Potent bats surprise even Lou

By MARC TOPKIN and TOM JONES
Published September 13, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Hard to believe, but the Rays are tied for second in the American League with a .275 average and are seventh with 141 homers.

"Who would've thought that coming out of spring training?" manager Lou Piniella said. "Offensively, we've done a good job."

Making the numbers even more surprising is that their top slugger over the past two seasons - Aubrey Huff - is having an off year. He's batting .257 with 19 homers and 82 RBIs.

"Huff, we expected to be in the .300 range with a few more home runs and a few more RBIs," Piniella said. " ( Jorge ) Cantu has picked up the slack. We had him penciled in for about 70 (RBIs), and that was stretching it. We thought 15 homers and 70 (RBIs), and those will be some real nice numbers for him."

Instead, Cantu has 23 homers and 103 RBIs. But he isn't the sole reason for the Rays' power charge.

"I think the reason it has worked offensively is nobody has really tanked it," Piniella said. "Everybody has contributed. You look at the numbers and they're nicely represented throughout the lineup, where everybody does something. And Cantu? Who would've expected that?"

GOOD WORK: If you believe the rumors flying around New York, Joe Torre could be in danger of being replaced by Piniella if the Yankees don't make the playoffs.

But that didn't stop Torre from giving Piniella credit for the job he has done in turning around the Rays' season.

"(He's) got some talented players, but Lou isn't someone who is going to sit around and wait for time to march on," Torre told reporters in New York on Sunday.

"He's a very animated, passionate guy about what he does, and he takes a lot of pride in what he does. I give him a lot of credit after the bad first half that they had, to have the second half that they've had."

YANKEE DOODLES: The Rays' 11 wins against the Yankees match their most against any team in any year, having gone 11-8 against Toronto and Baltimore in 2003. With another win, they'd become the first team to beat the Yankees 12 times in a season since the 1990 A's went 12-0. Assuming the Rays finish last, they are the first last-place team to beat the Yankees 11 times since the 1974 Tigers and could be the first to do it 12 times since the 1922 Red Sox.

IRON GLOVES: So if the Rays are hitting so well, why are they headed for their seventh last-place finish in eight seasons?

Easy. They are dead last in the American League with a .979 fielding percentage. Their 111 errors are also worst in the league. Now throw in that the Rays are next to last in ERA at 5.32, with only Kansas City worse at 5.43.

"Errors and ERA, those are the two areas that need improvement," Piniella said. "We've got to get away from that."

MISCELLANY: Six-time IndyCar winner and St. Petersburg resident Dan Wheldon will throw out the ceremonial first pitch tonight. ... Actor James Earl Jones , after a morning session reading to Campbell Park Elementary School students, will recite the national anthem. ... The Rays are collecting money at Gates 1, 4 and 5 for all home games through Oct.2 to aid Hurricane Katrina victims through the United Way of Tampa Bay. ... The Rays have led in 23 of their past 25 games but are 14-11 during that span.

[Last modified September 13, 2005, 01:46:17]