CLEVELAND — The last two games before the four-day All-Star break might seem like an odd time to rest two of your best young players, even if they are struggling.
But manager Joe Maddon put CF B.J. Upton, hitting .216 since June 15, on the bench Saturday and will decide this morning whether to play LF Carl Crawford, who went 0-for-5 Saturday to extend his career-worst slump to 0-for-25.
With Upton, it was a matter of a mechanical flaw in his swing, which had been an issue before, that Maddon and hitting coach Steve Henderson noticed.
"I just wanted to give him a day off. I know there's not many days left, but I just feel like he's been pressing a bit," Maddon said.
Upton sounded okay with the move, saying Maddon was "definitely" right about the flaw without saying what it was and he was willing to go along with whatever worked best for the team. He will be in the lineup today.
"It's a situation where we need runs and I haven't been getting the job done, so maybe it's time for me to take a little breather," Upton said.
Crawford said his problems are physical, the result of making an unexpected, and unwanted, start in centerfield Monday. He said he agitated his left hamstring trying to make a play on a ball over his head, and it has made him uncomfortable at the plate since, unable to set up properly or get any drive off his back leg.
His hitless streak started with his second at-bat of that game, and he said he can only hope rest during the break helps.
"I'm just trying to do what I can," Crawford said. "I know it looks bad, but I'm in a no-win situation. You don't play and people say you're not helping the team; you play and you look like I'm looking now and people say you look terrible. So I just have to go through it, take the bad and know it will get better."
DIFFERENT VIEW: Maddon didn't agree with LHP Scott Kazmir's premise that their struggles were the result of players being more focused on what other contenders are doing during games than their own play. "I really don't think that's an issue at all," he said. "I haven't really gotten that out of the group."
REHAB REPORT: RHP Troy Percival, on the DL since July 1 with a left hamstring strain, threw 26 pitches off the mound, felt good and said that under a "best-case" scenario he could throw to hitters during Thursday's workout at the Trop and be activated Saturday. "It's the first time I've pitched without having my leg taped up in six weeks, and it felt great," he said.
But Maddon said they'll be cautious, wanting medical evidence that Percival, who was on the DL earlier with a similar problem, is indeed better.
"He's gonna wanna push it, and I know that and I appreciate that, but I really don't want to have any other setbacks for the rest of the season if that's possible," Maddon said.
FOR STARTERS: It's still considered tentative, but the planned rotation for the second half starts with RHP James Shields, followed by Kazmir, RHP Matt Garza, RHP Edwin Jackson and RHP Andy Sonnanstine.
CLEVELAND DOESN'T ROCK: The Rays have lost 12 straight at Progressive Field, their longest skid at an opponent's ballpark. They'd lost 11 at Yankee Stadium and Oakland.
MISCELLANY: Maddon's ESPN "Sunday Conversation" is on today, starting with the 10:30 a.m. SportsCenter. … Montgomery reliever Eduardo Morlan is a member of the World squad in today's All-Star Futures Game (ESPN2, 12:30 p.m.). … Top 2007 pick LHP David Price improved to 4-0, 1.38 for Montgomery with a seven-inning complete game in a 2-1 win over Mobile. RHP Jeremy Hellickson fell to 0-2, 6.53 in a 4-3 loss in the nightcap, allowing all four runs on 10 hits in six innings.
[Last modified: Jul 13, 2008 08:11 PM]
696249
SHOW_AD
Loading comments...
Subscribe to the Times
Click here for daily delivery of the St. Petersburg Times.
News
