It Pays to Be a Ray

It Pays to Be a Ray

 

 

 

Growing up, those of us who love sports have dreams of playing professionally. No matter what game it is you favor or excel at you dream of the big moment when the pressure is on you to deliver for your team and come through in the clutch. There is however another thing we wish about our professional career while growing up and that is having the most fun we possibly can while playing the sport we love. Nowhere is that fun atmosphere we all seek on display better than in Tampa Bay.

Manager Joe Maddon is known as The Mad Scientist because of his unconventional approach to the game. Whether it is from a tactical aspect and the crazy shifts he employs for hitters, or from a team building, chemistry aspect, and his themed road trips or decisions on how to keep the team loose. No manager in baseball can compare to Maddon. His shifts are studied and copied by other teams and no manager has a better feel for his team and the pulse of the clubhouse.

A lot of old school types who are afraid of change and never heard of adapting with the times will disagree with his style and question his decisions, but team management and more importantly, the players who play for him will never say anything bad about him. They will go to war for him and have his back through anything because they appreciate his effort, they know he would have their back as well, and there’s something to be said for someone who doesn’t take everything so serious and can cut loose and have fun.

This past weekend Oakland was coming into Tampa playing about as well as anyone in the game and Tampa was playing exactly the opposite. They couldn’t score runs, they couldn’t hit for power, and were losing games. Enter The Mad Scientist. Coming off a win Friday night and sensing the turnaround Maddon brought in a DJ to the clubhouse on Saturday to spin classic rock and hip hop tracks for the team. The team followed that up by winning an ugly grinder of a game 1-0. The next day, players entered the clubhouse to find a magician performing tricks. It may sound like a second grade assembly at your elementary school, but the thing is, it’s so unique, and we all want to be kids again, so you know as well as I do you would be entertained. Tampa then took the field and completed the sweep of Oakland. Monday night C.C. Sabathia and the Yankees came to town and got hit around by the suddenly hot Rays.

The DJ and magician are just two examples of how Maddon keeps things loose. The team has themed road trips where everyone who boards the team plane must abide by the theme rules no exceptions. Some examples of themes are: letterman jackets, pajamas, nerd wardrobe, and bad golf outfits. There’s nothing better than winning and having fun while doing it and that is something Tampa and Joe Maddon excel at. I leave you with a few photos showing the team during these theme trips and defy you to tell me this isn’t a team you want to play for.