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Tampa Bay Rays: Former player Gabe Gross predicts title
If there's one thing Gabe Gross wishes had gone differently in his Big League career, it's that the Rays only walked away with an ALCS ring in 2008, instead of a World Series ring. FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - If there's one thing Gabe Gross wishes had gone differently in his Big League career, it's that the Rays only walked away with an ALCS ring in 2008, instead of a World Series ring.
"It is one of my treasured possessions, (but) it could have been a World Series ring. Did we? I'm not over it."
Milwaukee Brewers franchise history
The backstory:
Gross grew up in Alabama, but went to Auburn to play and later to coach.
He was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2001 and played for the Brewers from 2006 to 2008.
He was traded to the Rays in the middle of their magical run to their first World Series appearance.
He credits the genius of manager Joe Maddon.
"For ten years (we) had basically been in the cellar of the AL East, and then to win the AL East and take down the Red Sox."
Tropicana Field fan atmosphere
Dig deeper:
Fifteen years after he retired from baseball as one of 112 to play for both teams, he counts among his great memories that he had three walk-off hits for the 2008 Rays, including one-off Mariano Rivera.
During his time in Tampa Bay, he loved living on the waterfront in St. Pete Beach.
"To all of a sudden go from maybe 7,000 or 8,000 people at a game to having that stadium sold out, to nobody really knowing who you were as a Rays player, to walking in a restaurant, everybody recognizing you and who you are, no matter where you were."
He also loved Tampa's legendary steakhouses and, indeed, Tropicana Field itself.
"It got really loud," he said of the Trop. "It became a really, really good home environment and I thought gave us a big advantage. Obviously, the dome encapsulates the noise really well."
But he doesn't sell his time in Milwaukee short. He got to live a bit of a country life and didn't have to be pushed hard to love bratwurst.
Plus, for 226 games, he got to wear the same uniform as Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Rollie Fingers and Hank Aaron.
"It was a lot of hard-working people," he said of Milwaukee. "A lot of a lot of people who didn't like fluff. They wanted toughness, they wanted people to love their sports teams and all be together. And pulled very hard for them."
World Series champion prediction
What's next:
So which team is he rooting for?
Though he wouldn't mind if Milwaukee gets their first title, he's a longtime friend of Kevin Cash.
"I'm going to say these two teams are very evenly matched," Gross said. "I'm going to say it's going to go to seven games and the Rays are going to win it in seven."
As someone who played on baseball's biggest stage, and who stole two bases in World Series games, he had advice for those fighting for their region's first World Series championship.
"The player you've been the whole year has been good enough and the player you've been the whole year will be good enough. Just be him."
His advice for the fans is even more simple:
"Enjoy it," he said. "Enjoy every moment."
Other players to play for both the Rays and Brewers include Greg Vaughn, Willy Adames, Carlos Gomez, Julio Franco and Nelson Cruz.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from former MLB player Gabe Gross, who shared details about his professional baseball career and predictions, as well as league records listing players who played for both franchises.