Rays leave off Percival and Jackson
ST, PETERSBURG, Fla. – What had been rumored for a few days became official today when the Rays’ final American League Divisional playoff roster did not include closer Troy Percival or starter Edwin Jackson.
Percival has been ineffective and has no saves since August 14. Dan Wheeler will likely get most of the closing opportunities. The Rays didn’t see a role for Jackson, a fifth starter.
Here’s the Rays’ roster:
A few other notes:
“As loud as I could handle. Zim (Rays senior adviser Don Zimmer) was in the other room so I have to be respectful of Zim. Had it been Guy Lombardo or Tony Bennett I could have turned it up a little louder.”
“A lot of people talk about [Johan] Santana and C.C. Sabathia come out on three days’ rest for like five different times. He [Buehrle] did it, too, and nobody gave him any credit….I think the reason we are in the playoffs, and we would like to start him today, but we set the rotation with Javy Vazquez) first.”…
“I guess they’re the same people that had us and the Rays here right now. They’re just making predictions. We’ll go out there and prove people wrong.”…
FIRSTS
This is is the first time in 102 years that both Chicago teams will be in the postseason.
After 771 major league games, Jason Bay played in his first postseason game last night and homered.
The Phillies won their first postseason game since the 1993 World Series against Toronto.
Brad Lidge picked up his first postseason save since Oct. 16, 2005, with Houston. The next day, he gave up a game-winning three-run homer to the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series.
The Dodgers won the first game of the postseason on the road for just the fourth time in their history. Each of the previous three times, the Dodgers reached the World Series (including 1963, when the first game of the postseason was the World Series).
The White Sox beat three different teams on three consecutive days to make the postseason. That’s a first.
LASTS
The last Philly championship was in 1983 when the NBA’s 76ers won it all. The last Phillies championship was 1980.
Derek Lowe went 4-0 with an 0.50 earned run average in his last six starts.
The Phillies ended a streak of four consecutive postseason losses; their last win was Game 5 of the 1993 World Series against the Blue Jays.
Milwaukee’s last postseason victory was against St. Louis on Oct. 17, 1982, in Game 5 of the World Series.
Last laughs for Joe Torre, his streak of consecutive seasons making the postseason continued while his former employer’s did not.
THE BALLPARKS
Boston’s Fenway Park opened April 20, 1912.
Chicago’s Wrigley Field opened on April 20, 1916
Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium opened on April 10, 1962.
Anaheim’s Angel Stadium of Anaheim opened on April 19, 1966.
Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field opened on April 18, 1991.
St Petersburg’s Tropicana Field hosted their first Rays game on March 31, 1998.
Milwaukee’s Miller Park opened on March 30, 2001.
Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park opened April 12, 2004.
GOOD DAY, EH? POSTSEASON CANADIANS
1. Jason Bay of Trail, B.C.
2. Ryan Dempster of Gibsons, B.C.,
3. Rich Harden of Victoria, B.C.
4. Russell Martin of Chelsea, Que.
5. Matt Stairs of St. John, New Brunswick
6. Eric Gagne of Mascouche, Que.
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