http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3467151

As an employee of the Tampa Bay Rays, I must take exception to your recent comments regarding Tropicana Field. In an interview with Howard Bryant of ESPN.com, you criticized the Trop by sarcastically asking, "Have you been there?" Then, when Mr. Bryant replied that he had, you said, "Do I need to tell you any more than that?"

Well, sir, I have my own rhetorical question for you: Where have you been?! Since the last time you visited St. Pete, in June 2004, I can assure you that things have changed. The place is much brighter, livelier and cheerier. Back then, we didn't have a tank of cow-nosed rays in right-centerfield. (You can pet them!) Or a second baseman with an alligator glove that has "No pain, no gain" written on it in Japanese. Or a manager in X-ray specs who can discuss the latest archaeological find at Stonehenge.

Tom DiPace

Raymond Ray in his natural habitat.

Or a double-jointed Ping-Pong player in the rotation. Or mysterious T-shirts that read "9 = 8." Or a rookie third baseman who leaves scouts babbling. Or a reliever who wears three of everything. Or an outfielder with his own personalized boxing robe. Or a closer who was presumed dead. Or 34,441 people at a Thursday-night game. Or a team that's 17 games over .500!

Or me. I'm Raymond, the goofy and lovable blue mascot (No. 00) who runs around during the game. (You can pet me, too!) You should've seen me the other night during the Pepsi race, when various bottles scamper along the third baseline. (Yeah, I know, a knockoff of what your sausages do in Miller Park.) Just as the Aquafina bottle was about to cross the finish line—wham! I clotheslined him. Should've made SportsCenter.

But this is not about me. It's about the excitement the Rays are creating here and throughout baseball. The other day our ace, Scott Kazmir, and I were at the South Brandon Little League fields on the other side of the Bay to announce that the Rays will fund renovations to the complex. When Scott walked away after the festivities, he was like the Pied Piper, taking all these kids along with him as he signed their stuff. "I seem to be collecting fans," he said.

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Click the link to read the rest. Raymond set that hack straight!