6 R a y s A DEVILISH DEBUT rchaeologists believe that humans known as Paleo Indians existed in Florida 12,000 to 14,000 years ago and that a tribe known as the Manasota lived in the Tampa Bay area as far back as 4000 B C It’s not hard to see why early peoples might have chosen to inhabit this place as it features abundant sea sun and sand as well as warm temperatures year round Today when people speak of the Tampa Bay area they are usually referring most specifically to the two large neighboring cities of Tampa and St Petersburg In 1998 a professional baseball team also made itself at home next to this bay It was then after the area had already spent decades playing host to big-league baseball teams holding spring training in south Florida that Tampa Bay first fielded a Major League Baseball team of its own Thanks to a public name-the-team contest the new American League AL club took the field as the Devil Rays A common sight in the Bay waters devil rays also called manta rays are odd-looking marine creatures that get their name from unique fins near their heads that resemble devils horns A
Tampa pictured and neighboring St Petersburg lend themselves to indoor baseball as the cities feature hot humid and often stormy summers
ALL-TIME RAYS R a y s 8 Tampa Bay Rays (cid:39)(cid:32)(cid:43)(cid:26)(cid:31)(cid:28)(cid:41)(cid:1)(cid:76) SCOTT KAZMIR After a legendary high school career in which he once threw no-hitters in four consecutive outings Scott Kazmir bypassed college when he was drafted by the New York Mets in 2002 Two seasons later Tampa Bay traded away the best pitcher it had had in its short history Victor Zambrano for Kazmir who was showing promise in the minors By season’s end Kazmir was in the big leagues blowing hitters away with his exploding fastball In 2007 the staff ace led the AL in strikeouts with 239 and in 2008 he helped propel the Rays to their first playoff appearance STATS Rays seasons 2004 09 Height 6 feet Weight 180 (cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:25)(cid:25)(cid:19)(cid:0)(cid:67)(cid:65)(cid:82)(cid:69)(cid:69)(cid:82)(cid:0)(cid:83)(cid:84)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:75)(cid:69)(cid:79)(cid:85)(cid:84)(cid:83) (cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:22)(cid:22)(cid:110)(cid:22)(cid:17)(cid:0)(cid:67)(cid:65)(cid:82)(cid:69)(cid:69)(cid:82)(cid:0)(cid:82)(cid:69)(cid:67)(cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:68) (cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:20)(cid:14)(cid:17)(cid:20)(cid:0)(cid:67)(cid:65)(cid:82)(cid:69)(cid:69)(cid:82)(cid:0)(cid:37)(cid:50)(cid:33) (cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:18)(cid:13)(cid:84)(cid:73)(cid:77)(cid:69)(cid:0)(cid:33)(cid:76)(cid:76)(cid:13)(cid:51)(cid:84)(cid:65)(cid:82) Scott Kazmir Pitcher
The Tampa Bay franchise was truly born in 1995 when Major League Baseball announced that the area would receive a new expansion franchise In July 1995 former Atlanta Braves scout and executive Chuck LaMar was named the Devil Rays general manager and Larry Rothschild a respected major-league pitching coach who had never before managed a game was named the team’s skipper The Devil Rays made their first major-league trade on November 11 1997 acquiring lanky outfielder Mike Kelly from the Cincinnati Reds I was thrilled said Kelly because I knew it meant I was getting an opportunity to play and that’s what it’s all about A week later the Devil Rays used their first pick in a special expansion draft to select pitcher Tony Saunders who had been a member of the World Series-winning Florida Marlins the year before By the time the draft concluded the Rays had selected 35 players including quick center fielder Quinton McCracken and veteran catcher Mike Difelice After the draft Tampa Bay continued to add talent via trades and free-agent signings obtaining hard-hitting first baseman and Tampa native Fred Crime Dog McGriff shortstop Kevin Stocker and R a y s 9
