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Rays tales

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer


In print: Sunday, August 24, 2008

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Got a minute? | Rocco Baldelli

Must-see TV?: On basic cable, Law and Order — the original one, with Sam Waterston and Jerry Orbach. Though it seems like every time I turn it on now, I know what's gonna happen.

Dream date?: Michelle Williams, the actress.

Band you'd like to be on stage with?: Weezer — I already have the clothes.

Guilty pleasure at the mall?: I prefer to do my shopping online.

Best meal you can make?: Fried egg sandwich; English muffin, egg over medium, American cheese.

Off to the races

The week ahead for the AL East contenders, ranked easiest to hardest

Rays: at Chicago (today), vs. Toronto (Tues.-Thurs.), vs. Baltimore (Fri.-Sun.)

Total remaining games: 16 home, 18 road

Yankees: at Baltimore (today), vs. Boston (Tues.-Thurs.), vs. Toronto (Fri.-Sun.)

Total remaining games: 16 home, 17 road

Red Sox: at Toronto (today), at New York (Tues.-Thurs.), vs. Chicago (Fri.-Sun.)

Total remaining games: 20 home, 13 road

Rays rumblings

Replay use at the Trop is likely to include whether fair balls hit the catwalks. … John McCain and friends could help determine whom the Rays face in the playoffs: due to the Republican convention, the Twins are on a 14-game, 15-day cross-country road trip. … The Rays have set postseason ticket prices (though not a sale date), with upper deck seats a reasonable $20 for the division series and $25 for the championship series, lower boxes at $65/$75 and field boxes at $135/$150. World Series prices, set by MLB, range from $100-$225. … Wednesday's Angels-Rays matchup of the AL's best teams at the Trop drew the majors' smallest crowd that night, less than Royals-Indians. Crowds for this week's Jays series could be lowest of the season. … Marketing VP Tom Hoof and team officials in Colorado on other business delivered a jersey to the Johnny's New York Pizza shop that is offering free pizza to the world for a Tampa Bay Series win.

Rays right-hander Andy Sonnanstine starts today with his first chance to match the team record of 14 wins. A look at what he has done and how he has done it:

Al Davis would love him

There are a lot of things Andy Sonnanstine does that are not impressive. There is one thing he does that is very impressive: win games.

"That's what he's always done," manager Joe Maddon said. "He's always been a winner."

Consider: In 84 minor-league appearances, he was 40-18, a .690 winning percentage. Since Aug. 15, 2007, he is 18-7. Only two AL pitchers have more wins, A.J. Burnett, left, and Andy Pettitte.

The Rays are 17-8 in his starts this season. He has won matchups this season with top starters Mark Buehrle, Burnett, Zack Greinke, Ervin Santana and Carlos Zambrano.

Need to know …

Sonnanstine is double-jointed and likes to play pingpong and has posted a couple of videos on YouTube showing a combination of the two: search for Double Jointed Wonder Part 2 and Part 3. He says in his team bio that he worked as a school janitor and as a pheasant hunting guide and sporting clay trapper.

Pride of Ohio

Sonnanstine, 25, was born in Barberton, Ohio, grew up and went to high school in Wadsworth, Ohio, and went to college at Kent State in Kent, Ohio, where (after, of course, setting the school record with 11 wins in 2004) he was spotted by former Rays boss Vince Naimoli beating Notre Dame, and drafted in the 13th round.

Killing them softly

Sonnanstine does not have impressive "stuff"; he doesn't throw that hard or have that one pitch that can make scouts drool or opponents quiver. What he can do is pitch, combining a five-pitch repertoire with an assortment of delivery options, including an occasional pause and varying arm slots and speeds.

A scouting report

• Four-seam fastball, usually in the mid to high 80s, that cuts away from right-handers.

• Two-seam fastball, similar speeds, which sinks and runs in on a right-hander.

• Slider, with variations on the speed, depth and break.

• Curveball, with lesser variations on the speed, depth and break.

• Changeup, sometimes v-e-r-y slow.

Erasing glory

The Rays have had only nine pitchers win more than 10 games in a season.

Pitcher year Wins

Rolando Arrojo 1998 14

Scott Kazmir 2007 13

A. Sonnanstine 2008 13

James Shields 2007 12

Victor Zambrano 2003 12

M. Hendrickson 2005 11

Albie Lopez2000 11

James Shields2008 11

Tanyon Sturtze2001 11

Who's he like?

Sonnanstine isn't like many other pitchers. The name that comes up most often when baseball people are asked for a comparison is veteran Paul Byrd. Others: Greg Maddux and left-handers Tom Glavine and Jamie Moyer.