Finally!, Sox Fans Drowned Out
July 2nd, 2008 by Eric Snider in Sports
Tampa Bay won twice last night — on the field and in the stands. After years of watching Red Sox fans turn Tropicana Field into their own personal pep rally, I was particularly gratified to be in the midst of a decidedly Rays partisan crowd.
Oh, there were Sox backers, for sure, but they were decidedly less loud — and often deliciously drowned out — by the Rays faithful, many of them newly converted and appropriately zealous. On the handful of occasions that a “Let’s Go Red Sox” cheer started to kindle, a hometown counter-chant quickly doused it out. Rays fans were particularly enthusiastic in heaping boos on Manny Ramirez, the Boston star who’s been bullying low-level team functionaries of late.
Local sports radio pundits like to talk of this phenomenon in ratios — for instance, in years past, it might be 80-20 Sox rooters. The general take on last night’s game was it was about 60-40 Rays: an embarrassment in more established markets, but something of a watershed for Tampa Bay.
I actually think it was more like 70-30, especially in the late innings, and certainly in the 9th, when fireballer Grant Balfour was mowing down the Sox with strikeouts. With each two-strike count, the rumble would claw toward a crescendo, and then when the batter was finished off, the Trop would erupt.
One Sox hitter did manage a double in the 9th with two (strike)outs already registered. The Boston faithful cheered — it was quite audible in the press box — but it was a rather feeble cheer. It was a cheer that sounded like defeat. Rays 3, Red Sox 1.
A couple of quick notes:
• Rays fans are acquitting themselves quite admirably these days, but, please, no more attempts at “the wave.” A couple of times last night, the folks in right field started one up; it began to peter out when it hit the pricey seats along the first base line; by the time the wave reached the third bass line it was barely a ripple, about two dozen people idly raising their hands in the air.
• True, I’m a Johnny-come-lately to regular baseball watching, but I don’t recall seeing this: Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew, an allegedly hot hitter, struck out thusly: He looked at Strike 1, then looked at Strike 2, then looked at Strike 3. Three pitches and he never swung that bat. I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure that’s fuckin’ embarrassing. I wish I jotted down who the pitcher was — big ups to him.
photo credit: traveling fools of America
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
The Pitcher was JP Howell