our thinking. Something good may even come out of a month like that. We may be able to look back and say it builds character."
ROLLING IN: Infielder/outfielder Damian Rolls is the most likely replacement on the roster for Eduardo Perez, who tore his left Achilles' tendon Sunday.
The Rays did not announce a roster move Monday but are expected to recall Rolls, who was sent to Triple-A Durham last week to work as a second baseman. Rolls won the starting third base job with a strong spring but hit .128 (5-for-39) in limited action. Rolls was 2-for-8 in two games at Durham.
Another possibility would be outfielder/DH Jonny Gomes, hitting .327 with eight homers, 19 RBIs and 16 strikeouts in 15 games. Gomes came off the disabled list last week after missing time with a groin injury.
PEREZ SURGERY: Rays orthopedic physician Koco Eaton examined Perez on Monday and plans to perform surgery Wednesday. Perez, 34, is out for at least the rest of the season. The Rays signed him to a two-year, $1.7-million contract.
GETTING CLOSER: Final details of the sale of 48 percent of the team to New York investor Stuart Sternberg are being worked out. An announcement is expected Wednesday.
HAPPY HOMECOMING: Paul Abbott's return to his native southern California was especially sweet last weekend, and it had nothing to do with how he pitched Saturday.
Abbott's special treat was getting to see his sons, Lance and Trent, play for their Troy High School team Friday. The Abbotts had been in an extended battle with California high school officials over the boys' eligibility after they transferred from a private school to Troy, and they weren't allowed to start playing for the varsity until about a month ago.
Friday, Abbott was able to sit in the stands and watch as Lance started pitching, then later as the two teamed in the middle infield.
"Seeing them out there the way it's supposed to be, after what we went through, it was very nice," Abbott said.
The boys returned the favor Saturday night as the entire Troy team came out to watch Abbott pitch against the Angels.
MISCELLANY: Tino Martinez ranks fourth in the league in home run ratio, hitting one every 12.7 at-bats. He is also 10th in the league with a .419 on-base percentage. ... Toby Hall, Travis Harper, Jared Sandberg and Doug Waechter were among those named to the Class A Hudson Valley Renegades all-decade team, managed by current skipper Dave Howard. ... Rob Bell was named International League pitcher of the week after winning twice to improve to 5-0 for Triple-A Durham.