OPENING DAY—MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 vs. BALTIMORE ORIOLES RH Chris Archer (10-9, 3.33 in 2014) vs. RH Chris Tillman (13-6, 3.34 in 2014) First Pitch: 3:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: Sun Sports | Radio: WDAE 620 AM, WGES 680 (Spanish) Game No.: 1 (0-0) | Home Game No.: 1 (0-0) | All-Time Game No.: 2,753 (1,272-1,480) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,376 (702-673) OPENING DAY ROSTER—Yesterday afternoon the Rays announced their YOUNGEST SKIPPER IN THE MAJORS— Opening Day roster as follows…for a complete breakdown of the roster and Rays first-year Manager Kevin Cash was starting lineup see page 3. named the fifth manager in Rays history on Ê Pitchers (12)—RH Matt Andriese, RH Chris Archer, RH Grant Bal- Dec 5, 2014…today he is 37 years, 120 days four, LH Jeff Beliveau, RH Brad Boxberger, RH Ernesto Frieri, RH old, making him the youngest manager in Steve Geltz, RH Kevin Jepsen, RH Nathan Karns, RH Jake Odorizzi, Rays history and the youngest major league RH Erasmo Ramirez, RH Kirby Yates. manager since 2009, when A.J. Hinch pi- Ê Catchers (2)—Rene Rivera, Bobby Wilson. loted the Diamondbacks at the age of 34…he is the youngest to manage Ê Infielders (5)—Tim Beckham, Asdrubal Cabrera, Logan Forsythe, in the AL since 35-year-old Eric Wedge with Cleveland in 2003…he is also James Loney, Evan Longoria. the youngest current manager/head coach among the four major pro sports Ê Outfielders (6)—David DeJesus, Brandon Guyer, John Jaso, Des- (MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA)…runner-up is Boston Celtics coach Brad Ste- mond Jennings, Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza Jr. vens (38)…this will be the fifth time Cash has been in a major league uni- Ê Disabled List (6)— RH Alex Cobb (right forearm tendinitis, 15-day), form on Opening Day: as a player with Toronto in 2004 and Boston in 2008, RH Alex Colome (pneumonia, 15-day retroactive to March 27), INF and as bullpen coach with Cleveland in 2013 and 2014. Nick Franklin (left oblique strain, 15-day), LH Jake McGee (offseason elbow surgery, 15-day), LH Matt Moore (Tommy John surgery, 60- RAYS MANAGING DEBUTS—Cash is one of six new managers in the day), LH Drew Smyly (left shoulder tendinitis, 15-day). majors this season, and one of four who will be making their managing de- buts, joining MIN Paul Molitor, TEX Jeff Bannister and ARI Chip Hale… OPENING DAY SCHEDULE—A detailed schedule of the day’s events: they join CHC Joe Maddon and HOU A.J. Hinch among those who are in Ê Media Gate (Gate 4) Opens 10:00 a.m. their first seasons with their new clubs…Rays managers have gone 1-3 in Ê Parking Lots Open to Fans 11:00 a.m. their debuts…Lou Pinella won his first game in 2003, a 6-4 walk-off win Ê Clubhouse Opens to Media 11:00 a.m. over the Red Sox, while Larry Rothschild, Hal McRae and Joe Maddon Ê Kevin Cash Available to Media 11:45 a.m. all suffered defeat. Ê Gates Open to Fans Noon Ê Rays Batting Practice Noon SOLD OUT—Today’s opener officially sold out on Saturday, marking the Ê Orioles Batting Practice 1:00 p.m. 10th consecutive sellout of the Rays home opener…the Rays are 52-18 in Ê Team Introductions 2:40 p.m. regular season games since 2008 when playing in front of home crowds of Ê National Anthem 2:53 p.m. 30,000 or more…tickets remain for Tuesday and Wednesday. Ê Don Zimmer Uniform No. 66 Ceremony 2:55 p.m. Ê Ceremonial First Pitch 3:03 p.m. GATES OPEN…WITH PLAYER GREETERS—Stadium gates open at Ê Rays Take the Field 3:08 p.m. noon with players at the gates greeting fans for the first few minutes, con- Ê First Pitch 3:10 p.m. tinuing a Tropicana Field tradition…during the remainder of the season, gates open 2 hours before game time on Friday, Saturday and Sunday OPENING DAY—The Rays open their 18th season today…Tampa Bay is home games and 1½ hours prior Monday through Thursday. 9-8 in season openers as well as 9-8 in home openers…the Rays are at- tempting to win back-to-back season openers for the first time since 2003- NATIONAL ANTHEM—Young American actress and singer Cozi Zuehls- 04…it is the sixth straight year the Rays have opened the schedule at home dorff (cozy zools-dorf) will perform the national anthem…the 16-year-old is and the 11th time overall…they are 6-4 when they open the season at best known for her role as Hazel in “Dolphin Tale” and “Dolphin Tale 2,” both home…it is the seventh time the Rays have opened vs. the O’s, four more filmed in Clearwater…she began her career in musical theater at the age of than any other opponent…it’s also the fifth time in the last eight years they eight and has played Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” JoJo in “Seussical the have opened against the Birds…Rays are 2-4 in season openers vs. the O’s. Musical,” Sally Brown in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and Brigitta in “The Sound of Music”…Cozi has also appeared in the TNT medical drama RAYS SEASON OPENERS—Home games in gray: “Monday Mornings” as Trisha Miller. YEAR GAME FINAL WINNER LOSER ATT. Ê Pregame ceremonies include a 50-yard Continental U.S.-shaped flag. 1998 Tues., March 31 vs. DET L, 6-11 J. Thompson W. Alvarez 45,369 1999 Mon., April 5 at BAL L, 7-10 M. Mussina W. Alvarez 46,671 CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH—In marking the 20th anniversary of the year 2000 Mon., April 3 at MIN W, 7-0 S. Trachsel B. Radke 43,830 Tampa Bay was awarded a major league franchise, Vincent J. Naimoli, 2001 Tues., April 3 vs. TOR W, 8-1 A. Lopez S. Parris 41,546 managing general partner of the Devil Rays from 1995 through 2005, will 2002 Tues., April 2 vs. DET W, 9-5 V. Zambrano J. Acevedo 38,142 throw out the ceremonial first pitch to first base coach Rocco Baldelli… 2003 Mon., March 31 vs. BOS W, 6-4 S. McClung C. Fox 34,391 Naimoli was the man who secured Tampa Bay’s long-awaited MLB fran- 2004 Tues., March 30 vs. NYY (JPN) W, 8-3 V. Zambrano M. Mussina 55,000 chise…taking the torch from a long line of community leaders, Naimoli ac- 2005 Mon., April 4 vs. TOR L, 2-5 R. Halladay D. Brazelton 26,018 cepted the challenge of bringing the national pastime to the region begin- 2006 Mon., April 3 at BAL L, 6-9 R. Lopez S. Kazmir 46,986 ning in 1991…on May 9, 1995, that goal was realized when MLB owners 2007 Mon., April 2 at NYY L, 5-9 L. Vizcaino 55,031 B. Stokes voted unanimously to award Tampa Bay a franchise…Naimoli, 77, was born 2008 Mon., March 31 at BAL W, 6-2 J. Shields J. Guthrie 46,807 in Paterson, N.J., and resides in Tampa. 2009 Tues., April 7 at BOS L, 3-5 J. Beckett J. Shields 37,057 2010 Tues., April 6 vs. BAL W, 4-3 R. Soriano M. Gonzalez 36,973 Previous First Pitches at Rays Home Openers 2011 Fri., April 1 vs. BAL L, 1-4 J. Guthrie D. Price 34,078 Ê 1998 HOFers Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Monte Irvin, Al Lopez 2012 Fri., April 6 vs. NYY W, 7-6 F. Rodney M. Rivera 34,078 Ê 1999 Larry Doby 2013 Tues., April 2 vs. BAL L, 4-7 J. Hammel J. McGee 34,078 Ê 2000 Wade Boggs 2014 Mon., March 31 vs. TOR W, 9-2 D. Price R. Dickey 31,042 Ê 2001 St. Petersburg Mayor David J. Fischer Ê 2002 United States Army General Tommy Franks RETIRING NO. 66—Today the Rays will retire uniform No. 66 in a pregame Ê 2003 Jon Gruden and Rich McKay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ceremony, in honor of the team’s beloved senior advisor Don Zimmer, who Ê 2004 Winky Wright, World Junior Middleweight Champion passed away June 4, 2014…the number will be posted high above the left- Ê 2005 Racing legend Michael Andretti center field wall, where it will join the Rays two other retired numbers:Wade Ê 2006 Al Lopez Jr., Al Lopez III and Al Lopez IV Boggs’ No. 12 (retired in 2000) and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 (retired by Ê 2007 Governor Charlie Crist all teams in 1997)…it is the first No. 66 retired in major league history and Ê 2008 Governor Charlie Crist and Buccaneers great Mike Alstott is believed to be the second highest number ever retired…the White Sox Ê 2009 Governor Charlie Crist retired Carlton Fisk’s No. 72 in 1997…Zimmer was Robinson’s teammate Ê 2010 Admiral Eric Thor Olson, Commander, US Special Ops for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954-56 (Zim’s first three seasons in the ma- Ê 2011 Governor Rick Scott jors) and was a bench coach for the Yankees when Boggs played there in Ê 2012 Jim Dundee, son of late boxing legend Angelo Dundee 1996-97…Don spent 11 years with the Rays, his most time with one organi- Ê 2013 Rays Senior Advisor Don Zimmer and his son Tom zation…he was in uniform for 55 major league Opening Days…this will be Ê 2014 Col.