Percival to DL; Salas up

Troy Percvial was placed on the 15-day DL with cartilage injury in his right knee; RHP Juan Salas has been recalled from Triple-A.

Also, the Rays have signed second-round pick LHP Kyle Lobstein, hours in advance of the midnight Friday deadline. He had been considering a scholarship to Arizona.

Salas missed spring training due to extended visa problems but has been pitching well at Triple-A Durham, going 4-5 with a 2.62 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings.

RHP Grant Balfour seems likely to assume closer duties in Percival's absence.

Comments

[Gary Jordan]

Percival is 39 and obviously overweight.
If he cares about this team, he will drop some pounds will he is out and reduce the probability of injury when he returns.

[Kericr]

2nd - Gomes stayed up here too long, and even though The Yanks and the Sox are behind the Rays, Bay and Nady have been scorching since they joined their respective teams. Keeping Gomes up here and not trading for those two are potentially bad decisions.

I am surprised you actually used a stat to prove your point. You're on the wrong board to do that.

[Longtime Fan]

I remember when Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell played together for the Lakeland Tigers in Class A Florida State League. I saw them against the St. Pete Cardinals at Al Lang Field. (Hint: that's a long way from the big leagues)

You might have had Tigers season tickets but you clearly weren't paying attention to their farm system. Did you mean to say Al Kaline? He never spent a day in the minors. If you're trying to make a point you should have a basic knowledge of the facts.

Sending your winningest starting pitcher, (Sonny) who has been among the most consistent to the bullpen is not a smart move - I don't care whether you "coached" or not.

Rays scouts and player personnel experts watch Price pitch live and in person every 5 days, I'll take their word on when he's ready.

Salas would've been on the opening day roster if not for Visa problems, I trust him too.

[Fred]

The Gambler is right. Haven't you heard of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood? They spent very little time in the minors and look at them now!!!!!
Wait....what?....arm troubles?????

[Toby the Dog]

How about reaquairing Aubrey Huff,Hes now available.

[2nd Guessers]

Gambler, you just named 4 hitters who are long since retired. Joba came up pretty quick. He would have been a similar example you could have used.

I'm not saying Price would come up today and be horrible or great. He could be either. I've only seen him throw a couple times in college and a few highlights of him in the minors. Just like almost every fan with an opinion. The Rays have seen every professional pitch and probably every one of them in college last year. That's the point.

Their opinions mean more than everyone else's, especially when it comes to minor leaguers. And since they've turned this organization around so quickly, there should be less 2nd guessing their opinions in general.

[The Gambler]

This is the 3rd major league team that I have had season tickets for. There are just a few players that have made it with little or no time in the minor leagues. You ever heard of Trammel and Whitaker for the Detroit Tigers, check out how long they were in the minor leagues. how about Puckett and Carew for the Twins. the Twins and Red Sox have been getting their super stars to the dance. I agree most guys need several years to develop but here are some that can play the first year, especially a top draft pick. And by the way we all are entitled to our opinions, and just because ours does not agree with yours does not make either one of us a moron or stupid. I respect you opinion if you don't like mine that is fine but name calling is not called for.

[2nd Guessers]

Kericr, of course people are allowed to second guess once in a while. But it happens every single day on this site.

Nice examples by the way. Gomes is hitting .182 playing every day in AAA right now. That's fantastic!!! The Sox three games back since they traded for Bay. The Yanks have actually lost ground since they picked up Nady. And all this while the Rays lost Longo and CC. Boy those pickups have really made the difference.

And NOBODY in baseball thought Hamilton could pick up a bat after 4 years of not playing and immediately hit the way he did in the bigs. Not even the Reds, but at least they thought it was worth a look. Then THEY traded him. It's not like the Rays released Hamilton, they just took him off the 40-man roster. Whoopie, one longshot that came back to bite them.

[2nd Guessers]

Gambler, the Rays could blow it with or without Price. Whether the Rays blow it or not has nothing to do with when Price should be brought up. Price should be brought up when he's deemed ready by the people who got this team to first place.

It's not like the Rays big need right now is improving their well above average pitching staff. If the Rays blow it, it will be because pitchers who have done very well this year didn't get the job done. Salas alone isn't going keep the Rays out of the playoffs, and Price alone isn't going to get them there. If you have been coaching longer than I am old, then you should know that... and you've been coaching for a very long time. You should probably retire already.

[Kericr]

The 2nd guessers are right. You all should blindly hold faith as to what the Rays Front Office does and never ever second guess them. They never ever do anything wrong. Ever. They're always right, you're always stupid, and you should never talk about this team other than to say "oh, they're so great!" And "oh, they're soo good!" The Rays have been so bad for so long that you should be able to settle for mediocrity when it rears it's head, because it's always prettier than last place.

By the way, Josh Hamilton, Jason Bay, Xavier Nady and Jonny Gomes all said hi.

[The Gambler]

And for the record: I happen to have more years coaching baseball than you are old, there are others besides you guys that know a few things too.

[The Gambler]

We shall see!!!! When we blow it in the next 3 weeks then all you guys will be saying we should have brought up Price earlier. Good Luck Rays!!!!

[Re: 2nd Guessers]

2nd guessers is obviously right. The rest of you are absolute and utter morons with almost a laughable amount of Rays and baseball knowledge. This Rays front office and manager have done a miraculous job after previous team leaders did terribly.

[2nd Guessers]

It's funny that people on here are still constantly telling this front office (and manager) what they should be doing. They have the Rays in first place in mid-August in the toughest division in baseball.

Do you 2nd guessers still think the Rays left Delmon Young in the minors too long? He is nothing like what people said he would be. He never learned to hit for power above AA. His power numbers for a supposed power hitter are horrible and have been since he left AA. He's a slap hitter with a mediocre on base percentage.

[The Gambler is stupid]

"We like to leave our superstars in the minor leagues until they get pissed"

Price hasn't even had a full season in the minor leagues. You don't just bring a guy up because he is going to be a superstar.

The transition for Price has to be timed out like some of the others have said. You can't just call him up and throw him out there.

[Superman]

Price has pitched in the minors less than 4 months. The Rays aren't moving him slow at all.

The guy isn't Superman. He's been great so far in A and AA, but he didn't exactly tear it up in his first start in AAA. If they called him up to the majors instead of AAA, that start would have been a Rays loss.

What is wrong with what Sonnanstine has done this year? He's gone less than 5 innings ONCE this year, and that was the third game of the year. That is HUGE for the bullpen. Sonnanstine consistently gives the Rays a chance to win. Moving him out of the rotation would be a HUGE mistake. Check out how many times Kaz has gone less than 5 innings (in less starts than Sonny).

[glaring issue]

...and then there's the fact that bringing him up right now to rot in the bullpen instead of starting every 5 days and going 6-7 innings is a dumb idea.

DP only has 1 start at AAA and it wouldn't be in his OR the Rays best interest to rush him up right now.

[9equals8.com]

The Rays need to bring David Price up on their terms and let him settle into his new routine. Many of you may not know, but Price had a big zero in the way of proper warm-up/stretching routines when he came to the Rays (Vandy didn't teach him squat and overused his arm - that's another post). He's now settling into this routine and it's obviously working for him. If the Rays do bring him up and put him in the bullpen, he'll need to settle into a whole different routine and they should give him time to do that rather than bring him up and throw him in the fire. Price should join the Rays in early September so that he has time to prepare for the home stretch and be a contributor in the post-season. He's a special arm and it's not worth doing something rash with him on a moment's notice.

[The Juice]

Well, looks like there's a chance we'll get Bonds after all. At least we know the Rays don't mind a little past drug problems.

Here comes the juice.

[Because]

... and Price is on a schedule. The Rays don't want to screw around with him and throw him out of the pen on short rest.

[The Gambler]

I think we will find Salas to be a mistake. The move that should have been made was to bring up Price and let him pitch a game see how he can handle, thats really the only way you can find out. I would move Sonnanstine to the bull pin for a couple starts, I think he is a natural relief pitcher, can throw strikes, Jackson can't. We like to leave our superstars in the minor leagues until they get pissed, a first pick in the major leagues needs to get to the big leagues. What did they learn about Longoria sending him back down in the spring. You will never know those 11 wins could have been for the Rays. They need to get him up here and find out what he can do!!!!!

[Because]

Price just had a start two days ago. He wouldn't be able to throw out of the pen for another day or two. The Rays might need someone tonight after yesterday's game unless Garza goes very deep. And Salas has pitched great out of the pen this year.

[Steve]

With most teams signing players over 'slot' money,it has become a complete joke for them not signing players until the deadline in fear of angering Warden Bud Selig!

[NotRon]

Why David Price?

[IKnow]

Lobstein was an excellent signing. Rumor is they had something agreed upon a while back, but the Rays paid well over slot, and they wanted to wait until now to sign him so they wouldnt anger MLB.

[Ron]

Why not David Price?

[Dave]

After yesterday's game Garza and Salas will need to shut the Rangers down.

Good callup. Salas has pitched well for Durham.