The Wandering Disciple

 The Tampa Bay Rays look to make another run at the postseason and keep the Champa Bay spirit alive as they defend their American League championship and look to add a World Series trophy to the trophy case this season.  The team is in camp in Port Charlotte prepping for the 2021 season which kicks off April 1st on the road in Miami.  (Photo: February 19, 2019)

Good luck to the Tampa Bay Rays as they continue their quest for the World Series Title tonight in Game One of the World Series.  The American League champs take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best of seven series at Globe Life Field, a neutral site due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  This is the second time in franchise history that the Rays have made it all the way to the World Series.  (Photo: September 30, 2017)

The Tampa Bay Rays sport their Sunday blues for a home game against Toronto in 2016. But this season, the Sunday blues takes a new meaning as Major League Baseball has yet to take to the field for a game due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The season was put on hold during spring training and has yet to resume almost one month into the regular season. (Photo: September 4, 2016)

Spring is in the air and the boys of summer are back out on the field. The crack of the bat fills the air as major league clubs open up spring training in Florida and Arizona. For the next month, players will use the spring sunshine to help tune their skills in advance of the 2020 regular season as each team pushes for the postseason. (Photo: February 27, 2016)

St Petersburg, Florida: The final stop of the Tampa/St Pete day was a Major League Baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays vs the Los Angeles Angels. I have always wanted to see the Angels play. One of the hottest lineups in the MLB with Trout, Pujols and Ohtani. And in typical Trop fashion, there would be a lot to talk about. First off it was good to see more than a handful of people in the stands. The Rays offered up $5 tickets for the week and attracted a decent ground. Then we saw history with Ohtani hitting for the cyle. Finally a nice black-out and delay due to a power outage which caused the Trop to go dark for the second time this season. All and all, I love baseball and I love being out at the park. Click on the photo above to see the entire Rays/Angels photo gallery for photo from the game.

Port Charlotte, Florida: Each year at the conclusion of the minor league baseball season, a group of prospects assemble throughout camps in Florida and Arizona for the fall instructional league.  This three week camp gives rising stars an additional opportunity to improve their game in front of the watchful eyes of their clubs player development staff.  While much of the camp is dedicated to skills development, these players get an opportunity to showcase their skill in a few exhibition game. Thursday afternoon, the Rays hosted the Red Sox for an exhibition game.  While these games are regulation nine inning contests, the emphasis is placed on working on fundamentals rather than winning or losing.  Each team will play a handful of games before camp breaks and players head into the off-season. You can catch the boys of summer playing a little fall ball for a few more days before camp ends. Check out your favorite teams website to see a list of players in camp as...

Despite the cold weather sweeping the nation, Florida and Arizona are about to heat up with spring training baseball in a little over 45 days.  The crack of the bat and baseballs snapping the leather of the gloves with fill the air as the boys of summer take to the field and begin preparations for the 2018 season.  (Photo: February 28, 2015)

St Petersburg, Florida:  The Tampa Bay Rays played host to division rivals as they hosted the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night at Tropicana Field in the first game of a three game series.  The Rays jumped out to an early lead only to watch the bullpen falter in the late innings resulting in an 8-4 loss for the home team. Both starting pitchers, Chris Archer for Tampa Bay and Francisco Liriano for Toronto were dialed in to start the night.  They posted zeroes to the scoreboard for the first three innings of the game. The Rays broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the forth.  Daniel Robertson and Derek Norris delivered back to back homer to put the Rays in front.  Later in the inning, they loaded the bases and Steven Souza Jr drew a bases loaded walk to score Tim Beckham and give the Rays a 3-0 lead. Toronto scored their first run of the evening in the fifth inning.  Justin Smoak hit an RBI single to center, scoring Kendrys Morales to make it 3-1. ...

Hall of Fame hitter Ted Williams once said "The hardest thing to do in baseball is hit a round ball with a round bat squarely." This one quote sums up hitting at all levels of baseball. Hitting a baseball is probably the hardest feat in professional sport. The advantage always lies with the pitcher even before the ball leaves his hand. (Photo: March 14, 2012)

Sarasota, Florida: The Tampa Bay Rays ventured north to Ed Smith Stadium for a Grapefruit League matchup against fellow AL East competitor Baltimore Orioles. Despite having the long ball working for the home team, it was the consistent offense production of the Rays that lead to the 9-6 Rays win. The Rays jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Steven Souza singled home Corey Dickerson to put the Rays on the board. Souza Jr later scored on an RBI single by Curt Casali to give the Rays a 2-0 lead. Both teams exchanged runs in the second. In the top of the inning Dickerson singled home Braxton Lee. Then in the bottom, Orioles catcher Francisco Pena scored on an RBI single by Craig Gentry to make it 3-1. The Rays pushed across a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Lee scored for the second time this afternoon on an RBI single by Nick Franklin. Franklin would later score on a single by Souza Jr to increase the led to 5-1. The Orioles would get back a run in the fi...

Port Charlotte, Florida: The bats were red hot on Sunday afternoon as the Tampa Bay Rays blasted the Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 in Grapefruit League action at Charlotte Sports Park. The Rays combined for four homers including two by Casey Gillaspie who hit one from each side of the plate and a moon shot by Jake Bauers. The Rays broke the scoreless tie in the second inning on a two run blast Bauers. The ball landed on the roof of the administrative building in right field with unofficial estimates of 450 feet from home plate. The Blue Jays battled back to tie the game in the fifth. Dwight Smith Jr delivered a two run double to left that scored Rowdy Tellez and Jonathan Diaz to tie the game. The Rays regained the lead in the sixth on a solo homer by Evan Longoria, his first of the spring. The Rays added some insurance in the form of three runs in the seventh. Gillaspie struck his first of two homers to get the scoring started. Later in the inning Ryan Brett singled home Pat L...

Tampa Bay Rays minor league pitcher Shawn Smith awaits the pitch sign from his catcher during a minor league exhibition game at Twin Lake Park.  (Photo: June 3, 2011)

Tropicana Field sprung to life as thousands of fans packed the Trop for the 2017 Rays Fan Fest.  Here fans could get hyped up for the upcoming season by taking part in interactive games, meet with players, buy items at the Rays charity sale and much more.  (Photo: February 4, 2017)

The face of the Rays warms up prior to a spring training game in 2011.  Evan Longoria, the Rays all-star first baseman is one of the most recognizable player on the Tampa Bay Rays.  (Photo: March 5, 2011)

In just a little over a month, the boys of summer return to Florida and Arizona to prep for the 2017 baseball season.  The spring training sites spring to life with the sound of baseball when pitcher and catchers report this year on February 13.  (Photo: March 1, 2011)

Sarasota, Florida:  Sunshine, rain showers and baseball all came together at Ed Smith Stadium as the Orioles hosted the Rays in the Fall Instructional League.  In typical Florida fashion it was hot and sunny yet rainy at the same time while the teams went head to head on the field. We are nearing the end of the three week Fall Instructional League where top prospects through-out baseball get extra work in front of the organization coaching staff. Today's game was the final meeting of the fall between the Rays and Orioles. Click on the photo to view my Rays/Orioles photo gallery .

Tampa Bay's favorite sea dog Raymond runs through the outfield at Tropicana Field to rally the Rays fans prior to the start of a Major League Baseball game.  Raymond is the lovable mascot of the Tampa Bay Rays and can be found making fans smile throughout the Trop.  (Photo: September 4, 2016)

St Petersburg, Florida: The Tampa Bay Rays played host to the hottest team in the American League when the Texas Rangers came to town to kick of a three game series. The Rays struggled to contain the long ball as they dropped the opener 6-2 on Friday night. The Rangers broke the scoreless tie by scoring in the top of the fifth inning. Mitch Moreland opened the frame with a solo home run to put the Rangers on the board. Later in the inning, Ian Desmond delivered an RBI single to score Elvis Andrus to make it 2-0. The Rangers momentum carried over to the sixth inning where they pushed across three more runs. Adrian Beltre got things started with a solo home run to center. Jonathan Lucroy followed with a single and Moreland drew a walk to put two runners on the bases. Nomar Mazara then singled home Lucroy with a ground ball through the left side. Moreland later scored on a bases loaded walk by Jurickson Profar to increase the lead to 5-0. Beltre led off the seventh with an...

Sarasota, Florida: As the days wind down to opening day for the short season teams, the players continue to work on their skills during exhibition games at extended spring training.  Since April, the players not assigned to a full season team have spent time in extended spring training, waiting for their chance to break to their 2016 home. Today the Rays headed north to Ed Smith Stadium for a Friday afternoon game against the Orioles.  The extended spring training roster is comprised of lower level minor league players that are in their first couple years of professional baseball.  They play six games a week. The games are focused on player development and there are no scoreboards or frills of a professional baseball game. Extended spring training continues through June 10.  At that time, the players will be assigned to their short-season affiliate for opening day. Click on the photo above to view my Rays/Orioles photo gallery .

St Petersburg, Florida: The Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics locked horns in an exciting game of long ball to conclude “Play Ball” weekend at Tropicana Field. The ball had a hard time staying in the yard as the game featured a combined seven homers. The hit parade started in the first inning as both team exchanged homers in the first inning. It was Danny Valencia striking his first of three homers in the top of the inning. Then Brandon Guyer answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1. Guyer homered again in the second, this time a three run blast to left gave the Rays a 4-1 lead. The Rays added a run in the fourth as Guyer drove home his fifth run of the afternoon via a sac fly to score Steve Pearce and give the Rays a 5-1 lead. The A’s inched closer to the lead by manufacturing three runs in the fifth. Coco Crisp drove home a run with an RBI single to score Yonder Alonso. Then Valencia cleared the bases with a two run homer to pull with...