The Rays Tank: Scott Boras hates the Rays

Scott Boras has an opinion on the Rays and decided to share it with the world at the GM meetings.

His take on the team this offseason:

"I would say the Tale of Two Cities, the one they're in and the one they should be in.''

And then he elaborated:

"The one that's going to support them to the level of the performance of the team, and the Tampa Bay market, both in what they provided for a stadium and what they provided for attendance for the quality of the play has not been consistent with what we've seen with other major-league markets. When you have a team that successful, there's teams that are drawing 2.5 to 3, over 3-million for that kind of performance.

"It's just really something for the fans of the Tampa Bay area, they need a new ballpark, they need to address that. Certainly the bell's been answered by the organization as far as putting a product on the field that would normally attract fans.''

"I think that retention of their players is key to the building of a franchise, but you also have to understand that that's probably true of a true grade of an ownership that has had the support of the fan base when winning. They have not.''

Marc Topkin provided an on point Clif Notes version of what Boras was trying to get across, as he "pretty much seemed to absolving the Rays management/ownership of not spending enough, citing their major-league worst attendance of 1.51-million."

Boras then kept talking. Yay!

"I think that retention of their players is key to the building of a franchise, but you also have to understand that that's probably true of a true grade of an ownership that has had the support of the fan base when winning. They have not.''

"To me, Major League Baseball and everyone, they have to take a close look at this franchise because when you have a successful operation that's providing a winning percentage annually that they're providing, and the staff that has proven to do it, I think it's fair for everyone to say a successful product is not doing well in a place. It's not that the product is not performing in a good place.''

So, Mr. Boras, agent extraordinaire, what should replace the "Tampa Bay" in Tampa Bay Rays?

"I think there's a lot of cities that may attract them. I don't know, maybe New Jersey would like that winning percentage.''

Sunshine State to Garden State. Road trip!

(via mrwgifs.com)

Tweet of the Day:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Hmmmm.... <a href="http://t.co/xL7nWVHmtJ">pic.twitter.com/xL7nWVHmtJ</a></p>&mdash; Craig Kimbrel (@kimbrel46) <a href="https://twitter.com/kimbrel46/statuses/400766735957368832">November 13, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Links:

- ICYMI from yesterday: The Trop is getting a mini facelift.

- Brian Wilson won't sign with the Yankees because he refuses to shave the monstrosity on his face. Sorry 'bout your luck, Yanks.

- Deadspin is attempting to purchase a Hall of Fame vote. Really.

- Max Scherzer won the AL Cy Young, while Clayton Kershaw took home the NL Cy Young, to the surprise of pretty much no one. Both celebrations were shared on Twitter:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>In the words of T.O. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GeturPopcornReady&amp;src=hash">#GeturPopcornReady</a> <a href="http://t.co/NJ0Yv71hTc">pic.twitter.com/NJ0Yv71hTc</a></p>&mdash; Max Scherzer (@Max_Scherzer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Max_Scherzer/statuses/400811687919362049">November 14, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>And we can&#39;t forget about the posse. What great friends to share the night with! <a href="http://t.co/VVsb4LZX9y">pic.twitter.com/VVsb4LZX9y</a></p>&mdash; Ellen Kershaw (@ellenkershaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/ellenkershaw/statuses/400808768654409728">November 14, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also, fun fact of Scherzer's win: first pitcher to ever get the nod without registering a complete game in this career. Oh, and Kershaw makes me feel extremely unaccomplished at 25.

- A historically informative ode to the 7th inning stretch.