Nomo pleased with fastball command

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published March 1, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Hideo Nomo went about his business Monday in his usual quiet way. Even after an impressive one-inning outing in an intrasquad game at the Naimoli complex, the right-hander was sober in his assessment.

"I felt good," Nomo said through an interpreter. "I wanted to pitch strikes with my fastball on the first pitch."

Nomo's first batter, Tom Goodwin , popped to third. After B.J. Upton reached on an error by second baseman Luis Ordaz , Nomo struck out Eduardo Perez with a split-finger pitch.

"He's got a good split, we all know that," pitching coach Chuck Hernandez said. "But like anyone else, I'm sure his first priority is to get his fastball stretched out and get good command of that."

"If he has that going, his fastball will come," Perez said. "Right now he looks healthy and was throwing strikes, and that was most important. He did well."

Nomo, who had a horrible 2004 with two stints on the disabled list, said he feels good but would not speculate about carving out a roster spot.

"It's not my decision to make. I'm just trying my best," he said. "I'd like to stay on the roster and I'm trying my best every pitch."

NEAGLE GOOD AND BAD: Left-hander Denny Neagle said he liked the way he threw his changeup but was disappointed in his fastball location during his one inning that was stopped when he reached the prearranged 19 pitches.

"I know I can do a lot better than that," Neagle said. "The negative part of it was my fastball command. It wasn't where I wanted it to be. But I'm not worried about that right now. That's a feel thing for me and is something that's definitely going to come."

Neagle, who gave up a hit and a run and walked one in two-thirds of an inning, hasn't pitched in a game since July 2003 because of elbow and shoulder surgeries.

"He was a little rusty," Hernandez said. "I'm going to tell him to relax and get his mulligan today."

Neagle, 36, signed to a minor-league contract, acknowledged he doesn't have time to waste.

"I'm older. I'm in a much different situation contract-wise, everything-wise," he said. "I have to come in here and be a little more sharper a little more earlier in spring training to try and prove something."

INTRASQUAD STARS: Jorge Cantu 's home run in the bottom of the sixth (and last) inning off Chad Orvella gave the Bulls a 2-2 tie with the Biscuits. Cantu had two hits and two RBIs. ... Cantu was the first batter faced by Orvella, who last season had 116 strikeouts in 732/3 innings in the minors. "Just trying to work on mechanical stuff right now and laid it right down the middle," Orvella said. ... Cantu, who wants to hit for more power, said the home run was a confidence builder. "I'm ready to go, as you can see," he said. "This season is big for me as far as me staying here. I'm just trying to elevate my game." ... Catcher Pete Laforest had a single and caught Upton trying to steal. ... Catcher and Tampa native Kevin Cash had a hit.

INTRASQUAD INTRIGUE: How important are the intrasquad games, which continue today?

"It's not a big evaluation day," Hernandez said. "It's more like let's get work in, let's get some rust knocked off and get prepared to go into the spring training schedule. That's where the evaluation and competition will begin."

PINIELLA FUNERAL: The funeral for manager Lou Piniella 's father, Lou Sr ., who died early Sunday morning at age 86, is today. Because of the service, today's workout was rescheduled for 2 p.m.

MISCELLANY: Today's probable pitchers include Dewon Brazelton , Scott Kazmir , Jorge Sosa , Casey Fossum , Seth McClung , Mark Guthrie and Jeff Niemann . ... Doug Waechter is scheduled to start Wednesday against Navy, followed by Angel Garcia , Chris Seddon , Frankie Nunez and Carlos Hines . ... The Rays added a B game against the Tigers at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Lakeland. ... Billy Hatcher 's group won Monday's Rays of Hope Golf Classic, and Neagle's group was second. ... The funeral for former Tampa Tribune sports editor Paul C. Smith , who covered the Rays for MLB.com and died late Saturday at age 46, is Thursday. In lieu of flowers, a trust fund is being set up for his two children.

QUOTABLE

"I have young kids. You do have to watch that, no question about it."

- DENNY NEAGLE, pitcher, on shouting an expletive after bouncing a wild pitch.

TODAY

The workout begins at 2 p.m. An intrasquad game begins about 30 minutes later. Admission and parking at the Naimoli complex (7901 30th Ave. N) are free.

DID YOU KNOW?

Minor-league pitcher Jon Switzer's sister, Heather, was a Big 12 champion swimmer at the University of Kansas.

[Last modified March 1, 2005, 01:11:12]