Yankees at Rays

Good morning from Al Lang Field, where the New York Yankees are due to arrive within the hour for today’s 1:05 p.m. start with the Tampa bay Rays.

This is Roger Mooney, and I’ll be your blogger until my boss, Kamon Simpson, gets here. Then he’ll take over and I’ll run some wind sprints in the outfield, ice my arm and answer questions from the media in front of my locker.

I’m working on my answers.

“I thought the words came out free and easy.”

“I’m still working on a few things.”

“It’s still early in the spring.”

“Whatever role the Bradenton Herald wants me to fill is fine with me. I just want to be part of the team.”

Elliot Johnson was the man of the hour this morning, as he has been much of the week since he ran over Yankee catcher Francisco Cervelli, breaking the right wrist of the one of the Yankees’ top prospects.

This story has been overblown, but what do you expect when the New York media is involved.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said he doesn’t expect any retaliation, and neither do I, but you never know, so keep checking here for updates, blow-by-blow or otherwise.

We don’t have the Yankees lineup, although we’ve been told Andy Pettitte has been scratched from the start. Heath Phillips will start for the Yankees.

Here is the Rays lineup:

2B Aki Iwamura
LF Carl Crawford
1B Carlos Pena
CF B.J. Upton
DH Cliff Floyd
RF Jonny Gomes
3B Evan Longoria
C Mike DiFelice
SS Jason Bartlett
P Andy Sonnanstine

I’ll get you the Yankee lineup as soon as they post it. I’ve heard Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez will not make the trip.