|
|
|
Tampa Bay Devil
Rays Baseball History |
| |
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays
are a Professional Major League Baseball team based in St Petersburg,
Florida. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays play in the Eastern Division of
the American League. The Devil Rays were founded in 1998 as an expansion
of the American League. The home ballpark for the Tampa Bay Devil
Rays is Tropicana Field and the uniform colors for the Devil Rays
are, black, forest green, purple, and white. The Logo design for the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays are the words "TAMPA BAY" superimposed
on a devil ray (manta ray). In 1995 a meeting was held at the West
Palm Beach, Florida and Major League Baseball owners officially welcome
the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks as the 13th and
14th expansion teams in Major League history. The Devil Rays was the
first team to be added in the American League after two decades. The
current star for the Devil rays are, Rocco Baldelli, Rob Bell, Geoff
Blum, Devon Brazelton, Jorge Cantu, Carl Crawford, Brook Fordyce,
Joey Gathright, Aubrey Huff and Ray Sanchez. The Players not to be
forgotten are, Travis Lee, Fred McGriff, Jim Morris, Greg Vaughn and
Victor Zambrano. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have retired the following
numbers, #12 belonging to Wade Boggs and #42 worn by Jackie Robinson
who has retired throughout baseball. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays played
their first game on 31st March, 1998, the Devil Rays lost that first
game 11-6 to the Detroit Tigers but bounced back to win their first
game the very next day. The Devil Rays did not win much that first
year only winning 63 while narrowly avoiding the century mark in losses
at 99. To attract fans to the Devil Rays, big names of the past, which
are now the downsides of their career sign with Tampa in an attempt
to reach career milestones. In another disappointing 69-93 season,
2 of these big stars of the past get career milestones. First up to
get a milestone was Jose Canseco who singed in the off-season and
hit his 400th career HR on April 14th at Toronto against one of his
former teams the Blue Jays. In fact Jose hit a lot of HRs for the
Rays in the early going of the season and lead the AL with 30 in late
June. However, a back injury would take 2 months out of Jose's season,
and he would only hit 4 more. Another HR marked a milestone on August
7th for Wade Boggs a Tampa native, when he became the first player
ever to hit a Home Run for his 3,000th career base hit. After watching
their partners in expansion the Arizona Diamond Backs win the NL West,
the Devil Rays try to make their team more competitive in hurry by
acquiring big sluggers Greg Vaughn, and Vinny Castillia from the National
League. The Devil Rays end the season in last place again with a 69-92
record. The Devil Rays get off to a miserable start, and Manager Larry
Rothschild is fired, before the end of April, and replaced by Hal
McRae. The Devil Rays misery continues, as they become the first team
in more then 20 years to lose 100 games in consecutive season posting
a horrid 55-106 record. The team signed manager Lou Piniella in a
four-year, $13 million contract. He was the third manager to coach
the team.
|
|
|
|
