Rays' Maddon says Percival is still closer

TORONTO — Troy Percival's latest struggles have not shaken the confidence manager Joe Maddon has in him.

Maddon reiterated Sunday that Percival — who blew his fourth save Saturday and has allowed six runs and four hits in two outings since coming off the DL — will remain the closer.

"The only way I would mix somebody else in is if he's not available on that particular night," Maddon said. "If he's available, he'll go out there."

Percival, 39, said he feels fine, his injured right knee is not an issue and that the problem Saturday was simply mechanical, and he was "pulling" his pitches.

"He didn't make the pitches he wanted to," Maddon said. "He's been out for a while also, and I'm really considering that. He's probably just not throwing the ball exactly where he wants to yet, but he will."

In 24 appearances since first having leg problems in May, for which he has gone on the DL three times (left hamstring twice, right knee once), Percival has a 6.64 ERA, allowing 16 runs, 17 hits (including six homers) and 15 walks while converting 14 of 16 save opportunities. He is 2-1, 4.91 with 27 saves overall.

"His arm is fine, that's not the concern," Maddon said. "It's the rest of him I really have to be vigilant with."

BULLS WIN: Triple-A Durham advanced to the International League championship against the Yankees' Scranton/Wilkes- Barre team with a 9-1 semifinals-clinching win over Louisville. OF Jonny Gomes and C Matt Spring, who had six RBIs, homered to back starter Wade Davis. The best-of-five finals open Tuesday at Scranton.

JACKED UP: Edwin Jackson would seem to have a lot to prove in tonight's opener of the showdown series with the Red Sox. He's coming off his worst start of the season, he has never won in Boston (0-3, 8.18 in five games) and the Rays are skidding.

"There's no need to put any additional pressure on yourself because of the team (you're playing)," Jackson said. "You're looking at every game as big anyway. I think we definitely want to go in and try to get the ball rolling in a good direction and take first blood. That's always the plan."

GOOD GARZA: Starter Matt Garza has reason to love pitching against the Jays, having worked 38 innings over five starts this season and allowed only two earned runs, with a 251/3-inning scoreless streak ending Sunday. But he might hate it, too, with only a 3-2 record to show for it, losing 1-0 Sunday after winning 1-0 Aug. 27.

Sunday, he allowed only six hits, and the only run came when Adam Lind doubled to lead off the second, went to third on a grounder and scored on a sac fly.

Garza had seam marks on his right arm after being hit by a line drive in the fifth but stayed in and said he was fine.

BOSTON COMMON: Hanging on to first place would be great, but the Rays just need to win in Boston to prove they can, having gone 0-6 this season. "We really do need to win a game or two in Boston; I've said that from the very beginning," Maddon said. "It's just the mental hurdle you have to overcome by winning in that form of enemy territory."

SWINGING EVAN: 3B Evan Longoria took 30 swings at a ball on a tee and said his previously fractured right wrist felt fine. He will advance to tossed balls today but may not take batting practice until Tuesday. He is hoping to rejoin the lineup on Friday in New York.

MISCELLANY: Speedy switch-hitter Fernando Perez got his first start (in rightfield, ahead of Justin Ruggiano) and may get another tonight. … The Jays swept the Rays for the first time since Sept. 15-17, 2006. It was the fourth time this season the Rays were swept in a series of three or more games.

Comments on this article

by Kwame	Sep 10, 2008 10:48 AM
Yes, Percival is still the closer, only now he's closing games for the Rays opponents. Can anyone say "Al Reyes?"

by Lana	Sep 10, 2008 8:24 AM
Percival should be benched permanently. Gimme a break Madden, he has no c. Ever seen a pitcher with a gut like his? His fast ball is slower than a city bus. Don't sacrifice this team for one player!

by Woody	Sep 8, 2008 8:58 PM
Even when he HASN'T blown the save, his outings have been bad. He has a 90 mph fastball and can't locate it. What's the big deal with with letting someone else close until Pecival gets his location back? Not doing it can cost us the season.

by Tone	Sep 8, 2008 8:58 PM
converting 14 of 16 save opportunities!!!! for a closer that's worse than bad.

by Tone	Sep 8, 2008 8:57 PM
Hey Dave, Wheeler or Grant are far more than flavor of the month. They have performed consistly well all season where as Troy has sucked consistly all season. Watch more than 3 games and then give us your "input".

by Jeff	Sep 8, 2008 8:57 PM
Joe, you're a good man, but if you can honestly say that Percy has a better chance of pitching a scoreless 9th (or 13th) than Balfour or Wheeler, you're missing a good season. C'mon, we've come too far to not put our best out there.

by Buck	Sep 8, 2008 8:57 PM
I can't help but think that that if he lost even some weight, his knees would probably hold up better. So would the Rays' playoff dreams.

by Tone	Sep 8, 2008 8:50 PM
Thanks to Troy and Madden we will not win the division. The wild card is going to be a tooth and nail fight to the end. Thanks Troy!!!! Fat people everywhere are proud.

by CAROL	Sep 8, 2008 8:50 PM
All comments echo my feelings.I thought I was the ONLY one!Percival needs to get his ego in check, and put the good of the team in front of himself for a change! Everytime he comes in at least a walk and a homer, and last was grandslam & a BIG loss!

by Ron	Sep 8, 2008 8:50 PM
Loyalty is fine for dogs and first wives. This is baseball drop him or drop with him.

by Sox Fan	Sep 8, 2008 6:33 PM
USE TROY every game! ha ha ha -

by James	Sep 8, 2008 5:25 PM
I'm a huge Percival fan..followed him with the Angels. He started well. His injuries and getting on track CAN take time. Use him for an inning in middle relief. Wheeler should be the man until Percy can resume. It's a TEAM sport.

by don	Sep 8, 2008 5:22 PM
When will Maddon realize that Percy is washed up! To blow a season just because Maddon likes the old guy is ridiculous.

by dave	Sep 8, 2008 5:22 PM
I think Maddon should go with the flavor of the minute as his closer. Put in Wheeler or Balfour now, and then when they blow a save and fans over react, he should throw in somebody else. Doesn't Joe know baseball is about perfection???

by Mike	Sep 8, 2008 1:57 PM
LET TROY PLAY!! LET TROY PLAY!! in vero or montgomery, just get him the hell outta here!!!!

by Chris	Sep 8, 2008 1:39 PM
Joe's loyalty to Percy is going to kill this team. Not that they aren't doing it to themselves right now, but Joe is not helping the situation by sticking by this guy. Percy's pithcing has scared me for the past few mos. regardless of his record.

by bigbbfan	Sep 8, 2008 1:33 PM
Ironically ... the 9/20 freebee is a Percival figurine.

by Steve	Sep 8, 2008 1:32 PM
The numbers don't lie. Percival's ERA is not what you want from a closer. Sure, this was his first loss, but came at a crucial time--a time you expect your seasoned veterans to perform at the highest level. I like Percy's heart, but results matter.

by Kevin	Sep 8, 2008 1:30 PM
Using a 39 year old guy just off the DL in a 1 run save situation is nuts. The Rays failure to execute the fundamentals of the game in the past few weeks falls on Maddon. They still can't lay down a decent bunt.

by DIZ	Sep 8, 2008 1:24 PM
A closer with a 6.64 ERA since May??

by David	Sep 8, 2008 1:20 PM
Seems to be a concenses, Loyaly to Percival as a man is admirable. As a closer ... don't you get that "oh no" feeling in your stomach that the rest of us get?

by Michelle	Sep 8, 2008 1:19 PM
I'm having Mitch Williams flashbacks.

by Jay	Sep 8, 2008 1:17 PM
Troy, Do the right thing. You said it yourself, Balfour is ready..... and we know Wheeler is ready. This is easy. Tell Joe your shoulder hurts. GO RAYS. Win in spite of all this!

by MD	Sep 8, 2008 1:17 PM
If you have to let Percival pitch, let him throw the 1st inning, get it out of the way, & go from there. Could be a new ploy.

by Danny	Sep 8, 2008 1:15 PM
Here is a thought. If the Durham Bulls in Triple A can go to the championship series, why not just promote the entire team to the Majors and see if they can take us to the world series?

by Taterhead	Sep 8, 2008 9:59 AM
Good leader, weak arm - Wheeler or that big Aussie should be closing games out. Wake up Joe!

by Pete	Sep 8, 2008 9:56 AM
As long as Maddon has this assine loyalty to an over the hill closer, one can only assume that he has money on Boston winning the division.I would think that it's about team not friendship. For a supposedly smart guy he's dumb...and blind.

by Bill	Sep 8, 2008 9:48 AM
Even the best of the best at their chosen vocation have "blind spots". Percival is clearly Maddon's blind spot.He can't see what the rest of the world can plainly see: Percoical, is too old & finished. 3-good months through June, and nothing left.

by Ray	Sep 8, 2008 9:45 AM
Maddon said. "He's been out for a while also, and I'm really considering that. He's probably just not throwing the ball exactly where he wants to yet, but he will." Then Joe, you don't put him out there with only a one-run lead.

by Edgar	Sep 8, 2008 9:45 AM
I guess Joe Maddon wants to throw this good season all away. Just because you coached him with the Angels does not mean he is good. His days are behind him. Percival won a WS ring and also was on that Angels team in 95 that collapse to Seattle.