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Pena A Game 2 Scratch With Blurry Vision

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The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 4, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Less than two hours before Game 2, Carlos Pena said he was "optimistic" he would be able to start as scheduled.

A little over an hour later, though, the Rays scratched Pena from the lineup due to the lingering effects of the blurry vision in his left eye that forced him out of Game 1.

Once again wearing a clear contact lens to protect the eye he accidentally scratched at home Wednesday night, Pena went through his usual batting practice routine and said it felt "a lot better" than it had Thursday.

The eye doctor he visited earlier Friday and again just before the game had told him his vision should improve rapidly, minute-by-minute, to the point that he might be ready by game time. But he wasn't, forcing the Rays to make a late switch they had anticipated might be necessary.

Willy Aybar got the start at first base, with Rocco Baldelli shifting from right field to DH and Fernando Perez going to right. It was the first playoff start for all three.

"You have to set your pride aside at this time," Pena said. "It's too important to try and be a hero. I really wasn't 100 percent, I let Rays manager Joe Maddon know, he put the best lineup he could out there and they did a great job."

BRING IT ON: Grant Balfour got his wish Friday night, as Maddon called upon him to come in and face Orlando Cabrera a night after the pair's Game 1 confrontation.

Balfour said before Game 2 that he hoped and wanted another crack at Cabrera, vowing to approach the at-bat in the same fiery manner. He backed it up in the sixth inning Friday, yelling and gesturing with his glove after each of the two swinging strikes he coaxed from the shortstop, but there were no further fireworks between the two as Cabrera grounded out to second.

The previous day's dust-up received plenty of pub Down Under, apparently. Balfour said he had heard from quite a few people in his native Australia about the incident.

"Definitely," he said. "There was media and newspapers, a bunch of people sending me e-mails and wanting some write-ups and interviews. They're all interested, they're all pumped up about it. They're enjoying it."

So was White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who said he admires Balfour's emotional approach.

"I love it. That's my style," Guillen said. "I mean, I think he's great for baseball. I think he shows people he wants to win. He shows people the enthusiasm of the game, the passion of the game. I don't have any problem with that."

MORE ON LONGORIA: The P.R. types did some more digging on Evan Longoria's remarkable postseason debut in Game 1 and came up with additional factoids.

Besides being only the second player to hit home runs in his first two postseason at-bats, Longoria, 22, is the third youngest player to hit multiple home runs in a postseason game.

The only younger players were Andruw Jones (19) for the Braves in 1996 and Tony Kubek (20) for the Yankees in 1957.

Longoria also became only the third player to drive in a run in his first three postseason at-bats. Dusty Rhodes did it for the Giants in 1954 (first four) and Ted Kluszewski for the White Sox in 1959.

QUOTABLE: Maddon was amused to learn that Longoria made one of the highlight clips from Thursday night's USF-Pitt football game.

"I'm thinking, my God, that's what two home runs and an RBI single will do for you," Maddon said. "I was 10 toes up. So, more power to him."

TRAVEL PLANS: Four inactive Rays traveled with the team to Chicago following Friday's game: Edwin Jackson, Jason Hammel, Jonny Gomes and John Jaso. Maddon said he wanted the rookie Jaso there to soak in the atmosphere and the other three "had to be there" after the contributions they made all season.

The Rays did make one change to their usual travel routine, though. Players' families were not allowed on the charter flight as they are during the season. They will be permitted to fly back with the team from Chicago and on future postseason road trips, Maddon said.

Marc Lancaster, Tony Fabrizio

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