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By MARC TOPKIN
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 3, 2001
BALTIMORE -- General manager Chuck LaMar cleared enough veterans and payroll off the roster that the Rays don't have to make any further reductions this season, chief operating officer John McHale said. But whether more cuts will be needed for 2002 has not been determined.
"I think Chuck has again done a fantastic job of carrying out the policy objectives that were assigned to him by me that were to create opportunities for young prospects to show us what they have and more appropriately balance what we pay out in player payroll and what we take in," McHale said.
The Rays are open to discussing deals because players still can be traded if they clear waivers, but McHale said Thursday there no longer is a mandate to move players and money.
"I think we'll continue to have our ears open and be willing to have conversations with people with proposals that further either of those objectives," McHale said. "I think we also are prepared to accept where we are as our condition for the balance of the 2001 season and see how strong we can finish."
The trades of Fred McGriff, Albie Lopez and Mike DiFelice save the Rays about $11-million over this season and next. The Rays began this season with a payroll of about $56-million and McHale said it was too soon to say how much they would have available next season. The potential of a lockout during the upcoming labor negotiations also could be a factor.
"We haven't begun the budgeting process," McHale said. "There are other uncertainties that might affect our business. What we're looking at in the very near-term is a roster that we're quite satisfied with. There may be some further evaluation as the fall begins."
HALL DOCKED: A swollen, bruised left knee kept rookie catcher Toby Hall out of the lineup Thursday and could sideline him a few more days. Hall fouled a ball off the knee in his first at-bat Wednesday, and it got stiffer and more swollen as the night went on.
BULL GUZMAN: Juan Guzman was optioned to Triple-A Durham to continue his recovery from shoulder surgery, with the stipulation that if all goes well he will be called up on or before Sept. 1.
The Rays needed permission from the 10-year big-league veteran to make the move, which LaMar said should benefit both parties. "I think it's the right decision all the way around," LaMar said. "He knows he needs some more outings, and to call him to the major leagues when he's not quite ready and we'd have to make a player move with one of our young guys, it was not the right time."
Guzman, 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA in six rehab starts, pitched Thursday night.
8-SPOT: To mark Cal Ripken's last game in Florida on Aug. 23, all $14 outfield seats will be sold for $8 and the first 25,000 fans will get a commemorative Ripken photo card. Starting Tuesday, a large "Thanks, Cal" card will be outside the Tropicana Field rotunda for fans to sign. It will be presented to Ripken on Aug. 23.
RAYS BITS: Jason Tyner's bunt single was his eighth, a team record. ... Aubrey Huff has made errors in four straight games, a team-high 14 overall.
BRAZELTON UPDATE: Talks have gone better, but it doesn't necessarily mean the Rays are making any progress in signing top draft pick Dewon Brazelton. "We've had good talks, but we haven't seen movement substantially closer," Brazelton adviser Bo McKinnis said. At some point, perhaps soon, Brazelton likely will consider going back to school or signing with an independent league team.
There have been rumors for years that the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago is haunted, and some of the more superstitious Rays were not eager to be headed there Thursday night. "Too many entities there for me," batting coach Wade Boggs said. "Hopefully the ghosts will go visit (bench coach) Billy Hatcher instead of me."
VS. EAST: 14-34
VS. CENTRAL: 5-13
VS. WEST: 7-17
VS. NL: 10-8
VS. RH STARTERS: 27-60
VS. LH STARTERS: 9-13
ON GRASS: 14-34
ON TURF: 22-38
ONE-RUN GAMES: 12-10
TWO-RUN GAMES: 7-12
EXTRA INNINGS: 3-2
SCORING FIRST: 26-22
SCORING FOUR OR MORE: 32-30
SCORING FEWER THAN FOUR: 4-42
WHERE: Comiskey Park.
TV/RADIO: Ch. 32; WFLA-AM 970, WLCC-AM 760 (Spanish).
INFO: 1-888-FAN-RAYS
RAYS VS. WHITE SOX:
1998: 3-2 at Comiskey, 3-3 at Trop
1999: 2-4 at Comiskey, 2-2 at Trop
2000: 2-2 at Comiskey, 2-4 at Trop
WEATHER FORECAST: Partly cloudy, high 80, low 66.
NICK BIERBRODT: The Rays couldn't have been much more pleased with Bierbrodt's debut Saturday. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed four hits and one run over six innings. Bierbrodt was acquired from Arizona in the deal for Albie Lopez and Mike DiFelice.
MARK BUEHRLE: The 22-year-old left-hander, a 38th-round pick in the June 1998 draft, zipped through the White Sox farm system and has become one of their top starters. He is 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA overall, but 7-3, 2.17 in his last 12 starts. Buehrle has two relief wins against the Rays.