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Pena Ready For Lineup Return

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The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 27, 2008

MIAMI - The Rays expect to get a big bat back in their lineup tonight, with 1B Carlos Pena slated to come off the disabled list and join the team in Pittsburgh.

Pena made a brief rehab appearance for Vero Beach at Sarasota on Thursday night, going 0-for-4 with a walk as the DH.

Manager Joe Maddon said Thursday that Pena would be activated today barring any last-minute setbacks. SS Jason Bartlett also will be back after missing the last two games to be with his wife for the birth of their son.

Ben Zobrist - who has homered the last two games starting in Bartlett's place - is the likely candidate to be moved out to clear a spot for Pena on the active roster but it isn't certain he'll be the one to go.

Whatever happens, Willy Aybar probably will be most affected by the slugger's return. Aybar has started 17 of the Rays' 19 games since Pena went down with a broken left index finger and reached base in all but one of those games. He also has handled himself well at first base, an unfamiliar position he has had to learn on the fly.

"He's definitely made his good mark on us," said Maddon. "He knows how to play the game, and I really appreciate that about him."

Maddon wanted to make sure Aybar understood that, so he pulled the infielder into his office before Wednesday's game for a closed-door meeting that also included bench coach Dave Martinez. Aybar was out of the lineup Wednesday after starting every game since June 7, and with Pena coming back and Aybar's playing time sure to decrease, Maddon wanted to reassure him.

"I just wanted to emphasize with him how good of a job I think he's doing," said Maddon. "It was all a positive meeting, just reinforcing all the good."

THE STREAK ENDS: It took some time for 2B Akinori Iwamura to get past making his first error of the season in the ninth inning Wednesday night. By Thursday morning, though, he was back to normal.

"After the game Wednesday night I was very disappointed," Iwamura said through his interpreter. "It's almost like striking out 10 times in a row."

Iwamura's throwing error, which came after a tough feed from Zobrist as Iwamura attempted to complete a double play, came on his 349th total chance of the season. His errorless string of 74 games to start the season was the sixth-longest by a major-league second baseman since 1956. Detroit's Placido Polanco set the record last year by going the first 141 games of the season without a miscue.

TWO DEBUTS: Thursday was a big night for the Rays' last two No. 1 draft picks as Tim Beckham saw his first professional action for Princeton and David Price made his Double-A debut for Montgomery at Mobile.

Beckham went 1-for-4 as the P-Rays' DH, collecting an infield single in his first at-bat and coming around to score.

Price struggled a bit with his command as he moved up a level, walking four batters and hitting another as he allowed two runs in six innings. He surrendered four hits and struck out seven.

BAD NEWS, GOOD NEWS: Montgomery LHP Jake McGee has been diagnosed with a torn elbow ligament and likely will need season-ending surgery that could sideline him into next year. He is to see specialist James Andrews on Monday.

On the positive side, Biscuits reliever Eduardo Morlan, who came over in the Delmon Young trade, was named to the World roster for the All-Star Futures Game. He is the only Rays prospect slated to participate.

BIG DAY: Aside from his own success Thursday, Matt Garza also was basking in the glow of the College World Series title captured by his school, Fresno State, Wednesday night.

"That was awesome for those guys," said Garza. "I'm really proud, I'm proud to be a Bulldog today. They did it with a lot of heart and a lot of pride, so it was awesome."

Garza pitched three years at Fresno and his teams never even made the NCAA field.

Marc Lancaster

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