Notes: Snapping the Rays' skid

07/20/2006
MINNEAPOLIS -- Manager Joe Maddon says mental toughness will be the key as his team tries to break its offensive funk and current losing streak.
The Devil Rays wrapped up play on Thursday having lost a season-high seven straight games, which also tied a franchise record for consecutive losses immediately following the All-Star break. They were also a season-high 18 games under .500. Starting pitcher Scott Kazmir said earlier this week that the team isn't in panic mode yet, but Maddon said he wants to keep the clubhouse even-keeled.
"[The players] always want to see what you look like when you walk in the door," Maddon said. "They don't need to see a spread overturned and I don't think they need to see anything splattered on the wall.
"I think they need consistency on how you deal with them and how they react to you."
After Tampa Bay's 6-4 loss to Minnesota on Thursday, the Rays have tallied just 45 hits in their last 63 innings, while dropping seven games to the Angels and Twins. The club has scored only 17 runs during that span.
"I think, as a whole, the team just needs to stay positive," third baseman Ty Wigginton said. "And instead of focusing on getting a hit, we should concentrate on our approach in each and every at-bat."
Learning to win on the road: After losing all seven games of their road swing, the Rays' record away from Tropicana Field plummeted to 17-37 -- third worst in the Major Leagues.
Maddon admits the team's youth doesn't help with common problems, like staying at a hotel or dealing with the quirks of a foreign ballpark.
"As you get more experienced in the league, those things bother you less," Maddon said. "I think it's normally a veteran group that's able to do that more easily than a younger group."
The manager said he's already looked into a change of pace for the team's next road swing in New York, July 28-30, but didn't want to reveal specifics. Maddon would only say the new idea goes back to the old days, adding it won't involve a train ride.
"It's kind of hush-hush right now," he said.
Tough pitching during rough stretch: On its 0-7 road trip, Tampa Bay will have faced the American League's three best pitchers with the lowest opponents batting average. Minnesota's Francisco Liriano leads the AL with a .196 average and Anaheim's John Lackey is second with a .205 average.
Thursday's opposing starter, Johan Santana, is third, holding foes to a .220 batting average.
"We had the wonderful pleasure of seeing them all on one trip," Maddon said. "Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances to your demise."
Rays roundup: Second baseman Jorge Cantu returned to the lineup on Thursday, batting fifth, after sitting out Wednesday night's game. ... It's been more than two years since Tampa Bay beat Minnesota, but the last win came against Santana on June 3, 2004. ... The Rays will play 39 of their remaining 66 games at Tropicana Field.
Minor matters: Center fielder Darnell McDonald went 2-for-5 with a home run to extend his hitting streak to a club-record 24 games as Triple-A Durham fell to Scranton, 8-6, on Wednesday. Brian Stokes allowed seven runs -- four earned -- on seven hits and four walks in four innings to pick up the loss. ... Andy Sonnanstine tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out five and walking one as Double-A Montgomery beat West Tennessee, 7-0. ... James Houser allowed one run and three hit in six innings to give Class A Visalia a 4-1 victory over Modesto.

Source: http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/