Rays hit the field as AL Champs tomorrow - get ready

February 24, 4:26 PMTampa Bay Rays ExaminerRob Quinn

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Longoria will start tomorrow AP/Steven Senne

Finally. The wait is over and the Rays will take the field in Port Charlotte tomorrow at 1 p.m. for a real, live nine-inning game as American League Champs. The Reds will be in town as the Rays christen their new spring home at Charlotte Sports Park. What do you need to watch for out on the field?

Non-roster invitee Carlos Hernandez will get the start on the mound for the Rays. Hernandez last pitched in the big leagues in 2004 for the Houston Astros. The 28 year-old lefty has a career record of 9-8 with a 4.54 ERA. Hernandez is slated to pitch the first two innings before giving way to Jason Hammel.

Watch Hammel closely. He figures to be in contention for the fifth starter spot or a spot in the bullpen depending on how the next month shakes out. Hammel is set to pitch innings three and four against the Reds tomorrow. After Hammel, there will be a bunch of guys competing for roster spots taking the mound.

Veteran lefty Randy Choate will follow Hammel. Choate is the longest of long shots to make the Rays’ bullpen right now. Choate will be followed by Lance Cormier, who can’t feel very comfortable about his roster spot after the signing of Jason Isringhausen.

J.P. Howell, who does not have to worry about his roster spot, will get an inning tomorrow as well. The final two pitchers will be up-and-coming closing prospect Neal Frontz, and highly touted prospect Mitch Talbot, a long shot to fill either the final bullpen or fifth starter role.

The lineup will be pretty standard, featuring familiar faces who are in secure possession of roster spots. Here it is courtesy of Marc Lancaster over at TBO.com:

• Jason Bartlett SS
• Carl Crawford LF
• Evan Longoria 3B
• Pat Burrell DH
• Willy Aybar 1B
• Dioner Navarro C
• Ben Zobrist 2B
• Gabe Gross RF
• Fernando Perez CF

Of the starting nine hitters, only Fernando Perez figures to be in a battle to make the team, although Gross and even Zobrist better not tank this preseason. Be prepared to see plenty of substitutions, though, as this is the first game of the spring and the regulars will likely see only two at-bats.

The Reds’ starting lineup will be as follows:

• Willy Taveras CF
• Jerry Hairston Jr. SS
• Joey Votto 1B
• Brandon Phillips 2B
• Jay Bruce RF
• Edwin Encarnacion 3B
• Chris Dickerson LF
• Ramon Hernandez C
• Jacque Jones DH
• Edinson Volquez P

Rays’ hitters will be thrown straight into the fire their first time up this spring, as Volquez was one of the best pitchers in the National League last year.

The game will be aired at 1 p.m. on 1250 AM WHNZ, to listen live click here.

As excited as I am about tomorrow's game - let me know in a comment.

As always, e-mail me anything you feel like aside from opportunities to make thousands a week working from home at raysexaminer@live.com