Rays: News and notes

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Published February 17, 2008

Quote of the day

"I don't even know nothing about the old Rays - all I know is that they didn't do well."

Cliff Floyd, new outfielder/DH

Number of the day

1 Player (David Price) who beat Troy Percival to the clubhouse Saturday despite his 6:15 a.m. arrival. "I didn't like that," Percival said.

Random note

2B Akinori Iwamura's first official act after returning from Japan was to be the grand marshal in the opening day parades Saturday for the Central Sarasota and Venice Little Leagues, and he made a $500 donation to each.

Did you know?

RHP Andy Sonnanstine is double-jointed. And he plays pingpong well. He shows off both, um, skills in a pair of videos he made and posted on YouTube under the titles The Double Jointed Wonder Part 2 and Part 3. Why? "Boredom," Sonnanstine said. Part 4 of the series, featuring ex-Rays prospect Jason Pridie, is in the works.

Who's on third?

A daily look at the Rays' biggest positional issue:

Longoria came in early and is working to impress. Neither Joel Guzman nor Willy Aybar has arrived.

The dish ...

Today's workout for pitchers and catchers will start about 10 a.m. and continue until about 12:30 p.m. at the Naimoli complex, 7901 30th Ave. N. Pitchers scheduled to throw bullpen sessions, starting about 10:55, include James Shields, Jeff Niemann and Matt Garza. Admission and parking are free.

Info: 1-888-326-7297

List of the day

Closer Troy Percival ranks 12th on the all-time saves list and has an impressive 85.9 percent conversion rate:

Pitcher Saves

Trevor Hoffman-x 524

Lee Smith 478

Mariano Rivera-x 443

John Franco 424

Dennis Eckersley 390

Jeff Reardon 367

Billy Wagner-x 358

Randy Myers 347

Rollie Fingers 341

John Wetteland 330

Roberto Hernandez 326

Troy Percival-x 324

Source: Rays; x-active

Rays exhibition schedule

Games at Progress Energy Park, St. Petersburg

Tickets: Field box ($20), loge box ($17), grandstand ($15), general admission berm ($7). Available at raysbaseball.com, through Ticketmaster and at Tropicana Field box office. All games 1:05 p.m. unless noted.

February

29 - at Reds

March

1 - Blue Jays

2 - at Pirates

3 - at Tigers

4 - Twins

5 - Astros

6 - at Phillies

7 - Phillies

8 - at Yankees, 1:15

9 - Reds

10 - Indians

11 - at Twins

12 - Yankees

13 - at Red Sox

14 - Blue Jays

15 - at Braves (ss)

15 - at Yankees (ss), 1:15

16 - Tigers

18 - at Phillies

19 - Phillies

20 - at Indians

21 - at Yankees, 7:15

22 - Pirates

23 - at Reds

24 - Pirates

25 - at Blue Jays

26 - at Twins

27 - at Indians

28 - Reds

29 - at Reds

[Last modified February 16, 2008, 21:47:35]