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Maddon Must Make Right Choice With Percival

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 25, 2008

BALTIMORE - This is no time to mess around.

Rays reliever Troy Percival knows that - he has to know that as the playoffs approach.

Rays manager Joe Maddon knows that - he has to know that when deciding the Rays' roster for the American League Division Series.

Percival and Maddon like each other. They won a World Series championship with the Angels in 2002.

It doesn't matter. It can't matter.

"If I'm not the best option to go out there, I shouldn't be out there," Percival said.

"I love the man, always have," Maddon said. "We go way back. But we have to do what's best for the Rays - period."

Period.

Will Need Surgery After Season

Percival rejoined the Rays on Wednesday after a second round of epidural injections, cortisone shots into his aching spine. He's confident he'll be OK.

But is OK enough?

He has converted 28 of 32 save opportunities, but his body and game have broken down, to the tune of three trips to the disabled list and a 6.89 ERA since the All-Star break. He's 39 and he'll need back surgery after the season.

The relentless Rays edged to the brink of the AL East flag Wednesday night, coming from six runs down (yawn) to beat a horrible Orioles team, 11-6.

The East is one thing, the playoffs are another.

You can't take a chance on putting Percival on the Division Series roster if he shows even the slightest signs of not being able to pitch, and pitch well. Maddon hopes to use Percival a few times in the final series at Detroit. Then a decision will be made, a lot of decisions, in fact.

"They'll be excruciating," Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey said.

It seems like a no-brainer to Rays fans who have forgotten what Percival brought the first half of the season, who have seen 23-year-old left-hander David Price looked primed and ready. Price could be just the booster shot this team needs to get to a World Series.

Six years ago, it was Percival who closed out each of the Angels' postseason series clinchers en route to a World Series championship. Now, if he can't get outs, he might be out. Percival knows the deal. He thought about Price.

"It's the way it is," Percival said. "When I was with the Angels, it was put Percival in for Lee Smith."

The man is a bear, a proud one at that. He wants the ball.

It will be Maddon's call.

He can't blink while making it.

"We have a mutual respect for each other," Percival said. "I have respect for him as a manager. His job to win every game he can win, and I think I'm the guy to do it every time. Unfortunately for me, he knows me well enough to know when I'm full of it."

Fortunately, actually.

Either You Help Or You Don't

There has been too much Percy bashing. The man did a lot for this team. If he looks healthy this weekend, he should be on the playoff roster, whether it gives Rays fans heart attacks or not.

But he has to be right.

No half-mast.

You either help or you don't.

If Percival is right, Maddon calls it an easy call.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said. "If he's able to pitch effectively, no question. We're a better team when he's out there."

Troy Percival knows his body better than anyone. He can't ignore it, he can't buffalo anyone. There's too much on the line. If his body tells him he's done, he should fall on his sword and make way for Price, or someone else. Percy owes it to the Rays' amazing story.

We take the man at his word.

"This is an opportunity for the organization to go out and do something special," Percival said. "If I can go out and help the team, I want to be part of it. If I can't go out there and help the team, then we need to have an arm in there that can."

Period.

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