New name, same lousy team
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by Thefoulline
We now have reason to start to fear the professional baseball team from Tampa Bay. While every other team has been working the phone lines and meeting players this offseason trying to improve lineups, Tampa Bay may have made the biggest splash so far. I'm not talking about them signing Alex Rodriguez, or making a push for Johan Santana. No, Tampa has finally found the formula for immediate success. They have officially changed their name from the "Devil Rays" to the "Rays." Wow! Watch out Major League Baseball; this team is not messing around.
I imagine the Tampa brass meeting at the end of another disappointing season where they finished in the AL East cellar. How could they turn this team into a legitimate contender?
Add some veteran players to provide some leadership to the young talent? Nope. Add a quality starting pitcher? No thanks. Re-sign AL comeback player of the year and team MVP Carlos Pena? Maybe. Improve the worst bullpen in baseball? No way!
Remove two syllables from the team name? BINGO!!
I really like this move. I always found the name Devil Rays so cumbersome to say. This is obviously the reason why this team has sucked since its inception. Not because the owners are cheapskates that refuse to increase payroll, or because Tropicana Field is a glorified warehouse. It's because they picked the wrong name.
I am so glad to see this young franchise finally find the recipe for success. Now if I could suggest a new team slogan for the 2008 season.
Tampa Bay Rays: Exorcising our demons, but still stinking up the league.
This now lends to question the future of the New Jersey hockey franchise name. Surely if a "Devil Ray" is now changed to "Ray" then it just makes sense to modify "Devils" to "Blanks".
This is a political correct message sponsored by Tyrone Briggs.