The news for Mariner fans is that the M's broke their four-game losing streak and got stellar bullpen work from two guys--Ryan Rowland-Smith and Roy Corcoran--I wouldn't know if they were standing in my soup.
But, looking at the game from a broader perspective, this could be the day that Rays fandom truly, after ten years, began.
First of all, the game sold out on Monday, which is the earliest a Rays' home opener has sold out since their inaugural game in 1998.
Then, thanks to a terrible call by an ump, the sellout crowd came alive.
With the Rays down a run, BJ Upton doubled to deep right. He tried to stretch it into a triple, but was thrown out at third...according to umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.
The Rays weren't so sure. Upton got tossed, then manager Joe Maddon got tossed.
Over at DRays blo DRaysBay, they were questioning Wendelstedt's sexuality and comparing him to fecal matter.
At Tropicana Field, the fans started booing...and booing...and booing. They booed through the rest of that inning, and booed into the next. Thirty minutes later, as the game reached the eighth, they were still booing.
"They sure like to boo," observed M's radio voice Dave Niehaus. "I don't think I have ever heard the Trop this loud," wrote a DRaysBay commenter.
And after the game ended, on a Ryan Rowland-Smith strikeout of Carlos Pena, they booed some more.
As a Mariner fan from way back, I've seen my share of listless crowds, even on opening day. This crowd, to their credit, was practically maniacal. Let's hope they keep it up.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Mariners 6, Tampa Bay 5: The Night Tampa Bay's Fan Base Came Alive?
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2 comments:
Tampa fans are notorious for not caring about a team until it makes a string of playoff runs. But the amount of fans that came out of the woodwork last night were not only paying customers, they were paying attention, which is something unheard of here.
I have never booed in my life as loud and long as I booed last night. Horrific call. Going back for Game 2 tonight. There won't be near as big a crowd, but that umpire might want to pick up some earplugs on the way to the game.
thank you
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mirc
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