Tampa Bay Rays news and notes: Jeremy Hellickson's trophy collection; liking grungy

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, June 2, 2011

Rays at Mariners

When/where: 10:10 tonight, Safeco Field, Seattle

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

Starting pitchers

Rays

RH Andy Sonnanstine (0-1, 4.39)

Mariners

LH Jason Vargas (3-3, 4.50)

Watch for ...

Sonny's day: Sonnanstine, ineffective in three starts plus a fourth that was rained out in the third inning, gets another chance in the reshuffled rotation. He has pitched well vs. the Mariners (1-2, 2.96 ERA), especially in Seattle (1-1, 2.11)

Leaning left: Vargas, who pitched at Long Beach State with Rays reliever Cesar Ramos, is coming off a rough start vs. the Yankees but otherwise a good May. He is 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA in four games vs. the Rays, losing twice in 2010.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Vargas

Evan Longoria 2-for-5, HR

Felipe Lopez 1-for-13

Ben Zobrist 3-for-10

Mariners vs. Sonnanstine

Chone Figgins 1-for-6

Miguel Olivo 4-for-11, 2 HRs

Ichiro Suzuki 4-for-11

On deck

Saturday: at Mariners, 4:10. No TV. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (6-3, 2.80); Mariners — Doug Fister (3-5, 3.24)

Sunday: at Mariners, 4:10. Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (4-5, 4.52); Mariners — Erik Bedard (3-4, 3.48)

Monday: at Angels, 10:05. Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (6-5, 3.52); Angels — Joel Piniero (2-2, 3.52)

Tuesday: at Angels, 10:05. Sun Sports. Rays — TBA; Angels — Tyler Chatwood (3-2, 3.64)

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

He really is a strike-thrower

RHP Jeremy Hellickson is getting "specially designed" trophies for his AL pitcher and rookie of the month awards. They are likely to end up in the basement of his grandmother Rennie's house in Des Moines, Iowa: "I think I've got more bowling trophies down there than anything." He said he hasn't bowled since he was about 12 but had a high of 230.

Good grunge

The Rays liked the Grunge-look trip. The unanimous opinion was massage therapist Nate Leet had the best overall look, but manager Joe Maddon gave a strong endorsement to typically reserved radio man Andy Freed, left: "He stepped outside of his normal boundaries. That's part of what we're doing here … the risk-taking concept and trying something different."

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-news-and-notes-jeremy-hellicksons-trophy-collection-liking/1173355

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