Sports' Spitting Images - Troy Percival & Xander Berkeley
Time for another SSI. This one crept up on me while
watching an old episode of 24; coincidentally, it's along the same lines
as our last SSI post that compared a pitcher and an actor.
You're looking at newly acquired Tampa Bay Rays close Troy Percival and actor Xander Berkeley, of 24 fame. Throw a Rays hat on Xander and a cowboy hat on Percy and you'd have a difficult time telling them apart.
In a career spanning 12 seasons, Troy Percival has been as consistent a closer as they come. From 1996 to 2004, Percy racked up a total of 313 saves and 586 K's, including one season (1996) in which he registered 100 K's in just 74 innings of work. He's struggled over the last couple years, totaling 8 saves and 56 K's during the 2005 and 2007 seasons (he didn't pitch at all in 06) for the Tigers and Cardinals respectively (including a 5.76 ERA in 05), but after signing a 2 year pact with the Rays he seems to be on the comeback trail as he'll be handed the closer duties heading into the 2008 season. The AL East is probably the last place you want to come to resurrect your career if you're a pitcher, but perhaps Percy can regain a bit of his old thunder with the perennial bottom-dwellers of the AL East. Some analysts even believe the Rays can reach the 85 win mark this season. At least he won't face too much pressure from media and fans. If he struggles early, incumbent Al Reyes will likely be handed the reigns.
Xander Berkeley has starred in such cinematic masterpieces as Poison Ivy II, Spawn 3, and even an episode of The Tick... alright alright, he's done better than that, those are probably on the lower end of his list of accomplishments. With guest-starring roles in such films as A Few Good Men, Apollo 13, Heat, The Rock, Air Force One, Amistad, and stints on TV shows 24 and CSI, Berkeley has proved that not only is he versatile, he's also one of the more underrated actors in Hollywood. He often doesn't command starring roles; in fact, I didn't know much about him before seeing him star as Agent George Mason in 24, but his supporting work is some of the best out there. He's got a new thriller called Taken coming out later this year in which he stars alongside Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace.
You're looking at newly acquired Tampa Bay Rays close Troy Percival and actor Xander Berkeley, of 24 fame. Throw a Rays hat on Xander and a cowboy hat on Percy and you'd have a difficult time telling them apart.
In a career spanning 12 seasons, Troy Percival has been as consistent a closer as they come. From 1996 to 2004, Percy racked up a total of 313 saves and 586 K's, including one season (1996) in which he registered 100 K's in just 74 innings of work. He's struggled over the last couple years, totaling 8 saves and 56 K's during the 2005 and 2007 seasons (he didn't pitch at all in 06) for the Tigers and Cardinals respectively (including a 5.76 ERA in 05), but after signing a 2 year pact with the Rays he seems to be on the comeback trail as he'll be handed the closer duties heading into the 2008 season. The AL East is probably the last place you want to come to resurrect your career if you're a pitcher, but perhaps Percy can regain a bit of his old thunder with the perennial bottom-dwellers of the AL East. Some analysts even believe the Rays can reach the 85 win mark this season. At least he won't face too much pressure from media and fans. If he struggles early, incumbent Al Reyes will likely be handed the reigns.
Xander Berkeley has starred in such cinematic masterpieces as Poison Ivy II, Spawn 3, and even an episode of The Tick... alright alright, he's done better than that, those are probably on the lower end of his list of accomplishments. With guest-starring roles in such films as A Few Good Men, Apollo 13, Heat, The Rock, Air Force One, Amistad, and stints on TV shows 24 and CSI, Berkeley has proved that not only is he versatile, he's also one of the more underrated actors in Hollywood. He often doesn't command starring roles; in fact, I didn't know much about him before seeing him star as Agent George Mason in 24, but his supporting work is some of the best out there. He's got a new thriller called Taken coming out later this year in which he stars alongside Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace.
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