Reds at Rays

Welcome to sunny but chilly Al Lang Field.

I am Roger Mooney, and I’ll be your blogger for this afternoon’s game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Tampa Bay Rays. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05.

The Rays are still feeling the sting from the comments made by Yankees manager Joe Girardi concerning the play during the ninth inning of Saturday’s game between the two clubs in Tampa, where Rays minor league infielder Elliot Johnson collided with Yankee minor league catcher Francisco Cervelli, fracturing Cervelli’s right wrist.

Girardi said Johnson was too aggressive for spring training.

Rays senior baseball advisor Don Zimmer fired back Sunday morning, saying what does spring training have to do with playing the game the right way.

For more on this, check out “Rays Confidential.”

Anyway, hopefully this game will go on without any fireworks.
Here are the lineups:


REDS
CF Ryan Freel
LF Norris Hopper
RF Jay Bruce
1B Joey Votto
3B Jolbert Cabrera
SS Jeff Keppinger
C Chris Kroski
2B Juan Castro
DH Ryan Hannigan
P Matt Belisle

Forgive me if I don’t get excited over that lineup.

RAYS
2B Elliot Johnson
LF Ben Zobrist
CF B.J. Upton
DH Jonny Gomes
3B Willy Aybar
1B Chris Richard
C Dioner Navarro
RF Justin Ruggiano
SS Reid Brignac
P Edwin Jackson

That’s not exactly the varsity team, either.