Rays manager Joe Maddon shed some light on his lineups for the first few exhibitions, and most interesting is that DH Pat Burrell will make Saturday's trip to Clearwater to face his former mates.

Maddon said he gave Burrell the choice if he wanted to go, and Burell said he did. Also, the DH will be used for that game. It was going to happen eventually, as the Rays play the Phillies twice during the Grapefruit League, twice in exhibitions in Philadelphia before the season opener, and three times at Tropicana Field during interleague play.

"He asked me if I wanted to go and I said "Yeah, sure I'd like to go," Burrell said. "Just no other reason than the obvious. I don't want to make more of it than it is.''

As for Wednesday's opener:

Jason Bartlett, ss
Carl Crawford, lf
Evan Longoria, 3b
Pat Burrell, dh
Willy Aybar, 1b
Dioner Navarro, c
Ben Zobrist, 2b
Gross, rf
Perez, cf

Among other tidbits, RHP Mitch Talbot will start on Saturday, Crawford will play in Tampa on Thursday (and Elliot Johnson, whose collision at home plate in an exhibition last year made big news, will be on that trip as a reserve), and Gabe Kapler and Adam Kennedy will play against the Yankees.

(Pictured: Joe Maddon. Times photo -- Dirk Shadd. Click to enlarge.)