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Alvarez hesitant after rehab start

By BRUCE LOWITT

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 25, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Left-hander Wilson Alvarez had hoped Thursday's rehabilitation start, his seventh, would be his last before moving up to Double-A Orlando. Now he's not sure.

Alvarez, working back from last season's surgery on a partially torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, threw 69 pitches (33 strikes) against the Phillies at their extended spring training camp at the Carpenter Complex in Clearwater.

Today it's Juan Guzman's turn. He is expected to pitch two extended spring training innings. Guzman has been out since April 7, 2000, his only start as a Ray, after which he had right shoulder surgery.

After giving up six hits, one a home run, in four innings, Alvarez said, "I feel all right, but I don't think I'm ready to move up. I don't think the velocity was good (he topped out at 87 mph). ... I may need a little more work here."

General manager Chuck LaMar, manager Hal McRae and pitching coach Bill Fischer are expected to decide where Alvarez's next start will be after he throws in the bullpen Saturday.

Trainer Jamie Reed said Guzman pitched two simulated innings Monday and in the bullpen Wednesday. "He's on the upswing," Reed said. "I talked to him (Wednesday) and he feels stronger than he's felt in a long time."

OTHER WALKING WOUNDED: Second baseman Russ Johnson, out with a right quadriceps strain, is expected to be ready to play in a couple of minor-league games before he is eligible to come off the disabled list Thursday.

Rightfielder Jose Guillen (sprained left knee, due off the disabled list June 2) has been doing controlled-speed agility running but has not gone full speed.

"He feels good and is anxious to get going but there's a healing process there," Reed said. "The one thing we can't do is speed up time."

WHO'S WHERE: Jason Tyner will start tonight's game in rightfield and shortstop Felix Martinez, benched lately in favor of Andy Sheets, will play Sunday, as will first baseman Steve Cox.

Martinez may also play second base some.

"I imagine I'll give Damian (Rolls) a rest at some point," McRae said. "I don't want to play him into the ground."

JONES HOSPITALIZED: Bill Jones, 41, a Texas Rangers TV broadcaster since 1977, has appendicitis and was to have surgery Thursday night at Bayfront Medical Center and remain hospitalized at least until Saturday.

THE UNIFORM IS FAMILIAR: The Rays open a four-game series tonight against the visiting Anaheim Angels, the team third-base coach Terry Collins managed in 1998-99.

"I'll feel the way I feel against any club; we're going to try and win the game," Collins said. "It's been two years since I've been there. Not too many of the same faces. It's just another series. That's the only way to approach it."

The Rays make their only visit to Anaheim July 24-26, "That'll be a little different cause that's the place where I worked," Collins said. "I'll be on the other side of the field for the first time. That's always a strange feeling for anybody. But it's all part of the game. I've been through it before."

ETC.: With his sixth-inning single, Ben Grieve stretched to 31 games his league-leading streak of reaching base safely with a hit or a walk. In the National League, Larry Walker took a 31-game streak into the Rockies' game at San Francisco. ... Of Greg Vaughn's team-high 12 home runs, seven have come in May, two shy of Fred McGriff's 1999 record. The most in any month by a Ray is 10 by Jose Canseco in April 1999. It also was Vaughn's 332nd career homer, moving him into a tie with Bobby Bonds for 70th on the all-time list. Darryl Strawberry is next at 335. ... The Rays, losing their eighth straight series (2-1 to the Rangers) are 1-13-1 in season play this year.

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