Rays/ MLB

All-Star injury won't benefit Crawford

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published July 4, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG -An injury to one of the American League's All-Star outfielders apparently won't be enough to get Devil Rays leftfielder Carl Crawford into the July 11 game in Pittsburgh.

AL manager Ozzie Guillen on Monday told reporters before the White Sox's game against the Orioles that the first replacement, if that situation arose, would be Detroit's Magglio Ordonez.

"He was close to being there," Guillen said of Crawford.

"It's just disappointing," said Crawford, who entered Monday batting .318 with 12 home runs, 42 RBIs and 27 steals. "You just go back this offseason and go back to the drawing board and work a little harder and hope for the best."

Crawford, who finished 16th among outfielders in fan voting, reiterated he is most disappointed not being among five candidates for the final spot on the 32-man team chosen by Internet voting. Those candidates were named by Guillen and Major League Baseball.

"In putting together the five-man list for the final vote, my understanding this year was another outfielder was not a priority," MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said. "They were looking for another pitcher or catcher. There were several deserving outfielders who were left off."

Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said the team will let the matter drop.

"We thought CC was very deserving," he said. "There are a lot of factors that go into the process we do not control. We are confident CC will play in a lot of All-Star Games in the future."

Crawford said he will try to not provide any excuses next season.

"You can believe that," he said. "I'm just going to intensify everything and step up."

A VOTE FOR CHANGE: Rays manager Joe Maddon said he wouldn't mind seeing only players vote for the All-Star teams.

"I'm not denigrating the fan involvement at all," he said. "I'm just saying in your occupation, when your peer acceptance is there, that is the highest compliment."

WALKER STILL HURTING: Closer Tyler Walker, on the disabled list since June 14 because of a right elbow strain, said he had a setback last week in Miami throwing a bullpen session.

The team is concerned enough that Walker on Wednesday will fly to Birmingham, Ala., to see famed orthopedic surgeon James Andrews.

"We're not going to make any rash judgments until we see the doc," Maddon said. "We'll know more by the middle of the week."

Asked if he pushed his rehab too hard, Walker said, "Maybe. That's the way I am."

GOMES HAS MRI: Jonny Gomes finally knows what has bothered his right shoulder since spring training: a strained rotator cuff ligament.

The injury, which has limited Gomes to eight games in the outfield, is being treated with exercise.

But Gomes did not rule out surgery, though he said that would be a last resort in the offseason.

"It'd be minor," he said "Nothing over four weeks of rehab."

Gomes was relegated to pinch-hitting last week during games played without the DH at NL parks in Miami and Washington. He said he is worried about being typecast.

"I definitely don't want to be labeled as a DH," Gomes said. "Down the road you don't want to limit yourself to half the amount of teams in major-league baseball. You always want your stock as high as possible."

Toward that end, Gomes said he soon could be taking grounders at first base, though Maddon said Gomes would not play the position until next season, if at all.

Still, Gomes said he likes the idea of working with teammate Travis Lee.

"It'd be a freakin' great opportunity to take ground balls with the best first baseman to play the game, statistically," Gomes said. "I'm going to get out there and pick his brain and get that in my back pocket."

MISCELLANY: Centerfielder Damon Hollins is in California with fiance Patrice Parker, who is expecting their first child. . . . Juan Salas pitched two-thirds of an inning Sunday for Triple-A Durham. He has 45¹/₃ innings with the Bulls and Double-A Montgomery without an earned run.

[Last modified July 4, 2006, 06:12:29]