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Rays: It's a gnome's life for Maddon

 
Tampa Bay Times
Published April 26, 2013

Rays at White Sox

When/where: 8:10 tonight; U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Probable pitchers

Rays RH Roberto Hernandez (1-3, 4.74)

White Sox

RH Jake Peavy (2-1, 3.20)

Looking for two: Hernandez's victory in his last start was his first since Sept. 20, 2011, though he missed most of the 2012 season. His key to success is getting ground-ball outs. He is 9-5 with a 5.48 ERA in 18 games against the Sox.

No Jaking: The veteran starter is 4-3 with a 2.24 ERA in his last 12 starts at home. He is coming off a strong outing, though a no-decision, against the Twins. He is 2-1 with a 5.25 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 24 innings against the Rays over four starts.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Peavy

James Loney 7-for-25, 2 HRs

Evan Longoria 1-for-9

Ben Zobrist 4-for-7, HR

Sox vs. Hernandez

Adam Dunn 7-for-22, HR

Paul Konerko 8-for-22, 2 HRs

Alexei Ramirez 6-for-21, HR

On deck

Saturday: at White Sox, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (4-0, 1.04); Sox — Gavin Floyd (0-3, 4.98)

Sunday: at White Sox, 2:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (0-2, 5.52); Sox —Dylan Axelrod (0-1, 3.80)

Monday: Off

Tuesday: at Royals, 8:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Alex Cobb (3-1, 1.82); Royals — James Shields (1-2, 3.09)

Rays disabled list

RHP Jeff Niemann, shoulder surgery, 60-day, out for the season

RHP Juan Carlos Oviedo, elbow surgery, 60-day, out until September

DH Luke Scott, calf strain, 15-day, eligible April 8

Marc Topkin. Times staff writer

Gnome quote of the day

"Noooooooo. Heck, no. For me, $5, I'd go $5."

Rays manager Joe Maddon, asked if he would pay the $55 the gnomes were going for on eBay, saying that was a "ridiculous" price

A gnome by any name

Joe Maddon had one of the gnomes with him in the dugout Wednesday, then brought it along to Chicago, saying, "He's going to have the chance to have himself a good road trip … to see if he deserves the right to be displayed at home also." Asked if he'd given the gnome a name, Maddon came up with Joe-Gno.

Gnomemania?

Manager Joe Maddon was amazed at the response to Wednesday's Maddon gnome giveaway, from the lines at the Trop to the eBay market, where people were paying up to $55. "For the most part it's been fun, complimentary stuff," he said. "I was kind of actually surprised by the whole thing." There weren't too many odd comments or requests, though he said his daughter "was going to disown me" if she didn't get one and Oakland manager Bob Melvin asked for one.