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Tampa Bay Devel Rays

Baseball is an outdoor sport in which a pitcher pitches a hard, fist sized ball to the hitting area of a batter. The batter hits the hard ball with a tapered, smooth, cylindrical bat made up of wood or metal. The batsman scores by running counter-clockwise within the four markers called the bases arranged at the corners of a diamond. Baseball is sometimes called hardball to differentiate it from similar games such as softball.

During the 1995 to 1997 season, the Devil Rays named Chuck LaMar as their senior vice president of baseball operations and general manager. Chuck helped build the Atlanta Braves into a powerhouse, first as Director of Scouting and Player Development and later as Assistant General Manager. During the 1998 to 2000 season, in their first Spring Training game, the Devil Rays defeated the Florida State University at Al Lang Stadium.

The Rays used 30 players in the win over Florida State, rallying from a 3-1 shortfall with a five-run eighth inning. Right-hander Matt White was the Rays starting pitcher. During 2001 to 2003 seasons, the Devil Rays acquired outfielder Ben Grieve and cash from Oakland in three-team, nine-player deal, sending pitcher Roberto Hernandez to Kansas City and pitcher Cory Lidle to Oakland.

The Devil Rays hired Cam Bonifay as director of player personnel. Bonifay, who served the past eight seasons as senior vice president and general manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates, saw all of the club's scouting and player development. The Rays offered Tampa native Lou Piniella a four-year, 13 million dollars contract to become their third manager.

The two-time American League Manager of the Year, Lou Piniella asked out of the final year of his three-year deal with Seattle to work closer to his family. The Rays had to give up their only All-Star, Randy Winn, to Seattle to obtain the rights to negotiate with the Mariners, but the Rays got minor league infielder Antonio Perez in return.

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