how did u become a rays fan?

by RaysOfHope on May 10, 2008 12:02 AM EDT

hey everyone i was thinking today about how i came to like the rays so much and i started watching baseball in 2001 and that was when the rays fans just started the oust vince namoli times and i was a twins fan watching a game against the tampa bay devil rays and they looked like a team with out a sole who needed a change in ownership and i supported them because growing up as a twins fan i have sometimes seen some penny pinching from the pohlad family and decided to support a team trying to start over and wanted to be a part of a new team that i knew would struggle for sometime and i know that i havent been around since 1998 but i have been a huge devil rays fan since 2002 and would have to suffer through some bad times with this team but i knew that things would change around here when stu became owner and since seeing the things change around here i am glad that i have stuck around because i have never been a band wagon fan and have always stuck up for my teams whether they are rebuilding or they have ownership change and creating a new attitude and to prove that i am not a band wagon fan lets just say that i am a detriot lions fan lol but i am sticking with them no matter what even though i dislike matt millen almost as much as i did chuck lamar. anyways i want to hear how all of you became tampa bay rays fans so please tell me your stories!

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Great story.

Sorry about your Lions.

You started liking the Rays since ‘02. Ouch, bad timing.

I know, myself I have been a Rays fan since ‘99. My dad was just stationed to MacDill AFB and I was happy to be in a place where major league baseball was played. I was at first a Texas Rangers fan, because I was born in Austin, Texas. I have been a fan since. I remember in ‘99 saying to my Dad, “Look the Devil Rays are playing .500 through the first month. I really think they might have a shot at the playoffs!” My dad laughed. He still is laughing when he talks with me on the phone. But, I find my dad isn’t laughing as much as he used to .

Proud to be a Rays fan! Go get ‘em Kaz!
.

In the Name of Shinji Mori, we shall win!

by thebaddancingraysfan on May 10, 2008 12:32 AM EDT 0 recs

My story

I have always had an affinity for expansion teams; it is so interesting seeing how they try to build.

In this case, my son had moved to St. Petersburg, so although I still lived in NY, I bought season tickets for us that first year-and the second as well. Part of my thinking (and this should destroy any credibility I have to project anything) was that I wanted to be sure to have seats as I figured the Rays would sell out every night.

Obviously, I attended few games while living in NY, but I did get to the first series ever, all four games, against Detroit and whenever I visited the area. Now that I live here full-time, of course, it is my home town team.

by bobr on May 10, 2008 12:58 AM EDT 0 recs

3 words got me liking the Rays

Rocco Daniel Baldelli, once he got drafted…I was a fan of the team.

by Jacob Larsen on May 10, 2008 1:07 AM EDT 0 recs

Have you ever seen that show, "A Wedding Story" on TLC?

by gatorbait on May 10, 2008 11:51 AM EDT up 0 recs

Nope

Very random question, I must say and ask “why?”

by Jacob Larsen on May 10, 2008 4:40 PM EDT up 0 recs

Florida is Baseball

I’m from Jacksonville Florida, so naturally the closest team to me was the Devil Rays. I never liked the Braves that much, but somehow Jacksonville thinks the Braves are their team as well which I find very confusing. Until the Rays moved in 1998 I loved and still love the Marlins. However the Rays are like a second child to me and I love them just the same as the Marlins.

Anyways, I never really was much of sports fan till college when I majored in American History, and I researched how special the Tampa Bay area and the state of Florida has been to the sport of baseball. Almost every team has graced the bay area and Florida at one time or another for Srping Training and the Minor League system the state of Florida has altogether is very impressive.

There’s something about the Rays that is special. The Rays have a certain David meets Goliath attitude which is amazing, and I think is missing in sports. Their history is young but already hall of famers like Wade Boggs have played for them, and they’ve had some great moments (the past two games alone [Toronto 05/08/08 and LA 05/09/08] are made for the movies). Not too mention some of my favorite players are or were Rays: Mark Hendrickson, Jorge Cantu, Carl Crawford, Paul Sorrento, Tino Martinez, Evan Longoria, and Fred McGriff.

I was crying for joy when the Marlins beat the Indians for the Wold Series 1997, as well when they beat the Yankees for the World Series 2003. But I now I’ll die in peace when the Rays bring that championship home as well.

I tell everyone here in stuffy old Baltimore/Washington, D.C. that Florida is BASEBALL!

by Cooperstown Kid on May 10, 2008 2:41 AM EDT 0 recs

2002

I had moved to Tampa from New Jersey in late 1999 and was a huge Yankees fan all my life. However, I quickly started feeling a kinship with the local Devil Ray underdogs and starting rooting for them unless they were playing the Yankees. Then, at a game against the Yanks in 2002, I looked around the stadium and saw that most of the fans were wearing Yankee paraphenalia and acting obnoxiously whenever the Yanks did something good. At this moment I started to feel a certain queasy feeling in my stomach, beads of sweat started to gather around my forehead, and I temporarily lost feeling in my legs and hands. After a few minutes I let out a piercing scream and tore my Yankees shirt Hulk-style from my body. After this, the pain was gone and I had an amazing sense of clarity…then I realized I had exorcised the demons!!!

Go Rays!!!

Jamie DeLuca

by JDeLuca on May 10, 2008 9:43 AM EDT 0 recs

1999

My first ever MLB game seen live was at Tropicana Field in July of 1999. I’m from NY so my whole family and friends love the Yankees. It sucks to take the jabs year after year from everyone that I love the (Devil) Rays…..but now I’m getting my revenge for now. I would like to consider myself the biggest Tampa Bay Rays fan that lives in NY (and doesn’t have a home in Florida). I already have the new jersey and hat…..also every time the Durham Bulls come to Syracuse, I go and get autographs. So..I have met James Shields, Shawn Riggans and I even gave Tim Corcoran a ride to the mall in my car when the left him behind at the ballpark.

by Matt C on May 10, 2008 10:27 AM EDT 0 recs

moved to st pete in 2001, started going in 02

have been following intently last 3 yrs

by HAHAHA OH WOW on May 10, 2008 11:47 AM EDT 0 recs

Nary a period in that post.

It all started with MLB Baseball for the Xbox about 3 years ago. That got me hooked on baseball and the D-Rays, my hometown team, was the obvious choice.

by gatorbait on May 10, 2008 11:47 AM EDT 0 recs

same

but it was 4 years ago

by Albertrayon on May 10, 2008 2:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

I mean 4.5 years ago

by gatorbait on May 10, 2008 2:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Prospects

As a guy who has always followed prospects for fantasy purposes, it just became obvious to become a Rays fan about 4 years ago. I like to jump on teams when they are young and about to mature into a great team or hopefully even a dynasty. I did it in hockey with the Quebec Nordiques and about 10 years ago the Ottawa Senators (unfortunately no cups though).
My one fantasy team I own BJ and Pena on my actives with Niemann, Davis, Mcgee, Brignac and Jennings on my minor league roster.
I am from Canada so I take quite a ribbing for being a Rays fan. But the way I see it is how can you be a fan of the Jays with Ricciardi running them.

BJ Upton will win an MVP by 2012

by lovemethebj on May 10, 2008 12:05 PM EDT 0 recs

Opening Day '98

Born and raised in Tampa – used to be an A’s fan, until Naimoli made it happen

by LeftRight on May 10, 2008 12:17 PM EDT 0 recs

Opening Day 1998

I am bored and raised in Sarasota. My dad was a Cubs fan and I still follow them a little but once the Rays came I was the hometown fan. I did not go to the first game but the second one I attended. My dad’s business had tickets the first couple years. Then when they did not get tickets it kind of died down. I was 8 when the first season was so I went through a phase where I did not follow sports. Then I went to a game 4 years ago, then another, then another and I convinced my mom now that I could drive up (being 16) if I could get tickets. Now I attend almost every home game

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls

by SRQman on May 10, 2008 12:19 PM EDT 0 recs

1999

I was raised in Cardinals country during the Whitey Herzog “small ball” era, but never grew to worship them the way everyone else did (and still do). Instead, I followed individual players for various reasons: Terry Kennedy.. then Will Clark.. then Vladimir Guerrero.

Then expansion came along and circumstances (spent a short time living in central Fla) led me to the Devil Rays and despite the terrible teams, little did I realize by 1999 I was already hooked.

After returning home to finish my seven-year college journey, the online forums fed the addiction. I started posting on the ESPN boards (original stomping grounds for a lot of current bloggers including some from Lookout Landing and Lone Star Ball) and got hooked on that.. which led to being a moderator of the scout.com board with Jay and Dan of raysbb.com.. then a short stint as writer on raysbb.com when they were just getting off the ground. Now I enjoy annoying RJ, Patrick and the gang here. It’s great to read such insightful and rabid fans.

I usually make it to at least one series each season. I dunno if I’ll make it to the Trop this year, but I’m sure I’ll see them either in Arlington or Kansas City.

Longlorious.

by RATW on May 10, 2008 12:55 PM EDT 0 recs

My 1st Rays Game

07/04/03 vs. Chisox. Rightfielder Carl Crawford hits a walk-off shot to win the game in the bottom of the 9th.

by GomesSweetGomes on May 10, 2008 10:36 PM EDT 0 recs

From the roots

I grew up in Durham and have had season tickets to Bulls games for as long as I can remember. I was a pseudo Braves fan when the Bulls were their A franchise- saw Chipper and Andruw Jones and other great Braves- but was never really behind the team.

When the Devil Rays came into existence I got excited that I could finally get behind a MLB team. It also helped that over the years (of futility) so many of the Rays best players (and SO many from the current team) played in Durham. That is why I became a Rays fan!

by JBB on May 10, 2008 11:10 PM EDT 0 recs

From the start!

I went to high school in Tampa, and have been a Bucs fan since day 1. Same with the Rays. I used to take much abuse from friends about my fanhood – until this season.

I have seen a Rays game in the Trop – a loss to the Mariners, back in 2002.

Build the new stadium! The plans look great!

by billso on May 11, 2008 6:24 PM EDT 0 recs