SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014 at BOSTON RED SOX LH Matt Moore vs. LH Felix Doubront First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. | Location: JetBlue Park, Lee County, Fla. | TV: None | Radio: WDAE 620 AM Game No: 23 (14-5-3) | vs. AL: 11-3-2 | vs. NL: 3-2-1 | Home: 8-4 | Road: 6-2-2 Day 38 of Spring Training | 8 Days Until Opening Day—Monday, March 31 vs. TOR (4:10 p.m.) SPRINGTIME SUPREMACY—Despite fin- BEST RECORDS, MLB, LONG TIME COMING—If RH Juan Car- TODAY’S STARTING LINEUP ishing in a 3-3 tie yesterday vs. Baltimore, SPRING TRAINING los Oviedo enters today’s game, it will 10 Logan Forsythe (R) 3B the Rays took over as the best record in Tampa Bay 14-5 .737 be his first time pitching in a professional 7 David DeJesus (L) DH the majors as Cleveland lost…at 14-5-3 Cleveland 16-6 .727 game since July 14, 2012 with Triple-A 9 Wil Myers (R) RF (.737)…the Rays are seeking their third Baltimore 12-7 .632 New Orleans (Marlins)…it would be his 8 Desmond Jennings (R) CF Grapefruit League title—in 2008 (18-8) and Miami 15-9 .625 first game in a major league uniform since 1 Sean Rodriguez (R) 1B 2010 (20-8) they additionally finished with New York-AL 15-9 .625 Sep 21, 2011 vs. ATL with the Marlins (as 20 Matt Joyce (L) LF Seattle 15-9 .625 24 Ryan Hanigan (R) C the majors’ best spring records and went on Leo Nuñez). 16 Jayson Nix (R) 2B to win the AL East each time. 69 Ray Olmedo (S) SS Ê The Rays have clinched their fifth winning spring in club history SIX YEARS AS THE RAYS—Since 55 Matt Moore LHP (2004, 2008, 2010, 2011)…in the four previous seasons, they went changing their name to the Rays in 2008, on to the postseason three times (2008, 2010, 2011). the Rays are 550-423 (.565), second-best Rays IN Ê With their next win, the Rays will reach 15 wins for the 6th time in 7 record in the majors after the Yankees SPRING TRAINING springs since becoming the Rays in 2008…in 10 springs prior to that, (564-408)…Tampa Bay is one of four W-L-T Home Att. they had never won 15 games. teams to reach the postseason four times, 2014 14-5-3 67,799 2013 15-17-2 90,935 Ê If the Rays can win 4 of their final 6 games, they can finish with the along with the Phillies (four), Yankees 2012 10-16-6 87,916 best spring winning pct. in club history (.714, 20-8 in 2010). (four) and Cardinals (four)…they have five 2011 15-14-2 95,859 seasons of 90-plus wins in this span, the 2010 20-8-2 97,971 PITCHING & SLUGGING—The Rays yesterday took over the major league only team to make that claim…the Rays 2009 15-16-1 103,255 lead in ERA (3.03), ahead of the Yankees (3.16) and Marlins (3.28)…they and Rangers are the only teams with 90- 2008 18-8-2 54,960 have allowed fewer runs (77) and hits (181) than any team in baseball… plus wins in each of the past four seasons. 2007 10-19-2 79,044 they rank 4th in the majors in opp avg. (.241) and WHIP (1.21). Ê Since 2008 the Rays have won six 2006 13-16-1 70,756 Ê The Rays lead the Grapefruit League with a .440 slugging pct., which BBWAA awards, most in the majors 2005 13-16-0 61,261 ranks 5th in the majors. over that span: Joe Maddon (2008 2004 11-8-0 43,916 and 2011 AL Manager of the Year), 2003 8-19-3 51,234 2002 10-16-1 49,043 —After yesterday’s game Manager (2012 AL Cy Young), ODORIZZI WINS ROTATION SPOT David Price 2001 12-15-1 57,081 Joe Maddon announced that RH Jake Odorizzi will open the season in Evan Longoria (2008 AL ROY), 2000 14-17-0 67,089 the starting rotation, beating out LH Cesar Ramos (who will open in the Jeremy Hellickson (2011 AL ROY) 1999 14-14-1 59,230 bullpen) and non-roster invite LH Erik Bedard…including Bedard, the Rays and Wil Myers (2013 AL ROY). 1998 12-18-0 66,781 spring training roster stands at 34 players (16 pitchers, 3 catchers, 9 infield- Total 224-242-27 1,204,020 ers, 6 outfielders). STINGY STAFF RETURNS—In the six Ê Odorizzi, who turns 24 on Thursday, was rated by Baseball America seasons since becoming the Rays (2008-13), the Tampa Bay pitching staff as the Rays No. 1 prospect entering 2014…he is still seeking his first leads the AL in ERA (3.74), runs allowed (3,911), opponents’ avg. (.242) major league win…he was acquired along with OF Wil Myers from and opponents’ OPS (.698)…the last AL club to post an ERA this low over a Kansas City in the trade for RH James Shields. six-year span was the 1987-92 A’s (3.72) and Blue Jays (3.73)…no AL team has allowed so few runs over a six-year span since the 1975-80 Orioles 0.47—The ERA posted by RH Jake Odorizzi over his final 6 starts for Triple- (3,659) and Yankees (3,730). A Durham last season, including regular and postseason…he totaled 38 IP, 20 H, 2 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 46 SO. TANDEM WITH TENURE—Now entering their ninth season together, Ex- ecutive VP of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and Manager Joe RAYS vs. RED SOX—Today is the fourth of 5 Grapefruit League games be- Maddon are the longest-tenured GM/manager pairing in baseball. tween these clubs (Rays are 2-1 so far) and third of 3 games at JetBlue Park (1-1)…on March 16 they won 8-4 at Charlotte Sports Park…the Rays lost, LONEY RAKING—1B James Loney homered yesterday and now ranks 6-2, on March 10 at JetBlue Park…on March 4 the Rays cruised to an 8-0 tied for 4th in the majors (tied for 2nd in the Grapefruit League) with 13 RBI… win at JetBlue Park, recording 16 hits and 6 extra-base hits behind starter RH only four players in baseball have as many RBI: DET Nick Castellanos Chris Archer…last spring, the Rays went 2-4 vs. Boston, winning the first 2 (16), KC Mike Moustakas (16), LAA Mike Trout (16) and WAS Wilson Ra- games and losing the last 4. mos (13)…if he had enough at-bats to qualify, Loney’s .424 avg. (14-for-33) Ê In 2013, the Rays went 7-12 against the Red Sox, the first time they would rank 3rd in the Grapefruit League after DET Austin Jackson (.442) posted a losing record vs. Boston since 2007 (5-13). and TOR Melky Cabrera (.434). YESTERDAY—The Rays and Orioles ended in a 3-3 tie after 10 innings… SEASONED VETERANS—Of the 31 active catchers with at least 400 RH Alex Cobb struck out 12 over 7 innings of work, yielding 6 H, 3 R/ER, games played, Ryan Hanigan and Jose Molina rank 3rd and 5th, respec- 0 BB and 1 HR…he threw only 88 pitches, 67 strikes (76 percent)…in the tively, in career caught stealing pct. …Hanigan has caught 36.3 pct. of 1st inning, 1B James Loney launched a 2-run homer over the right field would-be thieves (90 of 248), and Molina has caught 34.5 pct. (185 of 537). boardwalk off RH Ubaldo Jimenez…after falling behind 3-2, the Rays tied Ê Hanigan owns a career catcher’s ERA of 3.63, lowest of any active the game in the 9th inning on an RBI single by minor league 1B Alejandro catcher, and his .995 fielding pct. ranks 2nd toChris Snyder (.998). Segovia…the bullpen totaled 3.0 scoreless innings as LH Jake McGee (1.0), RH Joel Peralta (0.1) and RH Josh Lueke (1.2) each contributed. RAYS ON THE RADIO—Today is the 10th of 12 games this spring airing on the Rays Radio Network…6 additional games are airing on MLB.com… CHARLOTTE SPORTS PARK AHEAD—Voting closes tomorrow for the broadcasters Andy Freed and Dave Wills are entering their 10th season USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice contest for Best Spring Training Facil- together in the Rays booth…among all 30 major league broadcast teams, ity, and Charlotte Sports Park holds a narrow lead over Goodyear (Ariz.) only three have a longer tenured radio broadcast duo: Ballpark…20 facilities were nominated…fans can vote once per day and Ê Tigers—Dan Dickerson & Jim Price entering 12th season together see voting results at 10best.com/awards/travel/best-spring-training-facility. Ê Orioles—Joe Angel & Fred Manfra entering 11th season together Ê Giants—Jon Miller & Dave Flemming entering 11th season together BOWL ’EM OVER—On March 29, for the third consecutive year, LH David Price will host the David Price Bowl For Kids’ Sake fundraiser…the event UPCOMING PROBABLES— has raised $70,000 the past two years for Big Brothers Big Sisters…for Sun., March 23 at BOS, 1:05 p.m. more info visit bbbsfl.org or contact Amy Hollington at (813) 769-3636. Ê TB—LH Matt Moore (start), RH Brandon Gomes, RH Mark Lowe, RH Juan Carlos Oviedo PRICE GETS BALL FOR OPENER—LH David Price will be the Rays Ê BOS—LH Felix Doubront (start), RH Brandon Workman, RH Burke Opening Day starter (March 31 vs.