Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Lopez hopes health heals mound woes

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 5, 2001

Albie Lopez is feeling better, and the Rays hope that means he will be pitching better.

Tampa Bay's battered ace hasn't won in more than a month, going 0-5 with a 9.09 ERA over his past six starts, but he finally acknowledged that a groin strain from last month was a big part of the problem.

"I changed my mechanics with the injury," Lopez said. "I was compensating a little bit and I wasn't able to (stride and) get out on my front foot. I knew I was doing it, but I wasn't able to do anything about it."

Lopez also has been pitching with a swollen right thumb, having been hit by a batted ball in another start.

Lopez threw in the bullpen over the weekend in Seattle and looked more like he did in his first five starts, after which he was 3-1 and leading the league with a 1.66 ERA.

"Physically, he's much better," Fischer said. "And probably mentally, too."

Given all that has gone wrong, Lopez welcomed the extra day of rest before tonight's start in Toronto. "I need all the days I can get," he said.

WINN-WIN SITUATION: Randy Winn has taken advantage of increased playing time to show how much he has improved as a player.

Offensively, Winn has learned to be more patient and creative, taking full advantage of his speed. Defensively, he has learned to compensate for his below-average arm by charging the ball and positioning himself better. Overall, he has shown for the first time that he can do the job as an everyday player pretty well.

"On this team, he should be out there every day," manager Hal McRae said. "On other teams, I don't know what he'd be considered."

Winn got the chance to play every day when rightfielder Jose Guillen went on the disabled list. Winn leads the team with a .317 average and has maintained a prolonged hot streak, with 16 hits in his past 43 at-bats.

"The big difference is that I don't put that pressure on myself," Winn said. "When you're playing once every 10 days, when you don't know when you're going to play again, you're thinking, "I've got to get a hit, I've got to get a hit.' Now I realize that if you don't get a hit, you can still help your team by doing the little things."

PITCHING IN: Wilson Alvarez and Juan Guzman, continuing their recovery from shoulder surgery, made successful appearances for the extended spring training squad Monday, combining on a five-hit shutout of the Blue Jays.

Alvarez allowed three hits over five innings with six strikeouts and one walk. In nine appearances against players who weren't ready to play at the full-season Class A level, Alvarez has allowed three earned runs in 40 innings with 41 strikeouts. His next stop is likely to be Double-A Orlando.

"Hopefully I'm ready to move up," Alvarez said. "I got the velocity up to 88; that's what I wanted to see. I just need to face hitters with more experience to get ready for the big-league level."

Guzman allowed two hits while striking out two and walking one in four innings. He threw 63 pitches in his third appearance. He also is scheduled to move up.

Guillen went 2-for-4 with a home run in his first game action.

EXAM WEEK: Some may question why the Rays would bring 22-year-old Joe Kennedy to the majors in the middle of a dreadful season, but McRae asks why you wouldn't. "He was the best," McRae said. "We never know if they're ready, and that's why we bring them here. He's done well in A ball, Double A and Triple A. This is the next test. And we'll only know if we bring him. You don't know if they stay down there."

Tonight: Rays at Blue Jays, 7:05

WHERE: SkyDome, Toronto.

TV/RADIO: Ch. 32; WFLA-AM 970, WLCC-AM 760 (Spanish).

2001 RESULTS/SCHEDULE:

4/3 Rays 8-1 at Trop

4/4 Jays 11-8 at Trop

4/5 Jays 11-0 at Trop

4/9 Jays 8-1 at Toronto

4/10 Jays 3-2 (10) at Toronto

4/11 Rays 4-3 at Toronto

Tonight at Toronto, 7:05

Wednesday at Toronto, 7:05

Thursday at Toronto, 12:35

7/3 at Trop, 7:15

7/4 at Trop, 4:15

7/5 at Trop, 7:15

9/21 at Toronto, 7:05

9/22 at Toronto, TBA

9/23 at Toronto, 1:05

9/27 at Trop, 7:15

9/28 at Trop, 7:15

9/29 at Trop, 4:15

9/30 at Trop, 1:15

The pitchers

ALBIE LOPEZ: Lopez (3-6, 5.15) is the Rays' best pitcher, though he hardly looks it with an 0-5 record and 9.09 ERA over his past six starts. Injuries, flawed mechanics and poor run support all have contributed to his woes. Lopez is 4-7 with a 6.13 ERA against Toronto.

ESTEBAN LOIAZA: Loaiza (4-5, 4.88) was supposed to be the ace of the Toronto staff but has not done the job. He has allowed opponents a .297 average and put 116 men on base in 752/3 innings. Loaiza, with an April no-decision, is 1-2 with a 6.82 ERA against the Rays.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright