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Seo Hopes New Month Will Bring New Results

Published: May 2, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - Devil Rays RHP Jae Seo insisted Tuesday that by the time he takes the mound tonight against the Twins, his April doldrums will be forgotten.

"I'll be a different pitcher," Seo said.

Different is a good thing when your ERA (9.51) is the fourth-highest among American League starters and your opponents' batting average (.398) is the second-worst in the league.

Seo (1-2) lasted 1 1/3 innings in his most recent start, allowing five runs in an 11-3 loss to the Angels. It was the fewest innings for Seo in his 97 major-league starts.

Despite that, and despite the overall struggles, Rays manager Joe Maddon said Seo is not in danger of losing his job in the starting rotation.

"No. I hadn't even thought about that," Maddon said. "Last year, he pitched a lot of really good games and we did not score this many runs. Now, he's struggling a little bit. I just don't like jumping on and off bandwagons that quickly. I think he's going to be fine."

Seo, Maddon and pitching coach Jim Hickey discussed the pitcher's mental approach during a chat in Oakland, Calif., this past weekend.

"I think he's been a little bit confused, or trying to do too many different things," Maddon said. "We just tried to simplify it a little bit and get him back where he had been. I think if you look at it, I think he's notoriously a slow starter, anyway. So, we just tried to refocus his mind, have him understand to keep this thing simple."

There could be something to Maddon's theory about Seo as a slow starter; Seo has struggled in the month of April throughout his career. His lifetime ERA of 5.50 during the season's first month is his second-worst (his lifetime ERA in July is 5.85).

His lifetime ERA in May is 3.74.

Seo said he thought he had been "jumping" toward the plate as he pitched, which threw off his mechanics. He said bullpen work this past weekend helped him correct the flaw.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT … AGAIN: DH Elijah Dukes was caught stealing in the first inning, the major-league leading 15th time a Rays runner was thrown out trying to steal a base.

Through 26 games, Tampa Bay is on pace to be caught stealing 93 times. The team record is 73, set in 1998.

The AL record is 123, set by Oakland in 1976. Those same A's also set the AL single-season record for stolen bases by a team, 341.

HANCOCK MEMORIAL THURSDAY: Rays LHP Casey Fossum will be away from the team Thursday as he and his wife, Kim, attend a memorial service in Tupelo, Miss., for longtime friend and Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock, who was killed in a car accident in suburban St. Louis early Sunday morning.

Fossum and Hancock were teammates in the Red Sox's minor-league system. Hancock roomed with the Fossums in Sarasota in 2000, when both players pitched in the Florida State League, and they remained close until his death.

Hancock's family will hold a private funeral today. Hancock's Cardinals teammates will be flown by private charter to attend Thursday's service.

Fossum (2-2) will make his scheduled start Friday against the Athletics at Tropicana Field.

NOTEWORTHY: Twins CF Torii Hunter extended his career-best hit streak to 16 games with a seventh-inning double off the glove of Rays 3B Ty Wigginton. … Former NASCAR driver Richard Petty will throw the ceremonial first pitch for the Rays-Rangers game May 16 at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Petty also will sign autographs that day, from 5:45-6:45 p.m., at the first-base concourse area. … Twins RF Michael Cuddyer left the game with a bruised back after tumbling between second and third base as he tried to advance on a sixth-inning single by Justin Morneau.

Carter Gaddis