Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Relief trip to Puerto Rico

In an effort to do what they can for still-battered Puerto Rico, the Rays, along with Moffitt Cancer Center, Ponce Health Sciences University, the University of South Florida, the honorable Janet Cruz, State Representative, District 62, and Course of Action Puerto Rico, chartered a plane to the island.

Here’s Mayor Kriesman, on the plane, talking about how he wants to see the damage first hand, to get a better idea of the after-effects of a hurricane like Maria, as St. Petersburg is perennially at risk of a hit of its own.

And here is Rays pitcher Xavier Cedeno, on the way home to be with his family.

Here’s video on the missions of Moffitt Cancer Center and Ponce Health Sciences University.

Here are some places you can donate to the relief and recovery in Puerto Rico.

Links

• Former-Ray Jonny Gomes is taking his big truck and helping with fire relief in Northern California (h/t @tbtimes_rays).
• Future-Ray Shohei Otani will have ankle surgery.
• Steven Strasburg pitched sick, after he was maybe not going to pitch because he was sick and the baseball world went crazy. He pitched real good. Michael Baumann wrote good.

If you’re ever wondering what toxic masculinity looks like, this is it—the “man up” culture that says injury and illness can be overcome by trying real hard.

• Eno Sarris wrote a good piece about nostalgia and the pitching progression of CC Sabathia.
• Jeff Sullivan noted that the playoff strike zone is bigger than the regular season strike zone.
• I dig the Short Relief today. Rachael McDaniel and Patrick Dubuque on the horror of October baseball.