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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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Lobaton ‘tweaks’ left knee in Rays loss

Posted Sep 7, 2011 by Roger Mooney

Updated Sep 6, 2011 at 11:37 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG The plan was to play Jose Lobaton more this month in an effort to evaluate the catcher for a possible fulltime role next season may have taken a hit Tuesday when he tweaked his left knee during the eighth inning of the Rays 8-0 loss to the Rangers.

Lobaton said he was reaching for a pitch from Jake McGee that was to his left and out of the strike zone and felt something in his knee that didn’t seem right. He was removed from the game after batting in the bottom of the inning.

“I don’t think it’s going to be something big,” he said. “Last time something popped pretty good.”

The last time was July 17, and the pop turned out to be a sprained ligament that kept Lobaton on the disabled list until Sept. 2, costing him 43 games.

Because of the missed time, manager Joe Maddon wants to play Lobaton as often as possible this month to get a better idea of what Lobaton can do at the major league level. Lobaton’s playing time was to come at the expense of Kelly Shoppach.

But Shoppach will be in the lineup this afternoon against the Rangers as Lobaton gives the knee a rest. Thursday’s off-day will afford Lobaton another day of rest before he is reevaluated.

Maddon said the initial news is encouraging. Head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield said the injury isn’t as severe as the sprain, Maddon said.

“Ronnie’s first evaluation is that it’s not anything serious, I mean not even near what it had been,” Maddon said.