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Joe Maddon on The Big Show: Why Manny Ramirez will fit with the Rays, and why Boston will ‘dig’ Carl Crawford 02.01.11 at 5:31 pm ET
By Alex Speier

Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon were introduced by the Rays on Tuesday. (AP)

Rays manager Joe Maddon was a guest of The Big Show on Tuesday, the same day a press conference was held in St. Petersburg introducing Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon as the newest members of Maddon’s squad.

Maddon was asked about the idea that the addition of Ramirez, now 38 and coming off a career-low 90 games in 2010, could present challenges for a manager.

“My hair is already white. If he could turn it brown, I would be appreciative,” Maddon said.

“I had dinner with him last night, as you know he’s actually a very ingratiating fellow. … We had a good conversation, I explained to him about the Rays and how we do things here and he just continued to repeat the mantra that at 7 o’clock he’s going to play hard and compete. And he said that to me several times. So I think he’s at the point where he feels like he has something to prove. He’s lost some weight, he’s in great shape, he’s been working out with Evan Longoria and some other fellows. It was great to see them [Ramirez and Damon] together, it was a lot of fun.”

Maddon managed Carl Crawford for five seasons in Tampa Bay. He said on Tuesday that he wished Crawford was returning to the Rays in 2011, instead of joining an AL East rival in Boston. The 2008 AL Manager of the Year had nothing but praise when asked about his former player.

“Nobody is going to outwork Carl, I can promise you that,” said Maddon. “Whether it’s offense, hitting, base running, defense, he’s one of the few accomplished outfielders that I’ve known in the last few years that will work a full group during batting practice on a daily basis to get ready for a game. Knowing the Boston fans and how knowledgeable they are, they will appreciate — if they show up early and watch Carl work — that aspect … There’s nothing there to not like about Carl as a baseball player. He’s going to make some mental mistakes, but who doesn’t? I really believe the mistakes are going to be so infrequent that the fans are going to dig him regardless.”

As for the AL East, Maddon understands that the Rays are a long-shot to repeat as division champions, and pointed to the off-season work by the Red Sox as a big reason why that is the case.

“The combination of what the Red Sox did in regards to getting both Carl and Adrian Gonzalez — Gonzalez is one of the better hitters in baseball — that to me is pretty severe right there,” said Maddon. “And of course Bobby Jenks right there in front of those two guys, that really shortens the game. You got to beat the Red Sox in six or seven innings and hold on because it’s going to be difficult to beat them if you get down to the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. So I really believe the Red Sox made the most ground regarding their acquisitions.”

Even so, Maddon remained convinced that the Rays are positioned to withstand the offseason departures of free agents Crawford and Carlos Pena as well as starter Matt Garza (who was traded to the Cubs). The Rays try to construct a model that permits them to compete over turnover. He acknowledged that the bullpen was a significant X-factor for the Rays with the departures of Rafael Soriano, Joaquin Benoit, Dan Wheeler and Grant Balfour, but if Tampa Bay can find effective relievers from a group that will function as a bullpen by committee, Maddon believes that his team can compete in the AL East.

“We lost Carlos — love Carlos — and Carl, but I think we can replace a lot of their production on the field. We can play a similar game. Our starting rotation is the same, except Matt [Garza] is gone and Jeremy [Hellickson] will step in. Listen, Matt Garza was a horse for us, but we feel real strongly about Jeremy. So it really comes down to what we can do out of the bullpen, because we’ve really got a lot of the same team. We’ve got this nice young core group involved, and now you get these two potential Hall of Famers who have won World Series to augment this group. So for all different groups, I’m really excited about this year. Our goal is to defend the championship and not to just participate.”

To hear the entire interview check out The Big Show audio on demand page.

Read More: adrian gonzalez, carl crawford, Joe Maddon, Johnny Damon Print  |  Email  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • http://www.givejonadollar.com givejonadollar

    Joe Maddon is a first class quality manager. The Rays are very lucky. Those fans in Florida need to get out and support that team. They deserve it richly.

  • Chris

    Right you are givejonadollar, as much as I’ve come to dislike the Rays, and fear them I suppose, they do have a top-notch organization. From Friedman the GM,to Maddon who is a Top 5,maybe even Top 3 MLB manager,to the great players their system turns out. And unfortunately if the fans don’t start turning out and supporting them,it’ll be gone. Either all their talent through free agency they can’t afford,or altogether,as in they’ll be the Orlando Rays or something

  • Robert

    With all due respect to Maddon and Friedman,Baseball needs to contract the two Florida teams. Florida does not care about baseball.If the two teams were disbanded, Baseball could conduct a player dispersment draft with the worst teams picking first.This would give Cleveland a chance to add Longoria and KC,Hanley Ramarez etc.. It would improve competitive balance and bring real excitment to a lot of cities.Would it ever happen? No.

  • Kevin Clark

    Well they wouldnt be able to just disperse players. Tampa, and even florida, are great teams because they are able to compete in two very tough divisions with half the resources. I mean I’m a sox fan. I see the sox with a ton of money, the yanks with and endless supply, and toronto and baltimore with a hefty share as well. Yet Baltimore hasnt competed in about 14 years while the Rays have won the AL east twice and managed to stick around. In ’08 we thought it was a fluke season but here they are, year after year, not going away.

  • Robert

    You make some good points. There is no excuse for Baltimore being so bad. Just bad ownership.The Rays have done very well with shrewd
    management,but the park is terrible,hard to get to, and the fan base is small after two good seasons.You can’t blame them for losing interest after seeing their team finnally get good,only to have it torn apart. CC should have been a Ray for his entire career. The Marlins have won two trophys and dismantled both teams the next year.It’s tough to maintain a fan base that way.A few years ago, Montreal and the Twins were close to being contracted. Their players would have been dispersed in the way I mentioned.Contracting these teams would improve every team in the majors. Florida doesn’t work for baseball.

  • http://www.sciartmedia.com James

    I am rather surprised that baseball is not popular in Florida, since baseball was so much more popular a few decades ago. You would think with all the retirees down there, the Rays, at least, would be getting some people through the gates… Maybe it is just a regional thing.

  • SoxOrGoHoMe

    As a Red Sox fan who has literally watched just about every series against the Rays for the past decade, I am going to be truly thrilled to see Carl Crawford in a Red Sox uniform. Crawford was always one of those guys who plays at that extra level against the Sox. He was always doing something incredible when we played them. Whether it was robbing a homerun, hitting a homerun of his own, or stealing multiple bases off us, he was always such an aggravation to play against. Everytime he would get on base the pitcher on the mound would get so nervous and it always affected them. I cannot wait to actually have him on our side and go into battle with him. Cannot wait for spring training to start!

  • Robert

    In response to James: Florida is a football state,as is most every area south of the Mason Dixon Line. The first thing you see when you look at the sports page is football. Even during baseball season. As for the Marlins,for years, they have played in a football stadium.It rains everynight by the 4th inning. If baseball isn’t slow enough,try throwing in a rain delay.Miami does have potential as their fans loved it in 97′ and 03′.If they ever got a baseball only stadium with one of those ugly retractable roofs, they could make it.They would need to have committed ownership that would try to put a “win it all” team on the field every year and not dismantle it five minutes after they won.Had that 97′team been held together, they could have been back to the Series a couple more times at least.Might have given the 98′Yankees a run for their money.As for Tampa,it just doesn’t have the passion that Miami has. The seniors watch the games at home.Now,they have gone and dismantled a team the area had begun to love.

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