By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, February 25, 2011
Rays vs. Pirates
When/where: 1:05 today; Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte
Radio: 620-AM
Tickets: Reserved seats $19-$27, berm/boardwalk $10. Through raysbaseball.com and Ticketmaster, at Tropicana Field and Charlotte Sports Park box offices and Tampa team store.
Gates open: 11 a.m.
Directions: Driving time from the bay area is 1½-2 hours. Suggested route: I-75 south to Exit 179 (Toledo Blade Road), go west 6½ miles (crossing U.S. 41) to El Jobean Road (SR 776), go right 2 miles, complex is on the left.
Parking: $10, lots open at 10
Rays information: Toll-free 1-888-326-7297
Pitchers: Rays — David Price, Chris Archer, Matt Bush, Cesar Cabral, Rob Delaney, Dirk Hayhurst, Adam Russell. Pirates — Charlie Morton, Brad Lincoln, Chris Resop, Daniel Moskos, Daniel McCutchen, Justin Thomas, Cesar Valdez
Heads up
The battle for the three open bullpen spots officially begins with Delaney, Hayhurst and Cabral among the dozen or so candidates in action.
Who is this Ray?
He won an Oregon state high school championship — in snow skiing. He grew up on a tree farm. He was on the Rays 2010 opening-day roster. He was acquired via waivers.
On deck
Sunday: at Pirates (Bradenton), 1:05. Rays — RH James Shields; Pirates — RH Kevin Correia
Monday: Pirates (ss), 1:05. Rays — RH Jeff Niemann; Pirates — RH Bryan Morris
Tuesday: at Orioles (Sarasota), 1:05. Rays — TBA; Orioles — TBA
Remaining schedule
All games 1:05 unless noted
March
2: at Blue Jays
3: Yankees
4: at Twins
5: Twins
6: at Phillies (ss)
7: at Pirates
8: Blue Jays
9: (ss) vs. Blue Jays; (ss) vs. Netherlands at Al Lang
10: Red Sox
11: Pirates
12: at Phillies (ss)
13: at Blue Jays
14: Off
15: Marlins
16: at Marlins
17: at Yankees, 7:05
18: Red Sox (ss), 7:05
19: at Twins
20: Orioles
21: Yankees, 7:05
22: at Red Sox, 7:05
23: Phillies
24: at Astros
25: Pirates
26: Orioles
27: at Pirates
28: at Yankees, 7:05
29: at Red Sox
30: vs. Blue Jays at Tropicana Field, 4:10
Who is this Ray answer: RHP Mike Ekstrom
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer
T-shirt of the day
DH Manny Ramirez — most important — and other players Friday were sporting a new T-shirt designed by a group of bay area fans and available (for $18 plus shipping) from their website, mannyray.com. Ramirez said he liked the look of the shirt but didn't know where it came from. The idea was spawned a month ago from a conversation the guys had about a new nickname for Ramirez.
Historical context of the day
It's rare to see teammates, such as LF Johnny Damon and DH Manny Ramirez, with 2,500-plus hits. (Yankees SS Derek Jeter and 3B Alex Rodriguez are the only active others.) And it was even rarer Friday to see them playing in a 9 a.m. intrasquad game. "And," Damon said, "we're here to get better still."