Rays put Farnsworth on DL with sore elbow

As expected the Tampa Rays placed closer Kyle Farnsworth on the 15 day disabled list Thursday and called up right hander Josh Luke.

Farnsworth, who had a career high 25 saves last season, is suffereing from an elbow strain. There are a lot of estimates on how long he will be out for one. At the worse one scenario has the right hander sidelined for six weeks.

Rays manager Joe Maddon is not one to panic and he didn't sound any alarms. He said the Rays never officially had a closer and that role would be filled by committee for the time being.

That means any of a number of Rays could be closing; the most likely are Jose Peralta, newly acquired Fernando Rodney, J.P. Howell and Jake McGee. There is also the distinct possibility Wade Davis, a starter for two years who has been assigned to the bullpen could wind up closing games.

The 27 year-old Lueke was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for catcher John Jaso. The right hander made his Major League debut last season and appeared in 25 games. He had an 8.06 ERA in 32.2 innings and struck out 29.

In 2010 pitching for four minor league teams had 94 strikeouts in 63 innings and his 13.43 strikeouts per nine innings ranked seventh among Minor Leaguers.

Tampa Rays rookie Moore solid in start against Pirates

Matt Moore turned in a strong performance for the Tampa Rays Friday in the team's last visit to McKechnie Field.

The rookie lefty allowed three hits and one running in six innings striking out three and issuing one walk. They only run came on a fourth inning homer by Casey McGehee. He three 88 pitches with 56 going for strikes.

Hellickson throws two innings in spring debut

On a unseasonably cold and windy day in their spring home opener in Port Charlotte, the Rays drew some cheers in the top of the first inning when shortstop Sean Rodriguez made a nice backup stab of a grounder and first baseman Matt Mangini made a similar nice back-handed scoop on his throw.

Jeremy Hellickson made his spring training debut and surprised the crowd when he came out to throw the second inning. The right hander threw 22 pitches (16 for strikes), allowed one hit and hit a batter.

Price has second straight good outing for Rays

David Price turned in his longest stint of the Grapefruit League season Saturday and his performance added to the optimism Tampa Rays manager Joe Maddon always seems to carry with him.
The lefty went five innings and threw 73 pitches against the Phillies. He allowed only two hits, struck out six and walked two. The only disappointing moments of his time on the mound were two walks he issued to start off the second inning.

Price has looked sharp in his last two outings and so far this spring in 12 innings has struck out 10 while holding opponents to a .209 batting average.

In his previous outing, last Monday against Pittsburgh, Price threw 60 pitches in four innings. He shutout the Pirates over the first three innings before giving up a two-run homer in the fourth, finishing the day allowing four hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

Sarasota opening crowd sounded pro Tampa Rays

The Tampa Rays answered Baltimore’s home run barrage with a mini splurge of their own in Tuesday’s spring training home opener for the Orioles, though none got a bigger yell from the crowd than Manny Ramirez blasting his first homer of the spring over the left center field wall.

B.J. Upton followed Ramirez a long ball shot with one of his own, also his first round-tripper of the season. Catcher Kelly Shoppach got the Rays first homer of the game in the fourth inning with another solo blast. Ramirez and Upton hit their homers in the sixth.

It was evident that the announced crowd of 7,497 had more Rays fans though it was a big day for baseball in Sarasota and the Orioles, who emerged a 12-6 winner.

The Rays also had to feel good about the one inning three strikeout performance by righthander Chris Archer. The 6-3, 185 pounder was the major piece for Tampa in the Matt Garza deal and manager Joe Maddon said after the game it won’t be long before he is in the big leagues.

Orioles celebrate new look stadium with five homers in first two innings

The Baltimore Orioles celebrated their spring debut at the renovated Ed Smith Stadium in the best way they know how by blasting three first inning home runs of Tampa Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine.

Nick Markakis stared it off with a two-run shot. After an out, Vladimir Guerrero smacked his first homer of the spring and one out later Adam Jones slammed his first spring homer over the left center field wall.

Things didn’t improve much for Sonnanstine in the second when Jake Fox added a solo shot over the left centerfield fence and then Markakis slugged his second homer, this one over the right field wall to give the Birds a 6-0 lead after two innings.

Ramirez early fan favorite for Rays

Manny Ramirez showed Monday against Pittsburgh one of many reasons why he has become a fan favorite for the Tampa Rays this season.

Besides smashing two line drive base hits in two at-bats and driving in a run, the new Tampa Ray also scored from third base on a wild pitch. Ramirez handled two balls in the outfield without any problems though he admitted he was nervous.

Ramirez now has 3 hits in 4 at-bats for the Rays. However it was his hustle on the wild pitch that earned him a lot of adoration from the fans in the Rays game with Pittsburgh.

“I just go and play. The game says play ball so I just go and play. I am just happy I was safe,” Ramirez said. “I was kind of nervous out there in left field, but I feel great and I am excited. Anyway I can help the team is good for me. This is a long season and when it’s over I am going to see where my game was.”

Tampa's Niemann makes first spring appearance on his birthday today

Jeff Niemann will try get back on track for the Tampa Rays when he makes his first start of the spring against Pittsburgh.

The big 6-9 lefty will be trying to regain the form that made him one of the American League's best pitchers through the first half of last season when he was 10-3 with a 3.12 ERA before going on the disabled list with a shoulder injury.

Niemann could never get his form back when he returned from the DL going 2-5 with a 9.82 ERA in eight games (7 starts.

Niemann has a little extra incentive to do well in his first appearance on the spring. The native of Houston, Texas, turns 28 today and would like nothing better than to celebrate his birthday with a good outing.