Rays' Maddon comes to Garza's defense

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Monday the only thing RHP Matt Garza did wrong last week in sticking up for teammate Evan Longoria last Wednesday against the Yankees was not choosing his words more carefully afterward.

Garza starts against the Red Sox tonight and will pitch for the first time since admitting his inside pitch to Mark Teixeira in the fifth inning was an answer to Joba Chamberlain's pitch over Longoria's head the previous inning.

The pitch hit Teixeira, and Garza was fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for saying he hated to be the guy, but someone on the Rays needed to take a stand.

"We thought in the course of that series that Longo had been thrown at," Maddon said. "We also thought during the previous series in New York, Carlos Pena had been thrown at. So as the game was in progress the other day, I just think Matt threw a pitch inside, as far as I can tell.

"I think Matt's choice of words may not have been as well thought out as they could have been. I just saw Matt pitching inside to Teixeira, and the ball happened to tip him. I also saw a ball go over Longo's head, after he had been hit Monday by Jonathan Albaladejo. So I think there's a difference."

Garza is 5-1 with a 2.98 ERA against Boston, his third-lowest ERA against any AL opponent. He was the MVP of the ALCS last year, posting a 1.38 ERA while beating the Sox in Games 3 and 7.

Cutting ties

The Rays on Monday released RHP Wade Townsend, their top pick in the 2005 draft (eighth overall).

Townsend, 26, battled injuries throughout his tenure and was 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in three games for the Gulf Coast League (rookie) Rays this season. He was a teammate of Rays RHP Jeff Niemann at Rice when the Owls won the 2003 NCAA title.

Trop bashing

Maybe Kansas City's Zack Greinke didn't pitch well Monday because he doesn't like Tropicana Field. The All-Star RHP had some interesting things to say about the Rays' home and the atmosphere within it before Monday's game.

"The Rays' PR department promotes the game like it's a club and not a baseball game," he told MLB.com. "It almost doesn't feel like you're playing baseball when you're playing here. They do stupid music stuff. They have dancers everywhere, they have a DJ. They just do a bunch of stupid stuff that isn't baseball."

Rehab work

OF Fernando Perez, out since spring training with a wrist injury, will hit in simulated situations Wednesday at Port Charlotte. He'll then begin playing for Single-A Charlotte, starting slowly to gradually build stamina.

Also, RHP Chad Bradford, on the DL since July 23 with back tightness, threw Sunday without difficulty. Maddon said Bradford stay back during the team's trip to Seattle and Los Angeles, may get a short rehab assignment, and could be ready in a couple of weeks.

Odds and ends

Carl Crawford got his 49th stolen base Monday. If he reaches 50 tonight, he'll become only the eighth player to have five 50-steal seasons before his 28th birthday. (He turns 28 on Wednesday. ) ... Royals manager Trey Hillman missed Monday's game because of a family matter in Texas. Bench coach and former Blue Jays manager John Gibbons handled his duties.

Tony Fabrizio