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Rays tales

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 30, 2001

MUSIC MAN: Nick Bierbrodt was looking for something to keep him busy. "I'm not a big video game guy or a big computer guy, and you can only watch so much TV," he said. So two years ago he decided to learn how to play the guitar.

A few lessons got him going, and now he takes the guitar with him on every road trip, breaking it out on the team plane for an occasional impromptu jam session.

Being left-handed creates a bit of a problem, but Bierbrodt has bought some right-handed guitars and had them restrung -- "like Jimi Hendrix."

Bierbrodt can play Stairway to Heaven and Hotel California among other classics, and tries to learn a few new songs each offseason, but claims limited ability. "By no means am I good," he said. "And I can't sing. Once someone tells me to start singing, they tell me to stop singing."

AT LEAST IT'S NOT "OFF THE WALL": The Rays were a tough sell this year, and you could make a case that marketing director John Browne might have as tough a job next season as manager Hal McRae. In an offer to help, and in the spirit of fun, we offer five suggested marketing themes for the Rays to consider:

5. Come see Wilson Alvarez pitch -- really!

4. Raymond -- Up Close and Personal!

3. The Rays -- Grown Up and Ready to Shave!

2. Contraction, Schmun-traction -- We're Still Here!

1. It Has to be Better!

PRETTY BOYS: The Rays held their annual rookie hazing Wednesday, forcing the first-year big-leaguers, and a couple of other young players, to wear women's clothing on the trip home from New York, parading past a couple dozen fans outside Yankee Stadium and through LaGuardia Airport.

The consensus seemed to be that Travis Phelps, with a white ruffled top, and Jason Tyner, with a pink skirt and white blouse, looked the best.

Or, depending on your taste, the worst.

"Tyner," pitcher Tanyon Sturzte said, "looked like a real girl."

IMPOSSIBLE DREAM?

Even though the Rays are likely to record their 100th loss this week, there is talk in the clubhouse of making a run at .500 next season. How big of a leap is that? Of the 31 AL teams that lost 100 or more games in the past 50 years, four made it to .500 the next season.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

and next year. The more aggressive Ben, not the gentle Be

like he's been.'

BY THE NUMBER

15,925: Avg. attendance through Friday at Tropicana Field

31,490: Avg. attendance through Friday at the 28 other parks.

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