Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Encyclopedia : T : TA : TAM : Tampa Bay Devil Rays
| Tampa Bay Devil Rays Established 1998 | ||
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| Major league affiliations | ||
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| Current uniform | ||
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| Ballpark | ||
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| Major league titles | ||
| World Series titles (0) | None | |
| AL Pennants (0) | None | |
| Division titles (0) | None | |
| Wild card berths (0) | None | |
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The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The team is in the Eastern Division of the American League. The team was added to the league in 1998 as an expansion team, and currently plays its home games in Tropicana Field.
- 1 Before the Devil Rays
- 2 Franchise history
- 3 Season-by-Season Records
- 4 Quick facts
- 5
- 6 Current roster
- 7 Franchise Leaders
- 8 Single Season Batting Leaders
- 9 Single Season Pitching Leaders
- 10 Career Batting Leaders
- 11 Career Pitching Leaders
- 12 Broadcasters
- 13 Minor league affiliations
- 14 See also
- 15 External links
Before the Devil Rays
The Tampa-St. Petersburg area made many attempts to acquire a baseball team before receiving the Devil Rays in the 1998 expansion, however a critical issue was a lack of a stadium for the team to play in. Florida Suncoast Dome for the team in 1990 to satisfy this need. The dome was built without any notification of receiving a team (Major League Baseball recommended highly against it)[[Citing sources citation needed]], and was solely meant to attract an existing team. Prior to the building of Tropicana Field, The Minnesota Twins expressed interest in moving to Tampa in 1984, before the team was sold to local businessman Carl Pohlad.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
Another shot at baseball came when San Francisco Giants owner Bob Lurie agreed in principle to sell the team to a Tampa Bay-based group, who would then move the team to the Suncoast Dome. A press conference was announced, uniforms were drawn up, and tickets were about to be printed. However, at the last minute, MLB's owners vetoed the move under pressure from San Francisco city officials. The Giants were eventually sold to a local San Francisco group who eventually built AT&T Park.
There was a lot of bitterness in Tampa Bay, especially at Huizenga, who voted against the move. A local boycott on Blockbuster Video stores lasted for years. Angry at MLB about the Giants, group leader Vince Naimoli threatened a lawsuit. In fear, baseball decided to have another expansion, this time admitting Naimoli's group and a group from Phoenix (the Arizona Diamondbacks).
The Dome finally had a team, but the stadium that had built 3 other teams' new stadiums was now out of date. Naimoli needed more than $70 million US from the city in renovations. In a biting irony, the team that was supposed to put St. Petersburg on the map was named Tampa Bay. Many never forgave the team.
Franchise history
1998-2003
From their inception in 1998, the Devil Rays have yet to be major contenders, finishing in last place in the American League East every year from 1998 to 2003. In 2003, the team signed manager Lou Piniella (a Tampa native), a proven manager who led the Cincinnati Reds to a World Championship in 1990 and then helped the Seattle Mariners become competitive in the mid-1990s. They also acquired solid veterans, and even future Hall of Famers such as Wade Boggs. However, by the time they came to the Devil Rays franchise, their best years were behind them and they failed to do much individually. They also were not much help in making the Devil Rays a competitor in the American League East.2004
Expectations were low for the team entering the 2004 season, but the team surprised most baseball experts by compiling a 42-41 record (.506) in their first 83 games (thanks in large part to a twelve game winning streak), staying within 5 games for the American League wild card, a remarkable feat considering the team was 18 games below .500 at one point. However, the team soon returned to its losing ways, finishing the 2004 season with a record of 70-91, the best in team history, and in 4th place in the American League East, also a team best.2005
After setbacks in the 2005 season that left them again last place in the division, and tired of what he felt was an insufficient commitment to winning by the ownership group, Piniella agreed to a buy out of the last year of his contract. There were positives in the situation, as the team went on a tear after the All-Star Break, leaving them above .500 for the remainder of the season. They finished 67-95 overall, making them 39-34 since the All-Star Break after a 28-61 start. The Rays continued to play spoilers in the second half, with a winning record and timely victories over contenders such as the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.2005-2006 Offseason
Immediately after the season ended, Stuart Sternberg, who bought into the ownership group in 2000, took over from Naimoli as managing general partner, thus taking over executive control of the team. He immediately fired Chuck LaMar, who had been the team's general manager since the team's first season, and most of the front office. Matt Silverman was named as team president, and Andrew Friedman took the role of Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. Gerry Hunsicker, former General Manager of the Houston Astros, has taken over as Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations, and will advise Friedman. Sternberg has decided not to have a de jure General Manager, calling the position "outdated", and Friedman and Hunsicker will share that role at MLB functions. [link]The team may have also set the tone for future contention with the play of young stars and up and coming players such as outfielders Carl Crawford, Jonny Gomes, Infielder Jorge Cantu (who hit 28 home runs and drove in 117 runs in his rookie season of 2005) and pitcher Scott Kazmir (who finished in the top 5 in the American League in strikeouts). In 2006, the Rays also should have center fielder Rocco Baldelli back, who missed the 2005 season with injuries, along with super prospects Delmon Young and BJ Upton. The next manager has tools to work with provided the new ownership group spends the money necessary for the team to contend.
Despite a good recovery at the end of the 2005 season, Lou Piniella decided not to return as manager. In December 2005, Joe Maddon was announced as the new manager for the Devil Rays.
Although Sternberg has committed to keeping the team in Tampa Bay, rumors have begun to surface that he may change the name of the team in the near future. It was later stated that any name change would not come until after the 2007 season. A poll of season ticket holders suggested that the change may be as simple as the term "Devil" being dropped, making the team the "Tampa Bay Rays". [link]
2006
The chosen theme for the 2006 season is "We come to play".On April 10, 2006, the official attendance at Tropicana Field for the Rays' home opener was over 40,000 making it the highest turnout since the 1998 Inaugural Season Home Opener.
On April 26, in a game against the Pawtucket Red Sox, Delmon Young was ejected from the first inning of a game for the Triple-A Durham Bulls for arguing a third strike, and struck the umpire in his chest protector with his bat. He was suspended indefinitely the next day by the International League pending an investigation, which ultimately resulted in a 50-game suspension without pay and a minimum 50 hours of community service. [link] This is considered a big setback, as Young is one of the Devil Rays' top prospects, and was expected to see time in the Majors this season. On June 20, 2006 the Rays made their first trade of the season sending outfielder Joey Gathright and infielder Fernando Cortez to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher J.P. Howell. The rebuilding effort continued on June 27th when Tampa Bay sent two older player, pitcher Mark Hendrickson and catcher Toby Hall to the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitcher Jae Seo and 22-year old catcher Dioner Navarro.
Season-by-Season Records
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays (AL)
- 1998 63-99 .389 5th in AL East
- 1999 69-93 .426 5th in AL East
- 2000 69-92 .429 5th in AL East
- 2001 62-100 .383 5th in AL East
- 2002 55-106 .342 5th in AL East
- 2003 63-99 .389 5th in AL East
- 2004 70-91 .435 4th in AL East
- 2005 67-95 .414 5th in AL East
- Totals 518-775 .401 (Not Including 2006)
Quick facts
- Founded: 1998 (American League expansion)
- Home ballpark: Tropicana Field
- Uniform colors: green, blue, black
- Logo design: The letters "TB" superimposed on a devil ray (manta ray)
- Playoff appearances (0): none
- Current Owner: Stuart Sternberg, et al.
- Current Manager: Joe Maddon
- Current General Manager: Position Eliminated by Owner (the position is currently filled at MLB functions by Andrew Friedman and Gerry Hunsicker)
- Local Television: FSN Florida, WXPX 66
- Spring Training Facility: Florida Power Park, St. Petersburg, FL
- Wade Boggs, 3B, 1998-99, his number 12 is also the only one yet retired by the team
Current roster
Franchise Leaders
Single Season Batting Leaders
- Batting Average: .313 Aubrey Huff (2002)
- On-base percentage: .405 Fred McGriff (1999)
- Slugging Percentage: .563 Jose Canseco (1999)
- OPS: .957 Fred McGriff (1999)
- Games: 162 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- At Bats: 644 Carl Crawford (2005)
- Runs: 104 Carl Crawford (2004)
- Hits: 198 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- Total Bases: 353 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- Doubles: 47 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- Triples: 19 Carl Crawford (2004)
- Runs Batted In: 117 Jorge Cantu (2005)
- Walks: 91 Fred McGriff (2000)
- Strikeouts: 159 Ben Grieve (2001)
- Stolen Bases: 59 Carl Crawford (2004)
- Singles: 145 Carl Crawford (2003)
- Runs Created: 129 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- Extra-Base Hits: 84 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- Times on Base: 259 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- Hit By Pitch: 14 Jonny Gomes (2005)
- Sacrifice Hits: 12 Felix Martinez (2000)
- Sacrifice Flies: 10 John Flaherty (1999)
- Intentional Walks: 17 Aubrey Huff (2003)
- Grounded into Double Plays: 24 Jorge Cantu (2005)
- At Bats per Strikeout: 11.7 Miguel Cairo (1998)
- At Bats per Home Run: 12.7 Jose Canseco (1999)
Single Season Pitching Leaders
- ERA: 3.56 Rolando Arrojo (1998)
- Wins: 14 Rolando Arrojo (1998)
- Won-Loss %: .579 Mark Hendrickson (2005)
- WHIP: 1.287 Rolando Arrojo (1998)
- Hits Allowed per 9 Innings Piched: 7.88 Victor Zambrano (2003)
- Walks per 9 Innings Pitched: 2.02 Bryan Rekar (2000)
- Strikeouts per 9 Innings Pitched: 8.42 Scott Kazmir (2005)
- Games: 72 Roberto Hernandez (1999)
- Saves: 43 Roberto Hernández (1999)
- Innings: 224 Tanyon Sturtze (2002)
- Strikeouts: 174 Scott Kazmir (2005)
- Games Started: 33 Tanyon Sturtze (2002)
- Complete Games: 5 Joe Kennedy (2002)
- Home Runs Allowed: 33 Tanyon Sturtze (2002)
- Walks Allowed: 111 Tony Saunders (1998)
- Hits Allowed: 271 Tanyon Sturtze (2002)
- Strikeout to Walk: 2.44 Bryan Rekar (2000)
- Losses: 18 Tanyon Sturtze (2002)
- Earned Runs Allowed: 129 Tanyon Sturtze (2002)
- Wild Pitches: 15 Victor Zambrano (2003)
- Hit Batsmen: 20 Victor Zambrano (2003)
- Batters Faced: 1,008 Tanyon Sturtze (2002)
- Games Finished: 66 Roberto Hernandez (1999)
Career Batting Leaders
- Batting Average: Fred McGriff (.291)
- On-base percentage: Fred McGriff (.380)
- Slugging Percentage: Fred MCGriff (.484)
- OPS: Fred McGriff (.864)
- Games: Aubrey Huff (736)
- At Bats: Aubrey Huff (2,798)
- Runs: Aubrey Huff (374)
- Hits: Aubrey Huff (805)
- Total Bases: Aubrey Huff (1,338)
- Doubles: Aubrey Huff (157)
- Triples: Carl Crawford (49)
- Home Runs: Aubrey Huff (120)
- RBI: Aubrey Huff (421)
- Walks: Fred McGriff (305)
- Strikeouts: Fred McGriff (433)
- Stolen Bases: Carl Crawford (169)
- Singles: Aubrey Huff (520)
- Runs Created: Aubrey Huff (460)
- Extra-Base Hits: Aubrey Huff (285)
- Times on Base: Aubrey Huff (1,049)
- Hit By Pitch: Jose Guillen (23)
- Sacrifice Hits: Miguel Cairo (24)
- Sacrifice Flies: Aubrey Huff (24)
- Intentional Walks: Aubrey Huff (46)
- Grounded into Double Plays: Aubrey Huff (81)
- At Bats per Strikeout: Aubrey Huff (7.2)
- At Bats per Home Run: Fred McGriff (20.9)
Career Pitching Leaders
- Wins: Victor Zambrano (35)
- Games: Esteban Yan (266)
- Saves: Roberto Hernandez (101)
- Innings: Bryan Rekar (495 ⅓)
- Strikeouts: Victor Zambrano (372)
- Games Started: Ryan Rupe (83)
- Complete Games: Joe Kennedy (6)
- Home Runs Allowed: Ryan Rupe (77)
- Walks Allowed: Victor Zambrano (288)
- Hits Allowed: Bryan Rekar (583)
- Earned Runs Allowed: Ryan Rupe (303)
- Wild Pitches: Victor Zambrano (34)
- Hit Batsmen: Victor Zambrano (43)
- Batters Faced: Bryan Rekar (2,179)
- Games Finished: Roberto Hernandez (182)
Broadcasters
Television Announcers
- 1998–current: Dewayne Staats (play-by-play) and Joe Magrane (color commentary)
Radio Announcers
- 2005–current: Dave Wills and Andy Freed
Minor league affiliations
- AAA: Durham Bulls, International League
- AA: Montgomery Biscuits, Southern League
- Advanced A: Visalia Oaks, California League
- A: Southwest Michigan Devil Rays, Midwest League
- Short A: Hudson Valley Renegades, New York-Penn League
- Rookie: Princeton Devil Rays, Appalachian League
See also
External links
- [Tampa Bay Devil Rays official web site]
- [St. Petersburg Times Rays Forum]
- [The Baseball Cube] Tampa Bay Devil Rays Team Page
- [Sports E-Cyclopedia]
- [Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Sportiki]
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