By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Quote of the day
"If we had come back and won that game in the ninth inning we were going to stop for ice cream on the way home."
Rays manager Joe Maddon, after a brief rally in their 10-3 loss.
New word of the day
Unanointment: Manager Joe Maddon came up with this one Sunday, with a little help from Baseball Prospectus writer John Perrotto, in explaining his reluctance to anoint a closer in case the pitcher struggled and Maddon had to remove the title, thus an unanointment.
Number of the day
3:27 Time of Sunday's 8 ½-inning game
Car show of the day
Manager Joe Maddon thought his 1972 "candy apple blue" Chevelle Malibu was the coolest restored car in the team parking lot until he got a look at Evan Longoria's 1969 Camaro SS, silver and black two-tone with houndstooth interior. "That," he said, "is really nice."
Rays vs. Pirates
When/where: 1:05 today; Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte
Tickets: Reserved seats $19-27, berm/boardwalk $8. Available through raysbase ball.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 (FAN-RAYS)
Pitchers: Rays — Jeff Niemann, Alex Cobb, Dane De La Rosa, Kyle Farnsworth, Jake McGee, Joel Peralta, Cesar Ramos, R.J. Swindle, Cory Wade; Pirates — Bryan Morris, Fernando Nieve, Sean Gallagher, Aaron Thompson, Kyle McPherson, Rudy Owens
Heads-up
Kyle Farnsworth, by far the most experienced new member of the bullpen, makes his Rays debut. So does Joel Peralta.
Who is this Ray?
He graduated from Lake Brantley High near Orlando and was the Florida prep player of the year in 1998. He made his big-league debut for Toronto in 2001. He was an NL All-Star in 2005. He signed as a minor-league free agent.
On deck
Tuesday: at Orioles (Sarasota), 1:05. Rays — RHP Andy Sonnanstine; Orioles — RHP Jeremy Guthrie
Wednesday: at Blue Jays (Dunedin), 1:05. Rays — LHP David Price; Jays — TBA
Upcoming schedule
March
4: at Twins
5: Twins
6: at Phillies
7: at Pirates
8: Blue Jays
9: Blue Jays, and vs. Netherlands at St. Petersburg
10: Red Sox
11: Pirates
12: at Phillies
13: at Blue Jays
14: OFF
15: Marlins
16: at Marlins
17:- at Yankees, 7:05
18: Red Sox, 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: INF Felipe Lopez
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer