A lineup snafu forced Rays pitcher Andy Sonnanstine into the batting order today -- he hit third -- against the Cleveland Indians. He helped his own cause, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI double (an opposite-field stroke to left), and picked up his second win in Tampa Bay's 7-5 victory.
"All the starting pitchers are trying to pay us off to make that mistake,” Rays manager Joe Maddon cracked to reporters.
It shouldn't be a surprise that Sonnanstine had a little swing in him. Way back in 2006, before the Rays banned such shenanigans, the Biscuits would have pitchers' batting practice every once in a while.
Sonnanstine was always a force in those sessions. He was good enough that pitching coach Xavier Hernandez had one session on the day that Sonnanstine pitched ... and therefore couldn't participate. Unable to pull such a stunt later that year, Hernandez watched Sonnanstine crank four home runs -- homers are all that mattered for pitchers' BP -- and finish second to Jean Machi.
Today, the Rays mistakenly listed two third basemen and no designated hitter on their lineup, which meant they lost the DH and pitchers had to hit. Sonnanstine is the first AL pitcher to be in the starting batting lineup for a home game since Ken Brett of the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 23, 1976.
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