FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016 at BOSTON RED SOX RH Chris Archer vs. RH Joe Kelly First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. | Location: JetBlue Park at Fenway South, Lee County, Fla. | TV: None | Radio: None Game No: 3 (1-1-0) | vs. AL: 1-0-0 | vs. NL: 0-1-0 | Home: 1-1-0 | Road: 0-0-0 Day 13 of Spring Training | 30 Days Until Opening Day—Sunday, April 3 vs. TOR (4:05 p.m.) BASEBALL IS BACK—Today is the Rays BEST RECORD, MLB, (1976, 1978, 1987), ATL Phil Niekro TODAY’S STARTING LINEUP third of 29 games on the Grapefruit League SPRING TRAINING, 2008-16 (1977) and PHI Steve Carlton (1983)… 27 Mikie Mahtook (R) RF schedule, and first of 15 road games…not W-L-T Pct. also BOS Roger Clemens (1996) and 39 Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF included is the March 22 game in Havana, Royals 141-102 .580 MIL Ben Sheets (2004). 3 Evan Longoria (R) 3B Cuba, against the Cuban National Team… Angels 140-104 .574 10 Corey Dickerson (L) LF the schedule includes two split-squad Rays 125-100 .556 OVERHEARD—In an ESPN.com profile 7 Logan Morrison (L) DH days: March 13 (vs. BOS, at TOR) and Cardinals 122-100 .550 on RH Chris Archer published earlier 21 James Loney (L) 1B Tigers 136-113 .546 1 Tim Beckham (R) 2B April 1 (at ATL, at DET). this week, Rays pitching coach Jim Hick- 38 Taylor Motter (R) SS Ê This is the Rays 19th spring in the ey told Jayson Stark: “One of the things 24 Hank Conger (R) C Grapefruit League and eighth calling Charlotte Sports Park home… that makes him special, and makes him 22 Chris Archer RHP since becoming the Rays in 2008, the team has recorded at least a lot like James Shields was and David 15 wins in seven out of eight spring trainings…they never achieved Price was, was because they wanted to RAYS IN this in 10 springs as the Devil Rays…the Rays have compiled a be That Guy. They wanted to be the best SPRING TRAINING 125-100 (.556) spring record during this span, 3rd best in the majors performer. They wanted to be the leader. W-L-T Att. (see chart)…the Rays are three-time Grapefruit League champions But they were also willing to pay the price. 2016 1-1-0 7,590 2015 15-13-2 80,406 (2008, 2010, 2014). You know, a lot of guys might say they 2014 16-7-4 78,264 want to be That Guy, but they’re not will- 2013 15-17-2 90,935 PLANNING YOUR DAY—Today the Rays clubhouse at Charlotte Sports ing to pay the price. And I think that all 2012 10-16-6 87,916 Park will be open to media from 7:45–8:45 a.m. …stretch is at 8:45, and started with Shields here. And David cer- 2011 15-14-2 95,859 the club will take batting practice before heading to JetBlue Park (bus is tainly carried it on. And now Chris is doing 2010 20-8-2 97,971 at 10:45)…Kevin Cash will be available in the manager’s office at 11:45. the same thing.” 2009 15-16-1 103,255 Ê On Saturday, the Rays clubhouse at Charlotte Sports Park will be 2008 18-8-2 54,960 open to media from 1–2:00 p.m., with a 2:00 stretch for players not TICKET INFO—Spring training tickets 2007 10-19-2 79,044 making the trip to Sarasota…the bus is at 3:00…Cash will be avail- are available online at raysbaseball.com, 2006 13-16-1 70,756 2005 13-16 61,261 able in the manager’s office around 5:00. by phone at 888-FAN-RAYS or in person 2004 11-8 43,916 at the Charlotte Sports Park Box Office… 2003 8-19-3 51,324 RAYS vs. RED SOX—Today is the first of 5 games between the AL East the Charlotte Sports Park box office 2002 10-16-1 49,043 rivals this spring…the first 2 are at Jet Blue Park (also Mon, March 7), and opens at 10 a.m. 2001 12-15-1 57,081 the last 3 are at Charlotte Sports Park (March 13, March 18, March 30)… 2000 14-17 67,089 last spring, the Rays went 0-4 against the Red Sox. ROLL CALL—All 64 players have re- 1999 14-14-1 59,230 Ê The Rays have gone 10-9 vs. Boston in regular-season play in each ported to camp, consisting of 33 P, 7 C, 1998 12-18 66,781 of the last two years…last year they went 4-5 at home, and 6-4 at 14 INF and 10 OF…23 are non-roster Total 242-258-30 1,303,041 Fenway Park…since becoming the Rays in 2008, they’ve only lost invites…seven players on the 40-man one season series to Boston (7-12 in 2013) as they’ve compiled a roster joined the organization since the BEST RECORD, MLB, 78-69 record during that span. end of the 2015 regular season, five of REGULAR SEASON, 2008-15 W-L-T Pct. Ê The Rays will play the Red Sox only 3 times in their first 74 games: those via trade…19 players on the 40- Yankees 735-561 .567 April 19-21 at Fenway Park…Boston doesn’t travel to St. Pete un- man roster were acquired via trade… Cardinals 728-568 .562 til June 27-29, the latest in the year they’ve made their first visit to only six players on the current 40-man Angels 713-583 .550 Tropicana Field since 2007 (July 27-29). roster made their Rays debut prior to Rays 707-590 .545 2013: 3B Evan Longoria, OF Desmond Dodgers 705-590 .544 RAYS 10, ORIOLES 3—Yesterday the Rays recorded their first victory of Jennings, RH Alex Cobb, OF Brandon the spring, beating the Orioles, 10-3, at Charlotte Sports Park…starter RH Guyer, LH Matt Moore and RH Chris Erasmo Ramirez earned the win on 2 scoreless innings in his spring debut, Archer. including a 7-pitch 2nd (1-H, 3-SO)…the Rays 17 hits were 3 shy of their spring record (20) in the Rays era, and 9 of those went for extra bases (7- NEW TO THE 40-MAN ROSTER (8)— 2B, 2-HR)…LF Desmond Jennings collected 2 2B and 2 RBI...SS Brad Ê Signed as Free Agent (2): INF/OF Steve Pearce, RH Ryan Webb Miller recorded 2 hits and 1 RBI, and scored the Rays first run…DHCorey Ê Acquired in Trades (5): C Hank Conger, OF Corey Dickerson, RH Dickerson hit a 2-run HR off RH Miguel Gonzalez onto the roof of the Rays Danny Farquhar, INF Brad Miller, 1B/OF Logan Morrison minor league clubhouse building…the ball came to rest 569 feet from home Ê Claimed off Waivers (1): RH Chase Whitley plate, estimated by the Rays Communications dept. …CF Brandon Guyer hit a solo homer off RH Dylan Bundy…RF Jaff Decker went 2-for-3 with 2 KEY LOSSES (11)— doubles…RH Matt Andriese (2.0-IP), RH Ryan Webb (1.0-IP), RH Danny Ê Free Agent (5): SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RH Brandon Gomes, DH Farquhar (1.0-IP) and RH Jaime Schultz (1.0-IP) worked scoreless apps. John Jaso, OF Daniel Nava, OF Grady Sizemore Ê The three starting outfielders (Jennings, Guyer, Decker) went a com- Ê Traded (4): RH Nathan Karns, LH Jake McGee, LH C.J. Riefenhaus- bined 7-for-8 with 4 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI and 5 runs scored. er, RH Kirby Yates Ê Released (1): C J.P. Arencibia IT’S EARLY, BUT…—OF Desmond Jennings is tied for the major league Ê Waived (1): OF Joey Butler lead with 3 doubles (with TOR Darwin Barney and CIN Eugenio Suarez)… his 4 RBI are one shy of Barney for the major league lead. EIGHT YEARS AS THE RAYS (2008-15)—Since changing their name to the Rays in 2008, the Rays are 707-590 (.545), fourth-best record in the CUBA TRIP FINALIZED—On Tuesday, Major League Baseball and the majors after the Yankees (.567), Cardinals (.562) and Angels (.550)…their Major League Baseball Players Association announced the Rays will of- four postseason appearances in this span have been equaled by only the ficially travel to Cuba to play the Cuban National Team on March 22 at Es- Yankees (5), Tigers (4) and Rangers (4). tadio Latinoamericano in Havana…ESPN and ESPN Deportes will provide Ê During this span, the Rays pitching staff leads the American League live, national coverage of the game, and ESPN’s SportsCenter will have an with a 3.72 ERA, 10,085 strikeouts, a .240 opp avg. and 108 shut- on-site presence in Havana on March 21-22…the Rays will be only the sec- outs…their 5,178 runs allowed are the fewest by an AL team over ond major league club in the last 57 years to play a game in Cuba…most any eight-year span since the Yankees of 1979-86 (5,173). recently, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Cuban National Team on March Ê In the Rays era, Tampa Bay has had 15 different players named to 28, 1999 by a score of 3-2 in 11 innings, before 50,000 fans at Estadio the All-Star Team, and none of them had been an All-Star prior to Latinoamericano…see separate “Baseball in Cuba” packet for more details.