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By MIKE READLING
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 23, 2001
ST. PETERSBURG -- Seeking a little more offense from the shortstop position, the Rays designated Andy Sheets for assignment and called up Chris Gomez from Triple-A Durham.
Manager Hal McRae said Gomez, whom the Rays signed to a minor-league contract June 27 five days after he was released by San Diego, would become the starting shortstop. Gomez hit .301 in 23 games at Durham with five doubles, four home runs and 17 RBI.
"We're going to give him the opportunity to come up and show what he can do," McRae said. "I want him to show us what he's got."
Sheets was hitting .193 in 49 games with one home run and 14 RBI. He has 10 days to be traded or released or to clear waivers and remain in the Tampa Bay organization.
"Obviously I have to work on my hitting," Sheets said. "That's a no-brainer."
Gomez, 30, is an eight-year major-league veteran. He was traded from Detroit to San Diego in 1996 with catcher John Flaherty and played in the 1998 World Series, where he hit .364. Lifetime, he is a .249 hitter with 33 home runs. He has been limited by knee problems the past two seasons.
The move ensures Felix Martinez, who had multiple extra-base hits in a game for the first time Sunday with two doubles, will be relegated to backup duty for a while longer. The 27-year-old was the opening day starter but committed 12 errors in his first 38 starts, a byproduct of tendinitis in his knee, he said. He has committed one error in 19 games since returning from the disabled list June 15.
Martinez lost the starting job to Sheets when he went on the disabled list but has started three of the past four games, playing errorless ball but extending his hitless streak to 0-for-13 before going 2-for-4. He is hitting .226 with no home runs and eight RBI in 57 games.
"At the beginning of the season I made some mistakes after I hurt my knee in spring training and tried to play through it. After that I lost my job," Martinez said. "He (McRae) told me I wasn't playing every day because of my defense. But now my defense is better. I feel better now."
NO SWIMMING: The Beach was closed Sunday because of a lack of advance ticket sales. Fans who purchased tickets for the upper deck section were relocated. Chief operating officer John McHale Jr. has targeted about a dozen games in which the area will be closed, allowing the Rays to save money by not opening the concession stand or having ushers.
TEAM REHAB: Wilson Alvarez threw in the bullpen and probably will begin another rehab assignment late this week, likely with Double-A Orlando, as he attempts to return from rotator cuff surgery and a strained muscle in his forearm. Juan Guzman started for Durham at Buffalo, continuing his recovery from rotator cuff surgery. He pitched five innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with six walks and a strikeout. Jose Guillen, recovering from left knee sprain, homered Saturday night for Durham.
MINOR ACCOMPLISHMENT: Hudson Valley shortstop Luis De Paula became the fourth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle Saturday night. He joins Matt Diaz, Matt Quatraro and Guillen as Rays to accomplish the feat.
DRIVE 'EM IN: Flaherty's three RBI marked the first time in 106 games a Rays catcher has recorded that many.
HOMER NOTES: Greg Vaughn hit his sixth career grand slam in the seventh inning and his second of the season. His last blast was June 26 in Boston. It was the third grand slam by a Ray this season, Ben Grieve hitting the other. ... Ivan Rodriguez ripped a 472-foot home run in the sixth, the longest by a visiting player and tying him for the second longest in Tropicana Field history.
"The stars have to be aligned and all that." -- Rays catcher John Flaherty, who hit his third career triple and first since Aug. 28, 1997, on what astronomic conditions have to occur for that to happen.