SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 Vs. NEW YORK METS RH Matt Andriese Vs
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SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2015 vs. NEW YORK METS RH Matt Andriese vs. RH Bartolo Colon First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. | Location: Charlotte Sports Park, Charlotte County, Fla. | TV: None | Radio: WDAE 620 AM Game No: 12 (4-6-1) | vs. AL: 4-3-0 | vs. NL: 0-3-1 | Home: 2-3-0 | Road: 2-3-1 Day 21 of Spring Training | 22 Days Until Opening Day—Monday, April 6 vs. BAL (3:10 p.m.) SALUTE TO BALF—Today RH Grant Balfour returned to Rays camp af- Jose Dominguez…C Rene Rivera hit a TODAY’S STARTING LINEUP ter 18 days at home in Australia tending to his father, David Balfour, who 2-run home run in the 4th, his first homer 7 David DeJesus (L) LF passed away on Wednesday after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer… in a Rays uniform…CF Kevin Kiermaier 2 Nick Franklin (S) SS he was 62…to honor Mr. Balfour—longtime GM of the Sydney Blue Sox added an RBI double in the 6th…LH C.J. 28 John Jaso (L) DH of the Australia Baseball League—the Rays will wear light blue socks for Riefenhauser recorded the final 3 outs 3 Evan Longoria (R) 3B today’s game just like the Sydney club does…on Feb 28, Grant was in- (2-SO) to earn the save. 21 James Loney (L) 1B ducted into the Australia Baseball Hall of Fame…the Hall moved up Grant’s 20 Steven Souza Jr. (R) CF 83 Jake Elmore (R) 2B induction, which usually happens after retirement, so his father could see it. LONGO THE LEADER—The longest-ten- 64 Corey Brown (L) RF ured current member of the Rays, 3B Evan 60 Bobby Wilson (R) C SLICE OF GRAPEFRUIT—The Rays have won 3 of their last 4 games, af- Longoria, is the franchise’s career leader 35 Matt Andriese RHP ter beginning the spring 1-5-1…today is the sixth of 14 games at Charlotte with 184 HR, 635 RBI, .494 SLG and 48 Sports Park this spring…the Rays also play 16 road games and one home sac flies…entering 2015, he needs only RAYS IN game at Tropicana Field (April 4 vs. DET)…this is the Rays 18th spring in the 4 2B to break Ben Zobrist’s club record SPRING TRAINING Grapefruit League and seventh calling Charlotte Sports Park home…the 2014 (229) and 3 extra-base hits to pass Carl 2015 4-6-1 24,644 Rays recorded the best spring record in the majors at 16-7-4 (.696), their third Crawford’s team mark (424)…he needs 2014 16-7-4 78,264 Grapefruit League title in a span of seven seasons (also 2008, 2010). 25 hits to reach 1,000 for his career…he 2013 15-17-2 90,935 2012 10-16-6 87,916 Ê Since becoming the Rays in 2008, also enters 2015 with the majors’ longest 2011 15-14-2 95,859 the team has recorded at least 15 BEST RECORDS, MLB, active streak of games started, at 169. 2010 20-8-2 97,971 wins in six out of seven spring train- SPRING TRAINING, 2008-15 2009 15-16-1 103,255 ings—something they never did in 10 Kansas City 131-92 .587 CLEAN SLATE—The Rays enter their 2008 18-8-2 54,960 springs as the Devil Rays…the Rays LA Angels 129-95 .576 first season under Manager Kevin Cash, 2007 10-19-2 79,044 have compiled a 113-92 (.551) spring Detroit 128-99 .564 and also with Matt Silverman at the head 2006 13-16-1 70,756 record during this span, 4th best in Tampa Bay 113-92 .551 of the Baseball Operations department… 2005 13-16 61,261 NY Yankees 121-99 .550 the majors (see chart). Silverman assumed his role of President, 2004 11-8 43,916 Baseball Operations on Oct 14, and he 2003 8-19-3 51,324 2002 10-16-1 49,043 MINOR MATTERS—Today, a minor league intrasquad game will be held at hired Cash as the fifth manager in Rays 2001 12-15-1 57,081 11 a.m., with RH Kevin Jepsen, RH Ernesto Frieri, RH Brad Boxberger, history on Dec 5…they succeeded Joe 2000 14-17 67,089 RH Brandon Gomes and LH Jeff Believeau all scheduled to pitch…Rene Maddon and Andrew Friedman, whose 1999 14-14-1 59,230 Rivera is scheduled to catch in that game. nine years together made them the 1998 12-18 66,781 longest-tenured manager/GM pairing in Total 230-250-29 1,239,689 COMEBACK CORNER—LH Drew Smyly (left shoulder tendinitis) threw 30 baseball…Cash is the youngest current pitches today at 60 to 70 feet, and felt good…LH Jake McGee (offseason manager or head coach in the major four left shoulder surgery) is expected to throw his first bullpen on Tuesday… sports; Celtics head coach Brad Stevens (38) is the runner-up…on Open- RH Grant Balfour is expected to throw to hitters on Tuesday, including OF ing Day, Cash (at 37 years, 120 days) will be the youngest manager in MLB Brandon Guyer (oblique). since ARI A.J. Hinch, who debuted on May 8, 2009 (34y, 358d). OFF DAY…MOSTLY—Tomorrow is the Rays first of two off-days this spring, SEVEN YEARS AS THE RAYS (2008-14)—Since changing their name the other coming March 24…but it’s not an off-day for RH Jake Odorizzi, to the Rays in 2008, the Rays are 627-508 (.552) in the regular season, who pitches in a minor league intrasquad game at 10 a.m. fourth-best record in the majors after the Yankees (.571), Angels (.554) and Cardinals (.554)…the Rays have won 90-plus games five times, most in the RUN PREVENTION—The Rays lead all major league teams with a 2.23 ERA majors in this span…they have advanced to the postseason four times; only (97-IP, 24-ER)—45 points better than the next lowest (Reds, 2.68) and 53 the Cardinals (five) have been more often. points better than any other Grapefruit League club (Yankees, 2.76)…only Ê The Rays pitching staff has allowed only 4,536 runs, fewest by an one staff has yielded fewer home runs than the Rays (4): the Cardinals (3). AL team over a span of seven full seasons since 1974-80 (Orioles Ê The Rays have committed 17 errors this spring, most in the Grape- 4,271; Yankees 4,353)…they have thrown 96 shutouts, most by an fruit League…they’ve erred only once in the last 3 games. AL team over a seven-year span since the 1975-81 Yankees (also 96)…they achieved all this while starting a pitcher under the age of MARGINS ARE TIGHT—Seven of the Rays first 11 games have been de- 30 in 93.5 pct. of their games (1,062 of 1,135). cided by one run (2-5), and one ended in a tie (March 7 at PIT)…the Rays find themselves at 4-6-1 despite outscoring their opponents, 35-32…the RAYS ON THE RADIO—Today is the fourth of 9 games this spring airing Rays have allowed the fewest runs in the majors, while the offense has on the Rays Radio Network…10 additional games are airing on MLB.com… scored the 2nd fewest, ahead of only the Pirates (31). broadcasters Andy Freed and Dave Wills are entering their 11th season Ê The Rays are batting .224 as a team, 3rd-lowest mark in the ma- together in the Rays booth…among all 30 major league broadcast teams, jors…they also have the majors’ 2nd-lowest OBP (.274). only three have a longer tenured radio broadcast duo: Ê Of the Rays 35 runs scored this spring, 31 have come in the 5th in- Ê Tigers—Dan Dickerson & Jim Price entering 13th season together ning or later. Ê Orioles—Joe Angel & Fred Manfra entering 12th season together Ê Giants—Jon Miller & Dave Flemming entering 12th season together RAYS vs. METS: A GRAPEFRUIT RARITY—The last two occasions the Rays and Mets played in Grapefruit League games were both at Tropicana NON-ROSTER INVITES TO MAKE RAYS OPENING DAY ROSTER— Field: April 2, 2010 (Rays won, 4-2; Matt Garza beat Mike Pelfrey) and 1998 RH Rolando Arrojo March 31, 2007 (Rays won, 8-3; James Shields beat Pelfrey)…the last 2000 RH Dave Eiland, INF Herbert Perry time the clubs met at either team’s spring training site was March 20, 2003 2001 RH Ken Hill at Port St. Lucie, when David Cone beat Joe Kennedy, 8-2. 2003 OF Rocco Baldelli, LH Jim Parque, RH Steve Parris Ê The 2015 interleague schedule brings the Mets to Tropicana Field 2005 OF Chris Singleton, RH Hideo Nomo for a weekend series, Aug 7-9…the Rays are 7-11 all-time against 2006 RH Jason Childers, RH Ruddy Lugo, INF Luis Ordaz the Mets (3-6 at home, 4-5 on road)…New York’s last visit to St. Pete 2007 RH Gary Glover, 1B Carlos Peña, RH Al Reyes was June 12-14, 2012, when the Mets swept the Rays in 3 games 2008 INF/OF Eric Hinske and outscored them, 29-9. 2011 RH Juan Cruz 2013 1B/OF Shelley Duncan, RH Jamey Wright LEANING LEFT—With RH Bartolo Colon on the hill, today ends a streak of 4 games against left-handed starter…the Rays have faced a southpaw UPCOMING PROBABLES—Today vs.