Top farm prospects honored

With the focus shifting to the future, it was probably fitting the Rays opened their second-to-last homestand Friday by recognizing their minor league award winners.

Among those receiving awards before the game with Toronto were OF Desmond Jennings, the Rays' Minor League Player of the Year, and RHP Jeremy Hellickson, the Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Jennings, 22, made a successful transition to Triple-A Durham after being named the Double-A Southern League MVP at Montgomery. Overall, he hit .318 with 11 home runs, 52 stolen bases, 62 RBIs and 92 runs scored. He garnered national attention this month when he went 7-for-7 in a nine-inning game for the Bulls.

Hellickson, 22, also moved up to Triple-A smoothly and overcame a shoulder injury to go a combined 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA. His opponents' batting average of .178 would have led all full-season minor leaguers if he had enough innings to qualify.

Jennings, Hellickson and OF Jon Weber, who was named Durham's MVP, were part of the Bulls team that won the International League championship Thursday night with a 12-inning victory over the Yankees' affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

"We got into Durham about 3:30, 4 o'clock (a.m.)," Jennings said. "I didn't sleep because I was still excited about the win, and then we had a 9 o'clock flight (to Tampa) this morning. Been doing some traveling, but it's for a good reason."

Both Jennings and Hellickson figure to get a good look in spring training next March. Hellickson said he has been inspired by the job rookie Jeff Niemann and newly promoted Wade Davis have done at the big league level and believes he's ready.

MVPs of the Rays' other minor league clubs were Jennings (Montgomery), LHP Darin Downs (Charlotte, A), LHP Matt Moore (Hudson Valley, A), RHP Alexander Colome (Bowling Green, A), OF Cody Rogers (Princeton, R), RHP Wilmer Almonte (Gulf Coast League, R), OF Edward Dorville (Dominican Summer League) and INF Hector Guevara (Venezuelan Summer League).

Guevara is 17 years old and hit .330 with eight home runs while playing shortstop and second base.

The Rays also named Charlotte INF Shawn O'Malley the organization's best base runner, Charlotte/Montgomery C Nevin Ashley the best defensive player and Charlotte/Montgomery RHP Matt Gorgen the best relief pitcher.

Walker Award

Ryan Wiegand, a first baseman with the Rookie League Princeton Rays, received the organization's Erik Walker Community Champion Award.

The award recognizes a minor league player who exemplifies teamwork, sportsmanship and community involvement, as demonstrated by former Rays minor league pitcher Erik Walker, who died in a canoeing accident in 2006.

Wiegand was recognized in part for his work with a summer reading and nutrition program at two elementary schools in Mercer County, W.Va.

Man of steal

Earlier this year, there was talk LF Carl Crawford might steal 100 bases. The four-time AL stolen bases champion won't get anywhere near that, but he did match his career high and the club record (2004) with his 59th theft Friday night in the eighth inning.

"I'm just so happy to be healthy again and to be able to run again," Crawford said.

Maddon said it would have been very difficult for Crawford to maintain the pace he set early in the year.

"It's not easy physically to maintain the really high number everybody thought he was going to get (early on)," he said. "Also, the other teams really tried to do things to try and prevent it. And furthermore, Carl is such a violent runner. He plays so hard, and he plays on turf. But I'm sure he's going to break it, which will be good."

Crawford also went 4 for 5 with a triple and three runs scored in the Rays' 11-4 victory.l

He can DH, too

Ben Zobrist got a start at DH, the seventh position he has occupied this year, and he had a big night. His double in the third inning that helped chase Toronto starter Scott Richmond, and overall, he matched his season high with three hits (3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored).

The super utility player has started 75 games at 2B, one at 3B, six at SS, one in LF, four in CF and 33 in RF. All that's left is first base, catcher and pitcher. Zobrist says he doesn't want to catch.

Maddon said he thought the switch-hitting Zobrist needed a night "off his feet" and decided he matched up with Richmond better than regular DH Pat Burrell. Although Maddon has given Crawford and Jason Bartlett starts at DH in the last week, he said that was to give those players a break and that he isn't moving toward a platoon situation at DH.

Burrell will be back in the lineup tonight and Sunday, he said.

Odds and ends

With two days off last week, the Rays have some flexibility in how they'll set their rotation. Jeff Niemann will pitch Tuesday against Seattle, and fellow rookie RHP Wade Davis, who threw 124 pitches in his impressive shutout at Baltimore on Thursday night, will get a couple of extra days of rest and pitch Wednesday.