Trade With Brewers Brings OF Gross

LAKE BUENA VISTA - Gabe Gross was the odd man out in the Milwaukee Brewers' outfield. Minor-league RHP Josh Butler wasn't exactly on the fast track to the majors with the Tampa Bay Rays.

On Tuesday, they were traded for one another.

In Gross, 28, the Rays received a left-handed-hitting outfielder who once saved a game for the Blue Jays against Tampa Bay in 2005 with a perfect throw from left field to home plate to mow down Eric Munson.

In Butler, the Brewers received a 23-year-old second-round pick in 2006 out of the University of San Diego who was struggling with Single-A Vero Beach (0-2, 6.35 ERA this year) and was assigned to Milwaukee's Single-A affiliate, Brevard County.

Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman wasn't sure whether Gross would report today or Thursday. When he does report, the Rays will need to make a move on the 25-man roster, which likely would be designating OF Nathan Haynes for assignment or optioning OF Justin Ruggiano to Triple-A Durham.

Gross, who was acquired by Milwaukee in the trade last year that sent 1B Lyle Overbay to Toronto, started in center field in 12 games this year for the Brewers. He scored the winning run in Tuesday's victory against the Cardinals.

The former Auburn quarterback was Toronto's first-round draft pick in 2001 and has a .341 lifetime on-base percentage in 309 major-league games. The return of Tony Gwynn Jr. from a minor-league rehab assignment and the emergence of Gabe Kapler as an everyday player made Gross expendable in Milwaukee.

"He's somebody we've actually talked to them about since spring training," Friedman said. "We feel like he's going to help us defensively and we like his bat against right-handed pitching. We feel like he has a good mix between patience at the plate and power from the left side. We feel like he'll help us win games."

JOHNSON ARRIVES: 1B/DH Dan Johnson, claimed off waivers from the A's on Friday, joined the Rays and was available off the bench Tuesday.

Oakland's seventh-round pick in the 2001 draft played one game for the A's this season. He batted .236 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 117 games last year, then spent four days in the hospital with offseason meningitis and two weeks in the hospital before spring training with a severe sinus infection.

"Whatever the decision the A's made is the decision they made," he said. "No hard feelings. I still feel like the best is yet to come for me."

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Johnson's playing time in the immediate future could depend on the health of 1B Carlos Pena, who has played DH the past two games to protect a sore right hamstring.

KAZMIR'S REHAB CONTINUES: Rays LHP Scott Kazmir (15-day DL, left elbow strain) will make his second rehabilitation start today for Single-A Vero Beach at the Palm Beach Cardinals. He's scheduled to throw 75-80 pitches.

His next scheduled rehab appearance is Monday for Triple-A Durham, when his goal will be 90 pitches before being activated for his 2008 Rays debut May 3 at Boston.

NOTEWORTHY: Former Rays managing general partner Vince Naimoli watched Tuesday's game from the eighth row on the aisle behind the Rays dugout. ... As anticipated, C Mike DiFelice was designated for assignment to make room for C Dioner Navarro, who was activated from the 15-day DL. ... Rays LF Carl Crawford extended his hit streak to nine games with a third-inning single.