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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 @ O’s: Rays on FOX game of the week

Posted May 18, 2013 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 18, 2013 at 03:00 PM

ROGER MOONEY
BALTIMORE The Rays return to the field today for a 4:05 p.m., national TV game on Fox.

Roberto Hernandez is on the hill for the Rays. Right-hander Jair Jurrjens will make his Orioles debut.

Here are the lineups:

RAYS
Jennings CF
Joyce RF
Zobrist 2B
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Scott DH
Johnson DH
Molina C
Escobar SS
—
Hernandez RHP (2-4, 4,43)

O’s
McLouth DH
Machado 3B
Markakis RF
Jones CF
Davis 1B
Wieters C
Hardy SS
Dickerson LF
Navarro 2B
—
Jurrjens RHP (season debut)


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Rays @ O’s: Hellickson returns to mound to start trip

Posted May 17, 2013 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 17, 2013 at 04:25 PM

ROGER MOONEY
BALTIMORE The Rays return to the Inner Harbor tonight to begin a three-game series with the second-place Orioles.

Jeremy Hellickson, who has his share of troubles holding on to leads, takes the mound tonight.

Hellickson couldn’t hold on to a 6-2 lead in his last start, when a leadoff walk in the seventh jump-started a San Diego rally that ended with a two-out grand slam on a 3-2 pitch.

The Rays rallied for an 8-7 victory on Evan Longoria’s two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning.

Still Rays manager Joe Maddon was critical of Hellickson after the loss, saying blowing four-run leads and blowing them in the manner in which Hellickson let it get away was unacceptable.

Hellickson and Maddon spoke Sunday morning about Hellickson’s approach to the inning and Maddon’s post-game comments.

“He basically he told me what he told (the media). It was a bad approach that inning. Walking the leadoff guy was frustrating to everybody, and it came back to hurt me,” Hellickson said. “He let (the media know) how frustrated he was. It hurt reading about that. I pitched my heart out for so long and for that to happen it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. And then I say that. But he was frustrated, he was right. As frustrated as he is and everyone else is, I’m a million times more frustrated. I’m the one who did it.”

The Rays will try to bounce back from Thursday loss, in which closer Fernando Rodney allowed a two-out, two-strike double with the bases-loaded that drove in three runs as the Red Sox rallied for a 4-3 win at the Trop.

The loss was the second in a row for the Rays, who dropped back to .500.

Here is the Rays lineup:

Jennings CF
Joyce RF
Zobrist 2B
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Scott DH
Johnson KF
Lobaton C
Escobar SS
—
Hellickson P


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Rays v BoSox: Price looks for 2nd win, Escobar moved to 5th in order

Posted May 15, 2013 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 15, 2013 at 05:23 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG The Rays will try to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games tonight during the second game of this three-game series with the Red Sox.

David Price hopes his allergies do not become a problem as he looks to win for just the second time this year.

Lefty Jon Lester is pitching for the Red Sox, which means Joe Maddon has just one left-handed batter in the lineup. That would be James Loney, who began the days as the major leagues leading hitter with a .381 average.

Maddon moved Yunel Escobar to fifth in the lineup, splitting Evan Longoria and Loney. Escobar is 8-for-26 lifetime against Lester, while Loney has never faced Lester.

Here are the lineups:

RED SOX
Ellsbury CF
Victorino CF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Gomes LF
Middlebrooks 3B
Saltalamacchia C
Drew SS
—
Lester LHP (5-0, 2.73)

RAYS
Jennings CF
Johnson DH
Zobrist RF
Longoria 3B
Escobar SS
Loney 1B
Rodriguez LF
Molina C
Roberts 2B
—
Price LHP (1-3, 4.78)


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Allergies might be behind Price’s poor start

Posted May 14, 2013 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 14, 2013 at 05:55 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG Tampa Bay Rays left-hander David Price underwent an allergy test Tuesday morning and received drops for his eyes, which he hopes clears up the vision issues and skin rashes he’s been experiencing this season.

“It’s been terrible,” Price said.

Part of the reason Price said might be the new chemical ejection system used in the clubhouse washing machines. Price said he noticed the rashes when he wore the undershirts and uniforms washed by the Rays clubhouse crew.

Price has won just once this season in eight starts. His ERA is 4.78. When asked if this could be the reason behind his subpar start, Price said, “I would never say yes.”

Rays equipment manager Chris Westmoreland said no one else on the team has been affected in the same manner as Price. As a precaution Westmoreland said Price’s clothes are being washed separately.

“We want to isolate his clothes just in case it has something to do with the new ejection system,” Westmoreland said.

Price said the allergies have caused his eyes to tear. Sometimes while pitching he said he has to step off the mound because he can’t see the signs from the catcher.

“All the trainers they all knew that I couldn’t see and that my vision was extremely blurry at the time,” Price said. “It (stinks).”

Rays manager Joe Maddon, a fellow allergy suffer, said the allergies could have an impact on Price’s performance.

“David doesn’t make excuses,” Maddon said. “I would like to say that everyone around here doesn’t make excuses, but I’m just saying there is contributing factors. … I’m telling you it’s a bad day. The bounce is not the same bounce, because it’s hard to get all that clear. It’s intense.”


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Rays v BoSox: Jennings returns, Rays looking for 6th straight W

Posted May 14, 2013 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 14, 2013 at 03:33 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG Desmond Jennings returns to the lineup tonight after missing the past three games with a groin injury as the Rays open a three-game series with the Red Sox.

The Rays have won a team-record five straight.

Matt Moore is trying to become the first pitcher in team history to start a season 7-0.

Here are the lineups:

RED SOX
Ellsbury CF
Victorino RF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Gomes LF
Middlebrooks 3B
Drew SS
Lavarnway C
—
Lackey RHP (1-3, 2.82)

RAYS
Jennings CF
Joyce LF
Zobrist RF
Longoria 3B
Loney 1B
Scott DH
Johnson 2B
Molina C
Escobar SS
—
Moore LHP (6-0, 2.14)


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