A Site Announcement

Grats on 1,000,000. I remember when I first started reading this page as User #27 and the site was getting maybe 20 hits per day. You’ve come a long way, baby!

Love the site. I check it out every day at some point, even in the off-season. Gets me through my work day during my lunch break haha. Keep up the good work. Go Rays.

numbers, blah

I just wanna jump in and give some thanks of my own. The decision I had a year ago looks pretty silly in hindsight. Stay with mvn (currently shut down) or jump ship to DRB. With R.J’s pushing, I made the switch and have never looked back. So big thanks to him for not only that, but being the David Eckstein that holds this thing together. I want to thank all our staff from Easy E to Freezo, Steve and the other contributors like S(andy) Kazm(ickstine).

The biggest thanks goes out to the community. It’s cliche to say “we couldn’t do this without you” but there’s really no other way to put it. From the long-time readers to the ones who just signed up, I think we can all agree the conversations (and arguments) on DRB are what make this place tick. While we have a staff of writers starting conversations, it’s really the back and forth flowing of ideas and thoughts that make this site unique.

Thanks for the million visits in 2009, and here’s to two million in 2010.

This is my first stop for anything Rays. Keep it coming.

Also, Friedman did an interview on 620 about an hour an a half ago. He was asked about Burrell. He said that Burrell’s neck injury was probably the main reason he performed so badly last season; just said that he expects him to be better this year. Also, they asked Friedman if Shoppach and Navarro would platoon this year. Friedman didn’t have an answer. Personally, I don’t see any way both catchers are here when Spring Training ends. There’s no way they pay both of them to do the same thing (hit lefties). Shoppach will start, and I think Navarro gets dealt. I also think that Bradley does end up in a Rays uniform, but we’ll have to wait until Hendry finally caves.

but I’d like to think I appreciate this site much more than most. DRB was the very first place I encountered advanced statistics. Now my library is lined with books from Moneyball to The Book. When I found this site a year and a half ago, I had no idea I was embarking on an intellectual journey of genuinely life-changing proportions (I now am applying my time studying for my Masters degree in Economics almost exclusively to baseball analysis).

When you guys hit the big M-hit, know it’s not a product of bandwagon fans or an inherited fanbase, but on the merit of your excellent research (RJ, Zorilla, etc.) and your insightful reporting (Tommy, Slowinski, etc.).

This site has not only increased my fandom of the Tampa Bay Rays, but also statistics and, moreover, the pursuit of even greater knowledge!

You guys rock!

As a Rays fan who lives in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, I have to say that this site is what keeps me connected throughout the year. Without DRB, I would not have the opportunity to waste massive amounts of time following the baseball team I love. Thanks again guys

Thanks

DO WORK!

Seriously, great site. You young punks have broadend my baseball knowledge. Thanks!

Jeter can get more hits than that.

11:36am: Interesting tweet from ESPN’s Jorge Arangure Jr. – he has a source close to Gonzalez who believes the player will be traded to Boston within the next ten days.

I’d guess it’s in the top third, which is damn good for a team with a much smaller overall following than most others.

Thanks for all of it.

I check DRB daily. It educates me and helps me stay connected to the team I love. Thanks for all the excellent, insightful work you guys do – I appreciate all the time and effort that goes into making this the best Rays site on the internet.

Just curious. Sean mentioned he’s user #27. I’m user #22. I wonder if there’s anyone who was around even earlier who visits the site on occasion (other than PLK).

Congrats DRB

First year here… taught me a lot.