Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online

Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the 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.

@TBO_Rays
TBO_Rays
Roger Mooney
Send us your questions

Most Recent Entries

Monthly Archives

Longoria to DL with wrist fracture

Posted Aug 11, 2008 by Marc Lancaster

Updated Aug 11, 2008 at 06:06 PM

SAN FRANCISCO—The Rays have placed Evan Longoria on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured right wrist and recalled outfielder Justin Ruggiano from Durham.

Longoria was hit by a pitch Thursday night in Seattle and did not play in the final three games of the Mariners series. Longoria and the Rays said at the time that X-rays taken following the game showed no fracture. In fact, Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said today, the interpretation was that Longoria had been playing with an old fracture and there was no new damage.

Longoria said as recently as Sunday afternoon that he was feeling better and hoped to play in Tuesday’s game at Oakland. Instead, he returned to Tampa on a red-eye flight and was examined by hand specialist Dr. Doug Carlan, who took new X-rays of the hand and decided it was indeed a fresh, non-displaced fracture.

“Which is good news,” Friedman said on a conference call today.” Looking at it now, we don’t think it’ll be too long after that two-week period.”

Longoria’s disabled list stint is retroactive to Aug. 8. The Rays say they didn’t know for sure Longoria would be headed to the DL when then sent him home from the West Coast; in fact, they purchased a return ticket to San Francisco for him to use if his wrist checked out clean. But now they’ll be without two of their biggest names for a while.

And it could really be a while in Carl Crawford’s case. Friedman said there was nothing new to report today after Crawford was examined by Dr. Carlan. The outfielder could be done for the season after suffering a subluxation of the tendon in his right middle finger Saturday night.

“We’re still working through the process right now in terms of getting different medical opinions and trying to put everything together to determine the best course of action,” Friedman said.

Crawford is not currently slated to see any other doctors, but the Rays have sent his information out to other doctors to get their read on the situation.

Ruggiano, 26, could end up playing regularly in the Rays’ outfield unless they make a move for a more established player through a waiver claim. Friedman said the team is prepared to go with Ruggiano, Eric Hinske, Gabe Gross and Rocco Baldelli in some combination in right and left field.

Ruggiano has enjoyed a stellar season for Durham, hitting .315 with 18 doubles, 11 homers and 51 RBIs in 66 games while also stealing 20 bases in 23 attempts. He made 15 appearances with the Rays earlier this season and hit .290, collecting his first big-league homer June 21 against the Astros.

For the time being, Willy Aybar and Ben Zobrist likely will get the bulk of time at third base.

Friedman termed the Rays’ chances of acquiring an impact player through waivers “extremely unlikely” given every team but the Angels would have priority over them in making a claim in the AL. But he said he doesn’t necessarily think the Rays need to make an addition to keep doing what they have been doing.

“Obviously it’s a tough situation, but this team has shown great perseverance all year and I expect it’ll continue,” said Friedman. “We’re going to continue to monitor the waiver wire as we have, but look, this underscores the emphasis that we’ve placed on depth. We haven’t gotten to this point on the back of any one player. It’s been a team effort all year and I expect it to continue.”

Reader Comments

Por (Patricia Martinelli) on August 11, 2008 (Suggest removal)

Who cares about that?