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ST. PETERSBURG — Some of the Rays look at the 11 games remaining on the schedule and can't wait for the end.
But RHP Wade Davis sees opportunity.
For Davis, tonight's start, and the two more he is expected to make, offer chances to better his case for a job in the 2010 rotation.
"Definitely I want to prove something," Davis said. "I'm not here just to finish the season. It's kind of a big step for me. I would definitely want to have the opportunity next spring training to make the team. So I'm trying to do as much as I can."
Davis, 24, did pretty well last time out, throwing a complete-game shutout at Baltimore on Thursday for his first major-league win. Rather than be concerned with what to do for an encore — "I don't know" was all he said — he's focused on figuring out what will work tonight.
"I know things can turn on you pretty quick. So I think I'm still working to go out and get better at things," he said. "You know, there are things I did my last start I may not get away with this time. Like I said, it can be a pretty humbling game. So I'm working pretty hard to get there."
Manager Joe Maddon was pleased not only with what Davis did, but how he went about it, mixing in his curveball early in the count, working with a quick tempo and being in command from pitch 1-124.
"I just want to see him go out there and have the same command and the same kind of conviction with all of his pitches," Maddon said. "The thing we talked about the other day was his ability to throw his other pitches for strikes when he wanted to — I'm talking about his slider, his curve was really good."
MINOR MATTERS: Durham beat Memphis (Cardinals) 5-4 in 11 innings on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City in what was billed as the Triple-A National Championship Game. Rashad Eldridge scored the winner from third base on Oneli Perez's wild pitch. Eldridge was pinch running for Michel Hernandez, who led off the 11th with a double into the left-centerfield gap. RHP Jeremy Hellickson gave the Bulls a strong start, allowing two hits over five shutout innings, but reliever Jason Cromer gave up a pair of homers.
OF Jon Weber, who spent most of the season with Durham, had two hits as Team USA beat Venezuela 6-3 in Florence, Italy, to improve to 10-1 in World Cup tournament play and clinch a spot in this weekend's medal round.
EXECUTIVE DUTY: The players and staff held a closed-door clubhouse meeting pregame to discuss players union business regarding the transition from union leader Donald Fehr to Michael Weiner.
Afterward, Maddon praised Evan Longoria, the Rays player rep, for his leadership at age 23.
"Longo does a nice job with this," Maddon said. "He takes it very seriously and he gets it done. I'm very proud of the way he handles his responsibilities. I think it's great."
C.C. RIDER: LF Carl Crawford wasn't in the starting lineup as Maddon sat him and 2B Akinori Iwamura against Seattle LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith and gave Crawford a break — albeit abbreviated — from the Tropicana Field turf.
Crawford pinch hit in the sixth and is expected to play tonight and through the weekend in Texas on grass, then Maddon will decide how many times on the final seven-game homestand.
Crawford is one stolen base shy of a career-high 60 and four behind MLB leader Jacoby Ellsbury of Boston; he is one ahead of good friend Michael Bourn of Houston.
MISCELLANY: CF B.J. Upton had his first back-to-back multi-hit games since July 27-28, and his first multi-RBI game since Aug. 18. … The Rays fell to 17-24 in one-run games; they were 29-18 in 2008. … The M's are the first AL team to play only two games at the Trop in a season. … The Rays are 10-19 vs. AL West teams. … Jim Haslett, coach of the Rays-owned United Football League Florida Tuskers, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch tonight. … A new Inside the Rays debuts Friday at 7:30 on Fox Sports Florida.
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