 03/30/2004 5:50 AM ET
Devil Rays notes: Roster change
Gipson added, Waechter sent to Triple-A Durham
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By Paul C. Smith / MLB.com |
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| Doug Waechter was named to the starting rotation early in Spring Training, but he had struggled recently. (Al Behrman/AP)
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TOKYO -- The Devil Rays made a roster move before Tuesday's Opening Day game, sending right-handed starter Doug Waechter to
Triple-A Durham and adding infielder/outfielder Charles Gipson to the roster.
The move was necessitated because Jose Cruz Jr. has a sore right calf muscle and because Damian Rolls taking over third base removes some of manager Lou Piniella's flexibility with his lineup.
"We are concerned with our health, obviously,'' Piniella said. "But there are other things, too.''
Waechter was named by Piniella as part of the rotation early in Spring Training but he has not been sharp lately, including Sunday's exhibition game against Hanshin.
"It's not a setback,'' Piniella said. "Waechter made the team out of Spring Training. But he needs to pitch. So he'll go down and make some starts and get sharper.''
Doug Waechter
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General manager Chuck LaMar said there was a numbers problem, too.
"We knew all along one of our starters had a chance to be skipped until the end of April,'' LaMar said.
LaMar and Piniella both said they did not give Waechter a timetable for an expected return to the Majors.
"That's the way baseball works,'' Waechter said. "I'm confident I'll be back soon. I've got a long career ahead and I'm not going to worry about it.''
The Rays, who have nine off days in April, will probably stick to a four-man rotation until at least April 24. They do have Damian Moss, Jorge Sosa and Chad Gaudin in the bullpen, all of whom have started in the Majors, if needed.
Gipson, signed Feb. 9 as a free agent, can play outfield and anywhere in the infield but catcher.
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