Rays Report

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 29, 2007

Did you know?

The Rays will have the first pick in the 2008 draft, the first team (thanks to a rule change) to do so in consecutive years. And among the top candidates? Another Vanderbilt product: 3B Pedro Alvarez.e_SClBCarlos Pena numbers of the day

45 Home runs, 3rd most in the majors

120 RBIs, 4th most in the AL

Bottom's up

The Rays are guaranteed to once again have the worst record in the majors:

Team W-L GA

Rays 65-95 -

Pirates 68-92 +3

x-Orioles 68-91 +3.5

x-Royals 68-91 +3.5

x-late

Today: Rays at Blue Jays

When/where: 1:07 p.m., Rogers Centre, Toronto

Radio: 1250-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Probable pitchers: Rays - RHP Edwin Jackson (5-15, 5.96); Jays - RHP Jesse Litsch (7-9, 3.94)

Rays info: (727) 825-3250

Listen for ...

Action Jackson: Rays starter Edwin Jackson has been consistently inconsistent throughout the season, ranking third in the AL with 15 losses but beating front-running Boston twice.

Bat boy's revenge: Jays starter Jesse Litsch faces his former employer (and hometown team) for the third time, having gone 1-1, 2.31, allowing only three runs in 14 innings.

Matinee idols: The Rays are 21-22 in day games, with (injured) Carl Crawford, at .397, and B.J. Upton, at .352, ranking among the league's top daytime hitters.

On deck

Sunday: at Toronto, 1:07, FSN. Rays - Jason Hammel (2-5, 6.08); Jays - A.J. Burnett (9-7, 3.40)

End of season

Next game: March 31, at Baltimore, TBA

[Last modified September 29, 2007, 01:03:25]