Go Devil Rays, Go!

by SonnyJ9 on May 20, 2006 10:58 PM CDT

I spend quite a bit of time in St Pete and attend some Devil Rays games while down here. The Devil Rays and their 34 million dollar payroll, $550k median salary and 1.1 million fans compared to the Cubs 94 million dollar payroll, 2.5 million median salary and 3.1 million fans have a better record than the Cubs as of today at 19-24 compared to the Cubs ar 17-25.

Please don't tell me about injuries as the Rays have been without Cantu, Lugo, and Huff during the year.

How is it that the Rays, playing in the AL East have a better record than the Cubs?

The Rays go on a very tough road trip facing the Blue Jays, Bo Sox and Yankees. Still, I like my chances that the Rays end up with a better record than these pathetic 2006 Cubs.

I will be tracking this and posting the comparisons through out the year.

Sorry but you know what, Cubs just flat out SUCK!

GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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That's a new one on me

I didn't know the Rays had fans, let alone ones with time to troll Cubs blogs. Learn something new every day.

by Perkins on May 20, 2006 11:54 PM CDT reply actions

Your answer

The answer to your question is that the Cubs don't spend enough money on their payroll. Stick around here for awhile, and you'll see that.

The serious answer is that the Cubs don't pay for the right players. That's about it.

But I congratulate you on the guts it takes to admit to being a Rays fan. I know you and the other six must have it rough.

"If it takes forever."

by JDay on May 21, 2006 12:20 AM CDT reply actions

Great to see

that you waited until the Rays had a better record before you had the courage to post here. Courage means many things to many men, and you're working hard to establish a new definition. Congrats.

by Short4Fanatic on May 21, 2006 12:41 AM CDT reply actions

who??

where are all these "other" fans coming from?? why have i seen posts from fans other than cubs fans recently? seems like if youre going to rip on another team the best place to do it would be on your OWN blog whereas you have the added benefit of your own team fans to join in...thanks...

by dtpollitt on May 21, 2006 1:48 AM CDT reply actions

While I wouldn't quite be that aggressive.........

I am indeed proud of my Devil Rays. I actually like the Cubs too, though that is mostly through my brother. Back when Tampa/St. Pete was still swinging and missing in trying to get teams like the White Sox, Giants, Mariners, Rangers, any team that was trying to get a new stadium, the Cubs and the Braves were the only things on TV. And my brother always tuned into WGN to see the Cubs every afternoon when he got home from school. Of course, he is older now, the Rays are in town, and WGN does not televise as many games as they used to, but he still roots for the Cubbies a lot, every chance he gets. He nearly put a hole through the roof during the 2003 NLCS. He likes the Rays, but he is still a Cubs fan at heart.

Anyways, enough of me going off on a tangent. I am indeed proud of my Rays. I don't particularly appreciate the pot shots at our team from some of you, we indeed do have a loyal fan base. In fact, I'd bet the quality of your average Ray fan is better than that of any other team, it is just that quantity thing that trips us up. But I expect that to change in the next few years as our young prospects come up and our talent comes to fruition. I highly encourage Sonny and any other fan here to get on the Rays bandwagon quick, as it will fill up in the next two years. This is an exciting, fun team to watch, a true gritty, old-fashioned, get your jersey dirty team, and if any of you watched them for just a few days, I think you'd fall in love with them like I have. Anyways, enough of my ranting. Time to blog the blog. Visit DRaysBay!!!!

www.draysbay.com

by Patrick L. Kennedy on May 21, 2006 3:29 AM CDT reply actions

Not a bad blog..

Sonny and yourself are welcome to post here at any time..

Good luck... Go D'Rays

by cubsfan2883 on May 21, 2006 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Obviously

Sonny you really and truly don't understand, therefore, don't speak.

...the artist formerly priorpwnz.

by Faith plus 1 on May 21, 2006 4:02 AM CDT reply actions

I love how...

The fans of every team think their fans are the best. Yeah, I'm sure a bunch of Floridians who just got a team are a lot better fans than Cubs fans, who have been around for over one hundred years in a town with a reputation as being one of the greatest sports towns. I'd say that the fans of most teams are essentially equal, but please, we're talking about a state that couldn't so much as vote correctly on simple punch cards, so how do you expect us to believe that you are smart baseball fans (maybe because fandom doesn't involve punching out holes in paper, I guess? Count that as another pot shot) Other than that, and LA, which I have never thought is a good sports town, and maybe a few other examples, all ardent sports fans are essentially created equal.

On a related side note, I'm tired of White Sox fans who truly believe and argue that their fans are somehow more knowledgeable, holier, more pure baseball fans. That is a joke. Neither fan base is really greater than the other, and its a tiresome and childish argument. The cubs have maybe 10 to 15 thousand at least reasonably intelligent and loyal baseball fans at every game, and then 25-30 thousand drunk morons having a good time. And on the flip side, the Sox were only able to draw like 10 to 15 thousand ostensibly intelligent and loyal fans when they were crappy, and now they are filling the rest stadium with fair weather fans. Other than that, there is little difference between the fanbases: if you remove all of the casual fans, we all live in the same city, and especially with the development going down on the South Side now, the fanbases are really quite interchangeable. Chicago baseball fandom is more homogenous than ever.

by CosmicCharlie911 on May 21, 2006 4:26 AM CDT reply actions

I don't think...

he's a DRays fan. I'm pretty sure SonnyJ9 has posted a lot before and is a Cubs fan. I think he's just pointing out how embarrassed we should be that they are doing better than us. Maybe I'm wrong and he really is a DRays fan.

I remember someone posted if the DRays had a better offense than the Cubs a long time ago, and I said no. I'm not sure I would say no now.

Cubbie Blue will always sPaRkLe in my eyes, but please stop losing. PLEASE!

by sparkles721 on May 21, 2006 10:28 AM CDT reply actions

I remember that

and I posted the lineups comparing the two. There is really no comparison. The DRays have a significantly better lineup from top to bottom. The worst offensive player on their team is Toby Hall, their catcher. Imagine what it will be like when they get Delmon playing and Baldelli back. They'll be able to trade their excess outfielders for the pitching they need so badly, oh wait, Kazmir has finally turned into the ace that we've been expecting for so long...

for all the problems that franchise has had, they've put together a great team. I wish the Cubs had half the ability with scouting and managing minor league teams that the D-Rays seem to have.

by tal1286 on May 21, 2006 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions

Sonny

Has 180 posts here. Apparently, this is his way of dealing with his frustration, to suddenly take on the persona of one of the 6 Rays fans. To each his own.

by Smooth Jazz Man San Diego on May 21, 2006 12:10 PM CDT reply actions

Let me clarify...

I am a Cubs season ticket holder living in Chicago and also having a place in St Pete which I try to visit a few times a year. I was in St Pete last night when I posted and as Sparkles points out, am very frustrated and embarrassed by the Cubs play. I was merely trying to point out (and not too well, I may add) how discouraging it is to see the DRays outperform the Cubs. I took much delight in being at Thursday night's game which the DRays beat the Sox and ended up taking 2 of 3 in the series.

by SonnyJ9 on May 21, 2006 12:20 PM CDT reply actions

can you people read?

you're slamming this guy, for saying he's rays fan when all he says is he spends time there. And you know, all his posts here. On the plus side I finally got to see the padres lose, thanks Mariners.

by mike bornemann @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on May 21, 2006 12:43 PM CDT reply actions

Rays' type team

Seems to be building for something but they never get over the hump due to payroll restrictions...I've read they are very disinclined to trade young players...Florida would seem to be the model they got a 2nd WS champion by gutting payroll of pricey veterans...The Cubs have been snakebitten they thought they made right offseason moves in1) upgrading pen and 2) adding leadoff hitter. Unfort. they are short a big bat and leadoff guy ain't igniting the "O'' like he's supposed to...maybe next year.

They do have one of league's better bullpen, just don't get in the lead enough to use it.

by writerinwrigley on May 21, 2006 2:58 PM CDT reply actions