Posted by  Casey Brown, Bradenton on 03/14  at  01:22 AM

Hey ED B. in Boston, are you kidding me talking about a decade of futility with the Rays? Well that doesn’t even come close to an almost century of futility
the Red Sox displayed before recently acting like the Yankees and buying
World Series caliber teams. Others around the country would tolerate the Red Sox nation if they would enjoy their success with class, instead they try to rub other teams nose’ in it.

Posted by  Richard H., Saint Paul, MN on 03/13  at  12:20 PM

I am a Minnesota Twins fan and have never been a Tampa Bay Rays supporter at all, but after what I saw Johnny Gomes do yesterday.... I have just become one. Baseball needs more people like Johnny Gomes to let these Big Team bullies know that they aren’t just a stepping stone. I was taught the same thing Mr. Gomes was taught and that is if someone goes after your friend/teammate, you go after them. Not to hurt them or disrespect the game, but to make sure they know if it happens again they know someone will be there to stop them. My 5th favorite player behind Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Johan Santana is now Johnny Gomes....sorry Francisco Liriano, you’re #6 now

Posted by  George Gagalis, Tampa, FL on 03/13  at  11:46 AM

To Bob from Buffalo and David K from Florida:

why don’t you get a toupee with some brains in it.  Look at the plays, the play at home was a close play and the catcher was blocking the plate.  the runner was running hard knowing there may have been some contact on the play. 

the play by Michele Duncan wasn’t even close.  He came in spikes high in an attmpt to cause harm.

if either of you two played the game you would be able to easily see the difference.  that’s why Gomes shoved Michele Duncan on his #####.  the Rays are not backing down.

Question, how come NO ONE on the Yankee’s is defending Michele’s play?  BECAUSE it was a dirty play. 
if you ever played the game, you

Posted by  Ed B, Boston on 03/13  at  10:45 AM

I think the fact that MLB has allowed Tampa Bay to remain in the league squander a decade of top three draft picks and continually finish at the bottom is a travesty.  There should be a rule stating that teams can’t get top 3 picks 5-7 yrs in a row.  It’s a shame that the best young amateur talent in baseball is squandered for years in Tampa.  Compared to what other expansion teams have done (Rockies World Series, Marlins 2 rings) in the same time period its a joke. 

That being said Duncan’s play was dirty but not inherently illegal while the Johnson play was just plain dumb.  So it was a dirty play in retaliation of a dumb play...no excuses either way.  You have to be held accountable for your actions.

Posted by  Mr. Marples, Boston on 03/13  at  10:12 AM

Do you want me to have Julian Tavaraz take care of Shelley?

because I can have that done for you on Monday!

Posted by  bob sircuse, buffalo,ny on 03/13  at  10:00 AM

that was a clean play at home plate his head and shoulder were ready when he was rounding third.yankee player has a broken arm what did the rays player suffer,nothing.its about time the yankee’s struck back.

Posted by  Susan Ott, Mount Holly, NJ on 03/13  at  09:58 AM

It seems to me that some of these overpaid sports players forget that the “game of baseball” is not the UFC!
And as for some of the “over-hormoned” commentators on here, it is NOT about what team you are on, it is about conducting yourself and your play as a PROFESSIONAL!  Years ago, if you pulled a “dirty stunt” like that… your own team would toss you out of the game, not the opposing team.  But now that professionalism and talent are in the trash can, what you see is what you get!

Posted by  David Kessler, Florida on 03/13  at  09:46 AM

Shelley Duncan, you are the best...you can be in my foxhole anytime......Whats the matter Ray fans; can’t take what you give ?

Posted by  don sontag,  on 03/13  at  09:11 AM

Hey A Mart
I believe its March 30th when you should be counting wins and losses,then again being a Devil Ray fan I guess spring training is all you have to look foward to.Best record???What a jackass!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by  Mark, Orlando on 03/13  at  12:20 AM

To try and compare a catcher being run over after blocking the plate and Duncan sliding in late spikes up, as the same thing, is moronic. The Yankees got their payback in the 1st inning
when they threw at Longoria’s head, it should have ended there. Girardi is trying to replace Torre by it us against the world attitude. He postured for this to happen.

Posted by  Cruz DeJesus, Tampa, Fl on 03/13  at  12:16 AM

It’s Spring Training.This the time young players w/dreams showcase their talents. Not to take someone out @ the plate in a game that the score means nothing!The Rays only know how to play one way & thats HARD?Thats the biggest joke of all!But I guess the Rays really need these wins since this will be the only time during the season that they can brag about being in 1st!If the Rays are going to “play hard” & dish it then they should expect for other teams to “play hard” & get it back in return.Should we start calling the Rays cry babies now?!Oh let me guess… you guys are justified in you’re tears!
This is just another reason to pick on the Evil Empire!W/out the Yankees… baseball would be nothing!!

Posted by  Joey Basebaal, Bronx on 03/12  at  11:55 PM

Shelly’s the man. Its about time Yankees are constantly getting hit by pitches and they never retaliate, ##### changed under Joey G.

Posted by  Mike Asheroff, Atlanta, GA on 03/12  at  11:46 PM

OK, Tampa Rays, you are, without a doubt, the biggest joke of a pro sports franchise in the history of sports - You say your players play the game “the right way” - how the hell do you know what the right way to play the game is??? If I am not mistaken, in 2004, didn’t your sorry ass team have a few brawls with the Boston Red Sox after some of your, as you called them at the time, “cant miss prospects” almost hit Ortiz in the head?  If you want to play ball, then lets play ball - as far as calling the play criminal, I will give you sorry asses this- you have gotten rid of a few actual criminals over the last season but you still are and always will be nothing but a bunch of sorry ass losers that know nothing about the game of baseball

Posted by  Larry Dwyer, http://www.myspace.com/honkeykongCT on 03/12  at  11:04 PM

I’m glad Shelley did what he did. Was it dirty? Yes. But I’m sick of the Torre era of “everyone can bean Yankee batters and bowl over Yankee players and we never retaliate”. Don’t get me wrong, of course there has been the occasional retaliation (usually by a juiced up Clemens or a rookie) but nowhere near enough. It’s high time that the Yankees retaliate EVERY time they feel they’ve been intentionally hit by a pitch or had their wrist broken by some bum who’ll probably never make the majors in a meaningless spring training game.

Posted by  Jack, Spring Hill, Fl on 03/12  at  10:43 PM

Yankees are going to fold without Torre.  Bush league leader Giradi, has his players doing bush things like this.  Put them on ice at MSG and do it right with hockey GOONS

Posted by  Matt, Ny on 03/12  at  10:29 PM

Hahaha. I believe a hard slide into second is just as accepted in baseball as is a home plate collision. Quit whining its the only contact that baseball really has. If one team can do it in spring training so can the other. The Rays shouldn’t have started something if they didn’t want something back.

Posted by  Matt Miller, China on 03/12  at  10:19 PM

OK, I know that as a Cleveland fan I shouldn’t be posting here, but I have to say that Duncan’s play was just disgusting. Players who pull crap like that don’t have a place in the game sa far as I’m concerned.

Posted by  joe diaz, tampa on 03/12  at  10:18 PM

all of you trying to defend your yankess and saying how tampa sucks, news flash Last seven years yuor yankess have spent over $1 billion dollars in payroll and the rays about $200 million and neither of you have won a darn thing when all is said and done so go cry over your spill money

Posted by  JOHN, TAMPA on 03/12  at  10:09 PM

YOU CAN TELL DUNCAN BELONGS TO THE SKANKEE`S
THEY BOTH HAVE JUST AS MUCH CLASS

NYY FANS ARE REALLY SHOWING THEY BELONG TO THAT SCUMMY OPERATION

Posted by  john shin, new york on 03/12  at  10:08 PM

i hope no tampa rays fan is whining about this… this has the greatest publicity ploy they’ve been involved with in the history of there horrible franchise (i might be wrong on horrible in a few years, i’ll grant ya that).

take the publicity, take the little bit of pride you get mentioned in the same breath as the New York Yankees, take the team hype and go screw yourselves.

that goes for all you arrogant baseballholics that think the yankees are actually BAD for baseball.

Posted by  Larry Dallas, Bronx, NY on 03/12  at  10:08 PM

This play will be the highlight of the Rays season.  When you are 20 games under .500 at the All-Star break you can look back and remember some stupid March spring training game moment.

Posted by  Trey Pistole, Tampa,FL on 03/12  at  09:41 PM

Wow, our slogan WE ARE ONE TEAM does really fit now. Thanks Jonny for doing what a real professional should do, keep it up. I hope the yanks get the message now cause they are as classless as Girardi.

Posted by  vince, tampa on 03/12  at  09:31 PM

dont come into tampa and start something you cant finish,sounds like the yanks and redsox now know this team is no push over,if you dont like it jack in maine...stay in maine..im sure you have blogs up there to talk about your pathetic excuse for a team..stay off ours.

Posted by  Ron Allen, Tampa, FL on 03/12  at  09:19 PM

Who is the freakin’ moderator that would allow an obviously moronic name like jack me off hard to appear in this forum.  How about you idiots waking up.  Don’t publish obviousl drivel from someone who doesn’t have the balls to submit his real name.

Posted by  Ron Allen, Tampa, FL on 03/12  at  09:18 PM

Alrighty then.  Another Jankee fan who doesn’t have the backbone to give his real name.  He resorts to a juvenile moniker that TBO isn’t smart enough to pick up on.  Anyway....Jack (like that’s your real name) you are obviously a moron.  No surprise there.  Anyone, and I would like to stress, ANYONE, who believes that the Rays started this is struggling with reality.  Baseball, for those of you who don’t know (like our “friend” Jack) is a contact sport.  If the Jankees have a problem with that there is always girl’s slow-pitch softball.  Maybe they would do well with that.  As for you, “Jack”, YOU (much like most Jankee players and fans) are a PUNK.