By Kelvin Kay, en:user:kkmd GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) via Wikimedia Commons
Life’s all about the give and take, right? There are some things that I want from, and for, the Rays going in to 2012 but there are also things that the Rays have already given me this offseason.
After reading John Romano’s latest column, I have to say that I’m on board with him. Romano posits that the Rays are just one bat away from the 2012 World Series.
It seems that we have the pitching in place (knock on wood). But we need a serious bat.
Santa, if you’re a baseball fan, a player with a great bat is on the top of my list.
A new stadium is also on my list, but right now, that seems a little too greedy and I don’t want to come off like a six-year-old asking for an iPad.
While I’m speaking about offense, Jason Collette of DRaysBay has an interesting article up based on a statistical analysis of the Rays’ patience at the plate.
Before I go asking for everything else I’d like next season, I’ll move on to something I’m thankful to have. I mean really, if a bat will get us to the World Series, I don’t need much else.
I love my team. I love my manager. I love my players. Matt Moore is now one of my players and he earned my love in just a few innings last season and it looks as though he will continue to earn it for many years to come.
Moore, who signed a contract with the Rays late last week, did an interview for Happy Hour with JP Peterson on 1010 AM CBS Sports on Wednesday.
You can catch the full interview here.
Moore said regarding his contract:
“In the end, I’d love for this to be a bad deal for me.”
Matt, I love to see people get a fair deal, but I have to agree with you on this one. I hope you outperform your 5-year, $14 million contract that could go up to an 8-year, $39.75 million contract. I also hope that after this initial contract is over, that you stick with the Rays. But I’ll talk more about that eight years from now.
On his pitching prowess:
“It’s probably more of a God-given gift thing…I can’t quite explain it. I feel like I’m trying to throw the ball hard, you know sometimes.”
The kid, who is just a year younger than me, is humble and seems genuinely grateful for the fact that he has a career in baseball.
Can’t wait to see you on the hill again, Double M!
Non-baseball note: JP (an FSU alumni) promised Moore field passes to a Florida State game earlier in the year and they spoke about getting that done next season. Since I am an alumna, you can bet on all that is garnet and gold that I’ll try my best to get up to Tallahassee to see Moore at Doak Campbell Stadium. I am all kinds of delighted by the fact that some of my Rays are meeting some of my Noles.
In case you missed the news last week, DJ Kitty is now an official mascot of the Rays. I’m not 100% on board with this move, but I can tell you that cat was a hit at Fan Fest.
