Saturday, July 30, 2011

Tampa Bay Rays: Joe Maddon delivers bad news to player at bar; former Rays bust Pat Burrell about to be released by Giants; B.J. Upton keeps distance as trade deadline nears

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Rays vs. A's

When/where: 3:37 today; O.co Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers

RAYS

RH Wade Davis (7-7, 4.46)

A'S

RH Rich Harden (2-1, 4.63)

Watch for …

Wading in: Davis made an unimpressive return from the DL on Friday in Kansas City, allowing 11 hits in 51/3 IP after being out two weeks with a forearm strain. He is 1-1, 6.30 in two starts vs. Oakland.

Harden fast: The oft-injured Harden makes his fifth start after missing the first three months with a shoulder strain. He is 3-2, 5.01, in six starts against the Rays but has faced them only once since 2006.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Harden

Johnny Damon 2-for-12

Casey Kotchman 3-for-15

Evan Longoria 1-for-2

A's vs. Davis

Hideki Matsui 4-for-7

Cliff Pennington 3-for-5, HR

Ryan Sweeney 3-for-6

On deck

Friday: at Mariners, 10:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (4-4, 3.86); Mariners — Erik Bedard (4-6, 3.00)

Saturday: at Mariners, 4:10, Ch. 13. Rays — Alex Cobb (3-0. 2.57); Mariners — Michael Pineda (8-7, 3.64)

Sunday: at Mariners, 4:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (9-7, 3.27); Mariners — Jason Vargas (6-9, 4.09)

Monday: Off

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Maddon's first of the day

Manager Joe Maddon has done a lot of things during his long career as a minor- and major-league coach and manager. But Tuesday night was a first as he had to meet up with reliever Jay Buente at the hotel bar after the game to tell him he was going back to Triple-A Durham. "I've had conversations with players in the bar before, and I have instructed players in the bar before, '' Maddon, right, said. "But I've never sent a player down in a bar before."



Interesting news of the day

Pat Burrell, so bad for the Rays in 2009-10, then so good when he was picked up by the Giants and got to win a World Series, is being released by San Francisco.



Quote of the day

"Because I knew you guys (reporters) were standing here waiting for me."

B.J. Upton, on why he spent two hours in the trainers room Wednesday afternoon

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-joe-maddon-delivers-bad-news-to-player-at-bar-former-rays/1182860

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