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Rays tales

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2001

DEAR SIR: Ex-Ray Roberto Hernandez enjoys keeping in touch with several of his former teammates. It's the letters from the Tampa Bay front office trying to get him to renew his seven season tickets he can do without. "Still, after the trade, they want me to renew my tickets," Hernandez said. "Are they crazy?"

EARLY EDITION: Maybe it doesn't just seem like 37-year-old catcher Pat Borders has been around forever. One recent day a reporter for a certain newspaper sold in blue-and-white boxes around the USA (hint, hint) approached Borders, who is off to Durham to start his 20th pro season, to ask if he was a part-time or full-time coach. "I think I said, "Full time,' " Borders cracked. "I had to go with it."

GETTING TO FIRST BASE: It's more of a friendly competition than a bet, though hitting coach Wade Boggs could end up with a couple of nice dinners in the deal. Shortly after getting hired, Boggs called several of his former coaches seeking advice on his first coaching job. He got to talking with Rick Down, who'd taken the Boston job, and by the time they got done both were feeling pretty good about things. "At the end of the conversation, he said, "Let's see at the All-Star break and the end of the season who has a better on-base percentage,' " Boggs recalled. "And I said, "Okay.' " We're figuring they're going out for chicken.

FACE TIME: Paul Wilson got more than a few stares when he showed up in the clubhouse last week without the goatee he'd worn for the past several years. Turns out it may have just been a temporary hiatus. "I haven't got rid of it yet," Wilson said. "I'm just reshaping."

The crystal (base)ball

The folks at STATS Inc. have done the math and posted their statistical projections for the season. The computer geeks can't figure in injuries and decisions on playing time, for example, making full-season projections for both Aubrey Huff, who was sent down, and Vinny Castilla at third base. Nevertheless, here's what they see for Rays players:

What they're saying

Rod Beaton, writing in USA Today: "Speaking of the Devil Rays, they dropped minor-league centerfielder Kenny Kelly from their 40-man roster. It ws an abrupt wakeup call for Kelly, who left the University of Miami, where he was the first-team quarterback, to play hardball. Could Kelly go back to Miami? Chris Weinke realized he wasn't going to stick with the Toronto Blue Jays and went back to quarterback Florida State with considerable success. Kelly is aware he has the comparable option."

Quote of the week

"I told Doug Creek to go get some rest." -- GREG VAUGHN, referring to the Rays' only left-handed reliever

By the numbers

3: Opening games the Rays will participate in -- at home Tuesday, at Boston on Friday, at Toronto on April 9.

16: Victories by the Rays in their first 50 games last season.

53: Victories in their final 111 games.

-- Compiled by Marc Topkin.

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