The decision to add Edwin Jackson to the American League Championship Series roster had more to do with David Price than Troy Percival.
Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon wanted 11 pitchers for the best-of-seven series, and he wanted that 11th pitcher to be someone who could eat a lot of innings in one game.
Jackson pitched a career-high 183 1/3 innings this season.
"Jack provides that for us, and plus, he frees up David Price a little bit," Maddon said. "The utilization of David becomes a little bit more free, because Jack will be there to get the prolonged innings. We thought we wanted length and something that would permit us to use David as something other than just long or extra innings."
Price was not used during the American League Division Series.
Maddon decided against activating Percival because he doesn't feel the former closer can pitch on back-to-back days. Maddon feels he can use Jackson on consecutive days.
"He's a horse," Maddon said.
Hinske sits
Now that Carl Crawford is healthy the Rays decided to take Eric Hinske off the roster to clear room for Jackson.
Crawford's return eliminates the need for a platoon in right field. Ben Zobrist was kept on the roster because he's the only backup shortstop.
Hinske, who had 20 home runs, was one of three Rays to hit at least that many home runs. Carlos Peña led the team with 31. Evan Longoria hit 27.
The Bay factor
The Rays are familiar with everyone in the Boston Red Sox lineup, but there is one Sox they would like to know a little more about: Jason Bay.
The left fielder, acquired at the trade deadline from the Pittsburgh Pirates, crushed Rays pitching this season to the tune of four home runs and six RBIs in seven games. Take away the 0-for-7 night in the 14-inning thriller at Fenway Park, and Bay is batting .304 against the Rays.
He had a game-winning homer against the Rays while with the Pirates and almost had a second while with the Red Sox if not for Dan Johnson's ninth-inning heroics.
"We're just getting to know this guy. I'd like a little bit longer sampling," Maddon said. "We have an idea, but it's still a little bit uncomfortable. We watched a little video (Thursday), we're been breaking it down. We definitely have our game plan. He's just relatively new. He's very good."
Longoria struggles continue
Evan Longoria was 0-for-4 on Friday, making him hitless in his last 13 at-bats. He has seven strikeouts during the slump.
The rookie third baseman has only one hit since he opened the playoffs with a 3-for-3 day in Game 1 of the American League Division series that included home runs on his first two swings.
Not clutch
The Rays were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and that one hit was an infield hit by B.J. Upton in the eighth that came after Akinori Iwamura singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Boston's third baseman kept Iwamura on second when he knocked down Upton's hot smash with a backhand stab at the ball.
The Rays left the bases loaded in the first after Iwamura, Carlos Peña and Carl Crawford drew walks.
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