Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Scoreless in intrasquad

Charlie's Angels and Hoff's Hackers played to a scoreless tie Wednesday in the Devil Rays' second intrasquad game. The six-inning affair featured two hits, both by Brendan Harris.

Maybe Diaz and Liu showed up and the hitters were understandably distracted.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Charlie's Angels win intrasquad game

The Devil Rays played their first intrasquad game Tuesday and "Charlie's Angels" -- named for their manager -- beat "Hoff's Hackers" 2-0.

Reid Brignac homered off Edwin Jackson, and Shawn Riggans hit an RBI double for the Angels, who unfortunately did not feature Cameron Diaz or Lucy Liu in bikinis as inspiration. Manager Charlie Montoyo hopefully pursued such recruits.

The Hackers were named for their manager, field coordinator Jim Hoff, Not sure who the Hackers could have turned to.

When I was in college, I covered the baseball team for three years. One year, at the end of fall practice, the team's intrasquad series featured teams named for two seniors: "Jerry's Kids" played "Laubey's Legion."

The Devil Rays won't have as much time to talk trash as the winning senior did after that series, though there is another intrasquad game Wednesday. Tampa Bay's spring exhibition schedule opens Friday against the Yankees.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Carvajal to Mets

The New York Mets claimed former Biscuits pitcher Marcos Carvajal off waivers today from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Rays designated Carvajal for assignment Tuesday after picking up pitcher Jae Kuk Ryu from the Chicago Cubs in a trade. Carvajal was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 39 appearances last year with the Biscuits.

Carvajal came to the Biscuits last April after the Rays made a trade with the Seattle Mariners. Carvajal pitched in the major leagues in 2005 with the Colorado Rockies.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Jace Brewer to Royals

Jace Brewer, who played for the Biscuits in 2004, is headed to the Kansas City Royals organization. He was in the Texas organization last year.

Brewer is among a large group of former Biscuits now with the Royals. Pitcher Jason Cromer, outfielder Joey Gathright, infielder Fernando Cortez and pitcher Jason Standridge are all there now.

That's off the top of my head. Checking the spreadsheet Biscuits fan Brent Smeltzer sent me Friday that details where former players are, I missed pitcher Dewon Brazelton. Pitcher Jose Diaz was there last year, but we don't know if he's returning.

The Royals, of course, also have signed Montgomery native Craig Brazell.

Pre-spring trade

The Rays made a trade today that affects a former Biscuit.

Tampa Bay pulled former Biscuits pitcher Marcos Carvajal off its 40-man roster after picking up pitcher Jae Kuk Ryu in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.

The Rays sent minor-leaguers Andrew Lopez and Greg Reinhard to the Cubs for Ryu, who made his major-league debut last year. Lopez, an outfielder, was with Rookie Princeton last year, while Reinhard, a pitcher, was with Class A Southwest Michigan.

Carvajal was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 39 appearances with Montgomery last year. He came to the team early in the season in a trade with the Seattle Mariners. Carvajal pitched in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies in 2005.

The Rays have 10 days to trade, release or ask waivers on Carvajal.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Spring approaches

Tampa Bay's pitchers and catchers report Feb. 17 and full spring camp opens Feb. 22. The Rays will have 58 players in big-league camp, including 27 who have worn a Biscuits uniform.

Charlie Montoyo, Montgomery's manager the last three years who's scheduled for Durham this season, will be there as an instructor. Montoyo, who regularly wears uniform No. 25, will don an 82.

Biscuits boosters to meet

The Biscuits Booster Club has its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in Riverwalk Stadium's home clubhouse.

It promises to be a real snoozer.

Obviously, the club has reached the bottom of the barrel for guest speakers when they ask me. I warned them that I'm a bad public speaker, plus I have a face made for radio and a voice made for newspapers.

Maybe I can remember an anecdote or two. If not, I'll live up to my two mantras ...
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
The truth is just an excuse for a lack of imagination.
(Disclaimer for those who take things too seriously: That two mantras stuff is a joke.)

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

TV plea

The Rays announced today that 146 of their games will be televised.

I know it's not as simple as this, but I wouldn't mind if some local cable company (mainly my home provider) cleared, say, channel 99 for those games. They'd draw more viewers here than the NHL.

Last year, I listened to a Rays game while driving to Jacksonville for the start of the Biscuits' playoff series. After I checked into the hotel, Fox Sports Net Florida started a replay of the game. I kept one eye on the game, despite having just listened to it, while finishing some work I had to do.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Biscuits pay rent

The team paid $76,915 to the city for its quarterly rent that was due this week.

Sonnanstine, Brignac to big-league camp

Pitcher Andy Sonnanstine and shortstop Reid Brignac, key parts in Montgomery's Southern League championship last season, have been invited to Tampa Bay's major-league spring training.

Sonnanstine became the Devil Rays' first 15-game winner last year when he was 15-8 with a 2.67 ERA for the Biscuits. Brignac was the Class A California League's most valuable player, despite spending the final month of the season with Montgomery.

The Rays also invited center fielder Fernando Perez, who spent all of last year at Visalia and is due to play for the Biscuits this season.