Yankees Fan blogs

Rumor: Cano for Beltran?

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:38 GMT

Truth be told, I really haven't seen much of these supposedly rampant internet rumors stating that the Yanks and Mets are talking a Cano for Beltran swap, mentioned on the YES Network official site. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. After doing ...

NY Post - Sherman: GIRARDI SHOULDN'T TRY TO BE THE NEXT JOE

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:50 GMT

Now it's the Yanks who have atmospheric and fraternal issues, and Girardi's bosses have quietly asked him to make adjustments. They recognize his lack of a human touch not only looks terrible following Torre, but has brought about a tension that has begun to suffocate the team. Again, Girardi can't be Torre. He is not going to learn in one offseason how to project wise grandfather rather than marine drill instructor.

Lester, and not Beckett, should get the ball if there is a Game Six

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:16 GMT

So the Red Sox lost an 11-inning marathon in a game marked by Terry Francona's questionable decisions, such as sending Josh Beckett back to the mound for the fifth inning and opting for Mike Timlin over Paul Byrd in the 11th? True, it was a heartbreaker. Though the Sox departed Tampa Bay with a coveted split, they very well could have arrived in Boston with a 2-0 advantage in the ALCS. Still, there is no reason to fret. Take a deep breathe. Slowly exhale. And remember that this is October baseball. There will be highs and lows.

It is entertaining to peruse the blogosphere after a playoff game. After Game One, readers of Tampa Bay Rays web sites thought the sky was falling, and that the Rays would surely be swept. Following Game Two, some Red Sox sites included comments from visitors who suddenly felt that the Rays gained so much confidence from the extra innings win that they will now take the series.

October baseball is best taken one game at a time. I realize that is one of the oldest sports cliches, but in this case it is accurate. A team is never truly out of the series until they are getting blown out in the elimination game, or until the final out is recorded in a tightly contested elimination game. The Red Sox have proven this twice in the last five seasons - against the Yankees in 2004 and versus the Indians last year.

The question this October for the Red Sox is this: Will there be a Game Six or a Game Seven in this series? Boston can win all three games at Fenway Park and advance to the World Series. The No. 3 starter who is pitching like an ace gets the ball this afternoon, and if there is a Game Six, he could start on his normal four days of rest.

Considering that Josh Beckett is obviously still hurting from the strained oblique - and with good reason since most players who strain an oblique are sidelined for at least a month - I would rather see Lester take the mound in Game Six than Beckett. Of course, that would leave Beckett to start Game Seven if the Red Sox do not win the series by Game Six. If there is a Game Seven, and if Lester and not Beckett starts in Game Six, it will be interesting to see if Francona starts Beckett or Tim Wakefield in Game Seven. I imagine that Wakefield's performance in Game Four tomorrow will determine if he is a serious candidate to get the ball in Game Seven. Another option would be Paul Byrd.

Who would you rather see start Game Six - Lester or Beckett? How about Game Seven? Beckett? Wakefield? This is an intriguing debate.

Yankees AFL Prospects, Led by Humberto Sanchez, Blogging

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:30 GMT

Yankees in the AFL is a blog written by the prospects that they team sent to the Arizona Fall League (Humberto Sanchez, Phil Hughes, Jeff Marquez, Kevin Whelan, Juan Miranda, Kevin Russo and Austin Jackson). Sanchez is listed as the lead blogge...

Proctor and Delmon

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:00 GMT

- In shocking news, 'Everyday' Scottie Proctor will have surgery on his throwing elbow. Who saw that coming?

- Delmon Young could be available via trade, and Minny is reportedly looking for an infielder. Cano plus for Young?

"Celebrity" Death Match Time

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:15 GMT

A few short months ago, the YES Network introduced us all to one of the most maddeningly obnoxious commercials known to mankind, and to add insult to the mental injury sustained just by watching it, they played it over. And over. And over. AND OVER.

I am, of course, talking about Giuseppe Franco and his hair-boosting wonder tonic, Procede (which he DOES NOT OWN, let me assure you). The worst part of the commercial is the Francster's own hair! He has SO MUCH OF IT. I guess it indicates that the product may indeed live up to its claims, but there is such a concept as too much of a good thing. GF's hair is so voluminous it has left him with about half a centimeter of forehead real estate. One more Procede application and his hairline will merge with his brows.

Let's take a gander:

See what I'm saying here, folks? Do you see?! Could any commercial be more annoying?!

I'm sad to say that the answer to that question is a resounding YES.

Thanks to TBS, we have a new winner. We saw these commercials during the division series last year, but since I rarely watch TBS otherwise I had pretty much forgotten about the horror that is FRANK CALIENDO and his horrible, mediocre impressions. Who told him he was good at this? Putting on a wig does not transform you into Jack Nicolson. At all. And how about losing a few lbs? It might help. It's hard to convince me that you're Al Pacino.

Check him out:

I just realized that the commercials don't even tell us what the format of the show is. I guess it's just him standing in front of a wall doing "impressions" for a half hour? And we're supposed to watch it? I wouldn't even watch Darrell Hammond do impressions for 30 minutes, and he's good.

I suppose that's enough non-baseball biz for today. GO RAYS!

Timlin falters again as Red Sox drop 11-inning heartbreaker to Tampa Bay

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:24 GMT

Terry Francona had a choice. With every other reliever used in the bullpen except two, the Red Sox manager could turn to Paul Byrd (who is prone to serving up the long ball but consistently throws strikes) or Mike Timlin (who this year has either walked or allowed a hit to a high percentage of batters he has faced) in the bottom of the 11th inning last night at Tropicana Field. Francona summoned Timlin, and the result was predictable.

The 42-year-old right-hander, who has nothing left in his tank and should not even be part of the ALCS roster, walked the first two batters in the 11th, retired Jason Bartlett an a ground ball that advanced the runners to second and third, issued an intentional pass to Akinori Iwamura and then surrendered a walk-off sacrifice fly to B.J. Upton as Tampa Bay edged Boston 9-8 and evened the American League Championship Series at 1-1.

After grabbing a 1-0 series lead on Friday night, Boston appeared to be in prime position with Josh Beckett on the mound to start Game Two. Obviously, Beckett is not fully recovered from his oblique injury as he was ineffective for the second consecutive time this post-season. The Red Sox ace coughed up six runs in the first three innings and overall allowed eight runs and nine hits (including three home runs) in 4.1 innings.

Tampa Bay left-hander Scott Kazmir was ineffective, too. The Red Sox reached him for three home runs, including two from Dustin Pedroia, and five runs and six hits in 4.1 innings overall. Boston and Tampa Bay combined for seven home runs in the game. Jason Bay added a solo shot off Grant Balfour in the fifth inning and Kevin Youkilis had a solo home run that inning as well joining Pedroia, who hit one of his two dingers to lead off the fifth. The Sox trailed 8-7 in the top of the eighth and tied the game when Pedroia scored on Dan Wheeler's wild pitch. The game-winning run in the 11th was the lone run allowed by the bullpen in 5.1 innings, though Javier Lopez permitted an RBI single to Carl Crawford in the fifth and the run was charged to Beckett.

The ALCS shifts to Fenway Park, where the Red Sox will host Game Three on Monday, Game Four on Tuesday and Game Five on Thursday. New October ace Jon Lester gets the start for Boston in Game Three. Matt Garza takes the ball for the Rays. Monday's game is important for the Sox since Tim Wakefield is the scheduled starter for Game Four. Without a doubt, Lester exudes more confidence right now than Wakefield.

As for Beckett, because of his oblique injury, he is more of a question than the answer. Will he be able to right himself in time for his next start? Ideally, Boston will win all three games at Fenway Park and allow Beckett more time to heal before he makes his next appearance. Chances are, though, Beckett will not be his vintage October self this month because an oblique injury can only get better with time, which Beckett nor the Red Sox have.

Just as Beckett's health is a question, so is Francona's head-scratching decision to forego Byrd for Timlin, who created his own problems by walking the first two hitters he faced. Pitching coach John Farrell disagreed with the ball and strike calls in the 11th and was ejected by the home plate umpire. Unfortunately, for the Red Sox, Timlin would have likely found a way to serve up the game-winning run on a walk or a hit. If there is another extra inning game in the ALCS, hopefully Francona will make the right decision and give the ball to Byrd. At least this way he will know that, if the Rays are going to beat the Sox, they will earn the victory with hits and not be given the win with walks.

NY Post: HANK: I'M STILL IN CHARGE HERE!

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:20 GMT

“We are going to look at everything, and we are interested in everything, pitchers and position players. Whatever fits for us, whatever we need the most. To say we aren't interested in somebody would be ridiculous. Teixeira is a quality player.” Sign Sabathia and Teixeira and I'll be happy.

General managers with shopping lists already are making calls to the Marlins and Royals (14...

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:24 GMT

General managers with shopping lists already are making calls to the Marlins and Royals (14 arbitration-eligible players) about possible trades. San Francisco, desperate for a proven bat, is expected to pursue one-dimensional second baseman Dan Uggla.

Chicago Tribune with a hat tip to MLBTR.

While I don't believe that Matt Cain could really be available, I'd have to kick the tires.

Matsuzaka shows that you can expect the unexpected in October

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:58 GMT

After three-plus decades of closely following Major League Baseball, I should not be surprised with the outcome of a post-season game. So it should not shock me that Daisuke Matsuzaka took a no-hitter into the seventh inning last night in Game One of the American League Championship Series. And I should not feel astonished that Hideki Okajima and Justin Masterson escaped a jam left by Dice-K in the eighth featuring runners on first and second with no outs to preserve the shutout. None of this should surprise me, but it does.

Behind seven-plus innings of shutout baseball from Matsuzaka, who did not allow a hit until Carl Crawford opened the bottom of the seventh with a sharp single to right field, the Boston Red Sox claimed a 1-0 lead in the ALCS with a 2-0 win last night at the Trop. The cowbells clanged, but they were silenced for much of the game. Dice-K walked the bases loaded before inducing an inning-ending ground out from Cliff Floyd. Including Floyd's ground out, Matsuzaka retired 16 of the next 17 batters before Crawford broke up the no-hit bid. Floyd followed Crawford's single with a base hit, but the escape artist dismissed the next three hitters to keep the Rays scoreless.

With his starter's pitch count at 115 after surrendering singles to Akinori Iwamura and B.J. Upton to open the eighth, Terry Francona called upon Okajima, who served up a sinking liner to right field that was snared by a running J.D. Drew, who made a shoestring catch. Masterson was brought in to face Evan Longoria, who bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to end Tampa Bay's last prime opportunity to score. Jonathan Papelbon entered in the ninth and overpowered Crawford on three pitches to record a strikeout, dismissed Floyd on a pop out and fanned Dioner Navarro to end the game.

James Shields was effective for the Rays, allowing two runs and six hits over 7.1 innings, but the Red Sox capitalized during their few threats. In the fifth, Jason Bay led off with a walk and Mark Kotsay hit an excuse-me, bloop double that dropped into left field. Jed Lowrie, who has struggled with the bat in recent weeks, delivered with a sacrifice fly, giving Boston a 1-0 edge.

The Sox scored a valuable insurance run in the eighth with a rally spurred by Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. Pedroia lined a one-out single off Shields. Left-hander J.P. Howell walked David Ortiz. Surprisingly, Joe Maddon let Howell pitch to the right-handed hitting Youkilis, who belted a sinking liner to left field that glanced off a sliding Crawford's glove for an RBI double. Boston would not score another run, but it is worthwhile to note that Grant Balfour (who relieved Howell) plunked J.D. Drew on the back with his first pitch. Since these teams have a history of tension, that hit-by-pitch is something to remember tonight when Josh Beckett gets the start for Boston. Beckett is undoubtedly not afraid to pitch inside to Tampa Bay hitters.

As for tonight, I fully expect Beckett to shut down the Rays as he did in his last start at the Trop, when he limited Tampa Bay to one run in a game the Sox lost when Navarro lined a walk-off single against Masterson. Scott Kazmir, who gets the ball for Tampa Bay, is much like Matsuzaka. He has an impressive arsenal of pitches - and he can be downright nasty - but he has a habit of throwing so many pitches early that he cannot get out of the fifth or sixth innings. The Red Sox hit left-handers extremely well, thus the reason I think a Beckett-Kazmir match-up favors Boston.

This has to be read to be believed

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:23 GMT

Hank still hasn't learned to keep his mouth shut:

"There is one very important point here," Steinbrenner told The Post during an exclusive half-hour session. "The most important thing to remember is this: If you didn't get it from me or my brother [Hal], it doesn't mean shit. I don't care about some piss-ant employee. If you don't get it from me or Hal, it's meaningless. I have a lot of things [in Tampa] and Hal is in New York, which is good."

Asked if he has taken a step back, Steinbrenner emphatically said, "No."

Since The Boss turned over the day-to-day operations to his sons, Hank has one regret.

"I should have pushed harder for the [Johan] Santana deal," said Hank, who was talked out of signing Santana by Hal and GM Brian Cashman because they believed the Yankees' talent (Phil Hughes Phil Hughes , Ian Kennedy Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera) and the money (Santana signed a six-year, $137.5 million extension with the Mets) was too costly.

"My dad wanted to do that," Hank said. "But that doesn't mean we would have won if we got into the playoffs, because [Chien-Ming] Wang was hurt."

"We are going to look at everything, and we are interested in everything, pitchers and position players. Whatever fits for us, whatever we need the most. To say we aren't interested in somebody would be ridiculous. Teixeira is a quality player."

One area Steinbrenner has drifted away from is dealing with the media. Too many people had his cell-phone number, so he changed it. Media criticism took its toll, and there have been whispers that others in the organization nudged him toward not being so outgoing.

"I said that if you treat me fair and honest, I would treat you fair and honest," Steinbrenner said. "Those days are over. I told Hal, if you live by the press, you die by the press. I didn't live by my own words."

Where to begin?

1. Great way to engender loyalty among employees by calling one a 'piss-ant'. (Didn't that term leave the lexicon sometime in the '50s?)

2. Why should Yankee fans have any patience when the owner doesn't? He said he should've pushed harder for Santana. A) he's deflecting blame onto Brian Cashman (another great move for a boss), and B) no one thought Hughes would be better than Santana this year - does he even realize that Hughes, Kennedy and Melky are all under 25 while Santana is on the tail-end of his prime? (I believe Hughes will be better than Santana within a few years, while Kennedy's stuff is comparable to James Shields and Melky is a good 4th OFer. Their combined salary was $17.5 million less than Santana's. Sabathia is now a free agent and can be had for about the same money as Santana, minus the top prospects.)

3. Is that comment on Teixeira considered tampering? Probably, because he's still under contract until November. And great to tip your hand before negotiations (Scott Boras is his agent no less).

4. 'Those days are over... I didn't live by my own words'? Oh god. Does that mean we haven't even even seen the real Hank yet? Could he actually be more outspoken?

For the love of god Hank, SHUT UP!

(H/T to BBTF)

- Great game for sandwich round pick Jeremy Bleich in Hawaii: 6 ip, 4 h, 0 r, 0 bb, 6 k, 76 pitches, 54 strikes, 8 groundouts, 4 flyouts. He'd been disappointing in two previous starts. What he seems to be is a potential Andy Pettitte or left-handed Ian Kennedy.

- No matter who loves or hates the Yankees, they're good for baseball.

Playoff Philosophy

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:54 GMT

Today marks the path of the entire ALCS. Boston wins and they punch their ticket into the World Series once again. If Tampa Bay wins, and more importantly, if Josh Beckett is ineffective, things get very interesting. You figure Lester wins at home in game 3 and a red hot Sonnanstine beats Wakefield in game 4. So it's either a 2-2 series and final match-up in Boston or a 3-1 commanding lead and Dice-K trying to nail it down in front of the home fans. The chances of Tampa Bay being up 3-1 went out the window with the game one loss. If the series is 2-2 like it has to be, then is it so much to ask to beat one of Beckett or Dice-K and then pull out a game 7 at home? I don't think it's out of the question, but we'll know a lot more about these two teams after tonight. Either way, the Sox did their job in the first two games of this series by winning one of them.

The Phillies did exactly what I said they had to do, they took the first two at home and head back to LA with a 2-0 series lead. I have to assume with the adrenaline of home field and the prospect of facing Jamie Moyer in a big spot, the Dodgers take game three and make this a series, then it gets iffy from there. At this point in their careers, I'd trust Joe Blanton in a pitcher's home run unfriendly field over Greg Maddux, who Joe Torre will inevitably give the ball to in game 4. If I'm right, the Phillies have a 3-1 series lead and Cole Hamels faces Derek Lowe. Even if the Dodgers sent it back to Philly they would have to beat Myers at home or Moyer twice.

By the way, why the hell do you let Moyer potentially pitch game 7? I wouldn't be surprised if Manuel mixed it up if this thing became a series. Moyer is the least trustworthy of the four pitchers in the playoff rotation, but I guess we'll know more about him after game 3.

Pat Burrell is having so many J.D. Drew moments we may have to reverse the names. Two home runs in an elimination game to knock off the Brewers, then a game-winner in game 1 of the NLCS? Move over, J.D., there's a more hated home player getting it done.
We know about Myers at the plate going 4/5 with a walk in his first two starts, but how about new man crush Shane Victorino? 5/14, 3 doubles, 1HR, 5 RBI (4 from the Grand Slam) and a .471 On Base Percentage in the NLDS. Then just two hits in the first two games of the NLCS, but both of them drove in two runs. You can't be more of a table setter than those numbers. Oh and by the way, he also has 3 steals and took a two-run double away from Casey Blake when it looked like the wheels were falling off last night.
Isn't it crazy how Dice-K was pitching no-hit baseball and I'm sure Boston fans were still uneasy about the outcome of the game? Whether he's pitching well or walking himself into potential losses, Dice-K games always seem close and like he's one pitch away from imploding. Yet the guy just doesn't give up hits with runners in scoring position. It's odd that Dice-K and Okajima can come from the same country.
After a 2/14 NLDS, Chase Utley is 2/5 in the NLCS with a major game tying 2-run homer in the opener to this series. His four walks also give him a .667 OBP and he has struck out just once. Is Utley finally healthy or simply found a way to adjust to his hip pain? Utley and Victorino hitting like this means any slip up to Ryan Howard and the Phillies might destroy any pitching they come up against.
Speaking of destroying pitching, Philly found a way to beat Derek Lowe and then they destroyed Billingsley, all of a sudden who on that Dodger's staff can we realistically expect to be a stopper? If this thing becomes a slug fest, the Dodgers don't stand a chance even with Manny.

Pinstripes are Not a Performance Enhancing Drug

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:15 GMT

I mentioned the other day in my Top Ten Tuesday/Wednesday/xDay posty that the Yankees don't have much in the way of cheap trade bait these days, and I meant it. Unless they're willing to trade big name proven talent like the Wangster or Matsui, there's just no way they're going to swindle themselves a deal for a top-tier player.

Judging by the latest "viral rumors" swirling around the WWW, there are a great deal of peeps that either have a different idea of the relative value of certain players or are some of the legions of delusional Yankees fans who hold onto a misguided belief that ANYONE who wears pinstripes is some sort of athletic god. The "rumor" of which I speak involves a trade between the Mets and the Yankees that would send Carlos Beltran to the Bronx in exchange for...

Robinson Cano, Jose Veras or Brian Bruney, Ian Kennedy, some other prospect and cash.

While I would certainly love to see this mystical trade occur, I am in the possession of a sound mind and henceforth can do nothing but roll my eyes at the idea. Carlos Beltran is an All-Star that ANY team would love to get their paws on. He is an OBP machine, provides Gold-Glove caliber defense, averages 30 homers a year, and steals bases - in other words, exactly what the Yankees could use. Who in their right mind gives him up for a second baseman coming off an utterly horrendous (insert Simon Cowell voice) year and a bunch of pitchers that have done next to nothing? NO ONE. If I were the Fred Wilpon I'd actually be a little insulted that anyone would think that I'd consider such a deal.

The fact of the matter is that, as I said two seconds ago, the Yankees don't have anyone that makes a team say "wow, I want that player so badly I'm willing to give away my 18-win starter!" And you can't just tag a few more losers onto a deal and expect it to make a difference. Two wrongs don't make a right, and two mediocre relievers don't make a Peavy.

Daily News Posts Yankees Sale Article Online

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:32 GMT

The New York Daily News has posted Phil Pepe's article on the sale of the Yankees, in 1973, on their website. Pretty cool. It was obvious, from his background, that Steinbrenner was the perfect man for Burke. For one thing, he had the money. Fo...

Rays supporters have a long way to go before they can call themselves fans

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:43 GMT

Some people call it a waste of words, this argument about what constitutes a fan. Though it is an open-ended debate with no definitive answer, I certainly have my opinion, and I think it is a worthwhile discussion. After all, don't you get tired of hearing someone say he or she is a "fan" of a certain team yet knows very little about the players or the history, or only started rooting for that team when it was atop the standings?

Let me reiterate my stance. I don't believe you earn the right to call yourself a fan of that team until you have remained loyal through at least one disappointing season. For example, it is easy to support the Boston Red Sox when they are winning and "Dirty Water" emanates throughout Fenway Park on a regular basis. The true mark of a fan, though, is determined by if you feel that same passion when the Sox endure a season like 2006, when September was a month filled with games that had no playoff implications.

I bring up this subject because of the Tampa Bay Rays, a franchise which had its first winning season this year. I live in Orlando, so I get a daily dose of Rays news when I read the Orlando Sentinel. And I attend a bulk of the Red Sox-Rays games at the Trop. For much of this season, even while the Rays were surprising Major League Baseball and remaining atop the American League East, supporters (I will not call them fans; only a handful in Tampa/St. Pete have earned that right) avoided the dome just like every other year since Tampa Bay's debut in 1998. With the escalating buzz surrounding the Rays, many in the area have been led to ask in recent weeks, "We have a Major League Baseball team? Since when?"

Now, a growing number of Tampa/St. Pete residents are getting Rayhawks, joining the Rayshead Army and talking smack like they have been a winner for decades. A bulk of these people didn't own an article of Rays-related clothing until the playoffs started. Most of these newfound Rays supporters are familiar with Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and even Joe Maddon, but ask them to name the backup catcher (Michel Hernandez), the starting shortstop (Jason Bartlett) or the left-handed specialist in the bullpen (Trever Miller), and you will get a blank stare.

I find it amusing that the few Rays web sites in existence (like Rays Index) are touting the Rays' AL East title and belittling the Red Sox because they earned the wild card berth. Apparently, they have forgotten that Boston is the defending World Series champion, and that the Rays have one - yes, one - winning season to boast about.

Make no mistake. I recognize that the Rays are the feel good story of the 2008 season. They have some exciting young players and, if they are able to retain most of these players for the long term, they should be competitive into the next decade. But don't be fooled by this sudden surge of interest in the Rays by those who live in the Tampa Bay area. You will see more Rays shirts and hats than ever in the next nine days. The cowbells will clang louder, and you will actually be able to hear the "Let's go Rays" chants at the Trop. Still, there a very few real Rays fans - those who followed the team through lean times and have earned the right to truly enjoy their playoff run. A high percentage of these people will be probationary supporters who could not name the starting lineup from Tampa Bay's 2007 season opener. Heck, most of them would have trouble telling you the current starting lineup.

Chances are, the Rays season will be over as soon as Game Five on Oct. 16 or as late as Game Seven on Oct. 19. The emphasis in Tampa Bay will then fully turn to the Bucs and the Lightning. Spring training will arrive in February, and like every team in Major League Baseball, the Rays will have high hopes for 2009. So will the supporters. But will Rays supporters fill the dome in May, when the excitement of the pennant race is a few months away and the exhilaration of opening day has passed? What if July arrives and the Rays are hovering around or below .500? Will there be Rayhawks, a boisterous Rayshead Army and the deafening noise of cowbells clanging then? I doubt it.

I understand that it is easier for the Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs to have feverish, international fan bases because those teams have been around for so long. There is tradition and passion. The there are teams like the Marlins, which debuted in 1993, have won two World Series titles and still cannot get people to watch their games.

As for the Rays, their team is worthy of respect. If you are a baseball enthusiast, how can you not like Joe Maddon? Regarding the base of supporters, though, it will be awhile before they are taken seriously. After all, a majority of them have just been around since September.

The Rays do have one supporter who had longstanding roots as a true Red Sox fan. Of course, he will never be looked at as a Red Sox fan again after this article.