Gathright taking the fast way

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published April 10, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said before Saturday night's game with the A's it is possible Joey Gathright could earn a roster spot if he keeps playing well.

On cue, Gathright had his second consecutive impressive game in an 11-2 victory at Tropicana Field.

The centerfielder went 2-for-2 with a double, two runs, a walk and a sacrifice bunt. He also stole two bases and, with great speed, forced the A's defense into two mistakes.

Said A's catcher Jason Kendall: "It's like watching a movie and pressing a fast-forward button."

Gathright's only blip: tripping and falling while rounding second on what should have been an eighth-inning triple.

"All I can do is come out here and play every day, hard as I can," he said. "Hopefully I can get some good hits and contribute to this team and stay here. That's the plan."

Gathright, 23, was called up Sunday from Triple-A Durham after centerfielder Alex Sanchez was suspended for 10 days because of a positive test for performance-enhancing substances.

In three games and two starts, Gathright is batting .400 (4-for-10) and has scored four runs, and Tampa Bay won each game. He also is prospering batting ninth which has helped Carl Crawford, who leads off.

"It's a nice combination," manager Lou Piniella said. "When they get on base, things happen for us."

"He's been pretty effective," Crawford said. "He's getting an opportunity and taking advantage of it, that's good."

Gathright could force the Rays to make some difficult personnel decisions when Sanchez rejoins the team on Thursday.

"Nothing is automatic at this point," LaMar said. "But if a young man is ready to handle adversity at the next level, I feel we're better off pushing the kid ... You saw on a baseball field what he can do. We're encouraged, we always have been, and we'll see how this thing plays out."

LINE IN THE SAND: LaMar and Piniella reiterated they believe catcher Charles Johnson will be back by Tuesday. But LaMar also said if Johnson, who on Wednesday was granted a leave of absence to deal with a personal matter, did not return by then, "The organization obviously will start to raise further questions.

"I've gotten no indication from him or his agent that it's anything but a short-term situation. But if it goes into Tuesday, in my opinion, it goes from short-term to long-term."

Johnson, signed Monday after his release by the Red Sox, is on the restricted list without pay. LaMar declined to say what would happen if he is not with the team Tuesday.

"I don't think it's going to get to that point, so let's not put the cart before the horse," he said.

HUFF BREAKS THROUGH: Aubrey Huff joked about it, but you have to believe the slugger feels a lot better after hitting his first home run that was his career 99th, tying Fred McGriff for the team record.

"I didn't hit one all spring and in the fifth game of the season I was starting to wonder if I still had it - no," he said, laughing. "I've started slow in the past, but I know it's coming."

SAVE SOME FOR ME: Pitcher Dewon Brazelton knows he can't count on the same run support today when he makes his second start of the season. And he acknowledged that teams that score big many times do the opposite in their next game.

"In my mind-set I kind of like going out there thinking I have to win 2-0," Brazelton said. "It's major-league baseball. You can't expect a pitcher to give it up like that (today). Just the way the law of averages works, I have a better chance I'm going to give it up than their guy."

MISCELLANY: The Rays won their third series against the A's (3-19-1) and first since September 2003. ... Seven runs are the most allowed by Barry Zito in an inning. ... After one turn through the rotation, Rays starters have pitched 31 innings and allowed nine earned runs (a 2.62 ERA) on 20 hits with 28 strikeouts and 12 walks.

[Last modified April 10, 2005, 00:41:07]