ST. PETERSBURG - All of a sudden, injuries are a problem for the Devil Rays.
Aubrey Huff, the team's best hitter, sat out Sunday with back spasms. And outfielder Carl Crawford played only the ninth inning as a defensive replacement because of a bruised right shoulder.
With centerfielder Rocco Baldelli still on the disabled list with a strained right thigh that's a lot of talent on the bench.
"They're not going to be of long duration, we don't think," manager Lou Piniella said of the injuries to Huff and Crawford.
Huff left Saturday's game in the first inning with pain after running out a ground ball. Crawford was hurt Saturday diving for two balls in the eighth.
Huff, whose streak of consecutive games was stopped at 398, said he can bend but has trouble twisting. Crawford, who needed just a few swings of batting practice to know he wasn't right, said he can extend his arms to swing but following through is difficult. He said this is the first time he has sat out because of injury.
"I always play through my injuries," he said. "All I can do is treat it every day. Hopefully, I'm in the lineup (tonight)."
Crawford said he found solace that when the injury occurred, "nothing popped out of place."
KAZMIR READY: Left-hander Scott Kazmir is scheduled to make his first major-league start tonight against the Mariners. His first batter? Ichiro Suzuki, the hottest hitter in the majors.
"Whenever I pitch to him, I'm going to imagine that's not him," Kazmir said. "I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing. I've got a little routine." That has been working just fine for the pitcher obtained from the Mets in the Victor Zambrano deal. Kazmir, 20, was 1-2 with a 1.44 ERA in four starts for Double-A Montgomery with 24 strikeouts in 25 innings. He throws in the high 90s and has a curve, changeup and slider.
Kazmir said he was "shocked" by the trade, but when he realized Tampa Bay's organizational depth meant a quicker path to the majors, "I was like, "This is a great opportunity for me, probably the best thing for my career."'
Piniella said he is looking forward to seeing Kazmir pitch.
"I'd like to see the young man throw balls like the reports we've gotten," Piniella said. "But the big thing is to see how far along he is on the command he has with his pitches and the poise he shows on the mound."
Kazmir will face much that could rattle him. He said eight family and friends will be at the game. And Ichiro looms.
"I'm in a great position now," Kazmir said. "I couldn't hope for anything better. All I can say is I'll hope for the best."
CRAWFORD IS BEST: Piniella said Crawford is the majors' best leftfielder and he would vote for him for a Gold Glove.
"He gets to more balls than any leftfielder in the league," Piniella said.
Crawford's 285 chances are the most in the majors, and he has made one error in his past 254 games, none in his past 131 and four in his career.
Crawford is on pace to handle 375 chances this season. Only three outfielders have handled as many without an error: Curt Flood (396 in 1966), Darryl Hamilton (380 in 1996) and Brett Butler (380 in 1991 and 375 in '93).
"He's got the athleticism, speed, and he's got good hands," Piniella said of Crawford. "He's getting better jumps (on the ball), and he's in better position. He knows the hitters a little better."
FIGHTING MAD: Rays starter Dewon Brazelton and Oakland's Erubiel Durazo exchanged words in the seventh inning after Brazelton drilled Durazo in the back with a pitch. Durazo homered in the fourth. "I didn't mean to do it," Brazelton said, adding he wanted to establish the inside of the plate because Durazo was leaning in. "I wanted to make him move his feet. I didn't want to hit him.
"But I hit him, and he dropped his helmet and bat like he was going to come out there. So I'm like, "If you're going to come out here, come out here and don't talk about it.' "
Brazelton became agitated at one point while Durazo was escorted to first base by home plate umpire Kevin Kelley and Rays catcher Brook Fordyce. A's outfielder Eric Byrnes said he believed the pitch was intentional.
"I think you can generally look at a pitcher's reaction and see whether it's intentional or not," he said. "It's too bad. ... We're looking forward to playing these guys again."
ODDS AND ENDS: Piniella said a roster move to accommodate Kazmir will be made today. ... The A's have 15 home runs in their past five games. They hit eight in the three-game series, all solo. ... With Kazmir and shortstop B.J. Upton, who turned 20 Saturday, the Rays have two of the majors' three youngest players. Royals shortstop Andres Blanco, 20 years, 4 months, is the other.
