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Two show value of perseverance

It has been a year of wonderful comebacks for the Rays organization thanks in large part to a signed, released and re-signed 22-year-old and a twice-operated-on discard from the Yankees organization.

Gerardo Garcia and Luis de Los Santos have been two of the most compelling stories in Tampa Bay's minor-league system.

Garcia earned his promotion from Double-A Orlando to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday after compiling a 2-1 record with a 2.79 ERA. He became the first Orlando player in 24 years to pitch a no-hitter May 22 against the Tennessee Smokies. It was the third no-hitter in Rays history.

Garcia's trip to Durham was unlike that of most prospects. An undrafted free agent, he signed with the Rays in 1999 only to be released 18 months later and re-signed during the offseason.

He made his Durham debut Friday against Columbus, pitching five shutout innings for the victory. He gave up two singles, a double and a walk and didn't allow a runner past second base.

De Los Santos also took a somewhat circuitous route to Durham, starting out as a top Yankees prospect before enduring some nasty injuries.

Since the 1999 season de Los Santos has had an operation on his right elbow and reconstructive surgery on his right knee to repair the anterior cruciate ligament. He entered this season having pitched four games (all rehabilitation assignments in the Yankees organization) since the 2000 season began.

It appears as though that rest may have done him some good.

Signed by the Rays as a free agent in November, the 6-foot-2 right-hander has put together a 4-0 record and allowed one earned run in his past 23 innings. De Los Santos was named the International League's pitcher of the week this week after going 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE STARS GONE?: Less than two weeks after finding out they had three South Atlantic League All-Stars on their roster, the Class A CharlestonRiverDogs are wondering where they all went.

Infielder Irwin Centeno was promoted to high Class A Bakersfield on Thursday, one day after the RiverDogs watched pitcher Austin Coose make the same trip west. Those moves left pitcher Jarod Matthews as the lone All-Star in Charleston.

Coose's move followed his being named the organization's co-pitcher of the month for May with Bakersfield's Mark Malaska. As a RiverDog, Coose was 2-1 with a 0.32 ERA, allowing one earned run in 281/3 innings, striking out 39 and walking nine.

Centeno led the RiverDogs in runs scored and stolen bases and was second in hits, walks and RBIs.

HOT STREAK: Bakersfield's 4-3 win over Modesto on Monday night was the Blaze's fourth in a row. The California League team has won six of its past seven games and 22 of 30 since a May 9 brawl at San Jose.

Sometimes you would be able to pin that success on either pitching or hitting, but in this case credit goes to both. Bakersfield pitchers are second in minor-league baseball with 612 strikeouts, and the Blaze batters lead the California League with 641 hits.

Evan Rust continues to lead minor-league baseball, picking up his 21st save Monday.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: Last season Matt Diaz lit up the California League, hitting .328 with 17 home runs while being named the Blaze's player of the year. All those numbers were a major improvement from his career bests as Diaz said he was concentrating on his hitting.

This season, the Orlando outfielder seems to be concentrating on his baserunning.

Through Monday's games, Diaz (17th-round selection in 1999) had a career-high 15 stolen bases. In his first three seasons of pro ball, Diaz had 19 steals combined.

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