Rays walk up bracket: Quarterfinals

With the All-Star break upon us, it’s the perfect time for us to move forward with our summer-long trek to determine the best walk-up music on the 2018 Rays.

So far, we have paired the original 40+ contestants down to the top eight, and you’ll be voting for the Final Four in today’s bracket. Since we’re getting into the realm of a lower number of matchups to vote on, let’s circle back and share a quick word on the Round 2 results:

Round 2 Results

Ryan Yarbrough: Ladies and Gentlemen - Saliva 58%

over

Jose Alvarado: Cali Aji - Grupo Niche 42%

This was the only disappointment for me in Round 2. I love Alvarado, and I love Grupo Niche, so it was sad to see them go. That being said, as I noted in the preview of this round, I’m not really sure it’s going to matter given who the winner faces next...

Joey Wendle: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin 83%

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Jake Bauers: What the Price - Migos 17%

Is this the year of Led Zeppelin? We started off our bracket with three Zeppelin songs (only Migos joined Robert Plant and co. in having more than one song in the proceedings), and the only elimination came at the hands of another Zeppelin song. The way the bracket is set up, the two Zeppelin songs could technically meet in the final.

Ryne Stanek: Still Dre - Dr. Dre 69%

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Brandon Snyder: Thunder - Imagine Dragons 31%

I’m so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so glad this result went the way it did.

C.J. Cron: That’s What I Like - Bruno Mars 64%

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Mallex Smith: Swing My Way - K.P. & Envyi 36%

I’m curious just how far Bruno Mars’ lovability can take a rather pedestrian walk-up song choice. Honestly, it could be pretty far. Batting “swing” puns apparently can’t get you to the quarterfinals.

Jake Faria: Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin 76%

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Nathan Eovaldi: Come Together - Gary Clark Jr. 24%

If I had to guess which of the two Zeppelin songs makes it further, I’d make “Immigrant Song” a pretty hefty favorite. That Ragnarok bump is just tough to beat.

Carlos Gomez: Spongebob Squarepants Theme - Painty the Pirate and Kids 58%

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Chaz Roe: Hail to the King - Avenged Sevenfold 42%

This was both the closest vote, as well as the most voted on result. That tells me people cared strongly one way or the other about Gomez’s selection of a kid’s show theme song as his walk-up.

Wilson Ramos: Wilson - Phish 70%

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Adeiny Hechavarria: Walk It, Talk It 30%

For all the kids trying to find the perfect walk-up music for their middle school baseball team, apparently just find a song that shares your name. Melissa, you’re in luck.

Andrew Kittredge: Tom Sawyer - Rush 66%

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Kevin Kiermaier: Hustlin’ - Rick Ross 34%

Geddy Lee and his incredibly falsetto roll on in what was a bigger blowout than I had thought was going to occur. Does everyone love Rush as much as I do?!

Quarterfinals

All right, that leaves us with eight walk-up songs left, four matchups for you to vote in:

Ryan Yarbrough: Ladies and Gentlemen - Saliva

Joey Wendle: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin

It makes me very sad that a Saliva song has made it this far, but I have to imagine this is the end of the road… If not, we need to have a serious talk, DRB nation.

Ryne Stanek: Still Dre - Dr. Dre

C.J. Cron: That’s What I Like - Bruno Mars

Maybe it’s not shocking that Stanek and Cron have been two of the better players for the Rays in the first half of the season. With Dr. Dre and Bruno Mars having my back, I feel like I could toss nine straight scoreless starts or post a 123 OPS+ in the first half!

That being said, Dre, it’s time to end this cute Bruno Mars run. Finish him!

Jake Faria: Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

Carlos Gomez: Spongebob Squarepants Theme - Painty the Pirate and Kids

This is the best matchup of the quarterfinals (though my guess for which is the closest vote is the next one, actually). Quickly, my personal rankings of the final eight:

8) Ryan Yarbrough: Ladies and Gentlemen - Saliva

7) Wilson Ramos: Wilson - Phish

6) C.J. Cron: That’s What I Like - Bruno Mars

5) Joey Wendle: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin

4) Carlos Gomez: Spongebob Squarepants Theme - Painty the Pirate and Kids

3) Jake Faria: Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

2) Ryne Stanek: Still Dre - Dr. Dre

1) Andrew Kittredge: Tom Sawyer - Rush

Leave your own rankings in the comments.

Wilson Ramos: Wilson - Phish

Andrew Kittredge: Tom Sawyer - Rush

Now, slightly different than the rankings, how I would set the Vegas lines for the eventual winners:

Ryne Stanek: Still Dre - Dr. Dre +200

Jake Faria: Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin +250

Wilson Ramos: Wilson - Phish +350

Andrew Kittredge: Tom Sawyer - Rush +400

Joey Wendle: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin +500

Carlos Gomez: Spongebob Squarepants Theme - Painty the Pirate and Kids +500

Ryan Yarbrough: Ladies and Gentlemen - Saliva +1000

C.J. Cron: That’s What I Like - Bruno Mars +1250

Please feel free to go to an actual Vegas casino and lay bets on those.

We’ll be back soon for the semifinals!