Rays pitchers benefit from early rainout decision

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Given the nasty front that soaked the west coast of Florida on Thursday morning, the fact that the Rays-Orioles game in Sarasota was cancelled didn't surprise anyone.

The Rays were just appreciative that the game got called early.

"When you do it this way, and I've got to give the Orioles credit for stepping up on that, because we've got to drive [on the bus north on Interstate 75 to Sarasota] and then if we go up there and it gets cancelled, it really makes for a miserable day mentally for a lot of people," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "And it's not just the players, it's the support group and everybody else that's involved with this, so thanks to the Orioles that they did that. It permitted us to get our work in, and have a decent day and move on to the next one."

Having the pitchers who were scheduled to pitch on Thursday get their work in proved to be the most significant thing accomplished by the Rays.

"That's always the most important thing," Maddon said. "The players could use a day off -- especially the catchers today. ... If there was a scheduled off-day today, I would have been happy to begin with."

David Price would have started against the Orioles on Thursday, so he led off the parade of hurlers getting in their work. First, he threw on the field at Charlotte Sports Park before moving underneath cover to finish his work in the batting cages.

"David, I was watching him, whether it was on the field or in the cage area, so focused, so into it," Maddon said. "[Josh] Lueke threw the ball really well, [Alex] Colome, they were totally into what they were doing. And Heath Bell, I had a chance to stand behind the cage and watch the movement. So mission accomplished regarding the pitchers. I think the fact that we made the audible as early as we did ... and with that, I think we were able to get the primary stuff done."

Price appeared pleased with his work, telling reporters he did not feel as if Thursday was a setback like having a washout would be later in the spring, when he needed to get in more pitches to stretch himself out for the beginning of the season.

"But right now, I don't think so," Price said. "Still being able to go out there, still being able to get your work in, still have hitters in the box. I threw my pitches as hard as I could."

Hitters stood in against Price on the field and in the batting cages, only they didn't swing when they were in the cages, prompting a smiling Price to note: "Struck out a bunch of dudes in the cage."

"It was really good today," said Price, who got up and down three times. "... It's more about the ups and downs than about pitches [at this point]."