Rays' Maddon: Some guys 'just ran out of gas'

As his hitters slumped and his relievers imploded the past few weeks, Joe Maddon kept searching for that positive angle.

Thursday, the Rays' manager finally acknowledged what had been increasingly evident throughout September: His players didn't seem to have anything left to give.

"Basically, some just ran out of gas," Maddon said. "It just came down to fuel. That's the part that's frustrating, but nevertheless, I thought we played at a very high level for a long period of time this season. April caught us and September caught us - it's something to think about."

The Rays anticipated heading into this season that there might be some fatigue-related issues with which to deal after playing an extra month of baseball last year. In a preemptive effort to forestall a late-season collapse, they limited their frontline pitchers and regular position players early in spring training, easing their workloads in hopes of keeping them fresh for the long haul.

A lack of execution - from pitchers being unable to get the big out to hitters finding themselves unable to string together rallies - has been the hallmark of the Rays' recent slide, but it only makes sense that the lack of energy Tampa Bay has displayed stems in part from the wear and tear many players endured last season. And Maddon insists it isn't just the bullpen.

"I'm not going to just blame relief pitchers," Maddon said. "You talk about some of those close games that were lost late, but we had a chance to score more runs, too. We put a lot of pressure on the latter part of the game, whereas last year we reacted to that and won those games. This year, almost the same set of circumstances, and we've lost those games.

"It really, to me, promotes or indicates the fine line between winning and losing in Major League Baseball and the American League East."

Last year, everything seemed to work out in the Rays' favor. This year, it seems like nothing has.

"We just hit a wall," Maddon said. "I don't see it any other way and I don't have any other solid reason."

Center field swap: Maddon indicated his decision to start Fernando Perez on Thursday was motivated by wanting to get the speedster some at-bats rather than any lingering problems with CF B.J. Upton's ankle, and Upton said before the game that he felt fine.

Upton got in a few innings anyway, though, when Perez left the game after six innings with soreness in his surgically repaired left wrist. Perez made a spectacular basket catch going into the wall to rob Brian Roberts of extra bases leading off the third inning and remained in the game, but Upton pinch-hit for him in the seventh. The Rays said Perez is day-to-day.

Resting up: With the Rays returning to the artificial surface of Tropicana Field, Maddon plans to rest a few regulars on the upcoming homestand.

He said Carl Crawford definitely will get a day - likely Saturday against Toronto LHP Ricky Romero, - and Jason Bartlett and Ben Zobrist might also be in line for a breather.

Odds and ends: Durham swept the Governor's Cup finals by beating Scranton 3-2 in 12 innings Thursday night. John Jaso drove in the winning run in the top of the 12th. ... The Rays will honor their minor-league award winners prior to tonight's game. ... Recently appointed Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor attended Thursday's game.