TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Howell, Longoria Back Home

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 26, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - LHP J.P. Howell brought back his cleats. 3B Evan Longoria returned with "a lot of good memories" from his brief time with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Both rejoined the Rays on Wednesday, and 2B Akinori Iwamura is expected back in time to play Friday against the Twins.

"I got Team USA cleats; that's my favorite thing," Howell said when asked about souvenirs. "Those are retired. I'm going to hang those up, probably. And I got a jersey signed by everybody."

Players also got to keep their jerseys and a team-signed ball, as well as something they'll try to lose: a bitter taste from losing to Japan in the semifinals.

Howell faced Iwamura in that game and retired him on a pop-up.

"That was weird," Howell said. "Before the game, he gave me a nice, big hug. Then I gave him a smirk during the at-bat, and he didn't give me one back. So that tells you how they get. It was pretty fun and intense."

Howell spent 31/2 weeks with Team USA, and though he pitched only 31/3 (shutout) innings, Rays manager Joe Maddon said he's not behind in his season preparation.

Longoria, who started Wednesday night's game against the Pirates, was a late injury replacement for Team USA and struck out in his lone at-bat against Japan.

"It was a nice moment to be in," he said. "The crowd was pretty loud and changing 'USA.' It was a cool moment."

BOUNCING BACK

RHP Jeff Niemann rebounded from a horrific outing - nine runs allowed in two-thirds of an inning of relief last Friday - with a solid four-inning start. He allowed one run (on a pair of well-hit doubles) on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

"From the moment that game finished last time, I was ready to get back out there, because I'm better than that," said Niemann, who took the mound knowing that with LHP David Price being option to Triple-A Durham earlier in the day, he probably had made the team.

Maddon said Niemann was "much better down in the zone with his fastball" and had "really good command of his off-speed pitches, which he normally has."

A decision on who will be the fifth starter - Niemann or favorite Jason Hammel - could come as soon as Friday.

Also in the Rays' 4-2 victory Wednesday night, Adam Kennedy hit a two-run homer in the third inning and Troy Percival pitched his fifth hitless inning in as many appearances.

"I feel fine - it's getting better every time out," Percival said about coming back from off-season back surgery. "The strength is getting better, the location is getting good. ... I'll have my bad one; I always do."

AROUND THE COMPLEX

OF Matt Joyce, steadily overcoming lower leg tendinitis, will start in center tonight in Lakeland against his former team, the Tigers. The Tampa native and Armwood High grad said he's looking forward to playing in front of family and friends.

RHPs Matt Garza and Grant Balfour and LHP Brian Shouse pitched in a controlled intrasquad game Wednesday, with starter Garza throwing 52/3 innings and 91 pitches. CF B.J. Upton, whom executive vice president Andrew Friedman still hasn't ruled out for the season opener, will play about five innings and bat three times in a minor league game today.

RHP Andy Sonnanstine will start tonight, and RHP James Shields, who has made his last two starts in minor-league games, will get the call Friday against the Twins. Maddon plans to have his starting infield - 1B Carlos Pena, Iwamura, SS Jason Bartlett and Longoria - together for Saturday's game against the Reds.

ALSO NOTABLE

Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg roamed the park before the game. ... Noted Rays fan Dick Vitale made a clubhouse appearance with grandsons Connor and Jake and took some photos with Upton. Carl Crawford feigned annoyance that other players got a Vitale book and he didn't. "What does he think, I can't read?" he said. ... MLB Network announced its "Thursday Night Baseball" schedule for April and May and it includes the Rays' April 30 home game against the Red Sox.

Tony Fabrizio, Marc Lancaster

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT