Kazmir ready to take shoulder for test spin

Scott Kazmir will wake a little earlier this morning, eager and anxious to get on the mound and throw to hitters for the first time since Aug. 22, when he was shut down for the season due to shoulder discomfort.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published February 24, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - Scott Kazmir will wake a little earlier this morning, eager and anxious to get on the mound and throw to hitters for the first time since Aug. 22, when he was shut down for the season due to shoulder discomfort.

It's only going to be batting practice, with a screen in front of him, against his own hitters, but it's still progress. And something else.

"It's going to be fun," the left-hander said. "I know I'm going to have some adrenaline going."

Kazmir said the shoulder has felt great at each incremental step, but he knows the questions won't end until he pitches in a regular-season game. "That's still not over," he said.

The first live batting practice on Friday went well, with most of the pitchers, as expected, in better form than the hitters.

It was another adjustment for Japanese 3B Akinori Iwamura, not used to hitting against live pitching this soon. "I didn't expect that on the second day," he said through interpreter Masa Koyanagi.

PROMO TIME: The Rays announced a franchise-most 37 promotional days, including giveaways for kids at all Sunday home games. Most interesting is a Don Zimmer Turn Back the Clock bobblehead, showing him as a player with the Dodgers and a senior adviser with the Rays, for the June 23 game against Los Angeles. "Kinda clever," Zimmer said.

Other highlights include a Tropicana Field replica April 7, a Sting 'em foam hand (May 18), Iwamura Thunderstix (June 14), a Carl Crawford action figure (July 29), a Kazmir baseball card with a piece of a game-used jersey (Aug. 4), figurines of Rocco Baldelli (Aug. 18, also '70s Disco Night) and Delmon Young (Aug. 25).

POWER BALL: OF Jonny Gomes put on another power show, launching one ball that landed with a thud on the roof of the clubhouse well beyond the 340-foot sign on the leftfield fence and two others that smashed windshields of cars parked- foolishly - just beyond the fence. "He starts hitting and there's crashing noises and broken glass," Baldelli said. ... LHP J.P. Howell was throwing noticeably harder during his batting practice session, the result of an extensive offseason conditioning program that he figures has added 4-5 mph to his fastball. "It's like 180 degrees different," Howell said. "I'm throwing a lot harder, and with more consistency." Howell's fastball was clocked in the low 80s last season; he figures now to be in the 84-88 mph range. "I'm excited," he said. "And happy."

LATE ARRIVALS: IF/OF Joel Guzman and pitchers Tony Peguero and Juan Salas reported to camp Friday morning after being delayed in the Dominican Republic by visa issues.

Guzman planned to arrive Sunday but had to deal with paperwork issues all week. He found out he was good to go about 3 p.m. Thursday and was on a 4:40 flight. Even then, it wasn't easy. They had to connect through Puerto Rico, and were delayed there several hours due to equipment problems, not arriving in St. Petersburg until about 2 a.m.

"I'm definitely happy to be here," he said.

MISCELLANY: C Shawn Riggans was stunned but not cut by a foul ball that smashed his sunglasses through his mask. ... Iwamura used his sunglasses with the built-in MP3 player for conditioning drills, then tried some more standard eyewear supplied by the rep from Oakley's Japanese division. ... Manager Joe Maddon was pleased with the work on the popup drills. ... Today's fundamental focus is pickoffs and rundowns.

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8801. View his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/rays.

Fast Facts:

Today's schedule

The full squad will work out from 9:15 a.m. to 12:35 p.m., with live batting practice from 10:40 to 11:20. Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Seth McClung and Jeff Niemann are scheduled to throw.

Number of the day

80 Success rate, in percentage, manager Joe Maddon wants to see in stolen bases this season. The Rays were at 72 percent last season.

Quote of the day

"It's a neat place. You walk into the past when you walk into that place. You go back a quick 30-40 years. And Zim's kind of a God there."

Manager Joe Maddon, on visiting Derby Lane for the first time Thursday with senior adviser Don Zimmer

Fast Facts

Today's schedule

The full squad will work out from 9:15 a.m. to 12:35 p.m., with live batting practice from 10:40 to 11:20. Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Seth McClung and Jeff Niemann are scheduled to throw.

Number of the day

80 Success rate, in percentage, manager Joe Maddon wants to see in stolen bases this season. The Rays were at 72 percent last season.

Quote of the day

"It's a neat place. You walk into the past when you walk into that place. You go back a quick 30-40 years. And Zim's kind of a God there."

Manager Joe Maddon, on visiting Derby Lane for the first time Thursday with senior adviser Don Zimmer.

[Last modified February 23, 2007, 23:10:45]