Who awaits Rays? Masterful Maddux
The Devil Rays haven't had the torment too often of facing four-time Cy Young Award recipient and 338-game winner Greg Maddux, who tonight makes his fourth career start against them.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published June 12, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays haven't had the torment too often of facing four-time Cy Young Award recipient and 338-game winner Greg Maddux, who tonight makes his fourth career start against them.
Of the Rays who have swung in frustration at his precise pitches, there isn't much good advice to dispense.
"Any time you face Greg Maddux, you've got to be at the top of your game mentally with your approach, " said Ty Wigginton, who is 6-for-23 off him. "There's no secret why this guy has accomplished everything he has. He has great movement on his pitches, he moves the ball around the zone, and he knows how to win. It's a tough matchup any time you face him."
Maddux, 41, has been around so long that third-base coach Tom Foley, who retired in 1995, has more at-bats against him than any of the active Rays.
And he said Maddux is doing the same thing now he was then - throwing a fastball with movement for first-pitch strikes, using the inside and outside of the plate but rarely the middle, and making few, if any, mistakes.
"He just knows how to pitch, and he knows how to win, " Foley said. "He's not overpowering, but he knows how to keep you off balance. He's not afraid to go inside even though he's lost velocity. And he's got that changeup."
About the only thing a hitter can do is hope Maddux makes a mistake, Wigginton said.
"But he doesn't make many, " Wigginton said. "Look at his record."
AND IN THIS CORNER: Rays starter Scott Kazmir is eager to face Maddux but more excited about trying to get past control problems so he can get on a roll.
"It just feels with everything that's been going on it hasn't been as bad as a lot of people think, " Kazmir said. "It feels like I haven't really had a good game since facing (Minnesota's Johan) Santana (in April). I'm just looking forward to getting back on track and throwing strikes. I'm just on the verge. That's really what it feels like. ...
"I just need to get out there and have fun and let it go. That's what I was doing the past two seasons, and I just have to get back to doing that."
UPTON UPDATE: The Rays are hopeful 2B/CF B.J. Upton, out since Friday with a left quad strain, can return to the lineup tonight, but Wednesday, or possibly Thursday, is more likely. ... C Dioner Navarro, who was hit in the throat by a pitch Friday, expects to start tonight.
HOLA, PEPE: Rays manager Joe Maddon is looking forward to seeing an old buddy, Padres first-year manager Bud Black. The two spent six years together as Angels coaches under Mike Scioscia, talking lots of baseball and becoming close friends, and Maddon said he gave Black his nickname - "Pepe Negro" - on a spring-training trip to Hermosillo, Mexico.
"We're sitting by each other on the bus going to the ballpark and he's telling me about his days playing winter ball in the Caribbean World Series, and I think he said he won the championship game there for whatever team he was playing for, " Maddon said. "So I said the papers the next day must have hailed Buddy Negro as being this fabulous pitcher, and he said, 'No, Pepe Negro.' "
When they were leaving postgame, a young boy wanted Black's autograph. "This kid throws his hat down, and he's ready to sign, and I said, " 'No, no, sign it Pepe Negro, ' and he did, " Maddon said. "And from that moment on he became Pepe Negro."
MISCELLANY: Foxsports.com and mlb.com reports about the Nationals having interest in acquiring troubled OF Elijah Dukes made for lots of buzz Monday, but no deal is thought to be brewing, and other teams have expressed similar initial interest. ... The Rays are 10-6 since their five-game losing streak. ... Double-A Montgomery 3B Evan Longoria was named Topps Southern League May player of the month for hitting .317 with seven homers and 25 RBIs.
A matchup for the ages
Greg Maddux, RHP
Age: 41
Ht/Wt.: 6/180
Years in majors: 22
Career W-L: 338-206
Career ERA: 3.08
Career games: 689
Career innings: 4, 6891/3
All-Star selections: 8
Cy Young Awards: 4
Scott Kazmir, LHP
Age: 23
Ht/Wt. 6/190
Years in majors: 4
Career W-L: 26-23
Career ERA: 3.77
Career games: 77
Career innings: 442
All-Star appearances: 1
Cy Young Awards: 0
Quote of the day
"I was a little kid watching him on TBS. All we'd watch is the Braves games and the Cubs games and stuff like that. I was a huge fan. It's going to be nice to actually face him."
Kazmir, on facing Maddux
Did you know?
- Maddux made his pro debut in 1984, the same year Kazmir was born.
- When Maddux won his first major-league game in 1986, Kazmir was 2.
- When Maddux won his 100th game in 1993, Kazmir was in third grade.
- When Kazmir won his first major-league game in 2004, Maddux had just won his 286th.
- Maddux's 13-year-old daughter, Amanda, is closer to Kazmir's age than Maddux is.