Fastball not their concern

Joe Maddon may opt to use just three starters in the ALCS. (Chris O'Meara/Associated Press)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Tampa Bay deviates from the majority viewpoint on Red Sox righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said yesterday that his club sees Matsuzaka, who will start tomorrow night in the opener of the American League Championship Series, as an offspeed pitcher rather than a power arm. The slider and the changeup are Matsuzaka's best pitches, Maddon said.

"He likes his breaking ball," Maddon said during his club's workout at Tropicana Field. "The fastball, he likes to throw outside and not challenge you with it.

"I see him primarily as an offspeed pitcher who's very good at it."

The Rays' goal, Maddon said, will be to inflate Matsuzaka's pitch total early. Matsuzaka failed to go past the fifth inning in either of his two September starts against the Rays, averaging 20.3 pitches per inning.

Matsuzaka is 2-3 with a 3.75 ERA in eight career starts against Tampa Bay. Rays left fielder Carl Crawford said the club relies on advice from second baseman Akinori Iwamura, who occasionally faced Matsuzaka in Japan.

"We'll be talking to Aki about him," Crawford said.

Is three enough?

As they did in the Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, the Rays will open with righthander James Shields, lefthander Scott Kazmir, and righthander Matt Garza. Maddon said righthander Andy Sonnanstine is "set up" for the fourth game, but circumstances could change that plan.

"We are not opposed to doing it if it needs to be done," Maddon said of a three-man rotation.

Going to a three-man rotation would allow the Rays to get three starts from Shields in a seven-game series. One start, next Tuesday, would be on three days' rest. Shields has never started a major league game on short rest. The Rays believe he could handle it once because the changeup, his top pitch, improves when he is tired.

Shields is 2-3 with a 4.94 ERA in his last six starts against the Red Sox.

The Rays also went into the night debating whether to carry 10 pitchers, as they did in the Division Series, or 11. If they add a pitcher, the top candidates are closer Troy Percival and righthander Edwin Jackson, who tied for the team lead in wins during the regular season with 14.

Percival was left off the Division Series roster because of back problems. He appeared to have more difficulty during a throwing session yesterday.

"If they think I can help them, I'll be there," Percival said. "And if they don't, I'll be up front cheering louder than anybody."