Percival: I'll be fine

Troy Percival said the problem that he was having in Wednesay's game didn't have anything to do with  his right knee, for which he had been on the disabled list, but a stiff back.

"My knee was fine,'' Percival said. "The first time I got up I was actually pretty good, but that last time when I got up my back locked up on me and I had a hard time bending over reaching my spots. I don't anticipate any problems.''

Percival, who has been shaky in four apperances since coming off the DL, allowed a leadoff double and then walked his next two hitters on five and four pitches before being taken out of the game.

Manager Joe Maddon said he would wait to get an update on Percival's condition on Friday before deciding how to proceed with the closer's role, and whether to start mixing in others such as Dan Wheeler and Grant Balfour.

"We've done it both ways this year,'' Maddon said. "We're definitely a better team if Percy's well, absolutely we're better. We'll just see how it all shakes out by Friday and then we'll figure that out.''

Percival said he was confident he could resume his duties, but allowed he "might need a day off here and there.''.

Comments

[carl]

Dave: Thanks for the kind comments. Insults in an argument don't really make a point, do they?

If you read what I wrote and took the time to comprehend it, you would have understood I am not wholly disagreeing with you. Where I think we disagree is whether or not he will be an asset later on. I think he will. I won't speak for you.

Further, just because I disagree with you does not mean I am "blind, stupid or both". I simply disagree.

In the meantime, consider the following: 2 billion people in China and 1 billion in India will wake up tomorrow and not know Troy Percival exists. 60% of the world's population doesn't know and doesn't care. Now how significant is Percival's ability to throw a baseball? I would say squat. your thoughts?

[Joisey]

Tonights score (if it doesn't rain) Da Devil Rays --oops! Rays 9 My old team The Yanks 6. Scenario-Rays up 9-1 in the ninth Percy gives up 5 and Balfour strikes out three. Final Rays 9-6. Go Rays!

[Dave]

Carl - you are either blind, stupid or both. Percival loaded the bases on 10 pitches. 1 hit, 5 pitch walk and a 4 pitch walk. This guys needs to be kept as far from the pitchers mound as possible. He's DONE!

[percy]

Darn, if those statistics posted by Warren Peck are accurate, I really have no business going back out there again this year. I didn't realize I was throwing quite that bad but stats don't lie. I busted my butt, gave it all I had, bled for the team and would go to battle with them but when I see proof on paper, I can't argue and as Porky once said "that's all folks" !!!!!

[chadorvella]

You morons better lighten up on Percival. He is just now coming around and he and I will solidify this bullpen in the postseason, once I am eligible to participate. There is also inside info that Rudy Lugo, Harper, Reyes and even Lance carter will be available for action. We are so amped we can't wait to show our collective stuff and ya'll will be proud of us again.

[Go Rays!]

Sorry, Percy had a great start with us. This isn't out of the blue. He had a terrible season with the Tigers in 2005 going 1-3 and had a 5.76 in 25 innings. The guy has run out of steam.
You also have to grant the psychological factor... Tuesday night, Sox up 4-3 with Papelbon coming in...who was thinking we were going to win? Most of us thought Papelbum would shut us down. Opposing teams don't think that about Percival. They don't. The Red Sox saw him come in and started salivating. Sorry. I like Troy, I like what he did for this team. It is enough already. Balfour gets Zaun out and we are even closer to a clinch. I know, woulda shoulda coulda...Percy is donw.

[Kevin]

If the Rays can't take much better advantage of their scoring opprtunities in the post season it will not matter who the closer is becasue he'll never get out of the bullpen.

[Patrick]

I've been writing in never getting on. I'm so glad that so many see it like I do with Percival. When a pitcher inherits runners they don't count on HIS era, factor that into Percivals' record.If he was a starter he would have a 8.00 plus era. It is no wonder why he is getting hurt, he is out of shape. If he worked on his core strength and lost 30 pounds his fastball may get some jump. As well as being more flexible may allow him to hit the spots
People need to evaluate CONTROL AND MOVEMENT. Use him for B.P

[warren peck]

maddon has a hard time pulling the trigger. he wouldn't sit gomes, when it was difficult watching gomes try to hit a right -handed pitcher. but in the playoffs, managers bad decisions are magnified ten fold. go rays, the future is bright.

WARREN PECK, no one can defend that...the defenders of Troy have not watched the games to see what the blind can. Madden and Troy are going to kill our season, and if they don't then the Ray will have overcome more than the laws of physics. Madden cannot put that game killer out there anymore.

Maddon, I love you but... BUNT for sacrifice. It works well when executed correctly.

Leave percy out unless you have a 10 run lead. he is not the same guy from the 1st half.

Otherwise, GREAT JOB TEAM!

Ron and Ian are entertainment and I enjoy listening to them. If you want the facts; listen to the stif fin the afternoon.

[Carl]

When Percival gave up the home run to Zaun in Toronto, two of the runners were on base from ground balls. One found a hole up the middle and the other was to the left of Iwamura who was positioned close to 2nd base. Neither of the balls were hit hard or sharply. The double he gave up last night was not hit very hard either. He is not pitching as well as he did earlier in the year but he is not pitching terribly. I do believe he needs to come to the realization he cannot butt heads with Maddon on the mound and accept he may not be physically capable all the time. He should have told someone his back stiffened up BEFORE entering the game. He looked robotic out there.

Closer by committee will work just fine. I never understood why one person had to be the closer. Everyone else is used in matchups. Why not the closer?

Regarding Ron and Ian: Ron Diaz simply spews whatever is written in the Times sports section. You can practically hear him thumbing the pages. I like Ian but I would say he knows a great deal about football and a great deal less about baseball. I think he gives a lot of insight into the workings of players minds regardless of the sport simply because he has been there. Diaz is a loudmouth who thinks anyone who disagrees with him is stupid and should not be heard, especially those who don't share his just to the right of attila the hun political views. His saving grace is his philanthropy. He works hard for others and has fun doing it and for this he should be admired. But sports talk radio is NOT his core competency.

Go Rays!

[Paul]

Anyone remember Mitch Williams of the Phillies in the world series? He admitted he lost his stuff towards the end of the season but the manger kept putting him in. Reminds me of Maddon. We are winning despite Percy not because of him. It's rough going through this again. I hope Madden sees it.

[9equals8.com]

It's more about the team's confidence in Percy. They need to know that the Rays will hold the lead if they get it into the 9th. Look at last year when the offense knew it wasn't worth the effort to play tenaciously because the BP would blow it. Now, the BP is STRONG and the timely hitting is coming. The team needs to have confidence in the closer and I think that the team does have confidence in Wheels and Balfour in that role (even though Wheels has not been perfect either). I am really hoping that Percy will take a few weeks off, get healthy and be able to give the Rays a couple of good appearances in October. Do the right thing for the team, Percy, get yourself healthy.

[WARREN PECK]

PERCIVAL'S LAST 5 GAMES---2.2INNINGS---5 HITS---6 WALKS----8 EARNED RUNS---ERA 27.00. HOW CAN ANYONE DEFEND THAT?

[Ray of Sunshine]

Percy scares me to death, too but I'm gonna trust Maddon's judgement. He's pushed all the right buttons this year. Besides, as previously pointed out, pitching's not the problem. We would be beating all of our opponents bloody if we could just hit with RISP. As for 620 WDAE, I would take anything they say with a grain of salt. They don't know and don't care about baseball. All they want to do is stir up controversy. I haven't listened to them since the great Chris Thomas passed away. Chris was such a humble gentleman with a dry sense of humor. Now they have Duemig, who's just a bombastic blowhard, and Ron and Ian, who are idiots.

[Larry of Lutz]

I agree Percy was strong at the beginning of the season, but it ain't the beginning of the season anymore. While we would not be where we are today with out him, he is not producing right now. He is not healthy!!

I see all of the stats, and realize the blown saves are relatively low. You can not compare his blown saves to other closers, it is blown saves against opportunities.

That said, my problem with him really since the Cubs series is confidence. He does not instill confidence. He needs a couple of runs for cushion. He does not shut teams down, he makes it too interesting with lots of walks, hits, etc.

The ERA is the biggest tale to me. On a quality team, the closer can not have an ERA over 5, that does not work.

Look at the closers on the top teams in the AL (and likely the teams the Rays would face in the play offs).

F. Rod 2.45
Nathan 1.05
Papelbon 1.89
Jenks 2.33

Also look at Soria - 1.77 and Rivera - 1.43.

Just remember, you can not just look at the # of saves.....Lance Carter had 26 saves in 2003 against 63 Rays victories that year.

[McCain]

Percy is ok, he is healthy and he and Joe were just playing chess with the RedSox to accomplish 2 things; get Timlin in and then let the Sox "think" they had a chance, when the plan was to have Hammel as the terminator. We call this hardly ever used experiment "the Ray surge"....

[rocco]

where are all you Jason Bay fans after his performance last night? Guess an ofer 7 with 3 k's added in and leaving a bunch on base put a damper on things, right?

[Tim]

one more stat for all you Percival haters.. how many games have we actually lost when leading after 8 innings ?? I think the answer is 2 ...

[Ray F]

rayalan,

Don't think I was meaning something bad about Percy, I was confused at what I thought I saw and wondered if people saw the same thing. The more I watched, it seemed directed at Pena, but someone said earlier that he may have been referring to Ortiz who acted like a jackass in his at-bat. That makes a whole lot more sense.

[credence of clearwater]

Troubling about Percy: Hows come he doesn't know or won't admit when he's damaging the team by staying in the game? That doesn't boad well for a future as a coach.

[Kimm]

I agree, Percival is great when he is healthy, but he is not healthy and it's time for everybody in the Rays Management to realize it. We're coming down to the home stretch here and making the play-offs are more important then letting somebody play because of the role he use to have. Everyone watching, except Maddon, can see that he hasn't got it right now. So be the Manager and make the decision that is best for the team. A pitcher with an ERA of 4.3 should definitely not be the "go to guy." If Percival were thinking about the team he would put himself on the DL.

[rayalan]

I recorded the game last night and have reviewed the mound exhange, (at least four times), between Percy and Madden and the group on the mound and there is no way that Percy said anything derogatory toward Pena. Pena had been giving Percy words of encouragement as he does with all of the pitchers. You can see from the expression on Percy's face that his comment was not particularly vengeful or even heated at that moment. He may not be particularly effective now but in reviewing Pena's face at the time of the comment there was no reaction that there would have been if he had said what someone had attibuted. I am always amazed at how people want to think the worst or are so quick to believe rumors.

[9equals8.com]

As anyone that has read my posts knows, I like Percy a lot and think he is a key piece of this team and this bullpen. Just as Navarro deserves a lot of credit for the starting 5 and bullpen success this year, so does Percy. Just ask Balfour, Howell, and some of the other young arms and they will tell you how much he's helped.

Additionally, he started the year ON FIRE and was shutting down everyone he faced. That was when he was 100% healthy. I contend (as I've said before) that Percy is still a top shelf closer when he's healthy. But, since coming back from his first trip the DL he has not been the same.

Here are the numbers on Percy:

April: 9 games, 9 Innings, 9 Strikouts, 5 saves, ERA=0.00

May: 13 games, 12.1 Innings, 12 Strikeouts, 9 saves (of 11 tries), ERA=5.11 (but, he only really had 1 bad game where he gave up 3 runs - exclude that game and his ERA is in the low 3's for May).

June and July were not terrible, but Percy looked vulnerable with a 4-5 ERA and started to show signs of his injuries taking their toll (depending on how you measured it).

1st DL - 5/29
2nd DL - 7/2
3rd DL - 8/16

Since returning from the 8/16 DL, here are his #s:

4 Games, 2 1/3 Innings, 1 Strikeout, 1 Save, 5 walks, 5 hits and 7 EARNED RUNS!!!

The reality is that Percy is not healthy and his body does not heal like a 25 year-old. He needs to get healthy (100%) and he can help this team. A less than healthy Percival hurts this team and Joe knows that. I hope Percy will do the right thing and not continue to insist that he's fine. I know he wants to be part of this team and its amazing season (and he has been a BIG part), but the best thing he can do now is step aside and get 100% healthy. The Rays may need him in 1 month's time and we need a 100% healthy, not a limping Percy.

[skp]

percy looks like a liability right now in a serious way...that being said, everytime i think that maddon should give up on a guy and he ends up sticking with him, joe has been right and i have been wrong. so, i guess he gets the benefit of the doubt here.

[Ron and Ian]

Ron: I had sushi last night and the bill was only $39. Oh, the Rays played good and I saw the last few innings.

Ian: mmmmm, hamburgers. Oh, I didn't even watch (THE BIGGEST GAME IN RAYS HISTORY), but I know all about Rays baseball, you bum, Tampa Bay fans that don't go to the games. The Rays magic number is 18 (actually, idiot, it's 16) and this is the best story in hamburgerland...err...baseball.

Ron: I love New York. I could totally live here. Tampa is so boring. I hate Tampa (oh, wait, didn't mean to say that out loud). It's so cheap to live here in New York. Oh and I am also a Rays expert (I happened to watch a couple innings at the end of the game.

Ian: Get rid of BJ, lose Hammel, I hate (I mean love) the Rays. Why don't people go to games (oh, wait, why don't I EVER watch the games, much less go to them).

BOTTOM LINE: Ron and Ian are baseball morons and they don't even follow the team except for the headlines on Sportscenter. It irritates me every day to listen to these shmoes.

[Terri]

I think Percival is just off right now - he has saved a lot of games for us and I think the Percival bashing should stop. Maddon knows what he is doing, and he knows Percival. I have seen Balfour get all wigged out because the necklace he wears broke one night. They all have little quirks. I think the biggest problem is leaving men on base - how frustrating for the bases to be loaded and no one score especially with no outs! They are still in first place though - and I may need to take a Xanax to get through the final innings these days but I am enjoying the season.

[harold]

Papelbum has 5 blown saves And Percy has four

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5315

To Ray F
I think Percy was Pointing Past Pena(PPP) at Ortiz on First for his little bat waving attempt to disrupt troys delivery.
I am also sure that Percy did not swear at Joe. He probably dropped the f bomb but in the context of " I'm F----in Fine"
He is a gamer and is not going to come out on his own unless he is crippled.
(See ALI, Namath, Montana, Favre)
notice that Maddon didnt hesitate to Pull him. Maddon is not going to let "Friendship" keep him and the team out of the post season. While it may be upsetting to see percy load the bases, He has not according to stats and facts pitched as poorly as some posters make out.
It just seems so magnified when you are watching in happen and dont have the perspective of the whole season in mind.
I myself was cussing at Percy but that doesnt change the fact that he has fewer blown saves than "THE GREAT PAPELBUM"
OUT

[Joe]

Percy was quite good to the Rays in the beginning of the year and is still an asset in his leadership role. But, I think it is time for Maddon to start thinking about making a change at the end of the bullpen. There are comments above where people keep stating look at the stats, etc. Is there a stat for almost blew the save and got bailed out by another pitcher in the bullpen. That has happened on numerous occassions including last night. You have Balfour who looked absolutely electric aganist Boston last series at home. Make him the every day closer. He's young, he has potential and he has emotion just like Percival only in a younger body. Don't get me wrong Percy has been great for this pitching staff but it is time for Joe to make a change and I think he knows it.

[Joe]

Percy was quite good to the Rays in the beginning of the year and is still an asset in his leadership role. But, I think it is time for Maddon to start thinking about making a change at the end of the bullpen. There are comments above where people keep stating look at the stats, etc. Is there a stat for almost blew the save and got bailed out by another pitcher in the bullpen. That has happened on numerous occassions including last night. You have Balfour who looked absolutely electric aganist Boston last series at home. Make him the every day closer. He's young, he has potential and he has emotion just like Percival only in a younger body. Don't get me wrong Percy has been great for this pitching staff but it is time for Joe to make a change and I think he knows it.

[ken]

I too can't bear the thought of perci coming in ti close out a game.It's a problem and needs to be addressed but we have other issues that are important that needs fixing.STRIKEOUTS BY THE TEAM,NO BUNTING RUNNERS OVER WITH NO OUTS,NOT BEING ABLE TO BUNT A MAJOR LEAGUE LEVEL AND NOT GUARDING THE 1ST AND 3RD BASE LINES IN THE LATE INNINGS,DEFINING HITTING WITH RUNNERS ON BASE,NOT JUST SWINGGING AWAY AND HITTING INTO A DOUBLE PLAY.All this should have been taught before reaching the major leagues.

[Craig]

The comments on 620 were made by Ron and Ian... they seem to know more about food than they do baseball, so take it with a grain of salt.

God that station sucks.

[Jesse]

he's DUNN like WARRICK

[Joisey]

If you want to get rid of Percy trade him straight up for Timlin then you will have another pitcher to bash. GO RAYS!

[Mark]

Let Percy sit on the bench and rot. How many times is he going to come in and blow the gamne for us. I say use the closer by committee it will work. Percy ride off into the sunset will you.

[mo]

Let go of ur pride percy .. you're not that good dude

[Al]

I love Percy. However, everytime he's on the mound, I find myself crapping my pants. My friends won't let me watch the games at thier houses anymore.

[Dave]

Interesting points made by Dr.Ripterhighmen. This board has it all.

To Paul - I did think like a Manager last night and no way in hell I bring in a hurt pitcher in to pitch in BOSTON with a three run lead. Did you watch Saturday's game? Maybe a 5 run lead that way you pull him with still a 1 run lead.

I think you're way off base but then again he did smoke the rest of the staff staying in the game. I guess Salas can't pitch so why does he have a roster slot?

The closer of the future was Thayer but the last half of the season he was getting hit pretty hard.

[BobMarley]

620 is saying that Perci called Pena an Ahole. I haven't heard them say why Perci might have said this. How about putting Perci in the middle relief role until he can prove that he can hold a team without a run/homerun/2 walks for a whole inning? How come the first time he's off the DL, they throw him in the game when EVERYTHING is on the line. Prove to us and Maddon that he's healthy before throwing him in during the 9th.

[Helene]

Hmmm, I'm still not understanding why we need Price in ANY role right now. Our problem isn't pitching...in fact, I would bet almost any MLB team would trade starting rotations and bullpens with the Rays in a heartbeat.

The problem is hitting, specifically clutch hitting. (Regards, Captain Obvious.) If not for our pitching we'd probably have yet another craptastic season on our hands.

[CharlieRay]

It's simple! Bring up Price to start and put Sonny in the bull pen and let Grant close.

[Helene]

Ken @ 9:08...In fairness, I don't think people here are calling for David Price to come up and close. That WOULD be utter insanity. I think they mean call up him for playoff race bullpen help and designate another closer...

But even that's putting unnecessary pressure on the kid, methinks. We have four really good pitchers with different styles (Balfour, Bradford, Howell, Wheeler) that have experience in late inning/pressure situations, do we not? Sheesh.

And yeah...Percy's too scary and fate tempting at this point. I appreciate what he's done for us and I'll always respect a competitor who wants the ball, but I've been cringing when he comes in the game for some time now. I trust the other guys to get three outs much more at this point.

[Ray F]

Brian,

In my opinion, I think Balfour loses all his energy when he sits between innings. That's probably why he doesn't pitch more than one inning. He has the closer mentality.

Just a thought.

[Ray F]

I thought I could make out a*****e, but it looked like he said it to Pena. I hope not. Ortiz did pull some bush-league garbage there too.

[Brian]

My view on all of this Percival noise is why does Maddon not leave Balfour in for more than one inning-no matter his pitch count so that cannot be it.

The last 2 games he pitched, he was throwing fire. Both were one inning stints. he shut down both the Jays and Sux-so what is the deal? Why not let him pitch one more inning and then have Wheeler and/or Howell close and only use Percival wiht big leads as he is apt to give up a homer.

[Scott G]

Ray F,

I saw Percival mouth something towards first base also, but I think he was directing it towards Ortiz based on the way he waved his bat and danced in the batters box when the count was 3-0 and Pervival threw ball 4. It was a bush league move by Ortiz. Looked like he said f'n a-hole.

I could be wrong on who he was directing his comment to, but I doubt he would say that to Pena.

[Dr. Peter Ripterhighmen]

I don't care what this old broked!ck did early in the season ... he is 39 years old now and carrying waaaaay too much extra weight in his gut!
His ERA is over 5.00, he doesn't have much movement on his "fast ball" and he does NOT have any command. He has walked at least 1 guy in his last 6 outings!

This is NOT a "feel good" Disney movie .. this is reality. He used to be a great closer ... but the Titanic used to be a luxury cruise liner .. now it's the world's largest fishbowl!

[Ray F]

Percy mouthed something to Pena. What was it???

[Dave]

The man needs to get in shape.