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Unfinished Business For Rays' Balfour

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By JOE HENDERSON

jhenderson@tampatrib.com

Published: February 18, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - Grant Balfour already knew it was a big deal to participate in the World Series, of course. But when he went back home to Australia after the Rays' magical run to the American League pennant last season, he found out firsthand just how big it really was.

There was media everywhere to ask about his role in helping the Rays come from nowhere to a championship. There were appearances, television interviews, stories in all the papers, and even a special day with his favorite rugby club, the Wests Tigers.

"They're kind of like the Buccaneers are here," he said. "They introduced me as their celebrity fan, brought me down to meet all the players and hang out. It was very cool. A lot of people were into it."

Well, it was quite a story, even on a team with as many pleasant surprises last season as the Rays. After failing to make the team in spring training and accepting an assignment to Durham, where he dominated, Balfour returned May 29 and never looked back.

His high-90s fastball coupled with facial contortions on the mound that looked like something out of a slasher flick, Balfour was a godsend to a Rays' bullpen that was a major question at the start of the season. His approach won't change.

"His fastball is going to be there. He has an outstanding slider and curve, which a lot of people don't even realize. I'm sure his confidence level has been bolstered by the entire experience," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

"I'm sure he has a stronger sense of belonging than he ever has before. I'd like to believe he'll come in here with a bit of a swagger in a positive way, nothing extraordinarily obvious, but something he feels inside. I see Grant being able to perform just as well."

Consider what Balfour accomplished in 51 appearances: a 6-2 record, 1.54 ERA, and 82 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings. He also saved four games while Troy Percival was hurt. He got the final out of the division series against the White Sox.

"The stuff has always been there. When he went down to Triple-A and dominated, it helped him confidence-wise. When he came up to the big leagues, it wasn't necessarily that the stuff was different, but the execution of the stuff was better," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "He attacked hitters and we saw a different approach that was aided by what happened at the beginning of the year."

There is one bit of unfinished business, of course. The loss to Philadelphia in the Series still means there is work to be done.

"There's no pressure on us. When I got back here from Australia and turned on ESPN, it's like the Yankees and Red Sox are favorites again, even though we went to the World Series last year," he said.

"That's a bit of fire we can keep inside us and use to our advantage. We just have to go out and prove it. Now that we have a taste of it, we want to stay at the top."

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