Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By MIKE READLING
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 29, 2000
ST. PETERSBURG -- Upon further review, today's starting pitcher will be Dave Eiland. Not Cory Lidle.
After Eiland pitched 41/3 innings Saturday in Baltimore, Lidle was told he would be on the mound tonight against Pedro Martinez. When he arrived at Tropicana Field on Monday morning, Lidle still was scheduled for that start, although the situation was getting fuzzier by the minute.
"When I came in they told me I was starting (Tuesday)," Lidle said. "An hour later they told me Eiland was doing the charts and I was in the bullpen for emergency purposes but would still start if I wasn't used. A half-hour after that they told me Eiland was starting."
Between bulletins Eiland met with manager Larry Rothschild and reported no soreness or ill effects from Saturday's outing. Despite the two-day rest period, Eiland told Rothschild he could pitch effectively tonight.
"I told him I feel fine, I don't see why I can't pitch (tonight)," Eiland said. "I'm going to go out there as long as I can, as hard as I can."
One thing in Eiland's favor is the two-plus months he spent on the disabled list rehabilitating a pinched bursa sac in his hip. With only 46 innings this season, his arm is a little more rested than most pitchers, Eiland said.
As for Lidle, who would have made his first start since being recalled from Durham on Aug. 6, the plan is to treat tonight like any other night at the park.
MEET TONY FIORE: Until Sunday, Tony Fiore's baseball career included 285 games pitched, 56 wins and 28 saves -- none above Triple A.
Saturday night Fiore got the call he had been waiting "eight and then a little more" seasons for, when the Devil Rays called on him to replace Tanyon Sturtze, who went on the disabled list.
Little did he know his dream come true was about to become a nightmare.
Bad weather delayed his flight from Durham, N.C., to Baltimore. When the plane finally landed he jumped in a cab and hustled to Camden Yards, arriving with barely enough time to throw on his new uniform.
"I honestly got to the ballpark 15 minutes before the game started," Fiore said. "I got dressed and got out in the dugout just as they were playing the national anthem."
The 28-year old right-hander pitched three innings Sunday, allowing two hits, striking out two and walking one.
STURTZE HURTS: Sturtze said his strained oblique muscle felt better Monday but he was going to have X-rays after the game to make sure it was just a strain.
He said his doctors had no idea when he would be able to pitch again, but said it would not be any time in the next 5-7 days. In the meantime Sturtze will lift weights and hope his season will continue. "This is a strange injury. Nobody knows how quickly it's going to heal," Sturtze said.
NOW HITTING: Vinny Castilla took batting practice, fielded grounders and ran the bases for the first time since going on the disabled list Aug. 1 with an inflamed back.
Castilla, on the DL for the third time this season, reported no pain and hopes to be back in the lineup sometime next week. Rothschild said Castilla would probably make a couple of minor-league starts to get plate appearances before being activated.
Q SHOWS: Quinton McCracken reported to Triple-A Durham Friday, five days after he was demoted and two days later than the allotted 72-hour reporting window. Because of his tardiness, McCracken, who makes about $10,000 a day, was fined $50,000.
TONY ON THEIR MINDS: E-mails from across the nation poured into the Devil Rays' computers Monday showing support for Tony Saunders.
As of game time the team had received a 2-inch stack of (printed) e-mail for the pitcher who retired Saturday after fracturing his arm for a second time.
NO. 15 ... FOR NOW: Roberto Hernandez earned his 26th save of the season and 260th of his career. That moves him to 15th on the all-time save list, tied with Boston's Rod Beck.