Price’s change-up looks good in spring debut

PORT CHARLOTTE — The Tampa Bay Rays want David Price to have a major league change-up before he gets to the major leagues, and Price did his best Tuesday to show them how far his change-up has come along during his first appearance of the spring.

Price pitched two innings against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays at Charlotte Sports Park, walking the leadoff hitter in each inning but striking out three.

“He threw the ball well,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “His velocity was good. I know he struggled a little bit throwing his fastball for a strike, but he threw some really good change-ups. He had some really nice change-ups, some real nice sliders. Physically, his velocity was really good.”

Price, who entered in the seventh inning, started his day by throwing six straight balls but recovered to strike out Brad Emaus for the first out of the inning. He used his change-up to get Brian Dopirak to bounce into a 1-6-3 double play in the eighth, then got Sean Shift to look at a change-up for a called third strike to end the inning.

“It felt good to finally be out there,” Price said. “It went all right. I can’t complain. I kept zeroes on the scoreboard, so that’s what you’re going after.”

Price is one of four pitchers vying for the fifth spot in the rotation but appears headed back to Triple-A Durham, where he can work on his fastball command, his change-up and gain more experience. Last year was the first year of pro ball for the top pick in the 2007 draft, and the Rays don’t want to put too many innings on his left arm this season.

Price said he’s not worried about any of that.

“All I can do is throw well,” he said. “There’s a bunch of different stuff going on with that, so (I will) just go out there and have fun.”

Perez out with wrist injury

Center fielder Fernando Perez injured his left wrist diving for a bloop fly ball by Travis Snider in the first inning. He left the game and was examined by doctors in Port Charlotte.

Rays vice president of baseball Andrew Friedman did not want to reveal too much of those results because they were forwarded to the Rays’ team doctors for a second opinion.

Friedman did say that Perez will be out at least a week.

Perez had a chance to make the Opening Day roster if B.J. Upton is not ready to return from shoulder surgery.

3-4-5

Maddon used Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena and Pat Burrell in the three, four and five spots in the order for the first time this spring, primarily because it was the first time Pena and Burrell were available on the same day.

Pena missed the first week of games while he rehabbed his lower abdominal muscles that required surgery in January, and Burrell missed the previous four games while he attended his sister’s wedding in San Francisco.

Maddon will use those three in that order when the regular season begins.

“I kind of like the way it sets up,” Maddon said. “They are all high on-base percentage guys. They are all like that. They accept their walks. It’s kind of a nice little trio.”