ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays dropped Chad Gaudin from their rotation to Triple-A Durham on Monday and plan eventually to replace him with Jeremi Gonzalez.
In the interim, they called up reliever Bartolome Fortunato, a 29-year-old rookie, and moved Rob Bell back into the rotation to make two starts.
Gaudin, 1-1 with a 5.87 ERA in four starts, had been sent to Durham last month to work as a starter but was called back up after only four games when Doug Waechter went on the disabled list. This time the Rays plan to give him time to get comfortable as a starter. "The more experience he gets, the better," manager Lou Piniella said.
Fortunato had been pitching extremely well at Durham, going 4-2 with five saves, a 2.39 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings. A power pitcher, he was unscored on in his past 11 outings, covering 13 innings, and allowed only two hits.
Having seen more than a half-dozen pitchers moved up and down, Fortunato said he expected to eventually get his chance in the big leagues. "Everyone who gets to the major leagues has to do their job," Fortunato said. "They moved every (Durham) starter up; I wanted to be a starter."
Gonzalez opened the season as the No. 2 starter but was demoted after going 0-4, 6.69 in eight starts. He has pitched well for the Bulls since coming off the disabled list and, after one more Triple-A start Wednesday, is expected to be called up to start a game in Monday's day-night doubleheader at Baltimore.
"The reports are he's throwing the ball well," Piniella said. "We're hoping that he can come up here and throw well and just stay in the rotation. That's what we're looking for."
Bell, who pitched a perfect ninth inning Monday, is scheduled to start Friday against the Marlins and probably Wednesday in Baltimore before going back to the long relief role.
SEE YA: Jose Bautista, the Rule 5 infielder/outfielder designated for assignment last week, was traded to Kansas City for about $50,000 cash, twice the waiver fee the Rays paid to claim him from Baltimore.
ROCCO REPRESENTING: Rocco Baldelli was formally elected the team representative to the players union during a brief pregame meeting Monday. He replaced Paul Abbott, who was released.
"I'm prepared to do whatever I have to do," Baldelli said. "I think I'll learn a little bit."
CIGAR CLUB: Reliever Trever Miller is expected back today after missing Monday's game to be with his wife, Pari, for the birth of their third child, Grace Elizabeth. Miller is the second member of the bullpen to have a new baby in the past eight days; Danys Baez did June 20.
POLLS CLOSING: No Rays are ranked among the top five at their positions with online All-Star voting ending at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. The starters and reserves for the 32-man squads will be announced Sunday night.
GOOD HANDS: Catcher Toby Hall is taking his involvement with the Pinellas Safe Start program seriously, lending his name and time to the campaign to educate the public about the impact of exposing young children to violence.
Hall, who has a 17-month-old son, Tayden, will appear in three public service announcements, and the Rays will arrange a fund-raiser later in the season for the "Children Reflect What They See" campaign.
"With Tayden, this is the most crucial time of his life. They learn so much from age 0-6 from what they hear and see," Hall said. "We are not always aware of how our actions can affect our children."
MISCELLANY: Jose Cruz's fifth-inning home run was his 166th, one more than his father, Jose Sr., hit during his career. ... Baldelli got the night off to rest the thigh strain that has limited him to DH duties for nearly a week. ... Managing general partner Vince Naimoli on the successful weekend: "It was baseball: great games, great crowds." ... Piniella said when Waechter's strained finger tendon is better, he will probably need to make a few minor-league rehabilitation starts. ... Centerfielder Joey Gathright was told to play deeper after having several balls hit over his head Sunday.
