Sports: McRae wants to see hunger to play in '02

McRae wants to see hunger to play in '02

By MARC TOPKIN

ST. PETERSBURG -- Hal McRae has been remarkably calm and patient and relatively positive during this trying season. But as thoughts start drifting toward next year, he has a bit of an edge in his voice and something of a warning for the young players who again will make up the core of the squad.

"I'm very concerned from an attitude perspective," McRae said. "My concern is that they don't try to just stay here next year, that they don't try to just achieve the same level of performance next year that they're achieving now, that they continue to reach and they continue to play without fear and they continue to try to prove they belong here."

McRae said it would be a mistake for the players to think that doing what they did in 2001 will be good enough in 2002. "That's the wrong attitude," he said.

In simplest form, McRae wants to make sure the players understand that they have to keep improving, and have to work at it.

"They've got to come in with the same rough rider attitude next year," McRae said. "Just get after it. Go out and prove you belong here. Forget about this year. It's different. Now and next year is different."

McRae has been impressed with how the young players have approached this season, and said he hopes that is the one thing they carry over.

"They didn't know what to expect (this year) and they're not going to know what to expect next year," he said. "They've just got to go like hell, like they're doing now, and not worry about it. Take what you get each day; don't have any goals or objectives. They didn't come up here with any. They just came to play, and they're just going to have to come back and play. It takes a lot of pressure off, and it's more fun that way."

HOT 100: Chris Gomez, who was released by San Diego, has had an impressive start with the Rays, exceeding McRae's expectations with his overall play and, specifically, his offense.

In his first 100 Tampa Bay at-bats, Gomez had 31 hits, 7 home runs and 22 RBI.

But research by Rays PR assistant Greg Landy found others who have done more.

The most? Quinton McCracken, who had 37 hits in his first 100 at-bats in 1998. Fred McGriff had 36 and Terrell Lowery 34.

The most power? Jose Canseco had 10 home runs in his first 100 at-bats, and Greg Vaughn had eight.

The most production? McGriff had 24 RBI, Canseco 23.

Overall, 13 players had 30 or more hits. The others are Randy Winn (33); Bobby Smith (32); Toby Hall, Aaron Ledesma and Gerald Williams (31); Wade Boggs, Steve Cox, Dave Martinez and Damian Rolls (30).

REMEMBER HIM?: Bubba Trammell apparently knew what he was talking about. During 21/2 seasons with the Rays, Trammell insisted that if given the chance to play regularly he would produce.

His 20 homers and 77 RBI for the Padres this year make him look pretty smart.

"I think I should be playing every day and should have been the last three years in Tampa, but it didn't work out," Trammell said. "How it's worked out, I'm happy."

OH, CANADA: While nobody really seems to know what Major League Baseball will look like next season -- or even if there will be a season -- the rumormongers suggesting radical change took another hit last week.

"I can tell you for a fact that the only schedule drafts to come out of this office have the same 30 teams in the same 30 places as this season," Katy Feeney, vice president of scheduling, told the Toronto Globe and Mail. "Washington, D.C., isn't on any of them. The Montreal Expos are."

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?: As a Rays fan, you'd better be. With the NFL in season, the Rays are off the air. Only one of the final five Sunday games will be shown -- Sept. 16 against the Yankees.

HOO-RAYS: The Rays should see a familiar face in Seattle. Veteran catcher Pat Borders, who'd been at Triple-A Durham the past two seasons, is expected to be activated by the Mariners. ... Rays wives (and girlfriends) on Friday presented a check for $66,100 to representatives of the ALS Association, proceeds from Sunday's Dine with the Devil Rays event. ... Managing general partner Vince Naimoli was named to the board of trustees at Fairleigh Dickinson University.