Cantu: Hits at No. 9 spot no coincidence

By DAMIAN CHRISTODERO
Published May 15, 2005

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As one of seven Devil Rays to have hit from the No. 9 spot in the batting order, Jorge Cantu has a theory about why Tampa Bay is producing so much from the position. Pitchers think they have an advantage.

"Most pitchers believe if a batter is hitting in the ninth spot the batter is not hitting for that much power, so he can get you out by coming right at you," Cantu said. "What they don't know is that we have pretty good hitters up here."

Entering Saturday, Tampa Bay's No. 9 hitters were the most productive in the majors, their .383 average (49-for-128) edging the Orioles' leadoff spot, which was at .378 (54-for-143).

The Rays' 10 home runs, including Alex Gonzalez's ninth-inning blast Friday that gave Tampa Bay a 3-2 victory, were four ahead of second-place Cleveland.

Interesting, huh?

"Not to me," said Gonzalez, who rolled his eyes and added, "You guys (reporters) can't get off this, can you?" when asked about the stats.

"They're just numbers right now," Gonzalez said. "But we'll see at the end of the year if the No. 9 hole is leading any spot in the lineup in the big leagues. That will be something to say."

Here are a few more.

The 10 home runs, 40 percent of the Rays' total of 25 entering Saturday, were hit by Gonzalez (three), Cantu (two), Jonny Gomes (two) and Damon Hollins, Nick Green and Eduardo Perez with one each.

Only four spots in American League batting orders had 10 or more home runs: the Yankees' fifth (12), the Orioles' third (11), Seattle's cleanup (11) and the Orioles' leadoff (10).

Tampa Bay's seven, eight and nine hitters also led the majors with a combined .314 average and 13 home runs.

"The pitcher wants to overpower us since we're hitting ninth," Cantu said. "But me and the other guys who have been hitting ninth, we make good contact. We're pretty good hitters. That's the reason why."

THANK GOODNESS: Adam Lechner, of Kearney, Mo., the boy hit in the head Thursday by a line-drive foul ball off the bat of Rays catcher Toby Hall, was released Saturday from Children's Mercy Hospital, where he was treated for a skull fracture.

It originally was believed Adam was taken to the hospital as a precaution. But Adam's father, Joe, said his son suffered bleeding that produced small tremors in his left leg and arm, though that is expected to clear up in a week. Hall said he will try to call Adam before today's game.

McCLUNG RETURNS: Rays manager Lou Piniella said reliever Seth McClung , called up from Triple-A Durham after Rob Bell went on the disabled list, has what it takes to be a major-league pitcher.

"He's going to be a good pitcher," Piniella said. "It's just a matter of how soon."

McClung was 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three games at Durham after his April 29 demotion.

"He just has to relax and throw the ball," Piniella said. "The kid wants to do well and he fights himself a little bit. You've got to be able to relax. You've got to be able to handle the pressure a little bit."

MISCELLANY: Piniella said he will try not to use reliever Travis Harper until Tuesday to give his sore shoulder more time to heal. ... Hollins, who started 12 straight games after his callup from Durham, got Saturday's game off. Piniella said he would try to give a day off today to leftfielder Carl Crawford, who started all of Tampa Bay's 38 games. ... Outfielder Delmon Young 's 12-game hitting streak for Double-A Montgomery was stopped on Saturday. ... Royals minor-leaguer Joshua Pressley, suspended 15 days for testing positive for performance-enhancing substances, was a 1998 Devil Ray fourth-round draft choice.

[Last modified May 15, 2005, 01:49:48]