WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 vs. WASHINGTON NATIONALS RH Jake Odorizzi vs. RH Tanner Roark First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. | Location: Charlotte Sports Park, Charlotte County, Fla. | TV: None | Radio: MLB.com Game No: 1 (0-0-0) | vs. AL: 0-0-0 | vs. NL: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Road: 0-0-0 Day 11 of Spring Training | 32 Days Until Opening Day—Sunday, April 3 vs. TOR (4:05 p.m.) SALUTING OUR TROOPS—The Rays will recognize military at today’s NEW TO THE 40-MAN ROSTER (8)— TODAY’S STARTING LINEUP Grapefruit League opener vs. the Nationals, with a special tribute to the Ê Signed as Free Agent (2): INF/OF 27 Mikie Mahtook (R) RF men and women of Charlotte County who have served their country…the Steve Pearce, RH Ryan Webb 39 Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF USSOCOM Parachute Team will deliver an American flag and first pitch Ê Acquired in Trades (5): C Hank 3 Evan Longoria (R) 3B ball as part of a pregame presentation…the Rays have donated 300 tickets Conger, OF Corey Dickerson, RH 7 Logan Morrison (L) DH through Charlotte County Veterans Services for local veterans and their Danny Farquhar, INF Brad Miller, 8 Desmond Jennings (R) LF families to attend the game, many of whom will receive special recogni- 1B/OF Logan Morrison 21 James Loney (L) 1B 1 Tim Beckham (R) SS tion…the Rays will also be assisting veterans in their efforts to construct Ê Claimed off Waivers (1): RH 2 Nick Franklin (S) 2B the Vietnam Wall of Southwest Florida in Charlotte County, a replica of the Chase Whitley 19 Curt Casali (R) C Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. 23 Jake Odorizzi RHP Ê Prior to today’s game, the Rays will honor the family of CM1 Patrick KEY LOSSES (11)— Jackson of the US Navy Seabees, a Port Charlotte High School grad- Ê Free Agent (5): SS Asdrubal Ca- RAYS IN uate who has honorably served for 21 years…his wife, Julie, 7-year- brera, RH Brandon Gomes, DH SPRING TRAINING old son, Isaiah, and 5-year-old daughter, Fallon, will all take part in John Jaso, OF Daniel Nava, OF W-L-T Att. the ceremonial first pitch. Grady Sizemore 2015 15-13-2 80,406 2014 16-7-4 78,264 Ê RH Nathan Karns, LH Traded (4): 2013 15-17-2 90,935 PLAY BALL!—Today the Rays open BEST RECORD, MLB, Jake McGee, LH C.J. Riefenhaus- 2012 10-16-6 87,916 their 19th spring in the Grapefruit League SPRING TRAINING, 2008-15 er, RH Kirby Yates 2011 15-14-2 95,859 and eighth calling Charlotte Sports Park W-L-T Pct. Ê Released (1): C J.P. Arencibia 2010 20-8-2 97,971 home…since becoming the Rays in 2008, Royals 141-100 .585 Ê Waived (1): OF Joey Butler 2009 15-16-1 103,255 the team has recorded at least 15 wins in Angels 139-103 .574 2008 18-8-2 54,960 seven out of eight spring trainings…they Rays 124-99 .556 ON THE AIRWAVES—Radio broadcasts 2007 10-19-2 79,044 never achieved this in 10 springs as the Cardinals 121-100 .548 of today’s opener and tomorrow vs. BAL 2006 13-16-1 70,756 Tigers 134-111 .547 Devil Rays…the Rays have compiled a are available at raysbaseball.com…to- 2005 13-16 61,261 2004 11-8 43,916 124-99 (.556) spring record during this day and are in Dave Wills Andy Freed 2003 8-19-3 51,324 span, 3rd best in the majors (see chart)…the Rays are three-time Grapefruit the booth, with Neil Solondz providing 2002 10-16-1 49,043 League champions (2008, 2010, 2014). in-game reports…tomorrow, Neil will be 2001 12-15-1 57,081 Ê Today is the first of 192 games the Rays are scheduled to play in joined in the booth by Doug Waechter… 2000 14-17 67,089 2016, with 29 Grapefruit League contests, one game in Cuba and Saturday and Sunday will air on the Rays 1999 14-14-1 59,230 162 regular-season games…this spring, the Rays will play 14 spring Radio Network, with Dave, Andy and Neil. 1998 12-18 66,781 games at Charlotte Sports Park and 15 on the road in addition to Ê INF Brad Miller, bullpen coach Total 241-257-30 1,295,451 the game in Havana…the schedule includes two split-squad days: Stan Boroski and major league March 13 (vs. BOS, at TOR) and April 1 (at ATL, at DET). coach Jamie Nelson are guests BEST RECORD, MLB, on this week’s edition of the Hot REGULAR SEASON, 2008-15 W-L-T Pct. THE VITALS—The Rays clubhouse is open to media today from 8:30– Stove radio show, airing on WDAE Yankees 735-561 .567 9:30 a.m. …Manager Kevin Cash will be available in his office at 9:30… 620 AM from 7 to 8 p.m. tomorrow Cardinals 728-568 .562 players will do fundamental drills at 10:00, and take BP at 10:20…for fans, from Charlotte Sports Park…hosts Angels 713-583 .550 parking lots open at 10:00 (parking is $10) and gates open at 11:00. Dave Wills and Andy Freed will Rays 707-590 .545 Ê Spring training tickets are available online at raysbaseball.com, by be joined by Neil Solondz. Dodgers 705-590 .544 phone at 888-FAN-RAYS or in person at the Charlotte Sports Park Box Office…the Charlotte Sports Park box office opens at 10 a.m. RAYS HIT THE LINKS—Yesterday was the annual Rays Charity Golf Tournament at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club CUBA TRIP FINALIZED—Yesterday evening, Major League Baseball and in Bradenton…the winning team was Corey Dickerson with Kevin Dut- the Major League Baseball Players Association announced the Rays will kowsky, Lorraine Dutkowsky, Bob Dutkowsky and Victor Martinez with officially travel to Cuba to play the Cuban National Team on March 22 at Es- a score of 54…Jake Odorizzi and a Rays ownership group finished 2nd, tadio Latinoamericano in Havana…ESPN and ESPN Deportes will provide and Evan Longoria and Tampa General Hospital placed 3rd…Dickerson live, national coverage of the game, and ESPN’s SportsCenter will have an and the Dutkowsky group won the speed hole contest at 49 seconds…the on-site presence in Havana on March 21-22…the Rays will be only the sec- longest drive contest was won by Steve Geltz—at 325 yards. ond major league club in the last 57 years to play a game in Cuba…most recently, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Cuban National Team on March RAYS UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY—This Sunday, March 6 vs. MIN, is Lit- 28, 1999 by a score of 3-2 in 11 innings, before 50,000 fans at Estadio tle League Day…Little Leaguers from Charlotte County area little leagues Latinoamericano…see separate “Baseball in Cuba” packet for more details. will receive a free general admission ticket at the box office on the day of Ê Media interested in traveling to Cuba for the event must contact John the game by wearing their Little League jersey. Blundell of the MLB Communications Department as soon as pos- Ê Next Wednesday, March 9 vs. TOR, is Heroes Day, when the Rays sible to receive consideration…email [email protected]. will honor first responders of the Charlotte County area…employees of the Charlotte County area’s police departments, fire departments, RAYS vs. NATIONALS: A SPRING UNICORN—Today is only the third EMTs and other first responder organizations will have the opportu- Grapefruit League game between the Rays and Washington Nationals, and nity to receive a free general admission ticket when they present their the first ever at Charlotte Sports Park…the previous two games were played employee identification badge at the Charlotte Sports Park box office April 1-2, 2005: the Devil Rays lost, 3-2, in Viera, and lost the next day, 5-4, the day of the game. at Tropicana Field…this is the only spring game between the clubs in 2016. Ê The Sixth Annual BaseBALL Dinner & Auction benefiting the Boys & Ê In 2015, the Rays went 3-1 against the Nationals as they played Girls Clubs of Charlotte County will be held on Friday, March 11 at a “home-and-home” interleague set, June 15-18…the Rays were in 6:30 p.m., at Charlotte Sports Park…to purchase tickets, fans should first place in the AL East after winning the 2 games in Washington, call (941) 979-8379…for the seventh consecutive year, the Rays June 17-18, holding a 1.0-game lead over the Yankees. will be featured at the event…expected this year are Rays Manager Ê Their only loss to the Nationals last year was a 16-4 setback June 16… Kevin Cash, his coaching staff and several players. Rays pitchers yielded 23 hits in that game, their most ever allowed at Tropicana Field, and used two position players to pitch in Jake EIGHT YEARS AS THE RAYS (2008-15)—Since changing their name to Elmore and Nick Franklin…it was the first time a team used two the Rays in 2008, the Rays are 707-590 (.545), fourth-best record in the position players to pitch in a 9-inning game since July 20, 1990, when majors after the Yankees (.567), Cardinals (.562) and Angels (.550)…their the Expos used Dave Martinez and Junior Noboa.