Advertisement

20 years of the Rays: The 20 best quotes

20/20 Vision: The 20 best quotes in Rays history.
 
Published March 25, 2018|Updated March 25, 2018

With the Rays planning a year-long celebration of their 20th anniversary, the Times is taking a look back – with 20 lists of 20 things about those first 20 seasons.

Here are 20 memorable quotes in the Rays 20 years:

GM Chuck LaMar after a 451-680 record and six last-place finishes in the Rays' first seven seasons

Then top-prospect Delmon Young, on the day he was honored as Baseball America's top minor-leaguer as to why the Rays weren't calling him up

Manager Lou Piniella, on the Rays' play in a May 2005 loss

Managing general partner Vince Naimoli, on the March 31, 1998, inaugural game

Rays manager Joe Maddon, on the team "dress" code

Check out the rest of Marc Topkin's coverage here, on:

20 words on the 20th anniversary
20 numbers to remember
The 20 weirdest moments
Tampa Bay's 20 'Forrest Gump moments'
20 years of Rays and 'the things we've loved' about them
Greatest moments in franchise history
Best signings, trades and deals
20 players who surprisingly finished with them
20 players you forgot ever played for them
20 most notable draft picks
20 Things we've hated over the years
The 20 best players
Recounting the 20 most memorable injuries
The 20 worst players
Worst signings, trades and deals
Ranking every season

Designated hitter Pat Burrell, in a text reply to the Times when asked about his May 2010 release

Outfielder Carl Crawford, on signing with the Red Sox after 12 years in the Rays organization

Pitcher Scott Kazmir, making what seemed like a bold statement on the first day of 2008 spring training

Reliever Trever Miller, after the Rays clinched their 2008 World Series berth

Longtime coach Tom Foley, on the assorted antics by Maddon

Manager Larry Rothschild after a 10-0 loss that dropped his club to 4-10 in April 2001; he was fired the next day

Rays managing general partner — you know who — to the St. Petersburg police officer who pulled over Naimoli's wife, Lenda, for running a red light

Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, to WEEI radio, about Piniella after latest of repeated scuffles between the Rays and Red Sox.

Piniella, on signing with the Rays, who then went 200-285 in his three seasons as manager and had the lowest payroll in the majors each year

Rays pitcher Chris Archer, on Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz after a 2014 bat flip

Ortiz, when told of Archer's comments

Wade Boggs, on getting his 3,000th hit with the Rays

Archer, tweeting to first lady Michelle Obama before the team's March 2016 trip to Cuba

Then-prospect Elijah Dukes, to USA Today on being in the minors

Deep-thinking first basemen Carlos Peña, asked how the Rays went from worst in 2007 to first in 2008