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Rays journal: Longoria foul ball that spins back fair proves baseball adage correct

 
Published April 27, 2017

BALTIMORE — There's a saying among baseball people, even longtimers, that one of the joys of the game is that on any night you might witness something never seen before.

Which brings us to Tuesday's seventh inning.

Rays 3B Evan Longoria grounded a ball toward third base foul enough that it hit on the grass 3-feet wide of the line — and then somehow spun fiercely back into fair territory, where Orioles 3B Manny Machado picked it up and, with Longoria understandably getting a late start, threw to first for an easy out. (Go to tampabay.com/blogs/rays for video.)

"I'm still baffled how it happened," Longoria said. "Over a lot of years of playing baseball you figure when you hit a ball like that, you know it is foul. I didn't think there was any way it could have spun back. I was (upset) about the swing, mad that I expanded on the pitch, so I was thinking about getting over that one and getting to the next one, and all of a sudden I'm like, 'The ball is coming back in.' "

Third-base umpire Tim Timmons told Longoria he thought the ball hit the lip of grass, but replays showed it farther foul. Camden Yards groundskeeper Nicole McFadyen also was perplexed, suggesting it could have hit an in-ground sprinkler.

"It's one of those things where you see something new every day in the game, and that was one of them," Longoria said. "And one of those things where when it's not going your way it just kind of piles on."

Pitching in

. RHP Jake Odorizzi felt strong throwing 65 pitches over four innings of a simulated game, facing INFs Matt Duffy and Daniel Robertson, and said he was good to go for a Monday return in Miami, with no issues from the hamstring strain that landed him on the DL. "I've said for a while I've been ready," he said. "I just have to wait until I kind of get out of jail — aka, get off the DL."

. After working out of the stretch in his previous start, LHP Blake Snell said he will return to a full windup Friday in Toronto after his bullpen session. "I feel comfortable in it," he said. "Everything's the same, but I feel my hands are getting out on time, and I want to see if this is what I think it is."

Weather or not

Manager Kevin Cash's decision to scratch starter RHP Erasmo Ramirez just before Tuesday's game due to concern of a weather delay left some O's folks grumbling about gamesmanship, especially after five Rays relievers combined on a two-hit shutout. Indians manager Terry Francona couldn't resist chiming in to jokingly chide his good friend either: "What a (dummy) he is. You know what's so funny? In the fourth inning I said to (coaches Brad Mills and Mickey Callaway), I go, 'What the (expletive) is Cashy doing?' Because they were winning, 2-0, and they were four pitchers in. I'm like, 'Damn, Erasmo Ramirez must've got hurt.' Then, when I saw it last night, I was cracking up. Well, he got the last laugh on everybody." Said Cash: "I'm just glad it worked out."

Just call him O-Drizzle?

RHP Jake Odorizzi had quite the unexpected look going in the dugout Tuesday, wearing what several Rays mates called a "rapper chain." Actually the thick, two-tone gold and blue-stoned chain belonged to RHP Erasmo Ramirez, and Odorizzi was wearing it in tribute since Ramirez was supposed to pitch in his place since he is still on the disabled list. "It was in honor of Erasmo, just something fun," Odorizzi said. "I've got a lot of time on my hands to figure out some stuff." Don't expect Odorizzi to buy one of his one. "That's way too heavy for me," he said. "I'd kind of pull to the side if I tried to pitch with that thing on."

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Caught stealing, in a different way

Class A Bowling Green players had sunglasses and other items stolen from the their locker room in Lansing, Mich., this week by a couple that boasted of the theft in a photo posted on Instagram, which, according to RHP Peter Bayer, who tweeted about it, led to their arrest.

Miscellany

. OFs Colby Rasmus (hip surgery) and Mallex Smith (hamstring) continued their rehab assignments, with plans for evaluation, and potential activation, by tonight. Rasmus was playing leftfield for Double-A Montgomery. Smith played leftfield for Class A Charlotte and went 1-for-4.

. Talks to keep Rays games on Spectrum cable via Fox Sports Sun were extended again until a Monday deadline.

. LHP Xavier Cedeno, on the DL with forearm tightness, was to get a second opinion Wednesday from noted surgeon Dr. James Andrews, with an update expected after Wednesday's game.