Spring training | Tampa Bay Rays proving there's no such thing as too much pitching

Early into spring training, Kevin Cash made what seemed to be a mundane comment when he told the media a team can never have enough pitchers.

At the time, the Tampa Bay Rays manager could not have imagined his words would ring so true.

But with the regular season set to begin on Monday, more than half of the Rays' projected starting pitchers are sidelined.

Alex Cobb, initially named the Opening Day starter and expected to be the staff ace, is out with right forearm tendinitis, and lefty Drew Smyly has tendinitis in his left shoulder.

Alex Colome, late to camp because of problems attaining his visa, developed pneumonia and is just starting to get back into shape.

Matt Moore is projected to start the season in June because of Tommy John surgery, and lefty bullpen ace Jake McGee also is rehabbing from elbow surgery.

It's a reason the Rays traded lefty Mike Montgomery on Tuesday for righty Erasmo Ramirez, whom Cash said would likely be a starter.

During parts of three big league seasons, the 24 year-old Ramirez compiled a 7-12 record with a 4.62 ERA in 47 games (35 starts). He started the Mariners' second game last season and is out of options, so he will be on the Rays' Opening Day roster.

Montgomery, who came to the Rays from the Kansas City Royals in the James Shields trade, showed signs of promise this spring with a 2.38 ERA in 11 1/3 innings over six games. In seven minor-league seasons, he has a 4.28 ERA in 155 games (150 starts).

A career starter, Montgomery began the spring as a bullpen hopeful and when the injuries hit became a candidate for the fifth starting spot. There is concern in some circles because the Rays are not deep in quality lefties. But Ramirez has big-league experience, and Montgomery has none.

Prior to the trade, the Rays' starting rotation looked like Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi and Nathan Karns, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals during the offseason.

Ramirez could be the fourth starter, replacing righty Matt Andriese. The Rays won't need a fifth starter until April 14th because of their schedule.

In some ways, Karns has been a spring training savior for the Rays. His 17.1 innings on the mound this spring are second highest on the club. He has held opponents to a .226 batting average with a 4.67 ERA.

"He has improved on the things we've asked him to improve on from day one. He's taken the challenge and exceeded it and manages different situations really well," Cash said.

Karns credits a change in attitude for his improvement this spring, saying he concentrates on the moment more than the past or future.

"I might have got caught up thinking further up the road and getting away from what I needed to do that day. This year, I just focus on what I need to do, and it just took all the pressure off me," Karns said.

With the starting rotation in flux, Cash is reluctant to name a closer and said he might go through the season using a closer-by-committee approach, at least until McGee comes back, hopefully before the end of April.

"There's going to be guys that we'll lean on to pitch in those leverage situations," Cash said. "It just doesn't make sense to me to come out and name a closer when the game can be on the line in the seventh and eighth inning."

Noteworthy

Desmond Jennings continued his torrid hitting, going 2-for-3 with a double to raise his spring batting average to .463 in the Rays' 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday in Tampa.

First baseman James Loney went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI, and Kevin Kiermaier, who is slated to open the season in center for the Rays, went 1-for-3 with a double. Five Rays pitchers allowed only four hits. Jordan Norberto started and went two innings, allowing two hits and three walks. Grant Balfour threw one inning of hitless ball and had a strikeout.

Tampa Bay visits the Philadelphia Phillies at 1:05 p.m. Thursday in Clearwater. Archer, who is scheduled to pitch the Rays opener on Monday, will start Thursday. The Phillies are scheduled to start Jerome Williams.

This story was originally published April 1, 2015 at 8:01 PM with the headline "Spring training | Tampa Bay Rays proving there's no such thing as too much pitching ."