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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 relieved Lee is staying               out of AL East

Posted Jul 9, 2010 by Tribune Sports

Updated Jul 9, 2010 at 06:04 PM

By TONY FABRIZIO and ROGER MOONEY

ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays breathed a collective sigh of relief moments ago when they learned Seattle LHP Cliff Lee will be going to the Rangers rather than the team they’re chasing in the AL East, the Yankees.

When it looked like Lee would be headed to the Yankees earlier in the afternoon, Rays players said all the right things about worrying only about matters within their control. But there was a lighter atmosphere after batting practice in the clubhouse, where details of a Mariners-Rangers trade were being shown on the MLB Network.

According to reports, Texas is sending switch-hitting first baseman Justin Smoak and three prospects to Seattle for Lee, the 2008 AL Cy Young winner, and reliever Mark Lowe. Seattle is paying the remaining $4 million on Lee’s contract, which expires after this year, according to SI.com.

“That’s better than the Yankees,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “I know that. If it can’t be the Rays, it’s OK that he goes to Texas. I would prefer he goes to the National League if he’s not here, but that defiintely puts Texas in a good spot.”

The Rays have won their last six and will try to match their longest winning streak of the season tonight against the Indians. They’ll send James Shield (7-8, 4.83 ERA) against Fausto Carmona (7-7, 3 69).

Here are tonight’s lineups:

INDIANS

Michael Brantley, CF
Jayson Nix, 2B
Carlos Santana, C
Travis Hafner, DH
Austin Kearns, RF
Jhonny Peralta,3B
Mtt LaPorte, 1B
Shelley Duncan, LF
Jason Donald, SS
—
Fausto Carmona, RHP

RAYS

Ben Zobrist, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Evan Longoria, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Matt Joyce, DH
John Jaso, C
B.J. Upton, CF
Reid Brignac, SS
Sean Rodriguez, 2B
—
James Shields, RHP