By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Tuesday, December 6, 2011

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DALLAS — The Rays had a busy first day at the winter meetings, talking trade with several teams and negotiating with free agents including outfielder/DH Josh Willingham.

While no deals were considered imminent, it did appear by Monday night that their top two decision-makers would be sticking around.

Manager Joe Maddon said talks on an extension to his contract, which runs only through the 2012 season, have begun and he was “very confident” a new deal would be struck. “I’m sure it’s going to be all worked out in due time,” Maddon said.

And executive vice president Andrew Friedman eliminated any possibility — albeit extremely slim anyway — that he would leave for a job with his hometown Astros.

“Andrew chose not to be a part of the Astros’ process,” team president Matt Silverman said in a statement. “It is in no way a reflection on the Houston organization.”

The Rays’ top offseason goal is improving their offense, with Willingham, a free agent with a solid record of success, emerging Monday as a possibility.

Willingham, a right-handed hitter who turns 33 in February, hit a career-high 29 homers for Oakland last year, with a .246 average, .332 on-base percentage and .477 slugging percentage. He can play left and right, but the Rays likely would use him primarily as a DH, a significant power upgrade over free agent Johnny Damon, who hit 16 homers.

But the number of other teams interested — reportedly at least three others — and the amount they’d be willing to spend may dictate the direction of the talks. Willingham made $6 million last season, with his agent reportedly seeking a three-year deal.

Another option is trading with one of the numerous teams that have expressed interest in their stable of starting pitchers, primarily James Shields and Wade Davis. The Royals, Marlins and Reds — who all have young hitters — are among those in the conversations.

Overall, Friedman said of the first day: “It’s been busy.” As for the possibilities of a deal? “It’s something that kind of vacillates by the minute. There were times (Monday) where I was pretty optimistic about certain things and then different times where I was a lot more pessimistic.”

Maddon has been optimistic about staying with the Rays past the coming season, but Monday was the first indication there have been discussions.

Maddon, who just won his second AL manager of the year award, would seem to be in line to at least double his current salary of about $1.3 million, which is in the bottom third of current managers.

“We’ve been talking a little bit in general, it’s just basic stuff,” Maddon said. “I’m a Ray. I have a lot of faith in being a Ray as I continue along. I’ve talked about that this for me is the best place to work in major-league baseball. Of course, everybody is looking for security, we all want security.

“For me it’s just about having an open conversation. We never would negotiate in public, anything like that. It’s just about an ongoing conversation right now, and we’ll see how it all or when it plays out. But I’m not worried about anything.”

Friedman, per policy, wouldn’t discuss the status of negotiations, but said, “My expectation is to work with Joe for a long time.”

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@tampabay.com.

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Read More: trade rumors, B.J. Upton (CF – TAM), Jose Molina (C – TAM), John Jaso (C – SEA), Wade Davis (P – TAM), Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays have had a relatively busy November for them, signing free agent catcher Jose Molina and trading John Jaso to Seattle, but the offseason has only just begun. The Winter Meetings are happening next week, and Andrew Friedman spoke to the press on Thursday afternoon about his priorities.

You can find a full video of Friedman’s comments over at the St. Petersburg Times. Here are the highlights:

• The Rays’ main priorities are to acquire a first baseman and DH. They have holes at both positions since Casey Kotchman and Johnny Damon are both free agents, and while Friedman hasn’t rules out bringing either of those players back, he is looking to improve at both positions and is keeping all his options open for now.
• Friedman states the club will fill the shortstop position internally — think a Sean Rodriguez / Reid Brignac platoon — and that he doesn’t intend to acquire another catcher this offseason. That means the Rays will likely enter the 2012 season with Jose Molina and Jose Lobaton as the two catchers on their roster.
• The Rays are not looking to trade B.J. Upton, as they want to improve their offense from last season and replacing Upton’s production would be difficult. Friedman also claims he does not intend to trade one of his starting pitchers, but I still believe this is more a negotiating tactic than anything. The Rays could improve their offense by trading one of their young starters like Wade Davis, and their rotation wouldn’t suffer any as prospect Matt Moore is ready to play in the majors.

To join in the conversation about the Rays’ offseason and potential moves, head over the SB Nation’s blog on the Rays, DRaysBay.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Wade Davis threw a six-hitter, John Jaso hit a three-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays moved within 5 1/2 games of AL wild-card leading Boston with a 7-2 victory over the Red Sox on Friday night.

Davis (10-8) struck out eight in his second career complete game. The right-hander, who had his other complete game on Sept. 17, 2009, had gone 0-2 with an 11.12 ERA in three previous starts against Boston. Tampa Bay pitchers have 15 complete games this season.

Jaso put the Rays ahead 3-0 with a three-run homer off John Lackey (12-12) in the second. He entered 8 for 37 (.216) in 14 games since returning from strained right oblique last month.

Boston has lost five of six. After two more games in Florida this weekend, the Red Sox will host Tampa Bay in a four-games series that starts Thursday at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox were without infielder Kevin Youkilis, who returned to Boston to have his sore hip examined by team doctors and undergo an MRI exam.

Rays designated hitter Johnny Damon was back in the lineup after missing the previous three games because of a sore right leg. He had an infield single during the third that moved him past Doc Cramer into 62nd place on the all-time hits with 2,706.

Damon and Matt Joyce had RBI singles in the third to made it 5-0. Jaso later in the inning hit a two-out shot with the bases loaded off Lackey’s left leg, but the pitcher recovered to picked up the ball and throw the Rays’ catcher out at first.

Lackey left with a bruised calf and was replaced by Scott Atchison to start the fourth. Lackey, who has lost three consecutive starts, gave up five runs, five hits and three walks in a 69-pitch outing.

Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI infield during a two-run sixth that got Boston within 5-2. The other run scored on Marco Scutaro’s sacrifice fly.

The Rays got both runs back in the bottom of the sixth on RBI doubles by Reid Brignac and Evan Longoria.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Read More: Jose Bautista (RF – TOR), DeWayne Wise (RF – TOR), Johnny Damon (DH – TAM), J.P. Howell (P – TAM), Yunel Escobar (SS – TOR), Wade Davis (P – TAM), Evan Longoria (3B – TAM), Desmond Jennings (LF – TAM), Eric Thames (RF – TOR), Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays, Aug 29, 2011 7:07 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays (73-60) could not complete the four game sweep today, falling to the Toronto Blue Jays in a 7-3 bout. Wade Davis (L, 8-8) started for the Rays, but could not finish the fifth frame in what turned out to be his second shortest outing of the season.

The game started out well enough for the Rays: A lead-off walk for Desmond Jennings turned into a two-run home run for Johnny Damon. Unfortunately, the 2-0 lead became a 3-2 deficit in the third inning, and by that point, it was becoming painfully plain that Davis did not have his good pitches or good fortunes at the ready.

The third started with an expedient swinging strike out of DeWayne Wise, but Yunel Escobar singled and Eric Thames (pronounced like an American would want to: thhhhh-aims) doubled. Jose Bautista, Destroyer of Worlds, then came to the plate and amazingly and mercifully only grounded out, putting the Jays on the board, but down 2-1.

Then Adam Lind, who looked at times goofy and lost during the at bat, worked a 2-2 count and then blasted a homer to deep right-center. At this point, the floodgates opened. The Jays scored over each of the following three innings, building their consummate 7-3 lead by the bottom of the 6th.

Notes:

• The Rays wasted a double-awesome game from Johnny Damon, who went 2 for 3 with a walk and a pair of dingers. He was the offense tonight.
• J.P. Howell had allowed no runs and only one hit through his last ten appearances, but The Bautista tired of Howell’s success, and Thor’d a homer to left in the sixth.
• Evan Longoria had quite the triple on the night. In the top of the third, Longo cracked a ball to left that had every appearance of leaving the playing area. Longo sure thought so: He was trotting the bases, blowing a pink bubble with his gum. Well, it fell just short of the wall, but Evan was able crank it to 11 and slide safely into third base.
• Bummer upon bummers: The Orioles refused to win yet another game, letting the Yankees beat them 3-2. That puts the Rays at 7.5 games back again. Sort of fortunately, the Rays play the Yankees for 7 out of their last 10 games, so they could — with a most improbable super double-sweep — make up quite a bit of ground at the end.

Read More: Jose Bautista (RF – TOR), DeWayne Wise (RF – TOR), Johnny Damon (DH – TAM), J.P. Howell (P – TAM), Yunel Escobar (SS – TOR), Wade Davis (P – TAM), Evan Longoria (3B – TAM), Desmond Jennings (LF – TAM), Eric Thames (RF – TOR), Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays, Aug 29, 2011 7:07 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays (73-60) could not complete the four game sweep today, falling to the Toronto Blue Jays in a 7-3 bout. Wade Davis (L, 8-8) started for the Rays, but could not finish the fifth frame in what turned out to be his second shortest outing of the season.

The game started out well enough for the Rays: A lead-off walk for Desmond Jennings turned into a two-run home run for Johnny Damon. Unfortunately, the 2-0 lead became a 3-2 deficit in the third inning, and by that point, it was becoming painfully plain that Davis did not have his good pitches or good fortunes at the ready.

The third started with an expedient swinging strike out of DeWayne Wise, but Yunel Escobar singled and Eric Thames (pronounced like an American would want to: thhhhh-aims) doubled. Jose Bautista, Destroyer of Worlds, then came to the plate and amazingly and mercifully only grounded out, putting the Jays on the board, but down 2-1.

Then Adam Lind, who looked at times goofy and lost during the at bat, worked a 2-2 count and then blasted a homer to deep right-center. At this point, the floodgates opened. The Jays scored over each of the following three innings, building their consummate 7-3 lead by the bottom of the 6th.

Notes:

• The Rays wasted a double-awesome game from Johnny Damon, who went 2 for 3 with a walk and a pair of dingers. He was the offense tonight.
• J.P. Howell had allowed no runs and only one hit through his last ten appearances, but The Bautista tired of Howell’s success, and Thor’d a homer to left in the sixth.
• Evan Longoria had quite the triple on the night. In the top of the third, Longo cracked a ball to left that had every appearance of leaving the playing area. Longo sure thought so: He was trotting the bases, blowing a pink bubble with his gum. Well, it fell just short of the wall, but Evan was able crank it to 11 and slide safely into third base.
• Bummer upon bummers: The Orioles refused to win yet another game, letting the Yankees beat them 3-2. That puts the Rays at 7.5 games back again. Sort of fortunately, the Rays play the Yankees for 7 out of their last 10 games, so they could — with a most improbable super double-sweep — make up quite a bit of ground at the end.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Johnny Damon lost a grand slam after a video review.

Damon was at first awarded a home run in the seventh inning of Sunday’s game against Seattle. But after a 2-minute, 45-second review by the umpires, it was determined that Damon’s drive to right-center off Jeff Gray hit the top of the fence and came back into play.

A replay showed that the ball was not a home run.

Damon wound up with a three-run double that put Tampa Bay ahead 7-5.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Rays Report

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, August 20, 2011

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Rays vs. Mariners

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

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

Starting pitchers:

Rays:

RH Jeremy Hellickson (10-8, 3.22)

Mariners:

LH Charlie Furbush (2-1, 4.76)

Watch for …

Bounce back: Hellickson is coming off a rough outing in New York, where he allowed four runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. It ended a streak of eight consecutive starts in which he had allowed three earned runs or fewer. Hellickson is 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in two career starts against the Mariners.

Stepping in: Furbush, who moved into Seattle’s rotation after being acquired July 30 from Detroit in the RHP Doug Fister trade, has won two of his past three starts, including allowing just one run over seven innings against Boston. He is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in three career appearances (no starts) against the Rays.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Furbush

Sean Rodriguez 1-for-2, HR

Johnny Damon 1-for-1

Ben Zobrist 0-for-2

Mariners vs. Hellickson

Franklin Gutierrez2-for-6

Dustin Ackley0-for-2

Ichiro Suzuki0-for-6

On deck

Sunday: vs. Mariners, 1:40, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (11-10, 2.83); Mariners — Michael Pineda (9-7, 3.77)

Monday: vs. Tigers, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (8-4, 3.29); Tigers — Justin Verlander (18-5, 2.31)

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

Face time at Bucs game

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he had a great time at the Bucs game Thursday, except for the result, a 31-14 Patriots win. “It looked like the Hazleton High School Mountaineers when the Patriots were marching down the field,” Maddon joked, invoking his hometown high school. Maddon talked with Bucs coach Raheem Morris and ran into a lot of Rays. “I never realized how many Rays fans go to Bucs games,” he said. “I thought we talked to everybody in that ballpark I think at some point.”

Helping hand

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund and Waste Management Co. are holding an equipment drive this weekend to support the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg. Fans are encouraged to bring new or used baseball or softball gear and can register to win Rays prizes.

Number of the day

7 Rays with at least 10 stolen bases, the most in the majors.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  — Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist each had run-scoring singles with two outs during the eighth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays beat Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Friday night.

Hernandez (11-11) took a one-hitter in the eighth before the Rays’ put together the late rally. An out after pinch-hitter Sam Fuld lined an one-out, opposite-field single to left, Johnny Damon had an infield single before Longoria and Zobrist had consecutive RBI hits to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2.

Juan Cruz (5-0) got two outs in the eighth for the win. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

Hernandez allowed three runs and six hits in eight innings. The 2010 AL Cy Young winner had nine strikeouts and two walks in his fourth complete games this season.

Kyle Seager put the Mariners up 2-1 with his first major league homer, a solo shot off Wade Davis leading off the seventh.

Trayvon Robinson doubled in the third and later scored from third to make it 1-0 when Rays’ shortstop Sean Rodriguez was charged with an error for an errant throw to the plate on Franklin Gutierrez’s grounder.

Davis gave up two runs and seven hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Hernandez appeared to land wrong on an 0-2 pitch to Casey Kotchman in the fifth, but the right-hander wound up recording a strikeout. B.J. Upton then hit a one-out grounder that got past the glove-hand side of third baseman Adam Kennedy for the Rays’ first hit.

After Upton stole second and third and Matt Joyce drew a walk, John Jaso tied at 1 on a sacrifice bunt. Upton had been 1 for 22 against Hernandez before the hit.

Mariners first baseman Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a second-inning infield single.

Seattle outfielder Casper Wells, hit by a pitch in the nose Wednesday, went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter. Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo, who missed one game after being hit in the chin by a foul ball Tuesday, had a single in four at-bats.

Notes: Seattle placed INF Jack Wilson (bruised left heel) on the 15-day disabled list and activated SS Brendan Ryan (left shoulder) from the DL. … Tampa Bay activated Jaso (right oblique) from the 15-day DL. C Robinson Chirinos was optioned to Triple-A Durham. … Mariners 3B Chone Figgins (right hip flexor) took grounders before the game. “He’s still going to need some time,” manager Eric Wedge said. … Seattle 1B Justin Smoak (broken nose) is taking batting practice and will be reevaluated in about a week. … Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (10-8), Saturday’s scheduled starter, allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of last Saturday’s 9-2 loss to the New York Yankees. “The last start was pretty frustrating, disappointing,” Hellickson said. “One of those you try and forget about.” … Mariners LHP Charlie Furbush (3-4) will make his first career start against Tampa Bay Saturday.

–The Associated Press
 
 

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, August 6, 2011

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Ben Zobrist drives in Desmond Jennings, left, and Johnny Damon with a sixth-inning single that puts the Rays up 6-2.
	[CHRIS ZUPPA | Times]

ST. PETERSBURG — Network hype aside, the reality of this weekend’s Yankees-Red Sox series at Fenway Park is that they really aren’t playing for much since both seem likely to make the playoffs.

It’s up to the Rays — and/or the Angels — to make that not the case. And with 19 games left against the division- and wild-card leaders, the Rays can at least maintain the pretense of possibility by continuing what they’ve been doing.

Friday, for the third straight day, the Rays played the type of solid overall game necessary to make a run. And with an 8-4 victory over the A’s, they put together their first three-game winning streak in more than a month.

“I think our players are really starting to believe again strongly,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “They’re starting to see we’re playing good baseball. We’re winning close games. All of a sudden, we’re scoring runs at the Trop. That’s pretty big. We’re winning games at home. That’s pretty big.”

Jeff Niemann was certainly a large part of Friday’s testimony, coming just an out short of a complete game while throwing a career-high 119 pitches, extending his July hot streak into August while improving to 5-0, 2.26 in eight starts since coming off the disabled list in late June following a lower back strain.

“It’s been a combination of things,” Niemann said.

And so was the suddenly rejuvenated offense, B.J. Upton reaching base five times — and seven straight going back to Thursday — and support from top to almost bottom, making it 24 runs over their past three games. That’s the first time they’ve scored seven or more in three straight games in more than a year and the first time at Tropicana Field since April 2010.

“Contributions coming from every direction,” Maddon said.

Enough so that DH and clubhouse DJ Johnny Damon had a tough time deciding who would pull the cord to light the Captain Morgan sign by his locker that signals victory. (Upton allowed Niemann the unofficial player of the game honors.)

After a stretch in which they lost nine of 12, the Rays (59-52) have won six of their past eight and with another victory tonight or Sunday will claim their third consecutive series.

Granted, they’ve done so against the Mariners, Blue Jays and A’s (who have lost 30 of their last 37 on the road). But it’s a start. And for what it’s worth, August has been the Rays’ hottest month since their 2008 renaissance as they are a majors-best 56-32 over that span.

“Hopefully, we can keep doing what we’re doing and try to chip our way back into this thing,” Upton said.

The Rays wake up sitting nine games behind the Red Sox and 10 behind the Yankees in the AL East but determined to keep the big-picture goal in mind while aiming small for now, trying to gain one game a week. Maddon has been preaching that mantra, and Damon said he reinforced it in an up-till-now secret team meeting in Seattle last weekend.

“Whenever you look at the big picture, things seem more doable,” Damon said.

“I think for a little while, we were trying to make up all those games in those amount of days. And obviously, that’s not possible. We also have to worry about ourselves. We can’t worry about what happens with Boston and New York when we’re not playing them.”

And when they do, starting next weekend in New York?

“Rock and roll,” Maddon said. “We play them often enough, too, that we can make some noise with them, too.”

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3:36 p.m.: Final: Mariners 3, Tampa Bay 2.

3:07 p.m.: Pineda’s day is done. He throws 110 pitches through 6 1/3 innings. He struck out a career-high 10 batters and walked off the field to a standing ovation. M’s still cling to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh.

2:55 p.m.: After Ackley doubles in the sixth, Mike Carp drives him in to give the Mariners back the lead. It’s 3-2 heading into the seventh.

2:44 p.m.: The no-hitter is over. Pineda gives up a two-out single in the sixth to Ben Zobrist, who drives in a run to tie the game. Pineda has thrown more than 90 pitches through six innings.

2:25 p.m.: Pineda adds two more strikeouts in the fifth. He has nine so far in this one.

2:18 p.m.: The Mariners’ offense hasn’t done much the past few innings, but Pineda continues to pitch well as the Seattle clings to a 2-1 lead.

The Rays only run came after Johnny Damon walked, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Josh Bard and scored on a ground out from Ben Zobrist.

Only two Tampa Bay players have reached base through four innings.

1:54 p.m.: Pineda is a machine right now. He has struck out seven through three innings. Evan Longoria is the only Rays player to reach base. He walked in the second.

1:50 p.m.: Chone Figgins slapped a single and stole a base in the second. Could he do enough today to earn a trade out of town?

1:40 p.m.: Michael Pineda has struck out five through two innings.

1:29 p.m.: Dustin Ackley continues to provide at least one reason to come out to the ballpark. He provides an early jolt to the Mariners’ offense in this one with a first-inning, line-drive home run that shot over the sign honoring Dave Niehaus in center field. It’s 2-0 Mariners after one.

1:17 p.m.: Michael Pineda looks very good early. He struck out Desmond Jennings to open the game and Ben Zobrist to end frame, retiring the side in order in the first.

12:46 p.m.: Plenty of news coming out today with Doug Fister and David Pauley being traded to Detroit for three players and one more to be named later.

I’m working on that news story now, so I’m going to post this, but I won’t have many updates early in the game.

Here are the lineups:

Mariners (44-61)
——————————-
51 Ichiro Suzuki (L) RF
26 Brendan Ryan SS
13 Dustin Ackley (L) DH
20 Mike Carp (L) LF
17 Justin Smoak (S) 1B
21 Franklin Gutierrez CF
3 Josh Bard (S) C
9 Chone Figgins (S) 3B
2 Jack Wilson 2B
——————————-
36 Michael Pineda RHP

Rays (55-50)
——————————-
8 Desmond Jennings LF
22 Johnny Damon (L) DH
18 Ben Zobrist (S) 2B
11 Casey Kotchman (L) 1B
3 Evan Longoria 3B
20 Matt Joyce (L) RF
2 B.J. Upton CF
38 Robinson Chirinos C
1 Sean Rodriguez SS
——————————-
53 Alex Cobb RHP

SEATTLE, July 30 (UPI) — Johnny Damon and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs each during an eight-run second Friday, sending the Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-0 win over Seattle.

Jeff Niemann (5-4) struck out 11 over 6 2/3 innings and combined with two relievers on a three-hitter.

The Mariners lost for the 18th time in 19 games, failing to back up their victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Seattle has only five wins in July.

Tampa Bay sent a dozen men to the plate in the second while scoring all the game’s runs on five hits.

Damon had a two-run single in the inning that gave the Rays a 3-0 lead and Zobrist hit a two-run homer.

Five of the runs were charged to starter Erik Bedard (4-7), who retired only four men in the contest. He has just one victory in his last seven starts.

SEATTLE, July 30 (UPI) — Johnny Damon and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs each during an eight-run second Friday, sending the Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-0 win over Seattle.

Jeff Niemann (5-4) struck out 11 over 6 2/3 innings and combined with two relievers on a three-hitter.

The Mariners lost for the 18th time in 19 games, failing to back up their victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Seattle has only five wins in July.

Tampa Bay sent a dozen men to the plate in the second while scoring all the game’s runs on five hits.

Damon had a two-run single in the inning that gave the Rays a 3-0 lead and Zobrist hit a two-run homer.

Five of the runs were charged to starter Erik Bedard (4-7), who retired only four men in the contest. He has just one victory in his last seven starts.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, July 30, 2011

---

Johnny Damon hits a two-run RBI single during the Rays’ eight-run second inning against the Mariners.
	[Associated Press]

SEATTLE — The Rays still have a long way to go. And even always optimistic manager Joe Maddon knows that.

But before, and again after Jeff Niemann and a rejuvenated offense produced an 8-0 victory over the Mariners on Friday night, Maddon figured it was the right time, and place, to point out that it’s still possible for them to make a run for a spot in the playoffs.

“The 1995 Seattle Mariners,” he said, and that was all that was needed. That was a team that was 11 games out of first place on July 30, fell to 13 back on Aug. 2, then roared back to catch, and ultimately defeat in a one-game playoff, the Angels for a playoff spot. That would be the Angels who had Maddon as their first-base coach.

“That stuff can happen,” he said. “1995 is in my memory bank very strongly. I remember what it felt like. I remember what it tasted like. It can happen. But it only happens if you believe it can happen. If you don’t believe it can happen, then it cannot. Period. So I’m a believer. And it’s our job, it’s my job, to convince these other 25 guys it can happen.”

But Friday, against a woeful Mariners team on a beautiful Pacific Northwest night, they had reason to believe. They won consecuitve games for the first time since early July, and for only the fourth time since May 12, they gained a game on both the Red Sox and Yankees, moving to within 9½ games of first place and seven off the wild card.

“From our perspective, if we can gain one game a week for the rest of the season, I’ll take it,” Maddon said. “That puts us in pretty good shape.”

The Rays’ eight-run second-inning outburst — their biggest in more than three years, since a 10-run fifth at Florida on June 25, 2008 — got the attention Friday.

But Niemann — reportedly offered in trade this week — was worthy of applause. He struck out a career-high 11 while holding the Mariners to one hit through six innings and three total while working into the seventh.

“Outstanding,” Maddon said.

Niemann improved to 5-4 overall, and 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA in seven starts since coming off the disabled list following a back strain. His 1.06 ERA for five July starts is a team record for any month.

“It’s been fun to get back out there and help the team win,” Niemann said.

The curveball was a key weapon Friday, and the fastball was pretty good, too. Neither Niemann nor Maddon realized he had that many strikeouts until after the game, which reflected his less-than-stellar command, as he threw 118 pitches over the 6 2/3 innings.

The Rays’ outburst started innocently enough against Erik Bedard: a single by Casey Kotchman, continuing a comeback from his dismal 2010 season in Seattle, and after a Kelly Shoppach strikeout, walks to Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez to load the bases.

Rookie Desmond Jennings, continuing to show impressive patience at the plate, worked a full-count walk to force in the first run. A single by Johnny Damon scored two and ended the night of Bedard, as well as that of the assembled scouts from contenders seeking a starter.

Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer off reliever Aaron Laffey to make it 6-0. Kotchman’s double scored B.J. Upton from first, then Shoppach singled home Kotchman to complete the scoring. The 12 batters were also a season-high, and it made for the first time in 14 seasons the Rays had consecutive games with seven or more runs in a single frame.

“We had a really good inning,” Zobrist said. “I think we put together some good at-bats and did some good things.”

Niemann was pitching two days after his name surfaced in trade talks, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reporting the Rays offered him and reliever J.P. Howell to the Cardinals for Colby Rasmus but were turned down. With the deadline for nonwaiver deals at 4 p.m. Sunday, there has been a lot of speculation involving the Rays.

Niemann said he wants to stay with the Rays, and acknowledged he was a bit concerned about the possibility of a trade.

“It’s something that’s definitely floating around the clubhouse; everyone is keeping their eyes or keeping their ears open on things,” he said. “But you do your best to not let it bug you and just try to go out there and worry about the game at hand and try to do your best.

“Before, it really was nothing. But then (Wednesday) you find out your name was really actually thrown around. And it … it’s not that a big a deal … there’s nothing … it doesn’t really matter … it matters not at all.”

Friday night, it didn’t seem to bother him a bit.

Niemann certainly didn’t seem bothered, as he improved to 3-0, 2.15 in four career starts at Safeco Field.

[Last modified: Jul 30, 2011 02:19 AM]

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, July 30, 2011

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Johnny Damon hits a two-run RBI single during the Rays’ eight-run second inning against the Mariners.
	[Associated Press]

SEATTLE — The Rays still have a long way to go. And even always optimistic manager Joe Maddon knows that.

But before, and again after Jeff Niemann and a rejuvenated offense produced an 8-0 victory over the Mariners on Friday night, Maddon figured it was the right time, and place, to point out that it’s still possible for them to make a run for a spot in the playoffs.

“The 1995 Seattle Mariners,” he said, and that was all that was needed. That was a team that was 11 games out of first place on July 30, fell to 13 back on Aug. 2, then roared back to catch, and ultimately defeat in a one-game playoff, the Angels for a playoff spot. That would be the Angels who had Maddon as their first-base coach.

“That stuff can happen,” he said. “1995 is in my memory bank very strongly. I remember what it felt like. I remember what it tasted like. It can happen. But it only happens if you believe it can happen. If you don’t believe it can happen, then it cannot. Period. So I’m a believer. And it’s our job, it’s my job, to convince these other 25 guys it can happen.”

But Friday, against a woeful Mariners team on a beautiful Pacific Northwest night, they had reason to believe. They won consecuitve games for the first time since early July, and for only the fourth time since May 12, they gained a game on both the Red Sox and Yankees, moving to within 9½ games of first place and seven off the wild card.

“From our perspective, if we can gain one game a week for the rest of the season, I’ll take it,” Maddon said. “That puts us in pretty good shape.”

The Rays’ eight-run second-inning outburst — their biggest in more than three years, since a 10-run fifth at Florida on June 25, 2008 — got the attention Friday.

But Niemann — reportedly offered in trade this week — was worthy of applause. He struck out a career-high 11 while holding the Mariners to one hit through six innings and three total while working into the seventh.

“Outstanding,” Maddon said.

Niemann improved to 5-4 overall, and 4-0 with a 1.88 ERA in seven starts since coming off the disabled list following a back strain. His 1.06 ERA for five July starts is a team record for any month.

“It’s been fun to get back out there and help the team win,” Niemann said.

The curveball was a key weapon Friday, and the fastball was pretty good, too. Neither Niemann nor Maddon realized he had that many strikeouts until after the game, which reflected his less-than-stellar command, as he threw 118 pitches over the 6 2/3 innings.

The Rays’ outburst started innocently enough against Erik Bedard: a single by Casey Kotchman, continuing a comeback from his dismal 2010 season in Seattle, and after a Kelly Shoppach strikeout, walks to Matt Joyce and Sean Rodriguez to load the bases.

Rookie Desmond Jennings, continuing to show impressive patience at the plate, worked a full-count walk to force in the first run. A single by Johnny Damon scored two and ended the night of Bedard, as well as that of the assembled scouts from contenders seeking a starter.

Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer off reliever Aaron Laffey to make it 6-0. Kotchman’s double scored B.J. Upton from first, then Shoppach singled home Kotchman to complete the scoring. The 12 batters were also a season-high, and it made for the first time in 14 seasons the Rays had consecutive games with seven or more runs in a single frame.

“We had a really good inning,” Zobrist said. “I think we put together some good at-bats and did some good things.”

Niemann was pitching two days after his name surfaced in trade talks, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reporting the Rays offered him and reliever J.P. Howell to the Cardinals for Colby Rasmus but were turned down. With the deadline for nonwaiver deals at 4 p.m. Sunday, there has been a lot of speculation involving the Rays.

Niemann said he wants to stay with the Rays, and acknowledged he was a bit concerned about the possibility of a trade.

“It’s something that’s definitely floating around the clubhouse; everyone is keeping their eyes or keeping their ears open on things,” he said. “But you do your best to not let it bug you and just try to go out there and worry about the game at hand and try to do your best.

“Before, it really was nothing. But then (Wednesday) you find out your name was really actually thrown around. And it … it’s not that a big a deal … there’s nothing … it doesn’t really matter … it matters not at all.”

Friday night, it didn’t seem to bother him a bit.

Niemann certainly didn’t seem bothered, as he improved to 3-0, 2.15 in four career starts at Safeco Field.

[Last modified: Jul 30, 2011 02:19 AM]

Click here for reuse options!

Copyright 2011 St. Petersburg Times

You must enable javascript to view and add comments.