Cantu regrets his early stadium exit

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published September 22, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - It was on the way home from Tuesday's ballgame that Jorge Cantu said he had a funny feeling.

The Devil Rays infielder had taken up manager Lou Piniella on an offer to leave Tropicana Field early after being removed from a 15-2 Red Sox rout.

Leaving early is not normally done, and it rubbed some of Cantu's teammates the wrong way. Cantu on Wednesday said he should not have left and planned to apologize.

"It was a misunderstanding," he said. "I hope they understand. If they don't, I don't know what else I can do."

"He's a young guy learning how to do it," shortstop Julio Lugo said. "He's not one of those cocky guys walking around doing whatever he wants. I think he got the point. If he wants (to apologize) and it will make him feel better, it's fine. But we shouldn't make it a big deal."

Piniella said Cantu told him before the game he was not feeling well. Even so, Cantu hit his 27th home run and had two RBIs to give him a team-record 109.

Piniella began replacing starters when the game got out of hand. He said he told Cantu to leave after he was replaced after the fifth inning.

"I gave him permission to go home," Piniella said. "I told him to get some rest. So if the players are upset at Cantu, I take responsibility."

Third baseman Alex Gonzalez said he realizes the situation "wasn't completely (Cantu's) fault. ... It was an honest mistake. I think he learned from it. He's a good guy. He's always there for the team."

GOOD STUFF: Cantu said the RBI record (he now has 110) was another exclamation point in "an unbelievable season. I'm just feeling good at the plate. And with all these guys getting on base, anything is possible."

Cantu, 23, was thrust into a starting role after Roberto Alomar retired, and he has bounced between second base, his natural position, and third.

"The transition from position to position caught me off guard at first," Cantu said. "But I knew I was going to be in the lineup, so it didn't get in my head."

Cantu said he would like to walk more (he has 18 in 584 plate appearances) and hit into fewer double plays (he entered Wednesday tied for third in the AL with 22).

"I want to finish strong and take it right into winter ball," said Cantu, who again will play in his native Mexico.

HOME RUN: Rays third-base coach Tom Foley said he had never sent a runner home from second on a sacrifice fly. Piniella said he had seen it once, when Ron LeFlore (he believes) did it for the Tigers.

Rays speedster Carl Crawford did it Tuesday on Cantu's third-inning fly.

"I just thought I was going to do a regular turn," Crawford said of his approach to third.

But Foley said that with Boston centerfielder Johnny Damon at the wall and Crawford running hard, a unique opportunity was at hand. The Angels' Adam Kennedy was the last major-leaguer to do it in August 2004 against the Twins.

"The only way that happens is if you have a guy like (Crawford), and a guy like (Crawford) running hard," Foley said.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "If this guy is not MVP, holy (bleep)." - Red Sox manager Terry Francona on David Ortiz, who has 46 home runs and a league-high 140 RBIs.

MISCELLANY: Aubrey Huff, batting .222 (37-for-167) since the beginning of August, had the day off. ... Rays starter Scott Kazmir is three K's off Tony Saunders' team mark of 172. ... Travis Lee is 10-for-24 against Boston's Tim Wakefield with four home runs. ... Manny Ramirez has 20 home runs at the Trop, most by a visiting player. ... Francona said Curt Schilling was allowed to leave the team. A Boston radio station reported one of the pitcher's kids is sick. ... Damon sat after Tuesday's cortisone shot into his sore left shoulder from Rays team doctor Koco Eaton. ... Pitcher David Wells took a cortisone shot in his right knee.

[Last modified September 22, 2005, 01:04:14]