Rays' Longoria Almost Certain He Will Play Friday

ST. LOUIS -- Evan Longoria, scratched from the All-Star Game with an infected right ring finger, said he's "95 percent" certain to play Friday when the Rays resume the regular season.

"It would be a disservice to [the AL team] to go out and try to play and win a game when I'm not up to full health," Longoria said.

Longoria said his finger began feeling sore over the weekend, but he didn't speak up until Sunday. He was immediately put on antibiotics.

"We tried to play it out as long as we possibly could," AL (and Tampa Bay) manager Joe Maddon said, "and it just did not want to seem to respond as quickly as it could have. So then it became step two, and that's to make sure that he's ready for Friday's game."

Angels third baseman Chone Figgins, who was added to the roster in place on Longoria, was scheduled to land in St. Louis at about 5:20 PM CT.

"I like his versatility," Maddon said, "the fact that he's played third base and can also play second base, all outfield positions, and he can run and hits from both sides of the plate."

Texas' Michael Young will start at third. He was given a heads-up that this might happen Monday night by Maddon, and the final decision to pull Longoria was made at 9 AM Tuesday.

"The first thing I did was ask how Evan was doing," Young said. "Evan deserves to start. He's having a fantastic season."

Young, who was selected to five All-Star Games as a shortstop but never started, now gets to start his first time as a third baseman.

"It's unfortunate it happened under these circumstances," he said, "but I'm excited about starting."

Young is actually known for his late-game performances in All-Star Game, with a game-winning, ninth-inning triple in 2006 that earned him game MVP honors and last year's walkoff sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 15th.

"Maybe I can flip-flop it," Young said, "see if I can make something happen in the first couple of innings."

MLB All-Star Game Photos

National League starting pitcher Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch in the first inning against the American League during Major League Baseball's All-Star game in St. Louis, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/Morry Gash/Pool (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL)

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: National League All-Star Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals dives to make a play on a ball during the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees rounds third on his way to scoring during the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Derek Jeter

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Stars Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees look on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ichiro Suzuki;Derek Jeter

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees looks on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mariano Rivera

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Maddon

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays greets National League All-Star manager Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Charlie Manuel;Joe Maddon

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American League starting pitcher Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays throws a pitch in the first inning against the National League during Major League Baseball's All-Star game in St. Louis, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/Morry Gash/Pool (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL)

Reuters

American League's Michael Young of the Texas Rangers singles during the fourth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game in St. Louis, Tuesday, July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

American League's Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners swings on a pitch during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game in St. Louis, Tuesday, July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)