Pitches for Rays' first postseason pitch

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Next week the Tampa Bay Rays will host the first playoff game at Tropicana Field. Typically, teams haul out one of the legendary stars from their past to toss out the ceremonial first pitch. You know, someone like Yogi Berra (Yankees), Carl Yastrzemski (Red Sox) or Ernie Banks (Cubs).But the Rays are a tad short on legends. With all due respect, Kevin Stocker or Ben Grieve isn't going to cut it.The Rays have tossed around a few names, but we thought we would lend a hand and whip up a list of people for them to consider.-- Vince Naimoli: He was not a great owner, but if it wasn't for Vince, we might not have a baseball team. And look at it this way: If the Rays had not been so bad under his guidance, then the feel-good story of the 2008 Rays would not feel as good. But do you think he would get booed?-- Wade Boggs: Local guy. The Tampa resident not only played with the Rays, but he did provide the most memorable moment in franchise history before this season when he homered for his 3,000th hit during the 1999 season. If he did throw out the first pitch, think he would still eat chicken before the game?-- Fred McGriff: Another local, a Tampa native. The Crime Dog played all or part of five seasons with the Rays and hit 99 homers with them. Nice guy, too.-- Don Zimmer: Zim has lived in Pinellas County for, like, 97 years, so he's practically from here. In fact, he's more one of us than most of us. Plus, he works for the organization.-- Carl Crawford: If C.C. isn't on the postseason roster because of his hand injury, then he deserves to be a part of the celebration of making the playoffs. He was here through the bad times, so he should be honored in the good times.-- Charlie Crist: The Florida governor is a St. Pete guy, and since Sarah Palin stole his spot as John McCain's running mate, he has some spare time to toss out a pitch.-- Dick Vitale: That's right, babeeeee. He has had season tickets since the first game, and he's a PTPer. He would be awesome, babeeeee.-- Gen. David Petraeus: The guy who was in charge of the troops in Iraq is on his way here to head up CentCom at nearby MacDill Air Force Base, and Petraeus would be our pick. Maybe the most intelligent political and military mind alive. And if you're looking to fire up the crowd, can you think of anyone better?-- Stuart Sternberg: Hey, who is most responsible for the Rays' success than the team's current owner?-- Jeff Garcia: The Bucs quarterback isn't throwing anything these days , so we might as well put him to use by throwing for the Rays.-- John McCain or Barack Obama: Make it a debate. Ask them their stances on the designated hitter and interleague play. Winner gets to throw out the first pitch.-- Hank Steinbrenner: The Rays should ask the Yankees' head honcho just to remind him that the Rays are in the playoffs and the Yankees are not.-- Jose Guzman: The Rays gave this guy $12-million over two years and he pitched 12/3 innings. He owes us a pitch. Or two. Or 3,000.-- Scott Kazmir: Of course, if he throws the first pitch, there's a chance it could end up in the leftfield stands.-- Dewayne Staats: Has anyone called more bad baseball than the Rays' play-by-play guy? He deserves something for having to sit through 100-loss seasons.-- Wilson Alvarez: As the opening day starter on March 31, 1998, the big lefty threw the first official pitch in Rays history. That pitch was a ball, so he could make up for it by throwing a strike.-- Hal McRae: The former Rays manager can throw out the first pitch ... or the first phone.-- Kevin Costner: Crash Davis kicked off this new name-new uniform deal. We'll let him throw out the first pitch if he promises not to sing.-- Jim Morris: Bring back "The Rookie.'' And if he can't make it, we'd settle for Dennis Quaid.-- Delmon Young: Trading him helped pave the way for this season, so when you think about it, he had a lot to do with the Rays' turnaround.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)