FORT MYERS, Fla. — 

Josh Beckett had no problem pitching against a division rival so close to the start of the regular season.

Beckett tossed five innings of one-hit ball and the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-0, yesterday.

“Josh is working on his changeup a little, and I thought threw a lot of really good pitches today,” manager Bobby Valentine said. “I think he got his work in, put up a bunch of zeros, was competitive working against their hitters and I think that’s what he needed. He’ll have one more short (start). But he had pretty good stuff today.”

Beckett struck out five and walked three while lowering his spring ERA to 0.95 in five starts. He threw 84 pitches, 49 for strikes.

The All-Star right-hander thinks he is very close to being ready to start the season, but still has things to work on.

“As far as arm strength and stuff goes, there’s still stuff you got to figure out during the season, too,” he said. “I think if you hit the ground running in April, you’re probably not very old. So spring training’s, in my opinion, a little bit long. But it’s to get everybody ready.”

Beckett is scheduled to start Boston’s home opener on April 13 against the Rays. This was the only time he faced them in spring training.

“I think you could face a team once during spring training,” he said. “But, yeah, I definitely think there comes a familiar approach, if you will, especially when it comes to how you got to a pitch or how you got a guy out. The more times he sees that the more times he’s going to have either video or a mental log of, ‘OK, this is how he got me out. This is what he’s going to do this time.’ ”

Lackey apologizes

Red Sox pitcher John Lackey has apologized for using “a thoughtless choice of words” during an interview this week.

Speaking with a Boston Globe columnist, Lackey said it was “retarded” to make too much of reports about some Red Sox starters drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse last year during games when they weren’t pitching.

Yesterday, Lackey issued a written statement released by the Red Sox.

“I apologize for my thoughtless choice of words that appeared in print earlier today. I meant no harm, and I am sorry to all I offended,” he said.

Lackey is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will not pitch this season. He is entering the third season of a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Red Sox.

Diamond Dust

The Red Sox yesterday optioned first baseman Lars Anderson and shortstop Jose Iglesias to Triple-A Pawtucket. The club also reassigned right-handed pitchers Justin Germano and Doug Mathis and outfielder Josh Kroeger to minor league camp. … Boston is off today, but will have several pitchers in minor league games. Clay Buchholz and Andrew Bailey are scheduled to pitch in the Triple-A game, while Aaron Cook and Vicente Padilla are scheduled to pitch in the Double-A game.

Beckett goes 5 shutout innings, Red Sox beat Rays

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) Josh Beckett had no problem pitching against a division rival so close to the start of the regular season.

Beckett tossed five innings of one-hit ball and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-0 on Tuesday.

“Josh is working on his changeup a little, and I thought threw a lot of really good pitches today,” manager Bobby Valentine said. “I think he got his work in, put up a bunch of zeros, was competitive working against their hitters and I think that’s what he needed. He’ll have one more short (start). But he had pretty good stuff today.”

Beckett struck out five and walked three while lowering his spring ERA to 0.95 in five starts. He threw 84 pitches, 49 for strikes.

The All-Star right-hander thinks he is very close to being ready to start the season, but still has things to work on.

“As far as arm strength and stuff goes there’s still stuff you got to figure out during the season, too,” he said. “I think if you hit the ground running in April, you’re probably not very old. So spring training’s, in my opinion, a little bit long. But it’s to get everybody ready.”

Beckett is scheduled to start Boston’s home opener on April 13 against the Rays. This was the only time he faced them in spring training.

“I think you could face a team once during spring training,” he said. “But, yeah, I definitely think there comes a familiar approach, if you will, especially when it comes to how you got to a pitch or how you got a guy out. The more times he sees that the more times he’s going to have either video or a mental log of, `OK, this is how he got me out. This is what he’s going to do this time.’”

Tampa Bay was shut out for this third time this spring. The Rays managed just three hits; a double by Jose Lobaton, and singles from Desmond Jennings and Ben Zobrist.

Cody Ross hit a three-run homer off Joel Peralta in the second. He leads the Red Sox with four home runs this spring.

With Tampa Bay’s James Shields pitching in a minor league game, reliever Fernando Rodney started for the Rays and threw one hitless inning.

Rays right-hander Brandon Gomes, coming off back surgery, recorded two outs in the seventh and was charged with four runs. He walked four and allowed one hit.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he felt Gomes, coming off back surgery, was close to being completely healthy but not quite there yet. Gomes agreed.

“I’m confident I’m still very close to where I need to be,” he said.

NOTES: The Red Sox made a series of roster moves. SS Jose Iglesias and 1B Lars Anderson were optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket. RHPs Justin Germano and Doug Mathis and OF Josh Kroeger were reassigned to minor league camp. … The Red Sox are off on Wednesday, but will have several pitchers in minor league games. RHPs Clay Buchholz and Andrew Bailey are scheduled to pitch in the Triple-A game, while RHPs Aaron Cook and Vicente Padilla are scheduled to pitch in the Double-A game. … Maddon said RHP Jeff Niemann would remain in the rotation, with RHP Wade Davis going to the bullpen. Maddon did not set the order, but the rotation also includes James Shields, David Price, Jeremy Hellickson and Matt Moore. … Rays CF B.J. Upton, who has been hampered by an ailing back, expects to be in the lineup on opening day. … Rays OF Sam Fuld will get a second opinion on his ailing right wrist. … Tampa Bay SS Reid Brignac, who has been limited by an ailing foot, said if he gets through a minor league game on Tuesday, he will play in the major league game Wednesday.

Updated March 27, 2012

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Rays face a problem most teams would love to have: a surplus of starting pitchers.

On Tuesday, manager Joe Maddon used two of them – David Price and Matt Moore – in the same game.

Price worked into the fourth inning, and Moore made his spring debut with a hitless 1 2-3 innings in the Rays‘ 7-7 10-inning tie with the Baltimore Orioles.

Price threw 60 pitches in 3 2-3 innings and allowed the Orioles‘ biggest inning of the spring – four runs – keyed by a three-run homer by Jai Miller. Miller also had two doubles.

Moore, the heralded left-hander who made his major league debut in mid-September and started the first game of the ALDS against Texas on Oct. 1, struck out three and walked one after missing time with abdominal soreness.

It was Price’s third start of the spring, and he hadn’t allowed a run in his first three innings. In his last start March 8, Price suffered a neck spasm after drying himself with a towel. It turned out to be nothing serious, but Maddon joked before the game that it was B.Y.O.T. for the Rays.

Price said he air dried this time, but the attention was on Moore, who showed enough to the Rays that they signed him to a five-year contract after just three regular-season games.

”Matt Moore was exceptional today. He looked pretty comfortable out there,” Maddon said.

Maddon watched Moore throw simulated games and was impressed.

”He was throwing really well there too, but not as sharp as I saw today,” Maddon said.

Moore joked that he had already worked in the playoffs, but spring training presented other problems.

”Now, the butterflies are out of the way,” he said. ”It was a warm day, so it didn’t take much for me to get my body going. I felt like I’m supposed to feel.”

Price had hoped to complete four innings.

”We’re getting there,” he said.

He was happy to see another left-hander do well and liked Moore’s stuff, too.

”He’s got the equalizer on the changeup,” Price said. ”Most hitters don’t see that very good.”

Tampa Bay scored five runs in the ninth for a 7-5 lead, and Ryan Flaherty hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning for the Orioles.

Baltimore scored its most runs of spring training.

”We had some good at-bats. It’s the time of the spring where you start getting some more sense of urgency as you move forward,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Starter Jason Hammel pitched three innings for the Orioles, allowing one run and a hit.

Notes: Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts, who hasn’t played since last May because of a concussion, took batting practice and fielded ground balls before the game. It was the first time he’s done that in public view. ”It’s one thing to hit on the back field with three coaches shagging and another thing with all the guys out there and people in the stands and music on,” Roberts said. … Orioles OF Nick Markakis will play Wednesday for the first time after January surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle. He’ll be the designated hitter and isn’t scheduled to play in the field until March 20. … Rays DH Luke Scott faced Baltimore for the first time since the team didn’t renew his contract in December. He was 0 for 2 with a walk. … Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria was hitless in three at-bats in his second spring game. … Maddon will have his head shaved Thursday to generate awareness for pediatric cancer. He’s encouraging his players to join him. ”If you want to get your hair cut off, 80-degree weather is the perfect time,” he said.

PORT CHARLOTTE — Desmond Jennings has created something of a quandary for himself.

He’d grown tired, coming up through the Rays minor-league system, of being called the next Carl Crawford. Then Jennings finally got the chance to play regularly in the majors the second half of last season and did so well people were comparing him to, well, Carl Crawford.

The pulsing speed, the game-changing defense, the flashes of power, the overall excitement were all somewhat similar to the Rays’ former All-Star leftfielder. Plus, with the added elements of patience at the plate and a willingness to embrace the leadoff role, Jennings quickly has become just as important as Crawford was to the Tampa Bay attack.

“I think he’s going to be pretty much the catalyst for the offense, and he showed that he has that ability last year,” Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said.

“You hate to compare guys to Carl Crawford because it’s so tough to compare someone both (in terms of) baseball talent and being athletically gifted. Carl was probably the most gifted player that I’ve ever played with, but Desmond is right up there. I think he’s just a little bit more raw than Carl was when we had him, but I think that can be there. So it’s really fun to watch him play.

“I think we’re very blessed to have him fill that void that Carl left because those are huge shoes to fill, and I think he’s done a great job doing it.”

Jennings, 25, says he is flattered he hears such praise. Humbled. Honored.

But …

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take all the Carl Crawford compliments I can get,” Jennings said. “If anybody wants to tell me I’m as athletic or as gifted as Carl, I’ll take that all day. But that’s just not me. … I respect CC — he was a great player. I love him and what he did for me when he was here. … I just want, I don’t know, it’s just like I hear it so much, I’ve heard it so much.

“I just want to be me.”

The Rays will take that, at least the Jennings they saw for the first six weeks after his late July promotion, when he posted a .351 average in 35 games, with a .439 on-base and .634 slugging percentage for a 1.073 OPS. Then he cooled — or got tired, or was exposed by opposing pitchers — over the final 28 games, hitting just .150 with a .256 on-base, .230 slugging and .486 OPS.

Jennings said he didn’t want to make excuses — “I just stopped hitting” — but felt he lost a bit of his aggressiveness and was taking too many strikes.

Manager Joe Maddon believes the dropoff was more fatigue — physical and mental — and that Jennings will be better for having gone through it.

“To play that many games under that kind of scrutiny, he’s not used to that, combined with whatever he was feeling and having to be that catalyst for us, eventually that can wear you out if you’ve never done that before,” Maddon said.

“Coming into this season, he’s been stretched mentally. So when he gets to that moment this year he’ll be more familiar with it and I think he’ll handle it better.”

Still, it was a solid start, and a good foundation for Jennings to build off of going into what will be his first full season in the majors.

Jennings finished at .259/.356/.449/.805, led the Rays in runs (44), hits (64) and steals (20) and was second in homers (10) from the time of his callup, and he became the first American League rookie since 2003 with 10 homers and 20 steals.

About those CC comparisons?

Crawford sees it, too.

“I thought Desmond had a good year once he got called up. He did pretty good,” Crawford said at Red Sox camp. “That was about what I thought. He had some power and he stole a few bases. He’s a good athlete, he just needs time to develop into a good player. I know what that is all about.”

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

2009, JASON BEHNKEN/STAFF

PORT CHARLOTTE –

The questions, as they always do when aimed at Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, came back to the team’s stadium issue, attendance at Tropicana Field and the long-term prognosis of the organization in this market.

Sternberg addressed each of those topics Tuesday morning while Jeff Niemann threw live batting practice behind him on Field 1 of the Charlotte Sports Complex. And Sternberg, now in his seventh season as the Rays full-time owner, made it a point to express his faith in Tampa Bay as an area that can support major-league baseball.

“I’m pretty certain of that,” Sternberg said.

His proof? A 50 percent increase in payroll over last season, a move that screams against every business principle but shows Sternberg’s faith not only in the Rays but in the fans’ willingness to support the team.

“I have to do everything I can and then some to give them a chance to succeed,” he said.

Still, the stadium issue and sagging attendance hang over this franchise like the catwalks at the Trop.

Sternberg said he was encouraged by the recent meeting between the mayors of St. Petersburg and Tampa and the dialogue between the chambers of commerce on both sides of the bay. But, he added, he wished discussions of a possible location for a new stadium were further along.

“The work they’re doing and the time they’re taking and the energy they’re putting in, most importantly, the regionalization of the team, which I have been a proponent of since 2006 (when he took over) is what’s going to make this thing hum over time,” Sternberg said.

But how much time? Sternberg does not hide the fact baseball commissioner Bud Selig and his staff are taking a hard look at the issue surrounding the Rays and are wondering when or if they will be solved or if they are even solvable.

“Something’s not working and we got to figure something out,” Sternberg said. “This cannot go on for decades.”

How about a few more years?

“It’s clearly going to go on for years,” Sternberg said.

One reason he wants the increase in revenue that comes with a new stadium, Sternberg said, is so he can pump more money into the team and give executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Joe Maddon a better chance to compete.

“We are competing without the revenue. That is not an endless cycle,” Sternberg said. “I don’t mind the difficulty of doing it. I like the challenge. That’s all fine and dandy. But you want to have a ray of hope that we can sustain this.”

To think the Rays can continue to compete with the big spenders in the American league, Sternberg said, is “unrealistic.”

Sternberg knows he offended many by criticizing attendance after the Rays drew less than 29,000 for Game 4 of last October’s American League Division Series.

“It’s fair. I’m a fan,” Sternberg said. “On a large level, I knew what I had to deal with in the offseason was more structural, specifically (the futures of) Andrew and Joe, and it could have become fragile. Fortunately, we’re all sitting here, but we could be sitting here under a different set of circumstances and while the team by name would be here, the team that’s in charge of it potentially couldn’t, and I think people would take the phrase ‘vaporization’ in a different fashion.”

Sternberg is optimistic attendance will increase this season, but he remains cautious. He expected the Trop to fill up in 2009 as fans flocked to see the defending American League champions and was more than surprised and very disappointed when they didn’t. His optimism for this season stems from an upturn in the economy, a slight increase in season-ticket sales and the excitement in the Bay area surrounding the team that reached the postseason during the past two years.

“I do believe people are aching for baseball now,” Sternberg said.

Also, Sternberg walked through the Trop during Fan Fest and noticed all the young children dragging their parents across the field from one attraction to another. Unlike their parents and grandparents, who grew up without a major-league baseball team in Tampa Bay or were raised in a city or region that had a team, these kids represent the Rays’ future fan base.

“What I’ve been wanting to see, which is finally coming to fruition, is a bunch of 5- to 12-year-olds, who really only know the Rays,” Sternberg said. “We’ve been winning. They know the players. Evan Longoria has been here their whole lives. (David) Price has been there since the time they can remember. (Ben) Zobrist has been there. So there are a lot of recognizable guys, (James) Shields and all that, and they really identify with it, and they are growing up to be our fans.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—A career backup with two World Series rings,
Jose Molina is excited about having an opportunity to become an everyday catcher
with the Tampa Bay Rays.

At least as regular as you reasonably can expect at age 36.

The brother of a couple of other two-time World Series winners, Bengie and
Yadier Molina, signed with the Rays this offseason. Manager Joe Maddon envisions
a healthy “J-Mo” starting somewhere between 80 and 90 games as the Ray chase
their fourth playoff berth in five years.

Molina says he preparing as if he’s going to play 162, even though he’s
never appeared in more than 100 during parts of 12 seasons with the Cubs,
Angels, Yankees and Blue Jays.

“I’m ready to catch 162 every year, not just this year. Every year. Because
you never know. If the starting catcher gets hurt, you have to come in and be
ready to do your job,” Molina said Tuesday, the first day of spring training
for Tampa Bay’s pitchers and catchers.

Known more for his defensive skills than his offense, Molina started 44
games as a backup to Toronto rookie J.P. Arencibia while batting a career-best
.281 with three homers and 15 RBIs.

He has been the toughest catcher to steal against in the majors over the
past four seasons, throwing out 62 of 170 runners (36.5 percent). He was
sixth-best a year ago when he threw out 12 of 36 for a 33.3 percent success rate
that enticed the Rays, already one of baseball’s top defensive teams.

Maddon has known Molina since the manager’s days as the Angels’ bench coach.
The Rays declined a $3.2 million option on incumbent starter Kelly Shoppach
after losing in the divisional round of the playoffs in October and traded John
Jaso to the Seattle Mariners the following month.

Molina signed a $1.8 million, one-year contract with the Rays on Nov. 28.
Jose Lobaton and Robinson Chirinos, who’ve played a combined 42 games in the
majors, are competing for the backup job.

Molina won World Series rings with the Angels in 2002 and 2009 with the
Yankees. Bengie also part of the Angels championship team in 2002 and won again
with the San Francisco Giants in 2010. Yadier helped the St. Louis Cardinals win
titles in 2006 and 2011, meaning one of the Molina brothers has won each of the
past three World Series.

Overall, at least one of the brothers has played in seven of the past 10
postseasons.

The Rays pitching staff is eager to work with Molina, who’s continuing a
tour of the AL East following stints with the Yankees from 2007 to 2009 and the
Blue Jays the past two seasons.

“He’s got a lot of knowledge back there, a lot of innings back there. …
He might be the best receiver in the game. I can’t wait to throw to him,”
right-hander James Shields, a 16-game winner in 2011 said.

“From what I’ve heard from other players on other teams, his game-calling
is superb. And from what I’ve seen (from the opposing dugout), his receiving is
unreal,” Shields added. “He gets strikes that might not be strikes on a normal
basis with other catchers. … He knows how to catch. Any time you put a Molina
back there, you should be in good business.”

Tampa Bay’s recent success, winning two division titles and making the
playoffs three of the past four seasons, was a factor in Molina’s decision to
sign. So was a talented starting rotation and solid bullpen that are part of the
reason the Rays believe they have an excellent chance of getting back to the
postseason.

“Everybody in the league knows it’s a great pitching staff, and they’re not
afraid to pitch. You start learning that more when you play 18 games against the
same team,” Molina said, alluding to the time he’s spent in the AL East.

He’s just as eager to begin to get to know the starters and relievers are to
work with him.

“I need to learn all of them. … That’s what spring training is for, to
work with them, talk to them regarding what they like to do, what they expect,
where they want me behind the plate,” Molina said. “Some guys want the catcher
to be in the middle, other guys want you on the corners. I think just talking to
them will be a good beginning.”

The catcher said he doesn’t have any preconceived notion of how many games
he can—or will—play. He stressed that whatever Maddon decides is fine with
him.

“The manager will do whatever he wants, and I will respect it,” said
Molina, who hasn’t started consecutive games behind the plate since August 2010.
“He got his way of thinking. I won’t change that. I can’ change that. I’ll be
ready every day. If he puts me in the lineup every day, I’ll be there.”

Molina started 81 games for the Yankees in 2008, when he appeared in a
career-high 100. Most of his playing time came while Jorge Posada was sidelined
with a shoulder injury.

“I don’t think you want to push him much further than that because you
don’t want to break the guy. I would say that’s a legitimate number, right
around 80 to 90 games,” Maddon said, adding that he’s confident Molina will
flourish in the role he figures to play in Tampa Bay.

“He’s played on some pretty good teams, caught some pretty good pitchers. I
know how he operates. I know how much pride he takes in what he does back there.
… One thing about him, even back in the day, he always wanted to be considered
more of a regular, everyday player as opposed to a backup.”

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

Posted: Oct 10, 2011 12:56 PM

Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg clarified in a letter e-mailed to season-ticket holders that his recent comments about the “precarious” future of the franchise were not a complaint nor meant to sound ungrateful about the support they do have, but the reality of their situation. Also, he provided assurance that the organization remains committed to finding a solution to the region-wide issue.

“It would be easy to assure you and all Rays fans that everything will be fine, but that would be disingenuous,” Sternberg wrote. “It has been a thrilling past six years for the Rays. We have experienced success on the field that most everyone believed to be impossible. This success has exposed questions from which neither the Rays nor the Tampa Bay region can hide. I assure you that our organization is committed to doing all that we can to find solutions.”

Here is the full text of the letter:

Thank you for being such a big part of a wonderfully improbable season!

I know you share my pride in our ballclub’s successes over the past six seasons. We are one of three teams to reach the Postseason three out of the past four years. To do it from the AL East, while winning the East twice, makes it all the sweeter.

Rays fans support the team in many ways. Perhaps they attend a few games each year, coordinate a group outing, or watch or listen from a distance. I am grateful for each and every Rays fan.

But it is our season ticket holders who have been and continue to be our foundation. Without your loyal support, we could not begin to do what we do. I can’t emphasize enough how much I appreciate the time and hard-earned money you invest in the Rays. You are the ones who support the team through thick and thin. You spread word throughout our community about the great experiences you have at Tropicana Field, as well as your memories and friendships that are connected to Rays baseball.

We all care deeply about the organization. We want it to succeed. We want it to be a fixture in Tampa Bay. We want the seats filled, the atmosphere charged, and the play on the field to be of high quality. Each Spring, we want to look forward to the bright prospects of a new season.

As in the past, I will continue to communicate with you honestly and with candor.

I became the principal owner of the Rays in 2005 because I believed that Major League Baseball could thrive in Tampa Bay. The transformation of the franchise has been breathtaking: a rebranding of the team to become the Rays, significant investments in Tropicana Field, top notch fan experience and customer service, and, of course, development of an acclaimed baseball operations department.

Just as when this organization was “under construction” back in 2005, we continue to face major challenges. At that time, I said that there were no quick, easy fixes. I asked for patience as we built the Rays from a team that had never experienced success into what it is today.

Recently, I have acknowledged that the future of the Rays and Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay is precarious. I have expressed concern about the long-term health and vitality of our franchise. When asked by the press, I did not shy away from answering questions about attendance and our future. For the sake of our franchise, we cannot ignore these questions. Doing so would be a disservice to the organization, its employees and all of its loyal supporters.

Please do not take my remarks as a complaint — they were not intended to be. I was not pointing fingers. I was not blaming anyone. I do not mean to sound ungrateful to our fans for their support, and I certainly will not tell anyone how to spend his or her money. I was simply being forthright about a reality that must be faced. It would be easy to assure you and all Rays fans that everything will be fine, but that would be disingenuous.

It has been a thrilling past six years for the Rays. We have experienced success on the field that most everyone believed to be impossible. This success has exposed questions from which neither the Rays nor the Tampa Bay region can hide. I assure you that our organization is committed to doing all that we can to find solutions.

I am proud to be the principal owner of the Rays, and I am truly grateful for your support, dedication and passion. Thank you for being a season ticket holder. Your support does not go unnoticed by any of us within the organization.

I look forward to seeing you on Opening Day 2012 for the next edition of our Rays.

Sincerely,

Stuart Sternberg

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —
The Tampa Bay Rays left the magic somewhere back in September. They couldn’t summon another miracle comeback Tuesday afternoon in their white-domed home, not even after getting a pair of base runners in the ninth and bringing the winning run to the plate. With their rookie hitting star in the batter’s box, and the crowd of 28,299 on its feet and chanting, “Let’s go Rays!” the Rays went, indeed.

They went right out of the playoffs.

Veteran Adrian Beltre set up the Texas Rangers’ 4-3 victory by hitting a trio of home runs, and hard-throwing reliever Neftali Feliz finished the job by shutting down the ninth-inning rally. With the tying run on first and two out, Desmond Jennings chopped a weak grounder to second base. Ian Kinsler snagged it with care and pitched it to shortstop Elvis Andrus, who recorded the final out. The two men danced like little children before springing into each others’ arms in a violent hug.

 Three straight victories against the Rays in this best-of-five American League Division Series gave the Rangers a date with either the Detroit Tigers or New York Yankees in the next round of the postseason as they try to return to the World Series for the second straight year – this time, to avenge last year’s loss to San Francisco in five games.

 “They’re on a mission from last year,” Texas Rangers team president Nolan Ryan said. “They didn’t get it done and finished.”

 That was Tampa Bay’s lament Tuesday. After improbably climbing back from nine games back in the race for the playoffs in the season’s last month, the Rays couldn’t get the lead in a close game they trailed from the second pitch. A leadoff home run by Kinsler and Beltre’s three provided just enough to ensure that the Rays’ historic run through the end of the regular season would be the season’s best memory for Tampa Bay’s players.

“Baseball’s hard, man,” said Rays right fielder Matt Joyce, who made the game’s second-to-last out with a pop fly caught by Beltre in foul territory. “We have an immense amount of talent on this team. We pulled out so many comebacks, had so many guys do a phenomenal job for us this year that it’s a little bit disappointing to finish this way… We couldn’t muster up any more.” 

The victory set off a wild celebration in the visitor’s locker room at Tropicana Field, where Rangers players donned swim goggles to administer and endure the spray of ginger ale, champagne and cans of soda. The most obvious target of the non-stop shower of beverages was Beltre, who couldn’t complete an interview without being doused until being whisked off to the interview room. 

Beltre, who has played 13 seasons for four teams, called the performance his best day as a pro besides getting his first major league hit back in 1998.

“Because,” he said, “my team needed every bit of it to win the game tonight, and that means something.” 

Beltre homered twice on fastballs thrown by rookie starter Jeremy Hellickson in the second and fourth innings, then got his third in the seventh off of reliever Matt Moore. Moore had been summoned in the fifth to pick up the pieces for Hellickson, who allowed just four hits — three of which were home runs. I

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Tuesday, October 4, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays manager Joe Maddon insists he has to be reminded that RHP Jeremy Hellickson is still a rookie.

The 24-year-old looks like a teenage bat boy, but he acts — and more important, pitches — like an accomplished veteran. And with their season on the brink, the Rays hope he can deliver in Game 4 today.

“I feel ready,” Hellickson said. “Would have liked to win (Monday), but we’ve won two in a row before. Definitely looking forward to it. And hopefully there will be a Game 5.”

When Hellickson takes the mound, the Rays will be the 10th team in the modern era to start two rookies in a postseason series. If he is the winning pitcher, they would make more history because of Matt Moore‘s Game 1 victory, joining the 1927 Yankees (Wilcy Moore and George Pipgras) as the only team to get two wins from rookie starters in a series.

KYLE OKAY: RHP Kyle Farns­worth threw off the mound before the game and said his right elbow “definitely” felt good enough for him to pitch, and he warmed up late in Monday’s game. He was not available Saturday due to recurring soreness. “Everything’s fine,” Farnsworth said. “It feels good.” Farnsworth, who missed two weeks, then pitched in four of the last five games of the regular season, acknowledged he would likely have to be re-evaluated each day.

NIEMANN, TOO: RHP Jeff Niemann came through his Sunday bullpen session with no problems from his stiff back and said he would be ready if the Rays advance. “I feel great. Ready to do whatever’s needed.”

TIMING ISSUE: The Rays weren’t pleased nor surprised to be given a 2:07 start time today by Major League Baseball and TBS, even though it is a potential clinching game. “It’s not optimal from our perspective, but it doesn’t surprise me, either,” Maddon said.

BROAD SHOULDERS: Bench coach Dave Martinez, according to some reports, is the leading candidate for the White Sox’s managerial job, which has made him a popular subject for Chicago media covering the series. (Also popular is executive VP Andrew Friedman, rumored to be a target of the GM-less Cubs.) Martinez said he was flattered by the attention and excited by the possibility of managing but hasn’t talked to the Sox.

HAMMER TIME: 3B Evan Longoria is the Rays’ nominee for the Hank Aaron Award, given to the “most outstanding offensive performer” in each league. The winners will be chosen from a combination of voting by fans (at mlb.com and team websites) and a panel of Hall of Famers, including Aaron.

MISCELLANY: The Rays have lost four straight home postseason games. … Longoria, who struck out three times, left without talking to the media. … Gates open today at 11:30 a.m. … The crowd of 32,828 was the Rays’ 12th consecutive postseason sellout. … The Rays have 19 homers in their past eight games. … INF Russ Canzler, OF Brandon Guyer and LHP Alex Torres rejoined the team after working out in Port Charlotte and playing for the instructional league team Friday-Saturday. RHP Dane De La Rosa was told he could go home to California.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—The Tampa Bay Rays are running short on time in
the playoff race.

The team’s fourth loss in five games—5-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays on
Friday night—dropped them 2 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL wild-card chase,
further dampening the team’s hopes of earning a third postseason berth in four
years.

“It’s not going to be easy. It hasn’t been easy, and that’s OK,” manager
Joe Maddon said. “We’re learning a lot of lessons about ourselves right now.”

Tampa Bay has only five games remaining—two against Toronto and three
against the Yankees, who have already clinched the AL East title.

Brandon Morrow(notes) pitched seven scoreless innings and Kelly Johnson(notes) homered and
drove in two runs off David Price(notes) (12-13), whose pair of third-inning throwing
errors contributed the Rays’ demise.

“You’ve got to throw this in the trash can very fast,” Maddon said. “We
did not play well. We didn’t hit well, we didn’t do anything well. Trash it,
then come back tomorrow and get back on the right track. We’re running out of
time, but there is time. We’ve got to come back play our normal game.”

A night after pounding out 17 hits in a 15-8 road romp at Yankee Stadium,
the Rays were limited to Matt Joyce’s(notes) second-inning infield single until Casey
Kotchman(notes) singled with one out in the seventh off Morrow (11-11), only allowed
those two hits while walking four and striking out nine.

Toronto played spoiler for the second straight night. Edwin Encarnacion’s(notes)
12th-inning walk-off homer at home beat Los Angeles 4-3 Thursday, dropping the
Angels three games behind Boston in the wild-card race.

“It’s fun to win, no matter what,” Johnson said. “We’re playing against a
lot of teams that are desperate to win and we’re doing all right. It’s
definitely encouraging.”

Boston, which has six games left, was rained out at New York. Any
combination of Red Sox wins and Rays losses totaling four will eliminate Tampa
Bay from wild-card contention.

“I think I know our guys pretty well,” Madden said. “At this point in the
season, it’s not going to get into their heads. We’ll come back (Saturday) ready
to play.”

Johnson had a RBI single in the third. He led off the sixth with a home run
that drew a smattering of boos from a crowd of just 18,093 at half-filled
Tropicana Field.

Joel Carreno(notes) and Luis Perez(notes) each pitched an inning to finish a combined
three-hitter for Toronto. The Rays didn’t get a runner past second base until
the ninth, when Johnny Damon(notes) walked and wound up scoring from third on Joyce’s
two-out single.

“It’s a pretty big blow. We’ve only got five games left, so we’ve got to
win,” Price said. “We don’t think Boston is going to go and lose six out of
six, so we need to put some wins together and step up.”

The Blue Jays scored three runs in the third, two on Price’s second throwing
error of the inning. The All-Star lefty came off the mound to field Eric Thames’(notes)
high chopper with the bases loaded but his throw to the plate for a forceout
sailed and skipped off the glove of leaping catcher Kelly Shoppach(notes).

Toronto made it 3-0 on Johnson’s two-out, broken-bat single, but wound up
costing themselves a run on the play when Jose Bautista(notes) overran second base and
was thrown out by center fielder B.J. Upton(notes)—an instant before Thames crossed
the plate for what would have been a fourth run in the inning.

The way the Rays were swinging the bats, it didn’t matter.

Tampa Bay was shut out for the 16th time this season, 10th at home. Price
and the Rays beat Morrow 12-0 in Toronto on Aug. 28, but the Blue Jays
right-hander had their number from the start this time.

“They didn’t look comfortable up there hitting,” Johnson said. “He throws
so hard. He’s one of the tougher ones to hit.”

Price, 9-2 lifetime against the Blue Jays, allowed five runs—two earned—
and five hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

NOTES: Maddon said reliever Kyle Farnsworth(notes), who hasn’t pitched since Sept.
10 because of a sore right elbow, is available for the Toronto series. … Upton
was ejected in the eighth inning, when he was thrown out trying to steal second
base and argued the call with 2B umpire Ed Hickox. … Blue Jays 1B Adam Lind(notes)
left the team Friday to fly home to Toronto for the birth of his child. …
Toronto LHP Ricky Romero(notes) (15-10), Saturday’s scheduled starter, is 8-2 with a
2.84 ERA in 13 starts since the All-Star break. … Blue Jays manager John
Farrell said it’s unlikely that INF Yunel Escobar(notes) (left elbow) will play again
this season if he can’t take batting practice on Sunday. … Former supermodel
Cheryl Tiegs threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays are running short on time in the playoff race.

The team’s fourth loss in five games – 5-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night – dropped them 2 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL wild-card chase, further dampening the team’s hopes of earning a third postseason berth in four years.

“It’s not going to be easy. It hasn’t been easy, and that’s OK,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We’re learning a lot of lessons about ourselves right now.”

Tampa Bay has only five games remaining – two against Toronto and three against the Yankees, who have already clinched the AL East title.

Brandon Morrow pitched seven scoreless innings and Kelly Johnson homered and drove in two runs off David Price (12-13), whose pair of third-inning throwing errors contributed the Rays’ demise.

“You’ve got to throw this in the trash can very fast,” Maddon said. “We did not play well. We didn’t hit well, we didn’t do anything well. Trash it, then come back tomorrow and get back on the right track. We’re running out of time, but there is time. We’ve got to come back play our normal game.”

A night after pounding out 17 hits in a 15-8 road romp at Yankee Stadium, the Rays were limited to Matt Joyce’s second-inning infield single until Casey Kotchman singled with one out in the seventh off Morrow (11-11), only allowed those two hits while walking four and striking out nine.

Toronto played spoiler for the second straight night. Edwin Encarnacion’s 12th-inning walk-off homer at home beat Los Angeles 4-3 Thursday, dropping the Angels three games behind Boston in the wild-card race.

“It’s fun to win, no matter what,” Johnson said. “We’re playing against a lot of teams that are desperate to win and we’re doing all right. It’s definitely encouraging.”

Boston, which has six games left, was rained out at New York. Any combination of Red Sox wins and Rays losses totaling four will eliminate Tampa Bay from wild-card contention.

“I think I know our guys pretty well,” Madden said. “At this point in the season, it’s not going to get into their heads. We’ll come back (Saturday) ready to play.”

Johnson had a RBI single in the third. He led off the sixth with a home run that drew a smattering of boos from a crowd of just 18,093 at half-filled Tropicana Field.

Joel Carreno and Luis Perez each pitched an inning to finish a combined three-hitter for Toronto. The Rays didn’t get a runner past second base until the ninth, when Johnny Damon walked and wound up scoring from third on Joyce’s two-out single.

“It’s a pretty big blow. We’ve only got five games left, so we’ve got to win,” Price said. “We don’t think Boston is going to go and lose six out of six, so we need to put some wins together and step up.”

The Blue Jays scored three runs in the third, two on Price’s second throwing error of the inning. The All-Star lefty came off the mound to field Eric Thames’ high chopper with the bases loaded but his throw to the plate for a forceout sailed and skipped off the glove of leaping catcher Kelly Shoppach.

Toronto made it 3-0 on Johnson’s two-out, broken-bat single, but wound up costing themselves a run on the play when Jose Bautista overran second base and was thrown out by center fielder B.J. Upton – an instant before Thames crossed the plate for what would have been a fourth run in the inning.

The way the Rays were swinging the bats, it didn’t matter.

Tampa Bay was shut out for the 16th time this season, 10th at home. Price and the Rays beat Morrow 12-0 in Toronto on Aug. 28, but the Blue Jays right-hander had their number from the start this time.

“They didn’t look comfortable up there hitting,” Johnson said. “He throws so hard. He’s one of the tougher ones to hit.”

Price, 9-2 lifetime against the Blue Jays, allowed five runs – two earned – and five hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

NOTES: Maddon said reliever Kyle Farnsworth, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 10 because of a sore right elbow, is available for the Toronto series. … Upton was ejected in the eighth inning, when he was thrown out trying to steal second base and argued the call with 2B umpire Ed Hickox. … Blue Jays 1B Adam Lind left the team Friday to fly home to Toronto for the birth of his child. … Toronto LHP Ricky Romero (15-10), Saturday’s scheduled starter, is 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 starts since the All-Star break. … Blue Jays manager John Farrell said it’s unlikely that INF Yunel Escobar (left elbow) will play again this season if he can’t take batting practice on Sunday. … Former supermodel Cheryl Tiegs threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

BOSTON (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon spends most of his time giving signs.

On Thursday night, he went searching for one.

“You’re always looking for signs, man. You’re looking for signs from the baseball heaven and the baseball gods,” he said after the Rays followed a fluke play with a three-run homer and beat the Boston Red Sox 9-2 to cut their deficit in the AL wild-card race to three games. “They’ve got to throw you signs once in a while. They’ve got to give you something to further the belief.”

Evan Longoria hit a three-run homer and B.J. Upton and Casey Kotchman each hit two-run shots for Tampa Bay, which had trailed the Red Sox by nine games in the wild-card race on Sept. 3. But it was Upton’s broken-bat RBI single that broke a scoreless tie and convinced the Rays that luck could be on their side.

With two on and two out in the third, Upton hit what would ordinarily be an inning-ending grounder toward shortstop Marco Scutaro. But the barrel of his bat arrived at the same time as the ball, and when Scutaro jumped to avoid the pointy shard he allowed the ball to go through his legs.

“Believe me, when I saw that I thought, ‘Hey, let’s see what’s going to happen for the rest of the game,’” Maddon said. “And then the home run followed it right up.”

The Red Sox dropped to 3-11 in September to fall from first place in the division to 4½ games behind the New York Yankees and into a race with the once-dismissed Rays for the wild-card. Boston and Tampa Bay play three more times at Fenway Park this weekend.

“I think enough things haven’t gone our way, so I’ll take it,” Upton said. “We got one, and then Longo came behind me and we got a couple more.”

Jeremy Hellickson (13-10) allowed one run on three hits and four walks, striking out four in 5 2-3 innings. Kyle Weiland (0-2) pitched three-plus innings, giving up four runs on three hits and two walks.

Weiland retired the first seven batters he faced before John Jaso doubled and, one out later, Desmond Jennings walked. Weiland could have been out of the inning if Upton’s bat hadn’t splintered.

“I kind of knew he broke his bat. But on the other hand I was just watching the ball and I figured probably the bat’s going to stop somewhere in front of me,” Scutaro said. “The bat just keep following the ball. At the last moment I just jumped. Nothing I can do.”

Longoria followed with his 27th homer of the season, into the Red Sox bullpen to give Tampa Bay a 4-0 lead. It was 6-1 when Upton hit the first pitch he saw from Matt Albers, the fifth of seven Boston pitchers, over the Green Monster.

Although the paid attendance of 38,071 was officially the team’s 705th consecutive sellout, much of the game was played under a steady drizzle and it finished with only a few thousand fans in their seats.

NOTES: The Boston fans gave a cheer when former Red Sox star Johnny Damon was hit by a pitch in the sixth. … Boston ace Josh Beckett (12-5), sidelined by a sprained right ankle, is scheduled to start Friday night against James Shields (15-6), who reached a career high in wins with a victory over Boston last weekend in Tampa Bay. … Shields is 1-8 lifetime at Fenway Park. … Shields leads the majors with 11 complete games — the most in a season since Randy Johnson had 12 for Arizona in 1999. … Rays manager Joe Maddon said RHP Kyle Farnsworth remained day to day with a right elbow injury. … Former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe was at the game. … Jose Iglesias got his first major league hit when he singled while pinch-hitting in the bottom of the ninth.