Rays replace injured Floyd with Hinske

Oct 26, 2008 - 11:38 PM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday removed injured veteran designated hitter-outfielder Cliff Floyd from their World Series roster and replaced him with Eric Hinske.

Floyd injured his right shoulder in a play at second base during Game Two.

"I think home either sliding back into the bag or something, he hurt his shoulder," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It was kind of a concern (Saturday) night. We had it all checked out, and thus he's not able to participate. So we've had Eric with us for a while. Eric has been working first base, third base, left and right field, pinch-hitter."

Hinske was squeezed off the postseason roster when Maddon elected to keep the more versatile Ben Zobrist and the faster Fernando Perez, but he has been traveling with the team throughout the postseason.

"(Hinske) did a great job for us this year," Maddon said. "Look at his numbers - 20 homers, I think he had 10 stolen bases, played a variety of positions, defensively well for us, really well, actually."

Hinske earned a World Series ring as a member of the Boston Red Sox in 2007 and hit .247 with 20 homers and 60 RBI in 133 games for Tampa bay this season.

"It's kind of bittersweet, you never want to see anyone get hurt," Hinske told MLB.com. "But I'm excited to be active and have a chance to help any way I can. So, I don't know if it will be pinch hitting - I definitely have a chance to pinch hit in a National League game - so whatever I can do to help, it will be fun."

Floyd, who hit .268 with 11 homers during the regular season, went 4-for-18 with a blast in seven postseason contests.

"So we hate losing Cliff," Maddon said. "Cliff has been a big part of what we're doing, he's still going to be here but (Hinske) has been ready, so we're going to flip him through there and use him in those different roles."