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Rays, Yanks: Bad Blood Is Over

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By MARC LANCASTER The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 4, 2008

BALTIMORE - The Rays and Yankees managed to make it through their final two meetings of spring training without the bad blood that emerged earlier in March boiling to the surface again, and neither side expects more trouble this weekend.

"No, I don't think so," said Rays OF Jonny Gomes. "We've both got a lot on the line. For an injury to happen from a fight or a hit-by-pitch, I don't think either club needs that."

Gomes faces a hearing Monday for his actions in the March 12 bench-clearing brawl between the AL East rivals at Progress Energy Park, as do the Yankees' Shelley Duncan and Melky Cabrera. Gomes was suspended two games and Duncan and Cabrera three games each for their actions in the melee, which was sparked by Duncan sliding spikes-high into Akinori Iwamura.

The Rays felt Duncan's play was blatant - and unacceptable - retaliation for an incident four days earlier at Legends Field, when the Rays' Elliot Johnson ran over Francisco Cervelli at home plate, resulting in a broken wrist for the minor-league catcher. The Yankees disagreed on Duncan's intent and continue to do so, but both parties seem convinced the hostilities have ceased.

"To be honest, I really feel that both clubs are going to go out there and focus on the ballgame at hand," Duncan told The Star-Ledger.

Duncan and Rays manager Joe Maddon, who called the slide "borderline criminal," already have discussed the matter in a chance meeting leaving Legends Field after a spring training game.

"I'm not going to discuss the philosophical aspects of our discussion or the intent; I just wanted him to know where we were coming from, and he let me know his perspective," Maddon said. "We shook hands and we're friends. I'm friends with the family, I like the family - I like the kid. It was just one of those moments. I felt good about he and I having that discussion."

Perhaps the last unsettled question is whether the Yankees are inclined to take a shot at Johnson, who wasn't expected to make the Opening Day roster when everything erupted March 8 but is slated to make his major-league debut Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

"To me, it seems like their retaliation was when Duncan tried going after Aki's knee," Johnson said. "I think they got it out of the way, I think they were trying to get it out of the way, I think everyone's trying to move on. I don't think they will retaliate, honestly, but you never know. If they do and that's what they want to do, that's baseball."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who was fined after the brawl, said he considers the matter "over" and expects nothing more than a "good, clean, hard game."

Maddon took a similar tack.

"Our guys are fine," he said. "We just want to play."

RAIN PLANS: The Rays tweaked their starting rotation after Thursday's rainout and might have to do so again today if they run into more rain in New York as expected.

The Rays pushed Andy Sonnanstine back to start today in place of Jason Hammel and plan to start Edwin Jackson on Saturday, followed by James Shields on Sunday. Matt Garza had been slated to go in Monday's series finale against the Yankees, but he will be held off until Tuesday's home opener so Hammel can start Monday.

No makeup date was announced for Thursday's game. The top two possibilities appear to be either a doubleheader in Baltimore on May 1 or a one-game visit by the Rays on Aug. 21, an off day for both teams.

NOTEWORTHY: RHP Grant Balfour, who cleared waivers Wednesday, accepted an outright assignment to Durham on Thursday. ... LHP Scott Kazmir (elbow strain) is scheduled to throw 65 pitches in his next bullpen session Saturday. ... LHP Kurt Birkins (elbow neuritis) threw 45 pitches off a mound Wednesday and reported no problems.

Marc Lancaster

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