Rays Notes: Rays To Wear “Throwbacks”, Farnsworth Starts Rehab, NDFA’s

The Rays have worn throwback journeys before, wearing the jerseys of former Tampa minor league teams like the Tampa Tarpons and Tampa Smokers. But they’ve never done anything like this. On June 30th versus the Detroit Tigers, the Rays will wear their throwbacks of the 1979 Tampa Bay Rays. Minor issue: the Rays didn’t exist in 1979! No matter. As Chris Creamer of Sportslogos.net reported, the Rays are going to wear fake throwbacks displaying what the Rays design would have looked like back in the 70’s.

"The uniforms include most of the classic elements of the uniforms of the era:the cap with the alternate coloured front-panelthe pullover jersey with sleeves in another colour from the basethick sleeve trim stripingand some good old-fashioned powder-blue"

This should be fun. And the 70’s group “Earth, Wind, and Fire” will perform following the game to cap things off. Only pity is that the Tigers will walk into the Trop and have legitimately no idea what’s going on. They’re not participating in the promotion.

Moving from boring Tigers to ex-Tigers, Kyle Farnsworth‘s rehab has begun with a 1 inning appearance at High-A Charlotte. For more on Farnsworth’s rehab appearance as part of our minor league recap, see here.

And now some draft-related news, the Rays have signed 25th rounder LHP Jordan Harrison. You can check out a scouting report on Harrison and all the other Rays draft picks over at our Rays 2012 Draft Profiles page. In addition, the Rays have signed their second non-drafted free agent, VCU right-hander Kyle Pelchy, first reported by the Hampton Roads, Virginia Daily Press.

Pelchy, a 6’2″, 190 senior, put up some solid numbers working between the bullpen and rotation for the Commodores in 2012, going 4-4 with a 3.70 ERA, 36 strikeouts, 14 walks, and 1 homer allowed in 12 relief appearances, 6 starts, and 58.1 IP. Pelchy features a high-80’s fastball that he struggles to command but also a curveball that has shown some impressive movement. Pelchy had been planning to join the Air Force, but the Rays came calling and we’ll have to see what he can do.