Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 51

4C TIMES SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2003 BASEBALL wood gets his work in mm DAILY REPORT Today's games Braves at Phillies, 1 :05. For tickets, call (727) 442-8496 Blue Jays at Rays (see below left) Yankees vs. Astros at Kissimmee LoofDoini's weinfSlhiDini! far IPSimDeila's piitelheiTS "I tease him that they say his! nickname is Boomer," said Roger; Clemens, one of Wells' targets in' the book. "I call him Ely because if! a story goes over 30 seconds, he's; lying Wells' autobiography, Perfect1 I'm Not! Boomer on Beer, Backaches and Baseball, is sched-j uled for release March 14. ELSEWHERE: Closer Mariano) Rivera was in a minor traffic accident outside the team's complex in Tampa.

Police said the accident happened at 8:10 a.m. Rivera said neither he nor the other driver was injured. The commissioner's office placed minor-league pitcher Eddie LantJgua on the restricted list because of an age discrepancy in the Dominican Republic. Lantig-ua is listed as 23 in the team's media guide. times wires Bobby Mattick honored The complex where the team conducts minor-league and extended spring training' was renamed The Bobby Mattick Training Center at Englebert Complex.

Mattick, 87, is a team vice president and has been with the organization since 1976. TORONTO GLOBE AMD MAIL CLEARWATER Rain stopped the Phillies' exhibition home opener at Jack Russell Stadium after three in-AREA nings because of rain Friday, but that didn't wUVirb prevent newcomer Kevin Millwood from getting his work in against the Yankees. Millwood, acquired in December from Atlanta, pitched three shutout innings in his Phillies debut He allowed two singles and had a 2-0 lead when the game was halted. Phillies newcomers have produced outstanding efforts on consecutive days. Jim Thome homered in his first at-bat during Philadelphia's Grapefruit League opener Thursday against Pittsburgh.

"I figured I had a lot to live up to with Thome hitting a home run," Millwood said. "He didn't make it very easy on me." Thome provided another highlight with a first-inning run-scoring double off Yankees left-hander Da-vidWeUs. Another squad of Phillies lost 2-0 to the Braves at Cracker Jack Stadium in Lake Buena Vista. The TimtfmCHAELHONDQU Eckerd College pitcher Ted Fletcher records some memories as his teammates keep an eye on the Devil Rays in the early innings. jfVfig -i: son relief appearance.

That makes him even more excited about his chances to make the rotation this spring, beginning with the start in today's Grapefruit League opener against Toronto. "It's a great opportunity for me and I'm really excited about it" Standridge said. "I expect to get looked at and I'm confident I can get the job done. This camp is exciting for me." Standridge said the lack of opportunity last season stemmed from a lack of communication over how much to throw his breaking ball. "All they had to do was tell me what they wanted and I'd do it" he said.

There's better communication now." MEET THE RAYS: With most regulars in the lineup today, Piniella will take a look at what might be his preferred outfield alignment with Crawford in rightfield and Ben Grieve in left Also scheduled to play are SS Rey Ordonez, DH Aubrey Huff, lb Travis Lee, Toby Hall, 3b Jared Sandberg and 2b Brent Abernathy. MISCELLANY: Felix Escalona agreed to terms on a one-year deal, leaving nine players unsigned with the team planning to renew contracts on Sunday. The Rays are 6-0 against college teams with four shutouts. After finding out the Huggins-Stengel complex was unavailable on weekends, the Rays made plans to bus players crosstown to the minor-league complex for extra work. MARC TOPKIN bined l-for-8, a broken-bat double by Hamilton.

Baldelli and Crawford are in the lineup again today, and all three are scheduled to start again Sunday against the Yankees in Tampa. 0L0 COLLEGE TRY: Eckerd coach Bill Mathews, who was up at 3 a.m. watching the Weather Channel, said the day was rewarding for his Tritons. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something these guys will tell their grandkids about" Mathews said. "And we competed so well for 4Vfe innings, that can have a real impact for us." Roy Silver, a former Eckerd player and Rays minor-league manager, was the Tritons' honorary captain.

BRAZELT0N BETTER: Pitcher De-won Brazelton, who tweaked his right knee in a sliding drill Wednesday, threw in the bullpen before the game with no problems. "He threw, I talked to him and he's fine," Piniella said. "He's still getting a little treatment but I don't think it's going to hinder when we can get him on the mound and when he can get out there pitching. Thaf the best news of all." Brazelton hoped to make a scheduled appearance on Monday, but Piniella said the team probably will have him throw again in the bullpen then get him in a game in midweek. "I felt comfortable," Brazelton said.

"I'm not going to rush back. Whatever they say is fine." STANDING TALL Jason Stan-dridge didn't get much of an opportunity in the big leagues last season, making one mid-sea Phillies got two singles. TICKET REFUNDS: Fans holding tickets for Friday's rainout can exchange them for a future game or get a refund at the Jack Russell Stadium box office. The team asks fans seeking refunds to do it on a day when there is no home game. Refunds also can be requested by mail.

TODAY: The Braves will send a split squad to Jack Russell Stadium today for a 1:05 game. Atlanta's Trey Hodges is scheduled to face right-hander Brett Myers. BOB BROOKOVER Not much Boomer fallout That's Boomer. That was the typical response from David Wells' teammates about his new book that criticizes fellow Yankees, makes claims of rampant drug use in baseball and contends he pitched a perfect game "half drunk." v. TV TtoMt did and came up with the big contract from us.

And early on, he handled that fairly well. Then he started to struggle as we moved him up in the minor leagues before he got hurt It's a shame." White began last season on the disabled list but made 17 starts after being reinstated June 2. Splitting time between Class A Charleston (34, 3.15 earned run average) and Orlando (1-2, 5.56 ERA), he pitched 84 innings, yielded 81 hits and 34 walks and struck out 58. "Last year, I thought he made tremendous strides for a player coming off surgery to pitch a complete year and put up the numbers he did on his first year after surgery," LaMar said. "You really can't judge anyone, especially pitching-wise, until that second year.

If you're going to see it, you're going to see it here." White's velocity is slowly returning. On some days, his fast-balls flirt with 90 mph. And instead of being just a thrower, he has learned to locate all his pitches. "I'm still getting used to my new arm," White said. "I feel like my mechanics are good and they're where they're at But when I try to step on it and really get after it I kind of fly open a little bit I've just got to get back to where I was, just nice and easy and the ball coming out of my hand good.

It might take a little while, but I feel agent at the end of the season. He said last year he might consider exercising that option if things didn't improve, but the outfielder said he is thrilled with the changes the team made in the offseason, particularly the hiring of Baker. BREWERS: Pitcher Nick Neuge-bauer had arthroscopic shoulder surgery in Los Angeles and is expected to miss at least six months. GIANTS: Pitcher Livan Hernandez will accept a plea offer to settle charges that he tried to hit an elderly warehouse owner with golf clubs. Hernandez was charged with felony aggravated assault and battery after the Jan.

8 altercation in Miami. Prosecutor Erika Isidron said charges will be dropped if Hernandez attends anger management classes, performs 50 hours of community service and donates $500 to charity. ORIOLES: Right-hander Scott Er-ickson will have shoulder surgery and probably will miss the season. i ST. PETERSBURG If it starts to sound repetitive, so be it But if Devil Rays pitchers keep throwing strikes, manager Lou Piniella is going to keep prais- In ing them for it NOTEBOOK The Rays beat Eckerd College 11-0 on a soggy Friday, but the coaches seemed more pleased with the lack of walks three total; two by long shot Wayne Gomes than the 14 hits, three home runs, or anything else.

"Outside of Gomes, all of our pitchers threw strikes, and that's something that I like," Piniella said. "Ill say that a lot during the spring." Nine pitchers held the Division II Tritons to three hits, with relievers Travis Phelps and Jesus Colome standing out "They're throwing the ball 1 over the plate, and that's something (pitching coach) Chris Bosio has been preaching all spring," Piniella said. "So far, in the intrasquad game and (Friday), we've done a pretty good job of it Let's hope that continues." The game was scoreless into the fourth and 2-0 through five innings before the Rays started hitting Eckerd hard. Three veterans competing for backup jobs third baseman Chris Truby and outfielders Ryan Thompson and Chad Mottola homered in a span of 12 at-bats. For Thompson, it was a breakthrough after having two long drives knocked down by the wind in Thursday's intrasquad game.

"I can't afford to make a small impression," Thompson said. "Everything I do has to be done on a big scale." FOR STARTERS: The Rays had their outfield of the future together in a game for the first time, starting Carl Crawford in left, Rocco Baldelli in center and Josh Hamilton in right "Obviously all three are very talented and in spring training well give them a real good look and see as to how far they're along," Piniella said. "You really don't see three kids coming along that are pretty close in their stage of development and age-wise. It's a little bit of a rarity." Friday, they didn't put on much of a show, going a com- QUOTABLE "We've had quite a few national media here. Let's hope they keep coming." LOU PINIELLA manager, after doing ESPN and CNN interviews Friday.

BOX SCORE Devil Rays 11, Eckerd 0 Tritons Devil FUyt ab bl BssuregwrJ Rosendess Rtzgtrald Milbury dh Castro dh DwKolb McClMlb Evan 3b Brooks II Ferrn If Rqan rf Soul, tt Msnsnduc Winmcfcc Bvrd2b Wtwman 2b ab bi 0 0 4 0 0 0 Crawford If 2 0 0 0 Conti 1 0 0 0 Baldelli cf 2 0 0 0 Tyrwd 1 0 0 0 Hamilton rf 2 0 0 0 Mottola rf 1 0 0 0 frrompsndh 2 0 0 0 Upton dh 1 0 0 0 Jackson lb 1 0 0 0 Leshw lb 2 0 0 0 Canizaro3b 10 10 Truby 3b 2 0 10 GMartmJb 1 0 0 0 Fabregase 2 0 10 Mattma 1 0 0 0 Grwnae Baughmn 2b Para 2b Luniss Escalonaia 26 3 Totals 3 0 3 2 2 3 3 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 12 10 0 0 0 0 2 12 0 1110 2 0 11 1111 34111411 Tolsh Eclurd OOO OOO OOO- 0 3 0 Tampa Bay OOO 113 15a 11 14 0 DP Eckerd 2. Tampa Bav 3 LOB Eckerd 2, Tampa Bay 7 2B Hamilton, Luna 3B Mottola, Tyntr. Upton. tffl Thompson, Mottola, truby. EckanJ SO 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 so 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Wishm Sponhora Canestrar MsaghtrX React Pigolt Steele Inmafl 02 11 01 02 IF Fletcher Tampa Bay White James Bowers Gomes Dwcrmt Reyes Frascatore 1 1 Colome 1 HBP by Sponhoro (Jecluon 2 17 Art 4- mm-' ft--to t- ft 1 4 fj Rays from 1C times when I'm like, I came up with these guys and I'm ready to go," White said.

"Why shouldn't I be there? And things like that Then there's other times when I say, okay, take a step back. You're going through a surgery and you're working your way back through." When White should be a starter for the Rays, he's starting over. In 2000, after going 10-8 in 26 starts for Double-A Orlando and Durham, he was deemed ready to be called up by Tampa Bay. But the Olympic Games beckoned and White was sent to Sydney instead of St Petersburg. "I saw him pitch in Durham before he went to work out with Olympic team and he was truly ready to pitch in the major leagues at that point," Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said.

"I saw him his second-to-last start in Durham and I had to make a decision. Do I send him on the Olympic experience or bring him up? We decided to give him that Olympic experience, which I would do again. But that's the last time we've seen Matt healthy. This is easily the most important year of Matt's professional career. He has worn that label of a No.

1 draft choice, one that went through all the free agency that he A. While had surgery 22 months ago to repair a torn rotator cuff. "I'm still getting used to my new arm," he said. "I feel like my mechanics are good and they're where they're at" photo-MICHAEL HONDOU like I'm on the right track. "It's like anything, if kind of like a roller coaster.

It's like really any pitcher. You know you're going to have ups and downs. Ill run it up there, high 80s, low 90s sometimes. And other days, itll be mid 80s. If just a thing where I want to build that strength to where if more consistent in the low 90s and then I can really compete well." If that happens, White's long-awaited major-league debut could occur by June or July.

"If he's going to be a successful major league pitcher, I think youll see him up with us before the end of the year," LaMar said. "If he hasn't made that kind of progress, then the jury is really out But with the way he pitched last year one year after arm surgery, I think we're going to see him in a major-league uniform by the end of this year. "He's developed into maybe not the power guy we thought we were signing, but he's developed more pitching skills than he had as a high school kid. So I think this is the year. If you see him up at the major league level this year, he's where he should be.

And if not, then we ought to start asking the questions whether he's truly going to get over the hump." immediately He will have a torn labrum repaired. RANGERS: Righty Rudy Seanez, struck above the left eye socket while taking a throw against Kansas City on Thursday, went back to work. His left eye was swollen and red, but he said he was okay. REDS: Ken Griffey looked strong and hit his first homer of the spring against Boston. Griffey played 70 games last season and had two stints on the disabled list with a torn right knee tendon and torn right hamstring.

"I wasn't far off at the end of the year," said Griffey, who missed time late in the season with hip and quadriceps problems. "They decided to hold me back a bit" TWINS: Left-hander Eric Milton will have another operation on his left knee. Milton, who had a torn meniscus repaired in August has had recurring swelling. He probably will have the operation next week. RAYS ON DECK (Starting pitchers, when available) iTiTTTi Blue Jays, 1 at Progress Energy Park (Rays: Jasoi St fridge; Jays: Roy Hafladay) ciimnnv Yankees, at Legends Field (Rays: Jim Parque; Yankees: mm Mike Mussina) iTOfflb Indians, 1 at Progress Energy Park (Rays: Victor Zambrano; Indians: Jake Hesdwok) I'ji'jTit Tigers, 1 at Progress Energy Park (Rays: Joe Kennedy; WJffirtfitti1 vs- Pirates 1 at McKechnie Field (Rays: Nick Bierbrodt; LMyUajitfJ pirates: TBA) HOME I1CXET INFORMATION: Field box seats $15, loge box seats $12, reserved grandstand $9, Derm seating $4 (day of game only).

On sale at stadium box office (180 Second Ave. SE) from 10 a.m. through the end of the game, and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays. Also available at the Tropicana Field box office, the Devil Rays Dugout store at WestShore Plaza and through Ticketmaster.

Call (727) 898-RAYS or (813) 282-RAYS. RADIO WDAE-AM 620. TV: Fox Sports Net PI Progress Energy Park Away (ss) split squad SO YOU KNOW LOU? A daily quiz to see how much you really know about Rays manager Lou Piniella. Answer below. How many times was Piniella named to the AL All-Star team? A)1.

B)3 C)5 D)7 Bonds in slugging form MESA, Ariz. It took one swing for Barry Bonds to remind Dusty Baker what hell be missing this season. Bonds homered on the first pitch he saw in spring training Friday, but Baker won his debut as manager of the Cubs 7-5 over the Giants. "Same old Barry," Baker said, smiling. "One pitch." With his former manager watching from the opposite dugout, Bonds connected against Mark Prior in the first sending a ball over the centerfield fence.

"Unbelievable," Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa said, shaking his head. "Unbelievable. That was a quickie right there. That guy is ready." Also, Sosa insisted he's thinking about winning, not the possibility of becoming a free agent He has a four-year, $72-million deal that runs through 2005, but a clause allows him to become a I Today's schedule Pregame work at Progress Ener gy Park, 180 Second Ave. SE, starts at about 9:30, with bartting practice at 10:20.

Gates open at 11. Another group will work out at the Naimoli Complex, 7901 30th Ave. starting about 10:15. Keep an eye on Seth McClung, who has a chance to jump from Double-A to the bullpen, gets a first chance to impress today. Other pitchers scheduled include Jason Stan dridge, Luis De Los Santos, Matt Perisho, Erik Sabel, Brian Fitzgerald, and Lance Carter.

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