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Rays Standing By Hard-Nosed Play

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By MARC LANCASTER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 10, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Don Zimmer felt the vibe as soon as he walked into the clubhouse Sunday morning.

As the Rays' strongest link to the Yankees and a man who considers New York manager Joe Girardi a close friend, he knew people would be curious about whose side he was on in the controversy that erupted Saturday at Legends Field.

To Zimmer, there was no second-guessing Elliot Johnson's decision to run down Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli while trying to score in the ninth inning, which led to Cervelli suffering a broken wrist that will sideline him for at least two months.

Zimmer said he was "dumbfounded" that Girardi criticized Johnson and the Rays by telling reporters the play was "uncalled for" in a spring training game.

"The plate was blocked and our guy bowled him over. What's that got to do with spring training? That's the way to play the game," Zimmer said. "I mean, I'm talking about a guy that's like a son to me, but I can't believe he went after it the way he did, because that's not Joe Girardi - and being a catcher on top of it.

"If I slide into him and I break a leg, nothing's said, so rather than break my leg I bowl him over and it's not the right play? To me, it's the right play when the plate's being blocked, spring training or no spring training. Play the game the right way. To me, our kid played it the way he thought was right and I think it was right."

Both parties stuck to their guns Sunday, with Girardi reiterating he thought Johnson had crossed a line and the Rays insisting the line wasn't any different in spring training than in the regular season. With three more Grapefruit League games between the teams on tap and the usual full slate of regular-season meetings to follow, the Yankees will have ample opportunity to further express their displeasure.

Johnson was a back-page villain Sunday, with all three New York area tabloids devoting their sports section covers to the dust-up (Newsday's headline: "Outrage At The Plate") to fan the flames. The Rays infielder, who turned 24 Sunday, said he wasn't trying to hurt Cervelli and was "really surprised" so much was being made out of the incident. He also admitted he expected some sort of retaliation.

"They probably will," Johnson said. "That's fine. They've got to do what they feel like they've got to do, and I did what I felt like I had to do. I can't affect what they're going to do to me."

Rays manager Joe Maddon tried to defuse any lingering hostilities Sunday by chalking the matter up to a "philosophical difference," but he reiterated that he thought Johnson did the right thing.

"If we have a chance and we have to hit a catcher, we should, and if they have a chance to take out one of our catchers, they should," Maddon said. "That's the way the game's played. If it's the appropriate play to be made, make it. Period."

That approach is fine with the Rays' clubhouse, which seemed fired up when Carl Crawford knocked down Houston catcher Humberto Quintero last week.

"We're going to play hard for nine straight innings," pitcher James Shields said. "We're not just going to play hard for two or three innings and then shut it down."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227 or mlancaster@tampatrib.com.

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