ST. PETERSBURG - While Devil Rays pitcher John Halama answered questions from a reporter Sunday morning, fellow pitcher Mark Hendrickson chimed in with a playful suggestion.
"Did you ask him where he's sore?" he said.
How about that, John?
"I'm fine today," Halama said.
Yes, but his right arm and side ached a bit Saturday after almost a week of batting practice, a must before this week's interleague games at San Diego and Arizona. Most American League pitchers haven't hit regularly since high school, so certain muscles don't get much work except for a handful of games in National League parks.
"Every pitcher thinks he can hit," reliever Lance Carter said. "Whether or not he can is yet to be determined. Probably not. You just try not to embarrass yourself."
Halama has 18 career at-bats, tops on the Rays staff. He has two hits, including a double.
"My main focus isn't going to be about the hitting part," he said. "If I'm in a situation to sacrifice, I just want to get the bunt down and move the runners over and let C.C. (Carl Crawford) knock them in. I'm not going to go up there to try to be a hero and hit a home run. My job is strictly to pitch. If I can get into the sixth or seventh inning as a starter, get no hits and win the game, I'll be the happiest man in the world. If I go out there and get three hits and lose, then what's the point?"
Hendrickson agreed that has to be the mind-set. He learned that the hard way last season with Toronto.
"I was so excited the first (interleague) game that I forgot my main goal was to pitch, and I didn't have a great outing," he said. "The second time I said, "You know what? Who cares? Just kind of take it as it comes.' "
In that second game, at Montreal, he not only pitched six strong innings but hit a home run off Sun-Woo Kim. (The Expos rallied for seven runs in the eighth for a win.)
"I was careful not to smile coming around second; you didn't know how the reaction was going to be from the other pitcher the next time up," said Hendrickson, who became the first Blue Jays pitcher to homer. "But everything was all right. It was a good game. I enjoyed it. My family and friends got some excitement out of it. I've always loved to hit and to finally get the chance to do it, I felt pretty comfortable for the most part."
Of course, he admitted that after taking BP last week his palm was a bit sore.
A HOMECOMING: Although he spent fewer than three seasons (1991-93) in San Diego, Fred McGriff has great memories of his time there. He was an All-Star starter in 1992 along with teammates Tony Gwynn and Benito Santiago and hit 53 of his career 492 homers in San Diego's old stadium.
"They needed a new stadium," he said. "I had no complaints. The old stadium was nice, but it was really meant for football."
MAKING HIS OWN BREAKS: After reliever Jesus Colome's dazzling outing Sunday against Colorado, opponents may have to toss the scouting report.
"I threw more breaking balls," he said.
In the ninth, that's all the hard-throwing right-hander gave pinch-hitter Todd Greene. Swing and a miss. Strike called. Strikeout looking, his third in 11/3 shutout innings to earn his first win.
"He threw three breaking balls in a row and struck him out," manager Lou Piniella said. "Those are things he needs to do."
AROUND THE HORN: Piniella said he has promised McGriff and Tino Martinez they'll both play first base this road trip. McGriff has been a DH or pinch hitter, and Martinez was the DH on Saturday and Sunday.
