Rays tales: The greatest?

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 23, 2007

Scott Boras was merely doing what agents do last week, talking up his client and leveraging for negotiations, in describing Carlos Pena as the "greatest player to ever put on a Devil Rays uniform."

But Boras - whose extensive research is legendary - in this case may have been getting a little deep into, um, hyperbole. Pena, statistically, has had the "greatest" season of any player as a Ray. And that may be what Boras meant. And, if he sticks around a few years, Pena could be the "greatest" Rays player ever.

But - granted the field is not that impressive - we can think of at least a few others who might have better claim to the title of "greatest player to ever put on a Devil Rays uniform."

Wade Boggs

Overall:

3,010 hits

12 All-Star Games

7 200-hit seasons

5 AL batting titles

2 Gold Glove

1 Hall of Fame induction

As a Ray:

1998-99: .289, 210 hits, 81 RBIs

Fred McGriff

Overall:

5 All-Star Games

6 Top-10 MVP finishes

493 home runs

1550 RBIs

0 suspicions of steroid use

As a Ray:

1998-2001, '04: 99 HRs, .291 BA, 359 RBIs

Carl Crawford

Overall (as a Ray, 2002-07):

.296 average

2 All-Star Games

2 .300 seasons*

3 AL triples titles

3 AL stolen base crowns*

6 all-time franchise records

* through 2006

Five others worth considering who wore the colors: Jose Canseco, Ozzie Guillen, Roberto Hernandez, Tino Martinez, Greg Vaughn.

[Last modified September 22, 2007, 20:28:23]