Projo Sox Blog

BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- From the moment the Tampa Bay Rays gathered for spring training, manager Joe Maddon greeted his players with a somewhat bizzare rallying cry.

The slogan -- 9 = 8 -- is still going strong. In fact, players and team personnel wore it on T-shirts today in the Rays' clubhouse here at Tropicana Field.

The 9 = 8 idea is nine players playing nine innings together can become one of the eight teams in the playoff hunt. Back in March this couldn't seem possible for a team that finished 30 games out of first place in 2007 and 36 out in 2006.

"In spring training, you didn't know what it meant," said DH Cliff Floyd. "When he said it, we tried to figure out what it means. We all figured it out and we came together as a team and as a family. That's it in a nutshell.''

The Rays haven't stopped bonding all season. For the playoffs, several players and manager Joe Maddon have cut their hair into mohawks and for the first time in franchise history, the Tampa-St. Pete area has flocked to Rays games. Games One and Two of the ALCS against the Red Sox are sold out (about 35,000) and the majority of the fans will not be cheering for Boston.

The worst-to-first theme is a nice one for baseball, but the anyone who's watched the Rays knows they have talent. After selecting high in the amateur draft for several years, the Rays have elite home-grown talent like Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria and Cumberland's Rocco Baldelli and a deep pitching staff.

"We're looking forward to it," said the 24-year old Upton, one of baseball's rising stars. "We've never gone this far, but we think we're good enough to play with anyone. We know the Red Sox really well and they know us. It should be a great series. I'm glad we're starting at home.''

 Tags  B.J. Upton Rocco Baldelli

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