The Tampa Bay Rays are waiting to see who their opponent for the ALCS will be after they swept the New York Yankees in five games in their ALDS matchup.
It was a dominant performance by the Rays, who didn't trail once in the series. They received excellent pitching from everyone on the staff and some timely hitting, with their relentless pressure leading to the Yankees crumbling.
Tampa Bay will be welcoming whoever wins the series between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians to Tropicana Field for Game 1 on Monday, Oct. 12. After multiple sellouts in the ALDS against the Yankees, there should be a raucous crowd in place again with a trip to the World Series on the line.
Ahead of Game 1, Rays fans are going to be treated to a special guest getting them ready for the massive series. Former legend Carl Crawford will be in attendance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Sep 11, 2010; Toronto, ON, Canada; Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Carl Crawford (13) runs to third base on a two-run triple in the 6th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. The Rays beat the Blue Jays 13-1. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Crawford is one of the best players to ever suit up for the franchise. It will be awesome to see him back at Tropicana Field, where he has been immortalized along with Wade Boggs and Don Zimmer as part of the franchise's inaugural Hall of Fame class on Aug. 26, 2023.
"Feels good," Crawford said after the ceremony a few years ago, via Adam Berry of MLB.com. "It was cool. I appreciate the Rays organization for putting this together for me and for all my family in town, and it was great."
Crawford was the first pick of the second round by the Rays in the 1999 MLB Draft. He wasted no time making his way through the minor league system, making his Major League debut on July 20, 2002, at only 20 years old.
An incredible athlete, Crawford was a three-sport athlete in high school. He was such a dynamic dual-threat quarterback that the USC Trojans and Florida Gators recruited him. On the hardwood, the UCLA Bruins wanted him to play point guard.
He decided to go the baseball route, and it looks as if he made the correct choice. Crawford spent the first nine seasons of his career with Tampa Bay, playing in 1,235 games and making the All-Star team four times before being traded to the Boston Red Sox.
He produced a .296/.337/.444 slash line with the Rays, hitting 104 home runs, 215 doubles and 105 triples to go along with 592 RBIs and 409 stolen bases. His career-high 19 triples in 2004 led the MLB, while he led the AL three more times. On four occasions, he led the AL in stolen bases.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rays/onsi as Rays Legend Set To Throw Out First Pitch of ALCS Game 1 .
