The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.

click above image for boxscore

THE GOOD: Joaquin Benoit. The odds-on favorite for the final bullpen spot showed that his arm is healthy by working 2 innings. But unfortunately we still don’t know if he can work back-to-back games. And with a 2-inning stint yesterday, he won’t work today. There are only 3 spring games remaining after today…Reid Brignac. Brignac had 2 more hits and is now 19-52 (.365) this spring.

THE BAD: Rafael Soriano. Sure he gave up 4 runs in 1 inning. And sure he gave up a 2-run double and a 2-run HR to minor leaguers. None of that is good. But what in all likelihood really pissed off Joe Maddon was the failure to cover 3rd base on a bloop base hit in which Willy Aybar had to cover second base. That allowed both runners to move up a base and started the 4-run rally.

THE TELLING: Dioner Navarro started and caught 6 innings and should be ready for opening day…David Price threw 106 pitches and worked 6.2 scoreless innings in a minor league game giving up 1 hit and 1 walk, striking out 8…Dan Johnson accepted his outright assignment to Durham…Carl Crawford will make his 8th straight opening day start for the Rays. Only 12 other players have an active streak that long with their current team…James Shields will become the first Rays pitcher to make 3 opening day starts…The Rays will be introducing a new official hot dog in the next couple of days.

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

  • With a week before opening day there are “a couple of thousand” tickets remaining for Opening Day according to the Rays.
  • From Rays Renegade we learn that Train and Dierks Bentley have been added to the Saturday Night Concert Series this season. Dierks Bentley is a Country artist for you Gentiles. [Twitter]
  • Dale Thayer and Heath Rollins were reassigned to minor league camp leaving Joaquin Benoit and Mike Ekstrom for the final spot in the bullpen. Of course the Rays could also look outside the organization if they are worried Benoit is not ready for the regular season. [St. Pete Times]
  • Sport Illustrated picks the Rays to win the AL Wild Card and the AL pennant, but to lose in the World Series to the Phillies…So who gets the “SI Curse,” both teams, or just the Phillies? [Rays Report]
  • Dennis Maffezzoli spoke with Carl Crawford about his future and how he will approach this season, which in all liklihoodwill be his last with the Rays. [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
  • Jeff Fletcher of Fanhouse went through the Rays clubhouse asking what various members of the Rays know about Evan Longoria. [Fanhouse]
  • Yesterday we mentioned that BJ Upton helped recruit the GOP to the Trop. Now Rays Rev has a picture of Raymond sucking up to the GOP by wearing a suit. [Rays Rev]
  • Jonah Keri was interviewed by Fack Youk about the 2010 Rays. [Fack Youk]
  • Marc Topkin looks at the challenge Jason Bartlett faces working with a platoon at second base. [St. Pete Times]
  • Seth McClung has been released by the Marlins. [MLB Trade Rumors]

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