Remaining exhibition games
All games 1:05 unless noted
March
26: at Phillies
27: vs. Jays
28: at Orioles, 7:05
29: at Tigers
30: vs. Tigers at Trop, 1:10
Hog wild
DH Luke Scott received an appropriate gift from a fan, a bat head (okay, a golf club cover) that looked like a boar. Scott held it up next to the real boar's head mounted on the side of his locker. "Pretty good," he said. "A little bit of a resemblance."
Rays in motion
First-base coach George Hendrick wanted to get off his feet, so he got on a bicycle to pedal around the outfield and shag balls during LHP Matt Moore's 60-pitch simulated game. "That was pretty awesome," Moore said. … RHP Joel Peralta, meanwhile, commandeered a golf cart and was racing around the back fields, supposedly watching the workouts.
Hit the hut, get a cold one
After seeing Toronto's Jose Bautista, right, knock a Jamey Wright pitch off the roof of the tiki hut bar in centerfield, Rays manager Joe Maddon came up with the idea for a promotion. "I think it should be free Miller Lite when that happens, regardless if it's a home or visiting player that does it," Maddon said. "I think it's a great promotion for Miller to just open the taps at that point."
Lime-aid
The kid dressed as the lime in the daily between-innings citrus race wiped out in front of the Rays dugout. So while the orange and the lemon got to keep racing, the lime got brought into the dugout, where LHP David Price gave him sunflower seeds and manager Joe Maddon offered a pat on the back.
Who is this Ray?
He grew up in Eureka, Ill., and was not drafted out of high school. Was acquired in trade in 2006. Was voted team MVP in 2009.
The dish Rays (ss) vs. Orioles
When/where: 1:05 today; Charlotte Sports Park, 2300 El Jobean Road, Port Charlotte
Internet radio: mlb.com (subscription required)
Tickets: Reserved seats $19-$27, berm/boardwalk $10. Available through raysbaseball.com and Ticketmaster, at Tropicana Field and Charlotte Sports Park box offices, Tampa team store.
Gates open: 11 a.m.
Directions: Driving time from the bay area is 1½-2 hours. Suggested route: Interstate 75 south to Exit 179 (Toledo Blade Road), go west 6½ miles (crossing U.S. 41) to El Jobean Road (SR 776), go right 2 miles, complex is on the left.
Parking: $10, lots open at 10:30 a.m.
Rays information: Toll-free 1-888-326-7297 (FAN-RAYS)
Pitchers: Rays — Jeff Niemann, Brandon Gomes, Kyle Farnsworth; Orioles — Steve Johnson, Jair Jurrjens, Daniel Schlereth, Adam Russell, Daniel McCutchen.
Rays (ss) at Pirates
When/where: 1:05 today; McKechnie Field, 1611 9th St. W, Bradenton
Tickets: $14-$24, available through pirates.com, toll-free 1-877-893-2827
Pitchers: Rays — Alex Cobb, Dane De La Rosa, Kirby Yates; Pirates — Jeanmar Gomez, bullpen
Heads-up
Desmond Jennings, Matt Joyce, Luke Scott and Ben Zobrist are among the big names on the travel squad, the others presumably will play in Port Charlotte.
On deck
Saturday: Twins, 1:05. Rays — David Price; Twins — Kevin Correia
Sunday: at Yankees (Tampa), 1:05. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson; Yankees — TBA
Monday: vs. Pirates, 7:05. Rays — Matt Moore; Pirates — TBA
Who is this Ray? INF/OF Ben Zobrist
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