Upton will hit seventh in batting order

For a preview of what the Rays' batting order will look like this season, print out the lineup from Saturday's home spring game against the Red Sox.

Manager Joe Maddon indicated Sunday it will be pretty close.

That means CF B.J. Upton, whose spot in the order had been uncertain, would bat seventh. C Dioner Navarro or Kelly Shoppach would slot in at No. 8 and the platoon 2B or RF would bat ninth.

"I've often thought, looking at the No. 7 hitter in an American League lineup, if he's pretty prodigious, that really speaks to a strong lineup," Maddon said, referencing when slugger David Justice batted seventh for the Indians.

Upton opened last year as the leadoff hitter before dropping to ninth. The Rays are hoping he'll return to his 2008 form, when he batted .273 with nine home runs and 67 RBIs and then starred in the postseason.

Some of the other batting order spots are givens. SS Jason Bartlett will return at leadoff, ahead of LF Carl Crawford, and American League co-home run champion and 1B Carlos Pena will bat cleanup.

Maddon said he's still wrestling with whether to bat 2B/RF Ben Zobrist third and 3B Evan Longoria fifth, or vice versa. DH Pat Burrell would bat sixth.

Zobrist had a .405 on-base percentage in 2009, and Maddon likes the idea of Bartlett, Crawford and Zobrist potentially getting on base ahead of Pena and Longoria.

Upton didn't make the trip to Bright House Field on Sunday, so he wasn't available for comment. Maddon said he doesn't think he'll have to sell him on batting seventh.

"I think if he just looks at our lineup, he knows," he said. "Of course, he can move up or down. For my money, he can hit from No. 1 on. (But) with our group, if I'm talking about putting Longo fifth, it really speaks to the six and seven guys being pretty good (hitters)."

Game stuff

Angel Chavez drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th in the Rays' 5-3 victory against the Phillies, scoring heralded OF prospect Desmond Jennings. SS Tim Beckham, another top prospect, drove in the insurance run.

RHP James Shields got through 22/3 innings without giving up a run despite running into trouble in the second. With the bases loaded, he got leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins to bite on a 3-2 high fastball.

"My mechanics are starting to come together a little bit, (but) I think the last inning (third), I got a little tired," Shields said after allowing three hits while striking out one, walking two and throwing 50 pitches.

LHP Jake McGee, coming off Tommy John surgery, looked sharp while pitching 11/3 innings of one-hit relief. That was encouraging for the Rays, because McGee was a top prospect at one point, and he still projects as a potential future closer.

"Yeah, it's pretty encouraging, especially just coming off surgery," McGee said. "This spring is the first time I've had no restrictions. I felt good, had a lot of control. Almost better than before the surgery."

Shoppach, starting at DH, homered for the second consecutive day. Navarro, his competition for playing time at catcher, went 3-for-3 to raise his spring average to .667.

Jennings, playing for the first time since getting hit on the elbow by a pitch last week, came off the bench to go 2-for-2 with a double and a run. Maddon indicated he may get a start in today's home game against the Pirates.

IF Reid Brignac, continuing his strong spring showing, went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and Elliot Johnson had a pair of hits.

Reliever Heath Phillips blew a save chance and allowed two runs in 12/3 innings.

Odds and ends

Maddon said he still wasn't ready to announce Shields as the Opening Day starter but said nothing to indicate he has contrary thoughts. Shields said "it would be kind of nice" if starting pitchers knew the order of the rotation. ... The MLB Network will make its Charlotte Sports Park stop today as part of its "30 Clubs in 30 Days" tour. Among the activities: Fans can see themselves interviewed by Harold Reynolds, Hazel Mae and the "MLB Tonight" team at a traveling virtual studio. ... Tickets ($8-$25) are available for today's game against the Pirates. Matt Garza is scheduled to start.

Tony Fabrizio