Canseco makes Winn
odd man out

[Times photo: Kevin White] Devil Rays shortstop Felix Martinez throws to first to get Brian Jordan in the fifth inning

By MIKE READLING, MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 19, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Randy Winn came to Tropicana Field packed and ready to go to Toronto with the rest of the team. Instead, he headed back to Triple A.

Winn's demotion came on the heels of Jose Canseco's activation from the disabled list Tuesday afternoon. Canseco was placed on the DL on May 25 with a strained left heel.

If Winn had his choice, he would have taken Canseco's place on the disabled list rather than a plane to North Carolina.

A switch-hitter, Winn has been bothered by a sore left wrist since early May and has been limited to hitting from the right side. He is 5-for-37 in his past 10 games, dropping his average from .274 to .227, and he had not started since July 7.

"That would have been nice," Winn said of a DL assignment. "Honestly and realistically, as long as I keep playing, it's probably not going to get any better. (A trip to the DL) came up, but they said that was not an option.

"Time is the only thing that will help. Hopefully, I'll be able to get healthy soon so I can begin to hit like I'm capable of hitting."

Winn was called up from Durham the day Canseco went on the disabled list. He made 26 starts, filling in mostly when Gerald Williams was injured.

"You know Jose's coming back, but you don't really worry about who's going to be the one sent down," Winn said. "You never really think it's going to be you."

WHO'S IN RIGHT?: Manager Larry Rothschild said he will use a three-player platoon in rightfield, swapping Jose Guillen, Bubba Trammell and Steve Cox as he sees fit.

Guillen has 43 starts since being called up May 12, but he is 13 for his past 65, dropping his average from .290 to .256.

The key is Cox, whom Rothschild is very interested in seeing perform. Cox is batting .319 and has hit in 13 of his past 17 games. More important, Cox is left-handed.

"It's nice to have another left-handed hitter in the lineup," Rothschild said. "Steve Cox may get a lot of playing time. We'll have to see what happens."

SIMULATED SAUNDERS: Tony Saunders is scheduled to throw a simulated game Thursday in Toronto, boosting his recovery workload to five innings and about 75 pitches.

Rothschild said he would sit down with Saunders on Friday and evaluate the next step. The left-hander, who broke his arm throwing a pitch during a game in May 1999, could pitch in a minor-league game before the end of the month.

"There is no schedule; we're in uncharted waters right now," Rothschild said. "He's been progressing great. Did I think that he would be throwing five innings in July? Probably not. But he's taken things very cautiously."

I KNOW YOU: Dwight Gooden, released by the Devil Rays on May 25, will start against the Rays on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

Gooden made eight starts with Tampa Bay, including one at Yankee Stadium, and was 2-3 with a 6.63 ERA. He is 1-0 in two appearances with the Yankees.

He enters the starting rotation because the team put Orlando Hernandez on the disabled list Tuesday.

BACK TO WORK: Dave Eiland hopes to throw off a mound this weekend. It would be Eiland's first action since he aggravated his injured hip in a minor-league game Saturday.

BACK TO THE TROP: Atlanta pitcher John Burkett thought he was going to pitch at Tropicana Field this season, and he was right. He just didn't figure to be with the Braves when he did it.

Burkett participated in spring training with the Devil Rays and was released before the season. He was signed by Atlanta and has gone 6-4 with a 4.98 ERA. He pitched one inning Monday and allowed one run.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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