so do their rivals in the AL East. The Rays, for example, experienced a scare recently when David Price suffered an hand injury, but all seems well.
Price had to leave last Wednesday's
game against the Red Sox after he was hit by a shattered maple bat. He suffered abrasions on his right
(non-throwing) hand.
He returned to action Monday, throwing
four innings in a minor league intrasquad game, and reported no problems
or restrictions relating to the injury. He is expected to open the
season as the Rays' No. 4 starter.
Who's the Fifth Starter?
Who pitches behind Price in the rotation, however, is still up for debate. Rookie Wade Davis,
who flashed potential in six starts at the major league level last
season, is locked in a battle with Andy Sonnanstine, who
pitched poorly last season after a strong showing in 2008.
Should Davis win the battle, Sonnanstine could become available
in trade talks, and no shortage of teams will express interest.
Rays Ink Cuban 'Adonis'
Boston and Toronto have signed highly touted Cuban players recently. Now, Tampa Bay joins the fray. The Rays signed
first baseman/outfielder Leslie Anderson on Thursday to a
four-year deal worth $3.75 million. The 27-year-old defected from Cuba
and has been called by one reporter "a chiseled Adonis of a baseball prospect."
Anderson
is expected to open the season at Triple-A Durham and push for a
big-league spot by the end of the year. As first baseman Carlos
Pena and left fielder Carl Crawford are both impending free agents and
with an unsettled right-field situation, Anderson could play his way into a
job to start 2011.
