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Hammel Again States Case For Rotation Spot

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 1, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - Never mind the 6-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Blue Jays. The Rays had a strong showing at chilly Charlotte Sports Park on Sunday.

LF Carl Crawford went 2-for-3 with two triples, two runs and an RBI; 3B Evan Longoria doubled twice and made two excellent defensive plays; and RHP Jason Hammel made another strong push for the fifth spot in the starting rotation.

The game was decided by backups and prospects, with pitchers Winston Abreu and Chad Orvella giving up a combined three earned runs in the final 22/3 innings.

Crawford got his triples off of LHP Ken Takahashi and RHP Brian Wolfe and said his troublesome hamstrings feel strong.

"It's easy on the natural grass - no problem to maintain," Crawford said. "The test will come when we get to the Trop. I'm hoping the training I did will help me stay healthy, but I won't know until I get there.

"I feel explosive again. Last year I didn't. I just hope I can maintain it."

Longoria, who drove in Crawford with one of his doubles, made a sliding catch on a popped-up bunt by Wayne Lydon in foul territory and turned a double play after leaping to snare a Brian Jeroloman liner.

Hammel, in his second strong start of the spring, pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out three and walking one. He got help from his defense, including Longoria's plays and a running catch by Pat Burrell, who drew a start in right field.

After spending most of last year in the bullpen, the 6-foot-6 Hammel said he's ready to resume his place as a starter.

"They brought me up as a starter, and I've been in the pen," he said. "I'm ready to show them I can be a starter. I will win the ballgame for you if you give me the ball."

Manager Joe Maddon has taken notice.

"He's pitching with a lot of purpose right now," he said. "Last year he did some really important work for us in the bullpen. He's always been a starter before that, and I totally believe he wants to show us that he can be."

St. Petersburg native Jesse Litsch started for the Blue Jays and pitched two scoreless innings. Brad Emaus' RBI double off Abreu in the eighth provided the winning run.

PENA ALERT

1B Carlos Pena, recovering from January surgery to repair torn abdominal muscles, could get into a game by Friday, Maddon said.

"Really, we'd like to get him in by Pittsburgh on Friday, if possible," Maddon said.

Pena is one of three projected full-time starters who haven't played yet, along with CF B.J. Upton, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, and 2B Akinori Iwamura, who is playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

The gold glove 1B led the Rays last year in home runs (31), RBIs (102) and total bases (242) despite missing 20 games with a broken finger.

"I've been very diligent doing all of my exercises," Pena said. "They're kind of rigorous. But I'm happy to do them."

TOP PITCHERS ON TRACK

Held back to preserve their arms after a long 2008 season, the Rays' frontline pitchers will start getting game work Saturday, Maddon said.

Maddon reiterated that projected starters James Shields, Matt Garza, Scott Kazmir and Andy Sonnanstine will pitch as many innings as they usually would in a spring but that his previous World Series experience with the Angels led him to believe a delayed start would be best.

Lake Wales' Wade Davis, who had a stout start Thursday against the Yankees, will start today against the Cardinals in Jupiter. Jeff Niemann will start Wednesday and Carlos Hernandez on Friday. Thursday is an off day.

ROAD TRIP

Predictably, most of the starters won't make the 7:30 a.m. bus call to Jupiter for today's game.

Free-agent acquisition Adam Kennedy, the Cardinals' primary second baseman last year, will lead off and play second against his former team. Longoria is the only regular in the starting lineup.

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