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Bartlett Believes He'll Be Ready To Play Thursday

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By MARC LANCASTER The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 22, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - He doesn't expect to be quite back to full speed, but SS Jason Bartlett believes he will be ready to come off the disabled list when the Rays open a seven-game road trip Thursday at Kansas City.

Bartlett, who has been sidelined since July 3 with a sprained right knee, said he felt good after some running and sliding drills Monday afternoon.

"It actually was a lot better than I expected and I think I'll be ready to go come Thursday," he said.

Bartlett estimated he was running at about 80 percent and said his only remaining problem is turning left, especially when he rounds a base, but he feels "great" doing everything else.

The fact that Bartlett probably won't be absolutely ready by Thursday puts the Rays in something of a tough spot when it comes to a move to get him back on the roster. The obvious solution is optioning Ben Zobrist back to Durham, but the Rays may want to try to keep him around as insurance for a few more days.

"I don't know, when J.B. comes back, if it's going to be wise to push him three or four days in a row right out of the chute," Manager Joe Maddon said. "I don't know that. We'll try to talk to the docs and see how he feels."

If the Rays believe Bartlett can handle playing every day, Zobrist likely would be sent back and Evan Longoria would resume his duties as the backup/emergency shortstop. If not, things get more complicated because the only other infielder on the roster, Willy Aybar, is out of options and can't be sent down without being exposed to waivers.

Bartlett made it sound like it shouldn't be a problem.

"That's why I waited so long," he said. "I'm not rehabbing to come back for a few weeks or a month. I'm coming back to play every day."

PITCHER SUSPENDED: Vero Beach RHP Matt Walker was suspended 50 games Monday after violating baseball's drug policy by testing positive for an amphetamine.

The ban ends Walker's 2008 season and will carry over into next year, as Vero had only 41 games remaining starting Monday. The 21-year-old was 4-7 with a 4.86 ERA in 22 appearances, nine of them starts. He walked 47 and struck out 48 in 662/3 innings.

The Rays' only comment on the matter was a statement from director of minor-league operations Mitch Lukevics, which read: "The Tampa Bay Rays are in full support of baseball's drug testing program, including the actions taken against Matt Walker."

The Rays' 10th-round pick in the 2004 draft, Walker is the first player in the organization to be suspended for drug violations since LHP James Houser drew a 50-game ban last season. Houser didn't serve the full term because he was added to the 40-man roster during the offseason, negating the minor-league suspension. RHP Juan Salas was the last major-leaguer to serve time, missing 50 games last season.

LONG WAIT: RHP Andy Sonnanstine gets the ball tonight, 12 days after his most recent start in Cleveland. He said he didn't do anything extra to compensate for the long layoff around the All-Star break.

"With a long season like we have, it's nice to get consecutive days off and let your body rest and let your mind rest," he said. "That way you're not stressed out about games for a couple days and you can go back to work with almost like a clean slate."

WELL-ATTENDED: Maddon was pleasantly surprised to see nearly every position player show up for voluntary early hitting at 3:45 p.m. Monday.

"It was really great to see that," Maddon said. "I know our guys care and how much they're into this entire moment, so it was good to see in an optional situation like that, almost the entire team came out to hit today."

NOTEWORTHY: Monday's paid crowd of 12,428 was the Rays' smallest since 10,927 paid to see the Rays and Rangers on May 28. ... Cliff Floyd will read to youngsters at the John F. Germany Public Library in downtown Tampa today at 11 a.m.

Marc Lancaster

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