Anybody bring a broom?

12:44 p.m. - Lots of somewhat surly looking red-clad fans at the Trop as the Rays try to sweep the defending world champion Red Sox in a three-game set. That'll be no easy task against ace Josh Beckett. David Ortiz missing a second consecutive game with a sore knee will soften a tough Boston lineup somewhat, though.

Utility infielder Andy Cannizaro, recalled from AAA Durham to replace Elliot Johnson, has yet to arrive. His flight was delayed. Apparently that happens to everyone these days.

The lineups:

Boston

Jacoby Ellsbury - LF

Dustin Pedroia - 2B

J.D. Drew - RF

Manny Ramirez - DH

Kevin Youkilis - 1B

Coco Crisp - CF

Jason Varitek - C

Jed Lowrie - 3B

Julio Lugo - SS

Tampa Bay

Akinori Iwamura - 2B

Carl Crawford - LF

B.J. Upton - CF

Carlos Pena - 1B

Evan Longoria - 3B

Eric Hinske - DH

Dioner Navarro - C

Gabe Gross - RF

Jason Bartlett - SS

Comments

[Jim G]

Great day seeing the Rays SWEEP the Sox, defending champs. Lots of energy and talent coming together at the Trop. This has all of the makings of a break-out season. So get out to the park and cheer YOUR LOCAL TEAM this year!

[rayray]

Ditto to Jim G's comments, come on Rays fans make it out to the Trop when you can to see, cheer for, & support an exciting home team w/lots of potential of making this indeed a special break-out season that all bay area residents/ communities can be proud of & deserve.

Rays tied for 1st place!

[Lauren Sullivan]

Man, my James Shields autographed cowbell will be worth millions one day.

Great second sweep, boys! Keep it up!

[Jesse]

It was great to be there all 3 games and see the Dirty Sox getting swept!!!! MORE COWBELL..Lets see if we can top our longest win streak of 12!!! bring on Baltimore!

[xr4ti_007]

Bye-bye Faux Sox!

[Eva24]

I am a Red Sox fan and was in attendance for the Ray's sweep of the Sox this weekend. I have been in attendance at several series over the years of the Rays and Red Sox. While I am sure the players don't especially like it when the stands are more full of Red Sox fans the Rays, I can only say this...if the Rays had more or better fans the tickets would be sold out in advance and the Red Sox fans would not be able to buy the place out. When do the Rays EVER fill their ballpark other than when the Red Sox or Yankees are in town. I think NEVER. You see games on TV and the stands are just this side of EMPTY. Where are all those fans then? While I can understand fans being happy when their team wins, that does NOT excuse the rude and over the top bahavior they displaced over the weekend. When I go to these games, yes I cheer my team, and yes it is not the home team, but I never yell at the players or at the Rays fans and tell them they suck and to get out of effing town. I have heard many comments over the years about the Red Sox and Yankee fans being rude while the team is playing at home. I have heard some of it for myself. However I have never heard a bunch of fans be as rude and obnoxious as the Rays fans last weekend. And the playing of Sweet Caroline...over the top rub it in you face rude. All I can say is enjoy it while you can because there is NO way it will last all season.

[UHaul]

Purchase yourself a nice little UHaul, load it up, and take your Baaaaaaaastun self back to Mass.

[Paul]

Eva, it happens. I went to a couple Yankee games last year and often purchased tickets for the series just before. When the Orioles or Indians are in town, the place is desolate. When the Yanks or Sox come in its OMG RAYS, #1 FAN SINCE DAY ONE...WE'RE RINGING COWBELLS, AINT THAT COOL????

Then as quickly as the Sox and Yanks leave, so too do the bandwagon yokels, never to be seen again until there's a nationally televised game or when Boston/New York comes back. That's just how this city is.

[uhaul]

Uhaul is still waiting for you to pack up and leave. You are surpised that the Rays don't have a huge following......perhaps consider they've been around 10 years and the Yankmee's and Sox(2 more world series titles than the Rays in the last 80 years) have been around a much longer period of time. Again, go to uhaul.com and you can easily find your way back to the slums of N.Y. or Boston.

[Mark - Follower of the Cowbell]

To be the butt of every joke for the last 10 years, one can only resort to making rude remarks and such like Eva reported. None of it is intended to be a personal attack towards anyone.

Like you said Eva, you can't find many fans in the stands when the Yankees or Red Sox are not in town, and our reward for that is the idea that there are NO Rays fans at all. So we get the cowbell, we get the horns, we bring the noise, and we protect our house. I do not go to all the games because I do not live in the area, but I know exactly how it is when I do.

If opposing fans want to take all the comments and antics seriously, and never come to another game again, it will not make any Rays fan feel bad. It would hurt ticket sales probably, but the home atmosphere will be restored the way it was intended to be back when the Trop was being built so long ago.

Everyone is loud, annoying, and has an "in your face" attitude, because the general idea from other fans across the nation, is that we don't exist, and Tropicana Field is no louder than a public library.

If people don't want to deal with how Rays fans act when we are winning, then maybe they should stay out of OUR house, because no one is forcing them to go. I guarantee that none of us will miss them.

When I hear about visiting team's fans complaining about how horrible their experience was at a game, it makes me feel better because I know the fans who showed up were doing their job. The employees of the Rays organization may have to cater to you, but the fans certainly do not. If they aren't getting kicked out by security, then they aren't doing anything wrong.

We would be treated no differently up north at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park.