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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Rays win one for ‘Kotcher’

Posted Sep 27, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 28, 2011 at 12:50 AM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG First baseman Casey Kotchman caused quite a stir in the Rays clubhouse Tuesday afternoon when he complained of chest pains after batting practice and was quickly sent to nearby St. Anthony’s Hospital, leaving the stadium on a stretcher.

“There were a couple of guys, myself included, just kind of scrambling around, trying to figure out what was going on,” third baseman Evan Longoria said.

All tests were negative and Kotchman was sent home later in the evening.

Manager Joe Maddon said he will know this afternoon when Kotchman can return to the lineup.

Sean Rodriguez replaced him at first base during Tuesday’s 5-3 win against the Yankees that kept the Rays tied with the Red Sox in the American League Wild Card standings and on pace to return to the playoffs.

“It was crazy,” Rodriguez said, “I was just praying it’s nothing severe, that he’ll be back.”

Matt Joyce provided the big hit, a three-run homer off former Rays closer Rafael Soriano in the seventh inning for the final runs off the game.

The Rays were relieved to hear Kotchman was fine.

“He’s been good for us all year,” Longoria said. “We know that he wanted to be in the lineup. Of course we’re thinking about him when the game starts, but I’m just happy we took care of business.”

Said Joyce: “You’re going about you business, getting ready for a game, and when something like that happens, it kind of takes you back a step. You kind of look around and go, ‘You never know what can happen.’ ”

And, because these Rays are the most relaxed team in baseball, and because the news on Kotchman was good, they had a little fun at the expense of their first baseman.

“We said win one for the Gipper, win one for the Kotcher,” Joyce said.

When told that Joyce, hobbled by a bruised right foot the result of a foul ball during Monday’s game, hit a home run for the “little kid in the hospital,” Rodriguez said, “He ain’t very little.”

No, Kotchman is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds.