Rays/MLB

Nagging injury could cost Seo his next start

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published August 21, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Devil Rays starter Jae Seo said he felt a twinge in his left groin Saturday. He said he felt it again Sunday morning, and in the first inning against the Indians.

By the third, there was no way the right-hander could continue.

"He was ashen," manager Joe Maddon said.

Said Seo: "It was a little bit bad."

It is bad enough that Seo could miss a start. No one made that prediction, but no one said he would be ready to go Friday against the Orioles, either.

It would be another blow to a team already wracked by injuries and that cannot afford to lose a starter who, recently, has been fairly consistent.

In his previous three starts, Seo had no decisions but a 1.31 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 20²/₃ innings. Still, the groin has been an irritant.

Battling his control, Seo threw 75 pitches before coming out of Sunday's game with one out and a 1-and-2 count on Kelly Shoppach.

"After that many pitches in a short amount of time, I'm sure that's what aggravated the leg," Maddon said. "We just had to get him out of there."

Seo said the pain began to really flare after he allowed Travis Hafner's third-inning home run. Ryan Garko followed with another and Shin-Soo Choo and Jhonny Peralta singled before Shoppach came to the plate.

"The groin hurt," Seo said. "I lost my location and everything."

LESSONS LEARNED: James Shields seems to have found his groove, physically and mentally.

The starter said he is better at holding runners on, selecting pitches and attacking hitters with his fastball. But the rookie right-hander said his most significant improvement in his 15 starts is how he handles his emotions.

"I used to get too mad and frustrated at myself," Shields said. "Now, as soon as I let go of the ball it's out of my hands. If they hit it, they hit it. You just want to move on to the next hitter and try to minimize the damage."

The result is that during the past month, Shields, who pitches today against the Rangers, has been Tampa Bay's most consistent starter.

The cousin of Phillies outfielder Aaron Rowand won just once in five starts in the stretch but allowed 11 earned runs in 32²/₃ innings for a 3.03 ERA with 32 strikeouts.

"He's made some big strides these past five games," pitching coach Mike Butcher said. "I like his intensity. He's very competitive."

He also had a lot to learn when called up in May from Triple-A Durham. He said the lessons didn't happen during his 4-0 start but in a nine-outing stretch in which he was 0-6.

"I had to learn to control my emotions a little better," Shields said. "I can't let some things get to me, which I've done pretty well the last four or five starts."

Shields, 5-6 with a 4.75 ERA, mentioned a July 20 game against the Twins in which he allowed five runs in the fifth.

"And the next thing you know I'm getting all flustered and not staying within myself," he said. "I was out of there quick."

Compare that to Wednesday's start against the Blue Jays, in which he not only minimized the damage of a three-run fifth inning but pitched a perfect sixth on his way to his first victory since June 21.

"My stuff is there. My pitch selection is there," Shields said. "If I stay within myself, my outings will get a lot better. You can't show emotion out there. You can't lose control."

HAFNER EFFECT: Hafner's 38th homer extended his career high, and his 35th as a DH extended his club record. He finished the series 5-for-12 with a three home runs, five RBIs and a double Sunday off the B catwalk. "He's in a league that plays beyond this league," Maddon said. "If there was a hyper baseball league, he would be the DH."

MISCELLANY: Rocco Baldelli likely will get today off after playing six straight games. ... The Rays are batting .248 with runners in scoring position, second-worst in the AL. ... Russell Branyan continued his odd season with his 12th homer. He has 11 singles. ... Dioner Navarro hit cleanup for the first time in his career. ... Peralta's first career grand slam was Cleveland's 11th of the season, one off the team record. ... The Rays have allowed seven slams. Only the Mariners (eight) and Orioles (11) have allowed more in the league.

[Last modified August 21, 2006, 02:04:26]