Latest moves make Rays younger yet
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published June 14, 2005
ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays swept out some old blood Monday and brought in some new.
Outfielder Jonny Gomes , catcher Kevin Cash and pitcher Tim Corcoran were promoted from Triple-A Durham. To make room, catcher Charles Johnson was released, outfielder Alex Sanchez was designated for assignment and pitcher Trever Miller was put on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right hamstring.
Tampa Bay has added seven minor-leaguers the past 15 days, six from Durham, and has seven rookies on the roster.
The most interesting move was Sanchez's. The outfielder batted .346 in 43 games with two home runs and 13 RBIs. But his playing time had diminished, and with injured centerfielder Rocco Baldelli scheduled to return next month, Sanchez said he knew his opportunities would be limited.
Sanchez said he asked for a trade, which he said general manager Chuck LaMar tried to accommodate.
Sanchez said he has no hard feelings toward the Rays, but added, "I don't have a future here. I don't want to just sit here in that kind of situation."
"He's expressed many times that he wants to play every day, and we can understand that, but he's not going to do it here," manager Lou Piniella said. "If he would have been happy playing part time here, he truthfully would probably still be here."
Finding his way back was Gomes. The outfielder, with the Rays from April 21 to May 9, batted .321 in 45 games with Durham with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs. His fourth-inning home run Monday was his third this season for the Rays.
Piniella said Gomes would have been brought up sooner, but with no DH in last week's series against the Reds and Pirates, he had to wait.
"We waited until we could put him in the DH spot and let him take some hacks," Piniella said. "We want to get this young man as many at-bats as we can."
Cash, who started the season on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis, batted .350 in 17 games for the Bulls with seven home runs and 14 RBIs.
"This is like Day 1 for me," Cash said. "I'm just glad I feel healthy again and ready to go. Try not to change anything and bring it here."
HOME RUN DERBY: Starter Doug Waechter pitched well in the Rays' 5-3 victory over the Brewers but still was bitten by the home run bug. The right-hander gave up two for the fifth time in 10 starts. He has allowed 10 in 38 innings at Tropicana Field, and his 13 lead the staff.
Of the 37 home runs he has allowed in his career, 27 have come in 94 innings at the Trop.
INJURY REPORT: Reliever Jesus Colome had an MRI exam on his sore right shoulder that revealed a slight inflammation. The right-hander, on the 15-day disabled list, will not throw for seven to 10 days. ... Miller was put on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right hamstring. The left-hander said he was hurt last week while running sprints in Cincinnati. ... Starter Mark Hendrickson said he has had no ill effects from the cramps he experienced Sunday against the Pirates.
SIGNINGS: The Rays signed four picks from last week's draft: shortstop Matthew Devins (34th round) from SUNY-Stony Brook, left-hander Benjamin Rulon (38th round) from Georgia State, outfielder Edward Groce (41st round) from Columbus State and second baseman William Matthews (48th round) from Wallace State CC.
MISCELLANY: Jorge Cantu is batting .388 (26-for-67) in his past 18 games. ... Travis Lee 's home run, his first as a pinch hitter, hit a speaker hanging from the C catwalk in rightfield and traveled an estimated 382 feet. Lee is 4-for-7 as a pinch hitter. ... The 10 hits allowed by Brewers starter Chris Capuano were the most by a Milwaukee pitcher this season. ... The Brewers were the only team the Rays had never faced in regular-season or exhibition play. ... Brewers DH Prince Fielder , son of former big-league star Cecil Fielder , made his major-league debut.