The Rays are off today, so how do I spend a day in which a game isn’t played?
I diligently search through YouTube archives in search of Devil Rays footage. During my search, I stumbled upon a highlight reel from a 2006 game in which the Rays were taking on the Angels in Los Angeles.
Through some research, I learned the game took place on July 16th. Casey Fossum started for Tampa Bay and Bartolo Colon started for the Angels. The Rays lost 7-5 and their record dropped to 39-53 en-route to another 100 loss season.
So, why am I mentioning this fairly insignificant game?
IT’S BECAUSE TRAVIS LEE IS A WIZARD!
Some background on Travis Lee: He was a former top-five prospect in all of baseball. His first home run was the first in Arizona Diamondbacks history, and he would later be used to help acquire Curt Schilling from the Phillies. The Rays picked him up a couple of times as a free agent, as he spent the 2003 season with Tampa Bay. He’d rejoin them in 2005 and again in 2006.
Injuries had plagued him during his reunion with the club as he struggled offensively. His defense, however, that was always a difference maker, as he was known as one of the most sure-handed first baseman in baseball... and he proved it that afternoon in Los Angeles, even if the record books will never show it.
During the 5th inning of the contest, the Rays clung to a 3-0 lead. Casey Fossum was still on the mound, and with the first pitch of the inning, the Angels first baseman, Rob Quinlan, hit a routine groundball to the Devil Rays short stop, Julio Lugo.
As many Rays fans remember, there was never anything routine about a groundball to Lugo, who proceeded to launch a throw that was well over Travis Lee’s head. Lee, being the wizard that he is, managed to leap up and coral the errant throw, while following into the baseline and tagged the approaching Quinlan just a step before the bag.
Except, first base umpire, Marty Foster, did not see the tag and Quinlan reached safely.
Travis Lee was obviously upset.
He had just pulled off the baseball equivalent of turning water in wine and Marty Foster could not comprehend what he had just witnessed and just went with a safe call.
Joe Maddon became irate as his first baseman had just pulled off a miraculous play, and he would not be rewarded for it. So, he let Marty Foster know just how awful of a call he thought that was, and Maddon was quickly thrown out of the game as a result.
Travis Lee, also still infuriated, would be tossed too after a few words of his own to Mr. Foster.
It is understandable how Marty Foster would miss that call, as a human body is not supposed to be able to do what Travis Lee had just done.
So, let’s go back and see exactly what happened.
- Travis Lee leaps to snag the ball, getting a couple of feet off the ground;
- He turns his body just as he catches the ball -- while in mid air;
- Then, he proceeds to tag the approaching Quinlan, stretching his arm behind his back to apply the tag:
Travis Lee is a wizard and I hereby motion for MLB to remove an error from Julio Lugo and to apologize for the ejection of Travis Lee. Now we just need someone to deliver the good news to Travis...