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Rays pick 'old' for new look

More green and no ''Devil'' highlight a uniform change.

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 7, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Seeking a more traditional look, the Tampa Bay baseball team changed its uniform style, color scheme and shortened its name.

Tuesday's unveiling at BayWalk showcased uniforms with old-style piping, an emphasis on green, and home jerseys that read RAYS across the front but not DEVIL.

The design changes were made because the Rays sought "a cleaner and more traditional look," general manager Chuck LaMar said. Gone are the large devil ray logo, gradated multicolor scheme and purple trim.

To further clean up the uniforms, officials decided the "devil" had to go as well. "On a baseball uniform it looks a little more traditional to have just one name," LaMar said.

The team officially still is called the "Devil Rays," but the jerseys and a number of the promotional materials now just use "Rays." Club officials said they planned for the team eventually to be known just as the Rays, much as the New York sports teams go by Mets (rather than Metropolitans) and Knicks (rather than Knickerbockers).

They couldn't get a copyright on the name Rays when the franchise was awarded in 1995 because it was too common, team senior vice president/general counsel John Higgins said. But with repeated use, the team was able to establish and develop rights to the name and its copyright application is pending approval, Higgins said.

"It was kind of our intent from the very beginning to get to the point where we use the shorter version in a more prominent fashion," Higgins said.

Overall, the new uniforms looked sharp, with green piping on the front and sleeves, a black logo of a ray on the left sleeve, and numbers on the back and front. The gray road jersey features arched block TAMPA BAY lettering. Socks and belts are green, as is the batting practice jersey.

The most traditional change is the alternative jersey, which is a white sleeveless vest. About half the big-league teams have a vest jersey.

"It's a far more traditional look," Major League Baseball design chief Anne Occi said. "Overall in baseball design the pendulum has swung toward that."

ARBITRATION UPDATE: LaMar planned to speak with agents for pitchers Albie Lopez and Bryan Rekar today in another attempt to avoid arbitration. Lopez's hearing is scheduled for Thursday; Rekar's is Feb. 20.

CARAVAN CONTINUES: Manager Larry Rothschild and players Mike DiFelice, Aubrey Huff, Jason Tyner and Matt White will on board today for stops at the Clearchannel radio stations (4002 Gandy Blvd., Tampa) at 8 a.m., Chiaramonte Elementary (6001 S Himes, Tampa) at 10:30 a.m., Shriner's Hospital for Children (12502 N Pine Drive, Tampa) at 1 p.m., Cox radio (11300 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg) at 3 p.m. and Infinity broadcasting (5510 Gray St., Tampa) at 4 p.m.

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