Crippen Talks Up Rays At New Port Richey Rotary

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - Dick Crippen, the former dean of Suncoast sportscaster, addressed the Rotary Club of New Port Richey Wednesday afternoon.

Crippen, who is now a senior advisor to the Tampa Bay Rays, was at Spartan Manor on behalf of the American League ball club. He was hoping of generating excitement for the Rays' 2008 season following its off-season make-over.

With the Rays 2008 Grape Fruit League spring training schedule officially getting under way yesterday, Friday, Crippen is among those in the organization reaching out to surrounding communities to take a heightened interest in the club.

"We're just trying to get up here and get people to understand what it is to go down (to Tropicana Field) and have a good time," he said of what the team is trying to do in Pasco and other northern reaches.

In his 15 minutes at the podium, Crippen pitched the new-look Rays in an upbeat, optimistic fashion.

"We're very excited," Crippen said, then quickly touching on the ever-present payroll - or lack thereof - issue. "The Rays this year have increased their payroll by about 70 percent. We've brought in some needed pieces to the puzzle and feel confident in what we are doing."

In addition to dropping "Devil" from the team name and unveiling a new logo and uniform style, the Rays made a number of significant lineup change.

With all the changes the Rays have made - and those in the works - Crippen said the organization is constantly making a concerted effort to stimulate the fan base.

Along with the name change, uniform alterations and possible multimillion-dollar stadium relocation, it is still this year's roster of athletes that should get fans energized, Crippen said.

"It's truly a new atmosphere out there," Crippen said of what he has seen around training camp. "They have confidence and they're extremely excited about getting ready to play."

Having been around the team since its inception in 1998, Crippen said he believes this is the best looking bunch Tampa Bay has ever assembled. Crippen began covering area sports for television in 1965, when he joined Channel 10, then known as WLCY.

The Rays players concur with his upbeat assessment, Crippen said.

"I don't think we're going to surprise people," Crippen said All-Star left-fielder Carl Crawford told him at camp Monday. "I think people already know what we have."

Crippen went from position to position introducing and describing the attributes of the starting nine. He then took questions ranging from the status of the proposed stadium to ace-of-the-pitching-staff Scott Kazmir's recent elbow problems.

To note, he is personally in agreement with ownership's ballpark plans and said the star lefties' injury does not look to be serious.

His later response to a Barry Bonds-to-Tampa Bay inquiry drew laughs all around, responding to scattered reports that the Rays were interested in the indicted home-run king.

"That's great. We get rid of the two problems in the locker room and sign the poster boy for steroids," Crippen said, referring to the off-season departures of outfielders Elijah Dukes, to Washington, and Delmon Young, to Minnesota.