D-Rays tidbits............
The pitchers
PAUL WILSON: Wilson (1-5, 7.09) makes his team-high 10th start, though he still is searching for his first quality start (six or more innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs). Wilson leads the league with eight hit batters and is tied for the lead with 45 runs allowed.
DAVE MLICKI: Mlicki (3-3, 5.94) has the chance to do something he didn't do until July 17 last year: win his fourth game. Mlicki lost his three-game winning streak last time out when Baltimore scored seven runs in four innings. Against Tampa Bay, he is 4-0 with a 0.93 ERA.
Hitters vs. pitchers
Tigers vs. Wilson
No Tigers have faced Wilson.
* * *
Rays vs. Mlicki
(Batter, AB, H, HR,Avg.)
DiFelice, 2,0, 0,.000
Flaherty, 21, 7, 2,.333
Grieve,5, 2, 1,.400
Johnson,4,3, 0,.750
Martinez, 5,1, 0,.200
McGriff,28, 7, 1,.250
Vaughn,19, 4, 1,.211
Williams, 7, 1, 0,.143
Winn4, 1, 0,.250
Outta leftfield
Rays bench coach Billy Hatcher never pitched in the major leagues, but that doesn't stop him from pretending to be a pitcher now. Hatcher likes to work on some special pitches as he warms up for batting practice, deriving much pleasure from faking out whoever happens to be playing catch with him. Hatcher throws changeups, curves, even the occasional knuckleball, laughing while his partner works overtime to keep the ball in front of him. Saturday he displayed a new pitch, the "Slow-O Bend-O," Hatcher's version of a big curve.
Attendance report
SATURDAY'S CROWD: 13,304
TROPICANA FIELD CAPACITY: 44,445
SEASON TOTAL: 318,932
PER-GAME AVERAGE: 15,947
2001 LARGEST CROWD: 41,546
2001 SMALLEST CROWD: 11,056
2000 PER-GAME AVERAGE: 19,368
1999 PER-GAME AVERAGE: 19,296
1998 PER-GAME AVERAGE: 30,939
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Make mine a Double!,
Barfly
[This message has been edited by barfly (edited 05-20-2001).]