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Hernandez Glad For Start

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The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 26, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - The Rays could have given the start in their Grapefruit League opener to Jason Hammel, an established member of the team who is battling for a rotation spot.

But they chose to make a gesture of sorts to Carlos Hernandez, a non-roster invitee who is finally healthy again after three long years on the shelf, and the 28-year-old took full advantage of it Wednesday.

Admitting that he had some trouble collecting himself in the first inning as he prepared to face major-league hitters for the first time since spring training in 2006, Hernandez proceeded to retire the first five batters he faced before shaking off an error by RF Gabe Gross to finish his two-inning stint unscathed.

"A lot of emotions went through my head in the first inning and even before the game started," Hernandez said, "but I settled down and I think I did what I had to do."

Continuous shoulder problems have kept Hernandez from pitching in a major-league game since he made nine starts for the Astros in 2004 - and even that stint came after he was sidelined all of 2003 following shoulder surgery.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he was impressed by Hernandez's velocity Wednesday and thought he did a nice job against what amounted to the Reds' regular lineup. Facing opposition of that caliber, even in spring training, was a treat for Hernandez after all these years.

"It feels good to be back," he said.

"It feels good to face big-league hitters."

GOMES COMES HOME

After spending his entire career with the Tampa Bay organization, walking into a ballpark to face the Rays wearing the uniform of the Cincinnati Reds was a strange experience for Jonny Gomes.

"It's definitely different," Gomes said. "I'm just glad it ended where it did for me, in the World Series in Tampa."

The question now is what comes next for the 28-year-old. He's on a minor-league contract with the Reds and battling it out for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

"These guys are really trying to be competitive, so they brought a lot of guys in, a lot of good talent," he said. "You know me and that old-fashioned tryout - been there. I've got my work cut out for me and I had to come into spring training ready, and I am, so we'll see."

NOTEWORTHY

Rocco Baldelli will travel to Port Charlotte and start at DH for Boston on Friday. ... Most of the regular position players will stay in Port Charlotte today, but LF Carl Crawford will be among those taking on the Yankees in Tampa.

PLEASANT SURPRISE

Rays IF Willy Aybar wouldn't be headed off to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic if not for his country's loss of expected first basemen Albert Pujols and Carlos Pena. But there will be plenty of star power left to surround Aybar, including 3B Alex Rodriguez and SS Hanley Ramirez, and the opportunity to play alongside them has the 25-year-old excited as he prepares to head to training camp in Jupiter next week.

"It's good for me to go represent my country," Aybar said Wednesday. "We have very good players over there - we're going to have a good team."

With Aybar and Akinori Iwamura away for the WBC, the Rays will use Ben Zobrist, Adam Kennedy, Reid Brignac and Elliot Johnson at second base.

THE DOTTED LINE

The Rays announced that all of their 40-man roster players are under contract for 2009. The team couldn't come to an agreement on salary with three players - B.J. Upton, Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine - and unilaterally renewed their deals. The rest of the pre-arbitration players on the roster agreed to terms on contracts that will pay them something close to the big-league minimum of $400,000.

Marc Lancaster

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