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Rays Close To Naming 5th Starter

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Hammel served an apprenticeship of sorts last year when he filled in admirably for Scott Kazmir.

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By MARC LANCASTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 17, 2009

Updated: 03/17/2009 04:00 am

BRADENTON - The Rays won't need to use their fifth starter in a regular-season game for nearly a month, but they appear close to determining who that pitcher will be.

Three of the six pitchers who had been billed as being in contention for the final spot in the starting rotation were cut Monday, and every indication is that one of the three who is still around - David Price - probably isn't going to win the job.

That leaves Jason Hammel and Jeff Niemann, and only one of the two right-handers is scheduled to get a start the next time through the spring training rotation. That's Hammel, who will take the ball Wednesday against Cincinnati. Niemann threw a bullpen session Monday and said he has no idea when his next Grapefruit League appearance will come.

Should anything be read into that juxtaposition - for instance, that Hammel is headed for the rotation and Niemann is being prepped for bullpen work? Manager Joe Maddon demurred when the question was put to him Monday, but he didn't exactly shoot down speculation in that direction.

"Obviously it's looking that way and it may turn out that way, but it's really not finalized," Maddon said. "Jeff could easily be a starter, Hammer could easily be a reliever. I like the way it's setting up right now, but we have discussions going back and forth regarding that point exactly - if it were those two, who should start and who should be in the bullpen? So there's a split in regard to that right now."

There are a couple reasons the Rays might want to open the season with Hammel in the rotation and Niemann as the long reliever.

First, Hammel served an apprenticeship of sorts last year when he filled in admirably for Scott Kazmir early on and spent the balance of the season working out of the bullpen.

Second, the general assumption is whoever earns the fifth starter's spot out of the gate will give way to Price at some point this season. While the Rays would prefer to keep both Hammel and Niemann in the organization, Niemann might have a higher ceiling - perhaps evolving into a late-inning reliever.

Both pitchers say they're in the dark about where they stand and probably will be the last to know when a decision is made.

"I'm trying to give them the best case I can," Hammel said. "All three of the guys in the mix for the rotation have thrown really well, so I definitely don't think it's a done deal yet."

Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227.

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