Get the Devil outta here

by Rev Gunia on Sep 25, 2007 6:51 AM CDT

It appears as if the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are not more. They plan to drop the "Devil" from their name, making themselves the Tampa Bay Rays.

This is from Larry Brown:

The new ownership group in charge of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays is making yet another change to the franchise. As Deadspin points out, Tampa Bay is changing the team's nickname and uniforms for the '08 season. From now on, they will simply be the "Rays," dropping "Devil" from the nickname. The franchise's new logo and uniforms have already been released, and the green appears to be gone from the color scheme. While some people can mock the Rays for the change, I applaud it. A complete franchise makeover includes changing the nickname and uniforms in order to avoid all ties to the past culture of losing. Under the leadership of new executives, it seems like Tampa Bay is doing all it can to tweak its franchise image. It's about time; that's exactly what they need. Don't get me wrong, nicknames and uniforms don't win games. But this is a good start.

I understand the desire to break cultural connections from a losing past...but darn it, I like the nickname Devil Rays. Rays doesn't have the same pizzazz. Yet, if this is what it takes to crush the Yankees, I'm all for it.

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 really lame!

I agree, the Tampa Bay Rays sounds weak and comical. Do they mean "rays" as in little beams of light from the sun? Oooooh, I'm scared. (And I know "the Cubs" isn't exactly a fear-instilling name, but we have a century-plus of history on our side.)

Or do they mean every player on the team needs to change his first name to Ray? (Maybe Ray King can leave the Brewers and go down there to blow some late-inning leads.)

I think most sentient beings know that Devil Rays are a fish, not some amorphous demon that's going to corrupt the minds and bodies of our youth. (Rock 'n roll does that just fine.) Could the religious right be behind this?

Don't tase me, bro!

by daver on Sep 25, 2007 9:25 AM CDT reply actions

Maybe...

There have been rows about team names such as DePaul's Blue Demons, Duke's Blue Devils, and other such silly stuff.

Makes me wonder what's next? PETA getting in a snit about the Maryland Terrapins and Oregon Ducks?

by MN exile on Sep 25, 2007 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe they got hit with the Ray Gun!

"Oh, the worst! One blast from that sucker turned half the town into a guy named Ray!"

Ah. Any day where I can drop a Tick reference is a good day.

"Then there was the Tommy Gun..."

Before each game, please remember to feed the bats.

by Cool Hand on Sep 25, 2007 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions

From the movie "Mystic River"

there was a fictional character never portrayed called "Just Ray", so now the TB club can be called "Just-the-Rays"

Club stats since June'07; 61-44 BEST in NL, against LHP starters; 14-13, and 21-10 in one run games, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!

by Ivy Walls on Sep 25, 2007 9:40 AM CDT reply actions

New Uniforms

http://raysindex.blogspot.com/2007/09/new-tampa-bay-rays-uniforms.html

As a side note, the KC Royals will be bringing back powder blues next year.

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Sep 25, 2007 11:46 AM CDT reply actions

re: New Uniforms

That sound you all just heard was my head striking my monitor as I fell asleep looking at that uniform. BOOORRING!!! I thought the D-Rays (and, yeah, I'm gonna call 'em that forever) were trying to distinguish themselves, not look like an obscure Single A affiliate from Tuscaloosa. (No disrespect to Single A affiliates, of course. Or Tuscaloosa, for that matter.)

Don't tase me, bro!

by daver on Sep 25, 2007 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Speaking of the Royals...

... that's what those uniforms remind me of. The Royals. Well, that's about how good the "Rays" are, anyway.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Sep 25, 2007 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions

new unis

those really do look like minor league uniforms

Len: did you know what was going on with the tamohawk chop? DeRo: Whadda you think?

by tomlambsays on Sep 25, 2007 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions

They're actually going to be called....

....the Tampa Bay Gamma Rays.

by lemon20pie on Sep 25, 2007 1:03 PM CDT reply actions

Now that would be awesome!

Don't tase me, bro!

by daver on Sep 25, 2007 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I Vote For the Tampa Bay Uncle Rays

Since I have an Uncle Ray and I'd find it incredibly amusing to have his big bald head and walrussy moustache on a patch on their sleeves.

In fact, I think each player should wear a hat with a caracature head of a different Ray on it.
Ray Romano, Ray Charles, Ray Liotta, Rachel Ray...

Think of all the cool promos they could have. Bring a Ray to the park day.
BBQ eating contest sponsered by Sweet Baby Ray's.
Inbetween inning sparring with Sugar Ray Leonard.
Post game concerts with Sugar Ray.
Repeated use of the "People will come, Ray" speech James Earl Jones gives in Field of Dreams
Build an all Ray all-star team using either players named Ray or real Tampa Bay Rays (probably mostly players named Ray).

Pitchers: Ray King, Ray Burris, and Ray Culp
1B: Ray Fosse
2B: Ray Durham
SS: Johnny Ray
3B: Jim Ray Hart
OF: Ray Brown and Ray Dandridge(Negro Leaguers) and of course Tyrus Raymond Cobb

I like the new nickname. Let's hope the next expansion franchise is the Las Vegas Steves.

by HectorVillanueva on Sep 25, 2007 1:26 PM CDT reply actions

I had an Uncle Ray

He'd always come over in the summer and use our pool. He always had a scotch on the rocks in one hand, while wearing bright green speedos and 3 or 4 gold necklaces draped around his hairy neck and wore really cheap sandals and his hair was permed and sported a died black mustache and always chewed gum.

He was quite a character, my Uncle Ray. Never saw him though, after that time the cops came over and he tried outrunning them. Didn't stand a chance in his cheap sandals.

by lemon20pie on Sep 25, 2007 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions