Scott Kazmir, getting little help from his defense, allowed eight runs (six earned, and two on wild pitches) in four innings, as the Rays (8-14) dropped a sixth consecutive series heading home to play the in-form Boston Red Sox.
"We're not really pleased with what's going on," said Rays coach Joe Maddon. "We should have been able to win more than one series to this point. But it's early, and I'm very optimistic we're going to turn this around."
In the first inning alone, Kazmir gave up a run on a bases-loaded wild pitch, second baseman Akinori Iwamura and right fielder Ben Zobrist allowed a run when a pop fly fell between them, and ex-Ray Delmon Young helped get a run home on a strikeout.
And then there was the Twins' three-run fourth inning during which Iwamura, who didn't commit an error in his first 74 games last year, was charged with two on one play. His fielding and throwing errors on a Kubel grounder let Justin Morneau score from second.
Before the double-error, Kazmir gave up a one-out triple to Tampa's Denard Span, an RBI single to Brendan Harris and an RBI double to Morneau in succession. When the flat-looking Rays headed to their dugout, the Twins led 8-1.
The Rays managed single runs in the third, seventh and ninth innings. Evan Longoria drove in runs with ground outs in the third and ninth, but he grounded out to end the eighth with the bases loaded. Gabe Gross drove in a run with a single in the seventh.
Shortstop Jason Bartlett, the Rays' leading hitter with a .368 average, came out of the game in the fifth inning with left hamstring tightness.
Thursday 30 April 2009
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Niemann pitches in as Rays topple Twins
Fifth starter he might be, but Jeff Niemann turned in a third consecutive strong show in a 7-1 victory against the Twins on Monday night. And right on cue the Rays' offense turned up to more than double their run production of the two previous games combined.
The victory stopped a two-game losing streak and gave the defending American League champions (8-12) a chance to win a series – something they haven't done since their opening trip to Boston – and bring some momentum back for a home stand against the Red Sox, Orioles and Yankees.
"That's exactly what we're looking for to get things going our way," said first baseman Carlos Pena, who hit his ninth home run and had a triple and three RBIs to tie a club record for most RBIs through April with 24. "Momentum is important. When you have a good positive energy and you can roll with it, it can do wonders for you."
Niemann (2-2) pitched 5 2/3 innings in his sixth major-league start and allowed one run on three hits. Joe Crede's two-out solo homer in the sixth accounted for the only damage, although Niemann did tie a career record with four walk and hit a batter. Since an opening loss at Baltimore on April 11 in which he pitched well after the first inning, Niemann has gone 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA.
The victory stopped a two-game losing streak and gave the defending American League champions (8-12) a chance to win a series – something they haven't done since their opening trip to Boston – and bring some momentum back for a home stand against the Red Sox, Orioles and Yankees.
"That's exactly what we're looking for to get things going our way," said first baseman Carlos Pena, who hit his ninth home run and had a triple and three RBIs to tie a club record for most RBIs through April with 24. "Momentum is important. When you have a good positive energy and you can roll with it, it can do wonders for you."
Niemann (2-2) pitched 5 2/3 innings in his sixth major-league start and allowed one run on three hits. Joe Crede's two-out solo homer in the sixth accounted for the only damage, although Niemann did tie a career record with four walk and hit a batter. Since an opening loss at Baltimore on April 11 in which he pitched well after the first inning, Niemann has gone 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA.
Friday 24 April 2009
Early run lasts all night
It seemed unlikely at the time, but pity poor James Shields, who was left to consider the damage done only by his second pitch on Thursday evening against Seattle.
A pretty standard fastball held up and invited the Mariners' lead-off man, Ichiro Suzuki, to dispatch it high into the right-field seats. Okay, these things happen. But at the bottom of the first there is plenty of times to turn it round.
Or maybe not.
So much for the fact that Shields never encountered even a hint of trouble after that, with only one Seattle runner making it past first base in the balance of his seven innings. On the mound for the Mariners was Felix Hernandez and he dominated the Rays' hitters for seven innings, giving up nothing.
"It's tough to lose, period," said Pat Burrell. "But when you get that kind of effort from your starter you'd like to be able to at least scrape one across."
When the Rays did get a man on base, the 23-year-old they call King Felix pounded his fastball relentlessly and prevented them from scoring.
It was the second time in his career Shields was charged with a loss after allowing only one run, although he did know he would have to be on tip-top form with Hernandez on the other side.
"My job after that is to shut 'em down and give the team a chance to come back at any point in the game," Shields said. "Unfortunately, Felix was pretty nasty tonight."
Scoring isn't getting any easier for the Rays, and a three-game trip to Oakland might not help matters any.
A pretty standard fastball held up and invited the Mariners' lead-off man, Ichiro Suzuki, to dispatch it high into the right-field seats. Okay, these things happen. But at the bottom of the first there is plenty of times to turn it round.
Or maybe not.
So much for the fact that Shields never encountered even a hint of trouble after that, with only one Seattle runner making it past first base in the balance of his seven innings. On the mound for the Mariners was Felix Hernandez and he dominated the Rays' hitters for seven innings, giving up nothing.
"It's tough to lose, period," said Pat Burrell. "But when you get that kind of effort from your starter you'd like to be able to at least scrape one across."
When the Rays did get a man on base, the 23-year-old they call King Felix pounded his fastball relentlessly and prevented them from scoring.
It was the second time in his career Shields was charged with a loss after allowing only one run, although he did know he would have to be on tip-top form with Hernandez on the other side.
"My job after that is to shut 'em down and give the team a chance to come back at any point in the game," Shields said. "Unfortunately, Felix was pretty nasty tonight."
Scoring isn't getting any easier for the Rays, and a three-game trip to Oakland might not help matters any.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Solutions required for ragged Rays
This is turning into slightly more than a blip. Gavin Floyd took a shutout into the seventh inning, and Carlos Quentin and Jim Thome hit back-to-back homers as the Chicago White Sox beat the Rays 12-2 on Sunday.
Fingers across the state are hovering over the panic button, but what could be done to arrest this slide that has seen the Rays slip to 5-8? Tampa Bay Online's Joe Henderson offers some answers in his column. Read the whole thing and comment on the article here
The Tampa Bay Rays would be a better offensive team this season than they were a year ago.
I was certain of that.
But then they went out and scored four runs or less in nine of their first 13 games, and all the guys that were supposed to lead this great offensive explosion got the wrong memo and were imploding instead.
So what happened?
More importantly, can it be fixed?
In order: A) They're just two weeks into a six-month season; B) Of course it can be fixed, but there are little warning signs – even this early – that should make Rays' fans at least a little uneasy. Take last Thursday, for instance, when Gabe Gross came up in the bottom of the ninth, tying run at third, winning run at second.
Last year, Gross would have put the ball in the seats, or at least in the gap, in a spot like that
This year, he grounded weakly to first.
They start a nine-game road trip tonight with a game at Seattle, and while a 5-8 overall record is hardly time for panic, it is time for concern. They're just not playing well right now, and they aren't doing the little things that won a lot of games in 2008.
Ever wonder how a team that was ninth last year among American League teams in runs scored and next-to-last in team batting average could win 97 games and go to the World Series? They walked a lot, stole a lot of bases, and moved runners along with what Manager Joe Maddon likes to call "productive outs."
It also seemed like they got a clutch hit whenever they needed one.
That magic has yet to appear this season.
Lots Of Strikeouts
The Rays of 2008 actually struck out a lot, and then they added Pat Burrell to the middle of the lineup. He strikes out a lot, too.
Look it up yourself if you want, or take my word for it. Burrell has averaged 137 strikeouts per season over the last four years. B.J. Upton struck out 134 times last year. Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria fanned 166 and 122 times respectively, and neither played a full season.
Akinori Iwamura even struck out 131 times.
Those numbers probably won't vary much this season.
"That's just how we're built. But I would prefer that we learn if we have runners in scoring position I don't want us to get so big necessarily," Maddon said. "Just move the ball, get the knock, and play to the middle of the field. That's what a good RBI guy does."
I thought Burrell might struggle a bit as he adjusts to a full-time DH role, and he has. That's always a concern when you take a guy used to playing every inning and reduce his workload to basically four at-bats per night.
"It's not easy to do. He's been working at it since spring training. He did it in the off-season by calling other DH's to see what they do. He's fine. He just needs to have more at-bats. Overall, I think he has had a lot of good at-bats," Maddon said.
"If you look at Pat's career, historically there are periods where he gets cold and others where he gets hot. I believe the hot stuff is coming soon."
He could be right.
Burrell may strike out a lot, but he also has a lifetime on-base percentage of .379. Right now his OBP is .319, so if you're a glass-half-full sort, take comfort in that. The numbers say Burrell will get on base and he will be productive.
In case you're thinking that Maddon ought to give him some time in the outfield, though, just to snap him out of it, don't your breath.
"We have plenty of right fielders, so that's not part of the plan," he said.
Waiting To Get Hot
You can pick this thing to death, but basically here's how the problem looks to me.
B.J. Upton has started slowly because he missed a lot of spring training, but I think he'll be fine. I still think he can be quite a weapon at the top of the order.
"Just from my perspective, B.J. does take pitches – I'm good with that. A lot of time people want him to start becoming more aggressive and opening up the zone, but I don't want him to," Maddon said.
"He's going to get hot like he always does. He's basically in the latter stages of spring training. The pitchers are a step ahead of him but he'll catch up."
Carl Crawford has looked lost hitting at times behind Upton, but I don't think anyone is really worried about him. We don't know for sure that Burrell will successfully make the transition to DH, but he hasn't had fewer than 29 home runs or 86 RBIs in the last four seasons.
Pena and Longoria will strike out a lot, but they'll also hit 70 or more homers between them. Sometimes we forget how long a baseball season really is.
So yeah, even if they have looked futile, I still think this is a much better offensive team than last year.
All the Rays have to do now is prove that's right.
Fingers across the state are hovering over the panic button, but what could be done to arrest this slide that has seen the Rays slip to 5-8? Tampa Bay Online's Joe Henderson offers some answers in his column. Read the whole thing and comment on the article here
The Tampa Bay Rays would be a better offensive team this season than they were a year ago.
I was certain of that.
But then they went out and scored four runs or less in nine of their first 13 games, and all the guys that were supposed to lead this great offensive explosion got the wrong memo and were imploding instead.
So what happened?
More importantly, can it be fixed?
In order: A) They're just two weeks into a six-month season; B) Of course it can be fixed, but there are little warning signs – even this early – that should make Rays' fans at least a little uneasy. Take last Thursday, for instance, when Gabe Gross came up in the bottom of the ninth, tying run at third, winning run at second.
Last year, Gross would have put the ball in the seats, or at least in the gap, in a spot like that
This year, he grounded weakly to first.
They start a nine-game road trip tonight with a game at Seattle, and while a 5-8 overall record is hardly time for panic, it is time for concern. They're just not playing well right now, and they aren't doing the little things that won a lot of games in 2008.
Ever wonder how a team that was ninth last year among American League teams in runs scored and next-to-last in team batting average could win 97 games and go to the World Series? They walked a lot, stole a lot of bases, and moved runners along with what Manager Joe Maddon likes to call "productive outs."
It also seemed like they got a clutch hit whenever they needed one.
That magic has yet to appear this season.
Lots Of Strikeouts
The Rays of 2008 actually struck out a lot, and then they added Pat Burrell to the middle of the lineup. He strikes out a lot, too.
Look it up yourself if you want, or take my word for it. Burrell has averaged 137 strikeouts per season over the last four years. B.J. Upton struck out 134 times last year. Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria fanned 166 and 122 times respectively, and neither played a full season.
Akinori Iwamura even struck out 131 times.
Those numbers probably won't vary much this season.
"That's just how we're built. But I would prefer that we learn if we have runners in scoring position I don't want us to get so big necessarily," Maddon said. "Just move the ball, get the knock, and play to the middle of the field. That's what a good RBI guy does."
I thought Burrell might struggle a bit as he adjusts to a full-time DH role, and he has. That's always a concern when you take a guy used to playing every inning and reduce his workload to basically four at-bats per night.
"It's not easy to do. He's been working at it since spring training. He did it in the off-season by calling other DH's to see what they do. He's fine. He just needs to have more at-bats. Overall, I think he has had a lot of good at-bats," Maddon said.
"If you look at Pat's career, historically there are periods where he gets cold and others where he gets hot. I believe the hot stuff is coming soon."
He could be right.
Burrell may strike out a lot, but he also has a lifetime on-base percentage of .379. Right now his OBP is .319, so if you're a glass-half-full sort, take comfort in that. The numbers say Burrell will get on base and he will be productive.
In case you're thinking that Maddon ought to give him some time in the outfield, though, just to snap him out of it, don't your breath.
"We have plenty of right fielders, so that's not part of the plan," he said.
Waiting To Get Hot
You can pick this thing to death, but basically here's how the problem looks to me.
B.J. Upton has started slowly because he missed a lot of spring training, but I think he'll be fine. I still think he can be quite a weapon at the top of the order.
"Just from my perspective, B.J. does take pitches – I'm good with that. A lot of time people want him to start becoming more aggressive and opening up the zone, but I don't want him to," Maddon said.
"He's going to get hot like he always does. He's basically in the latter stages of spring training. The pitchers are a step ahead of him but he'll catch up."
Carl Crawford has looked lost hitting at times behind Upton, but I don't think anyone is really worried about him. We don't know for sure that Burrell will successfully make the transition to DH, but he hasn't had fewer than 29 home runs or 86 RBIs in the last four seasons.
Pena and Longoria will strike out a lot, but they'll also hit 70 or more homers between them. Sometimes we forget how long a baseball season really is.
So yeah, even if they have looked futile, I still think this is a much better offensive team than last year.
All the Rays have to do now is prove that's right.
Friday 17 April 2009
Rays lose scoring touch
It all started so well for the Rays. So well, in fact, that manager Joe Maddon is refusing to push the panic button just yet despite his offense showing worrying signs of misfiring.
Thursday's 3-2 loss to the White Sox was the Ray's third on the bounce and while it would appear that his pitchers are the ones underperforming, Maddon laid the blame for this latest setback at the feet of his hitters.
"These are three games in a row pretty much cut from the same cloth, whereas we could have won all three with a little more offense," Maddon said. "We're facing good pitching, but we've got to figure out a way to put more runs on the board."
Since whacking the Yankees with 15 runs on 17 hits in their home opener, the Rays have managed just seven runs and 14 hits in three games.
Chicago starter John Danks surrendered only a sixth-inning solo homer by Carlos Pena in the series opener, counteracted by a two-run Jermaine Dye homer off Jeff Niemann.
The Rays finally put multiple men on base in the ninth, but managed just one run as Gabe Gross grounded out with two in scoring position to end it.
"We went through this last year a little bit, too," Jason Bartlett said. "We're going to start winning the close games; that's what we did last year. We just kept battling and got a big hit here and there."
Sounds something like a plan. Let's hope it comes to fruition sooner rather than later.
Thursday's 3-2 loss to the White Sox was the Ray's third on the bounce and while it would appear that his pitchers are the ones underperforming, Maddon laid the blame for this latest setback at the feet of his hitters.
"These are three games in a row pretty much cut from the same cloth, whereas we could have won all three with a little more offense," Maddon said. "We're facing good pitching, but we've got to figure out a way to put more runs on the board."
Since whacking the Yankees with 15 runs on 17 hits in their home opener, the Rays have managed just seven runs and 14 hits in three games.
Chicago starter John Danks surrendered only a sixth-inning solo homer by Carlos Pena in the series opener, counteracted by a two-run Jermaine Dye homer off Jeff Niemann.
The Rays finally put multiple men on base in the ninth, but managed just one run as Gabe Gross grounded out with two in scoring position to end it.
"We went through this last year a little bit, too," Jason Bartlett said. "We're going to start winning the close games; that's what we did last year. We just kept battling and got a big hit here and there."
Sounds something like a plan. Let's hope it comes to fruition sooner rather than later.
Tuesday 14 April 2009
Fifteen ways to beat the Yankees
On a night they raised the first championship banners in franchise history, the Tampa Bay Rays also exhibited why they feel capable of making it to post-season at the first attempt.
Carlos Pena hit a grand slam and drove in six runs Monday night, helping Scott Kazmir beat Chien-Ming Wang and the New York Yankees 15-5 in the home opener for the AL champions.
The Rays homered three times, ran up 17 hits, stole four bases, made some nice defensive plays and impressed manager Joe Maddon.
It got so bad for the Yankees that first baseman Nick Swisher pitched a scoreless eighth inning, the first New York position player to take the mound since Wade Boggs used his knuckleball in 1997.
The Rays toasted last year's achievements by hanging two large blue and white division and league championship banners above the left-field stands during a pre-game ceremony at a sold-out Tropicana Field.
Kazmir (2-0) allowed three runs and six hits in six 2-3 innings, including Swisher's solo homer in the fourth and Melky Cabrera's RBI single in the fifth. The left-hander struck out six and walked none.
Pena had a two-run double in the first off Wang (0-2), while Burrell and Jason Bartlett also homered for the Rays, who got two more RBIs from Evan Longoria.
It was quite a night, here's to many more at Tropicana this season. And perhaps this time next year we will be looking back to another night of banner unfurling.
Carlos Pena hit a grand slam and drove in six runs Monday night, helping Scott Kazmir beat Chien-Ming Wang and the New York Yankees 15-5 in the home opener for the AL champions.
The Rays homered three times, ran up 17 hits, stole four bases, made some nice defensive plays and impressed manager Joe Maddon.
It got so bad for the Yankees that first baseman Nick Swisher pitched a scoreless eighth inning, the first New York position player to take the mound since Wade Boggs used his knuckleball in 1997.
The Rays toasted last year's achievements by hanging two large blue and white division and league championship banners above the left-field stands during a pre-game ceremony at a sold-out Tropicana Field.
Kazmir (2-0) allowed three runs and six hits in six 2-3 innings, including Swisher's solo homer in the fourth and Melky Cabrera's RBI single in the fifth. The left-hander struck out six and walked none.
Pena had a two-run double in the first off Wang (0-2), while Burrell and Jason Bartlett also homered for the Rays, who got two more RBIs from Evan Longoria.
It was quite a night, here's to many more at Tropicana this season. And perhaps this time next year we will be looking back to another night of banner unfurling.
Friday 10 April 2009
Rays get off to flying start
If last season ultimately meant disappointment for the Tampa Bay Rays, they have swiftly put that behind them in notching a win in their opening three-game series against Boston Red Sox.
Matt Garza pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, and the Rays hit three homers off Daisuke Matsuzaka to 4-3 on Thursday. Evan Longoria had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Matt Joyce and Shawn Riggans also homered for the defending AL champions.
"We just wanted to establish ourselves early in the season, set the tone and let the people know it wasn't a fluke," said Garza (1-0), who allowed one run and three walks, striking out five to improve to 6-1 in his career against Boston. "We're here to battle for a while."
No one really thought that last season was a fluke, but it is nice to see the first win on the board all the same.
Matsuzaka (0-1) gave up four runs, nine hits and three walks in 5 1-3 innings. The Japanese star was MVP of the World Baseball Classic for the second straight time, but his season debut more closely resembled his performance in Game 5 of last year's AL championship series, when he gave up three homers in four innings before the Red Sox rallied from a seven-run deficit to win 8-7 and force the series back to Tampa Bay.
Boston had not lost an opening series since 1988, but the Red Sox have now lost consecutive regular-season series at Fenway Park to the Rays; Tampa Bay had not won a series in Boston in its previous 25 visits. In all, the Rays have won 13 of their last 19 games against the Red Sox, including the seven game AL championship series in which Garza beat Boston twice to earn MVP honors.
Tampa Bay now heads to Baltimore to play the Orioles, a team the Rays have beaten 12 straight times.
Matt Garza pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, and the Rays hit three homers off Daisuke Matsuzaka to 4-3 on Thursday. Evan Longoria had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Matt Joyce and Shawn Riggans also homered for the defending AL champions.
"We just wanted to establish ourselves early in the season, set the tone and let the people know it wasn't a fluke," said Garza (1-0), who allowed one run and three walks, striking out five to improve to 6-1 in his career against Boston. "We're here to battle for a while."
No one really thought that last season was a fluke, but it is nice to see the first win on the board all the same.
Matsuzaka (0-1) gave up four runs, nine hits and three walks in 5 1-3 innings. The Japanese star was MVP of the World Baseball Classic for the second straight time, but his season debut more closely resembled his performance in Game 5 of last year's AL championship series, when he gave up three homers in four innings before the Red Sox rallied from a seven-run deficit to win 8-7 and force the series back to Tampa Bay.
Boston had not lost an opening series since 1988, but the Red Sox have now lost consecutive regular-season series at Fenway Park to the Rays; Tampa Bay had not won a series in Boston in its previous 25 visits. In all, the Rays have won 13 of their last 19 games against the Red Sox, including the seven game AL championship series in which Garza beat Boston twice to earn MVP honors.
Tampa Bay now heads to Baltimore to play the Orioles, a team the Rays have beaten 12 straight times.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Rain delay, back today
After what seems like an eternal wait for the season to begin, Rays fans were forced to hang on just another day for the first pitch of the 2009 campaign.
Monday's opener, an ALCS rematch against the Red Sox was pushed back to today because of heavy rain forecast for the area around Fenway Park throughout Monday afternoon and evening.
The decision was announced just four hours before the scheduled first pitch, with most of the Rays players and coaches still at the team hotel, and no one seemed concerned that the delay would have any impact today's events.
"The weather's not going to be good, and I much prefer that we wait under those circumstances," Rays manager Joe Maddon said Monday as the drops began to fall. "As opposed to battling through inclement weather again, I'd rather do it this way."
Considering the last official contest they played, way back in game five of the World Series, took three days to complete because of poor weather, the Rays are used to this sort of delay.
Starting pitcher, James Shields, was not the only one to mention that this situation could have been avoided if the Rays had been the home team. "We definitely wouldn't mind being at the Trop right now because we wouldn't have this problem," Shields said.
Hopefully they won't have any problems today, and we can get the season off to a winning start. It's been a long time since Rays fans looked forward with such optimism, let's hope it is well founded.
Monday's opener, an ALCS rematch against the Red Sox was pushed back to today because of heavy rain forecast for the area around Fenway Park throughout Monday afternoon and evening.
The decision was announced just four hours before the scheduled first pitch, with most of the Rays players and coaches still at the team hotel, and no one seemed concerned that the delay would have any impact today's events.
"The weather's not going to be good, and I much prefer that we wait under those circumstances," Rays manager Joe Maddon said Monday as the drops began to fall. "As opposed to battling through inclement weather again, I'd rather do it this way."
Considering the last official contest they played, way back in game five of the World Series, took three days to complete because of poor weather, the Rays are used to this sort of delay.
Starting pitcher, James Shields, was not the only one to mention that this situation could have been avoided if the Rays had been the home team. "We definitely wouldn't mind being at the Trop right now because we wouldn't have this problem," Shields said.
Hopefully they won't have any problems today, and we can get the season off to a winning start. It's been a long time since Rays fans looked forward with such optimism, let's hope it is well founded.
Friday 3 April 2009
Lecavalier's work is done for now
Tampa Bay Lightning will be without inspirational captain Vince Lecavalier for the final five games of the season after the team announced last night he will undergo arthroscopic surgery on a wrist injury.
Lecavalier will be having the same procedure he was scheduled to undergo last summer before he injured his shoulder in the penultimate game of the season in Washington.
"I'm sure this is something that has managed throughout the year,'' said Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet to Tampa Bay Online. "Maybe mentally [it had an affect on his game] but it's hard for me to say it has because he never came to me and used it as an excuse because he's that type of player. But I'm sure it must have bothered him somewhat, mentally and physically.''
The surgery will be performed by A. Lee Osterman at the Philadelphia Hand Center later today. Osterman previously operated on Lecavalier's left wrist to repair damage to the triangular fibro cartilage during the summer of 2007 with a successful result.
"Obviously, it is disappointing that Vinny will not be able to finish the season, but we feel that it is in both his and the team's best interest to have the wrist operated on now," said Lightning general manager Brian Lawton. "Vinny has been battling this injury all season and I really can't say enough about his ability to play through the pain and discomfort."
Lecavalier's season ends one goal short of 30. But by getting the procedure done now, it ensures that he will have a full summer to train and be ready for the 2009-10 season.
He misses games at the Devils tonight, then in New York with the Islanders, before home games against the Penguins and Capitals and the season-ender at the Atlanta Thrashers.
Lecavalier will be having the same procedure he was scheduled to undergo last summer before he injured his shoulder in the penultimate game of the season in Washington.
"I'm sure this is something that has managed throughout the year,'' said Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet to Tampa Bay Online. "Maybe mentally [it had an affect on his game] but it's hard for me to say it has because he never came to me and used it as an excuse because he's that type of player. But I'm sure it must have bothered him somewhat, mentally and physically.''
The surgery will be performed by A. Lee Osterman at the Philadelphia Hand Center later today. Osterman previously operated on Lecavalier's left wrist to repair damage to the triangular fibro cartilage during the summer of 2007 with a successful result.
"Obviously, it is disappointing that Vinny will not be able to finish the season, but we feel that it is in both his and the team's best interest to have the wrist operated on now," said Lightning general manager Brian Lawton. "Vinny has been battling this injury all season and I really can't say enough about his ability to play through the pain and discomfort."
Lecavalier's season ends one goal short of 30. But by getting the procedure done now, it ensures that he will have a full summer to train and be ready for the 2009-10 season.
He misses games at the Devils tonight, then in New York with the Islanders, before home games against the Penguins and Capitals and the season-ender at the Atlanta Thrashers.
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