ST. Mario Addison Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Joe Torre, Tommy Lasorda and Jim Leyland were among the many friends and family members at Tropicana Field on Saturday to celebrate the life of longtime baseball man Don Zimmer. The tribute was held before the Tampa Bay Rays played Seattle. Zimmer, a senior adviser for the Rays, died Wednesday at 83 in a hospital in nearby Dunedin. Both teams wore Zimmers No. 23 Brooklyn Dodgers jersey as they lined up along the foul lines. Fans stood and cheered at the end of a video tribute. There is no funeral or other memorial service planned. More than 20 family members, including Zimmers wife "Soot" -- they were married at home plate during a minor league game in 1951 -- also attended. "A great life," Soot Zimmer said. "No regrets." Son Tom Zimmer, a scout with the San Francisco Giants, caught the ceremonial first pitch thrown by granddaughter Whitney Goldstein. Torre says Zimmer was "one of a kind" and "an institution." Zimmer was Torres bench coach for four World Series championships with the Yankees. "His loss creates a void in my life," Torre said. "I hired a coach who became a family member, basically. I think baseball is just going to miss the presence of him. He was a big teddy bear, theres no question about it." Zimmer spent 66 years in baseball as a player, manager, coach and executive. "I just hope that people remember what a great baseball man this guy was," Leyland said. "He was a character, but he wasnt somebody that you laughed at when you understood how much this guy knew about baseball. His passion for the game and his passion for people." "Its kind of an ironic day," he said. "Todays the day of the Belmont, as you know, and everybody knows how he liked horses. Family came first, baseball second, horses third. So, family is here today, were going to have a ballgame and the Belmont is today." Zimmer convinced Torre not to make ties mandatory when the Yankees travelled. Torre, who wore a tie Saturday with horses on it, removed it when the subject came up during the ceremony. Yankees star Derek Jeter made a video statement. So did Yankees manager Joe Girardi, whose first big league manager was Zimmer with the Chicago Cubs. "He made an impact like no else has," Texas Rangers senior adviser Tom Giordano said. The ceremony ended with "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" played on a bagpipe. "Perfect," Tom Zimmer said. "Emotional." Charles Johnson Panthers Jersey . Bortles, one of three quarterbacks vying to be the first taken in the NFL Draft in May alongside Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel, helped his cause by impressing scouts with a clean performance at the UCF Pro Day Wednesday, according to reports. Jonathan Stewart Panthers Jersey . -- As usual, Aksel Lund Svindal was super fast on this hill.WASHINGTON -- After watching his team commit four errors in a bad loss the night before, after putting Joey Votto on the disabled list before the game, after watching his team go hitless through the first three innings, Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price decided it was time for a pep talk. So he called a team meeting, right there in the dugout before the start of the fourth inning. "You know, sometimes you need a little kick in the butt," shortstop Zack Cozart said. "And he did it." And his team responded. The next two batters scored, supplying all the runs Cincinnati would need Thursday in a 2-1 win over the Washington Nationals that allowed the undermanned Reds to split a six-game road trip. "He really fired this lineup up," first baseman Brayan Pena said. "It was a very, very clutch speech from the skipper. ... I didnt know he could speak like that." Cozart started the inning with a double. Brandon Phillips followed with an RBI single. Devin Mesoraco reached on third baseman Kevin Frandsens error, setting up an RBI single by Pena that scored Phillips. Granted, it was only two runs, but the Reds lead the league in one-run losses. Their offence has been struggling without Votto and Jay Bruce, who came off the DL on Wednesday. The pair of runs were just enough to support Alfredo Simon (6-2), who weathered a 61-minute rain delay to allow one run over seven innings. "We have the ability to do more offensively," Price said. "And we know were better than weve performed. ... We can talk about treading water until we get whole again, but when you look at that lineup, its not a lineup thats going to embarrass me or any opponent. Thats a lineup thats going to go out there and have the ability to score runs." Yet, despite his players glowing words, Price didnt want to connect the dots between his speech and the fourth-inning rally. "I dont really care to talk about it," hee said. Charles Johnson Jersey. "We just got together collectively and decided to make a rally. ... Theres nothing really important or significant, to be honest with you." Simon gave up a leadoff homer to Denard Span in the first, worked out of a jam in the second, then allowed only three more baserunners as the Reds took two of three from Washington. Simon threw two innings after the storm. Jonathan Broxton handled the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman pitched a one-two-three ninth for his third save, hitting 103 mph on the stadiums radar gun while striking out Danny Espinosa. Tanner Roark (3-2) allowed six hits and two runs -- one unearned -- over six innings for the Nationals, who have their own share of lineup-depleting injuries and have been just as up-and-down as the Reds. "Right now, were banged up, man," Span said. "Its tough because I still feel like were playing good baseball, even with our circumstances right now." If nothing else, the game was notable because it contained overlapping replay and rain delays. Everyone was awaiting the ruling on a challenge by Price on Todd Fraziers steal attempt in the top of the sixth when the grounds crew came out with the tarp. The four-minute replay delay yielded no change: Frazier was out, as signalled by the four umpires huddled near the third base line in a downpour after players had scampered toward the dugouts. NOTES: Votto has missed six games with a quadriceps strain in his left knee. His move to the DL is retroactive to May 16. ... Bruce was reinstated but did not play. He had arthroscopic surgery May 5 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. ... Reds OF Ryan Ludwick was given the day off because of some swelling just above his kneecap. ... RPH Blake Treinen will be called up to start for the Nationals on Thursday, when they begin a road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. RHP Ryan Mattheus will be sent down the minors to open up the roster spot. ' ' '
