Rays welcome Hamilton, Rangers
The only team as hot as the Rays since April 25 have been the Rangers, who are in town today to start a three-game series at the Trop.
Tampa Bay (30-20), boasting the best record in baseball with Arizona, has won nine of their last 11 series, and continue their season-long homestand with sets against the Rangers and White Sox...
The storylines today are the return of former Ray No. 1 pick Josh Hamilton, who's comeback story from drugs and alcohol issues to become one of the best hitters in baseball has been well-documented. Hamilton met with about 15-20 reporters before today's game, and for one, Rays manager Joe Maddon is admittedly curious to see him play for the first time here.
Rays ace Scott Kazmir starts today, saying he's on the verge of returning to to form after starting the season on the disabled list. Though he's pitched very well so far (3-1, 4.06), including a string of 16 straight scoreless innings, he's trying working out the kinks in mechanics...
DH Cliff Floyd returns to the lineup after a day off, and HInske will play RF.
RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Floyd, dh
Navarro, c
Hinske, rf
Bartlett, ss
Kazmir, P
RANGERS
Kinsler, 2b
Young, ss
Hamilton, cf
Bradley, dh
Murphy, lf
Shelton, 1b
Laird, c
Byrd, rf
Vazquez, 3b
Ponson, p
-- JOE SMITH
Follow Tampa Bay Rays baseball from spring training to the World Series with Marc Topkin, Joe Smith and the St. Petersburg Times sports staff. From Evan Longoria to B.J. Upton and James Shields, we're your source for Tampa Bay Rays scores and schedules.
Ari,
Milwaukee averages over 3X that. Where are you getting you numbers from?
Posted by: Andy | May 28, 2008 at 12:14 AM
It takes a little while for the fans to show up. They didn't fill up the sombrero right away in 1997 when Dungy turned the team around.
The rays have sucked for a long long time. Give it a chance. They will be in the seats by July. Plus, Tampa isn't a heavy sports town like most people think. And Florida isn't nearly a baseball state like everyone believes. Nobody goes to the Marlins games either. And they have the 3rd or 4th best record in baseball.
Baseball is really only big time in NY, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis and LA.
Every other stadium is half full. They get like 10k in Milwaukee and they were in the penant race the whole last season.
Posted by: Ari Hinkelberger | May 27, 2008 at 09:12 AM
I understand, agree and appreciate yall's attempt to get the tampa residents over to the trop, but if you stop and think about it, all those people that complain about the drive are number 1. not rays fans and number 2. wont support them regardless of their record, so to be honest you all are wasting your time, the fans that attend the game and follow whether it is watching on tv or following online are fans, its funny that people dont appreciate what they have down there. I grew up in st. pete and are attending college in alabama and bought mlb.tv so i could watch the games and the people that live down there wont even go to the games, this is the reason we havent gotten a new stadium yet and why our payroll is so small.
Posted by: sam | May 26, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Come on Tampans, get off your butts and make the drive south across the bridge to lovely St Pete and come see the dominating Rays.
No one ever gripes about the trip north to the Forum or Ray Jay ...
Just get over yourselves!!
Posted by: sevenyearhawk | May 26, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Get rid of Glover.
Posted by: Kris | May 26, 2008 at 10:03 PM
As of today, the Rays are the best team in baseball!!! They have the best winning percentage of any team, American or National League. Don't you think that deserves a 30,000 gate attendance? Without all the whining and complaining that it is too far to drive? Go Rays!!!
Posted by: Jimmy Mack | May 26, 2008 at 09:09 PM
As of this afternoon, the Rays had the best record in baseball - Arizona lost earlier today. How about them RAYS!!!!!
Posted by: Winston | May 26, 2008 at 09:07 PM