The Final Curtain

The sun has set one final time on Holman Stadium and baseball as we know it in the great city of Vero Beach. The Vero Beach Devil Rays played their last game in the legendary stadium on Saturday, August 30th in front of nearly 2,000 fans.

Game two was washed away due to heavy downpours which lead to the cancellation of the final two games on Sunday afternoon. Baseball in Vero Beach is no longer unless another organization comes to town. 2008 has been filled with exciting moments from walk off winners, to a 10 strikeout performance by Jeremy Hellickson to the debut of David Price, the number one overall selection of Tampa in 2007.

For me this was a season to remember being part of a staff that is top notch all around. I was given the opportunity to be a part of the final season in Vero Beach and will forever be great full of that. I would like to personally thank Shawn and Katie, co-general mangers of the ball club for all their help and cooperation throughout the season. Thank you to all the sponsors and area businesses that supported the team in 2008 and thank you to all the fans that cheered on the Devil Rays win or lose.

It is a sad day for all with the season coming to a close, but one not to be forgotten. A few tears were witnessed around the ball park shortly after the announcement that the final games were cancelled. Fans were taking several pictures to capture that one lasting moment and to cherish years of memories.

As someone who grew up around major league baseball in the Detroit area rooting on the Tigers, it was not until I moved to Florida did I grasp the appreciation for minor league baseball. These last two years in the Florida State League have been a dream come true for a young broadcaster. I look forward to several more years behind the microphone and hopefully at the professional ranks.

I have no immediate plans to leave the area as my wife and I are here until further notice. It will definitely be an awkward feeling to drive by Holman Stadium on aviation blvd/26th avenue and to look towards the stadium and see the light towers remain dark.

Vero Beach will forever be a baseball city, not only in spring training, but throughout the summer months as well. Thank you to everyone and God Bless.

Kirk Agius
Voice of the Vero Beach Devil Rays

Devil Rays Take Two

The Vero Beach Devil Rays ended their 4 game skid with a sweep of the double header against the Palm Beach Cardinals on Friday night. The boys came out swinging the bats posting wins of 8-1 and 6-3, scoring 14 combined runs in the two games.

With the two wins the Devil Rays moved to 20 wins on the second half, but looked impressive in doing so. Matt Fields, hit his 18th home run of the season over the wall in center field, the first home run in nearly a month for the first baseman. "It's about time," said Matt in the clubhouse after game one.

Tip of the cap goes to both starters Carlos Hernandez and Craig James. Both hurlers picked up victories and Hernandez who lasted 5.2 innings struck out 8 batters along the way, while Craig James threw 5 strong innings of his own. Mike Woldarczyk closed out game one and Chris Kelly picked up the save in the night cap.

Same two teams with yet another double header tonight at Holman stadium. The first game gets underway at 5pm with the Bud Light pre game show starting at 4:45.

Final Series of 2008

Game on! After a long awaited delay, the Vero Beach Devil Rays will finally return home this Friday and close out the 2008 campaign at Holman stadium. The Palm Beach Cardinals will be in town to play 4 games in three days. A double-header is scheduled this Friday which is a make-up from early July.

This weekend not only marks the end to the 2008 season, but the final swan song for the Vero Beach Devil Rays in the city of Vero Beach. It has been a rough season for the city residents as the Los Angeles Dodgers said farewell after 60 plus years of spring training baseball in Vero Beach. Now the Devil Rays exit after a two year existence as they head west to Port Charlotte.

The question remains, will there ever been baseball again in Vero Beach? There has been an extensive amount of talk about the Baltimore Orioles coming to Vero Beach for their new spring training home, but no Florida State League team will come with them. However, there is a chance that another organization may utilize Holman stadium for their advanced A ball team. One club rumored to be a possibility are the Sarasota Reds, affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds. It is no secret that the city of Sarasota is growing apart from the Reds organization and a move to the east may be on the horizon.

With the Devil Rays moving west in the FSL, Lakeland will most likely move into the east division. However, there has been no official announcement of that just yet. The cost involved with all the traveling that Lakeland will have to do is the biggest question at stake. Therefore, the possibility of Sarasota becoming the Vero Beach Reds has a little more weight to it.

With that said, we look forward to seeing all of you this weekend for the final three games of the 2008 season and the existence of the Vero Beach Devil Rays.

Devil Rays/Cubs Postponed Tonight

Due to Tropical Storm Fay and the amount of rain dumped on Vero Beach, playing conditions for tonight's game between the Devil Rays and the Cubs has been cancelled.

As of 2:30 this afternoon (8/20) TS Fay continues to spin very slowly in and around Brevard County. Travel for the Daytona Cubs is not safe so a big pat on the back to the Florida State League for keeping everyone out of harms way.

The series is to get underway tomorrow with the final thirsty Thursday of the 2008 season. Stay tuned to either my blog, vbdrays dot com or the Florida State League website for further updates.

Stay safe and stay dry!

Fay Dumps Down on South Florida

Tropical Storm Fay continued her path into south Florida late Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday morning. Schools were closed on day two of the 2008/09 school year as well as many are businesses. There were however, two games in the Florida State League that played on Monday night in which all eyes were on the Daytona Cubs and the Jupiter Hammerheads.

Jupiter, in two games has lost their lead over the Cubs, as Daytona came from behind to tie the ball game late last night and send it to extra innings. The Cubs picked up the win with a walk off double in the bottom of the 10th to move them back into a first place tie with the Jupiter Hammerheads.

The Vero Beach Devil Rays were washed out last night as expected and a good chance they will be once again tonight. The D-Rays are scheduled to play the Palm Beach Cardinals in Roger Dean stadium at 7pm. Stay tuned to the blog for further updates as well as www.vbdrays.com along with the Florida State League website.

As of 9:00am on Tuesday, August 19th, plenty of rain is falling throughout Indian River county and the winds are starting to pick up. Thus far, just over 2 inches of rain has fallen and more is expected. That's my latest meteorologist update.

Button Down the Hatches!

Interesting way to end my vacation with the arrival of a tropical storm. My time away was great and I kept up with the ball club each and every night. The Devil Rays were able to pick up a win last night against the Palm Beach Cardinals 2-1 at Roger Dean stadium.

The likelihood that tonights game will be played is slim to none. Tropical Storm Fay is moving in from the south and the eastern seaboard of Florida is beginning to get soaked. Heavy rains are expected to fall throughout the night and into the morning hours. As far as high winds, there has not been a whole lot of talk about that, but I'm sure they will be strong.

Turning our attention to the ball club again, there are only two homestands remaining in the 2008 season. Wednesday through Friday, the Daytona Cubs are in town for their final visit and then the Palm Beach Cardinals close out the year with four games in the final three days. There will be a double header on Friday the 29th which is a make up from earlier in the second half of the season.

One last thirsty Thursday, which is this week August 21st. Fans get to enjoy dollar beers all night long or until the 7th inning that is. Keep an eye on the official website of the Vero Beach Devil Rays which is www.vbdrays.com as well as my blog for continued updates on Tropical Storm Fay.

Summer Camp Out Over

A 12 game loosing streak and three nights under the stars for Shawn Marette, are both over and done with. The Vero Beach Devil Rays finally got back in the win column after nearly two weeks of baseball.

The D-Rays shutout the Brevard County Manatees 6-0 at Space Coast Stadium in which Wilton Noel pitched 6 one hit innings and collected the win. Brian Baker gave up one hit in two innings of work and Mike Woldarczyk tossed the ninth as Brevard County was held to only 2 hits while Vero put up ten in the box score.

The win tonight was only the 5th in the last 30 games for Vero Beach who was once 10-10 before a ten game loosing streak last month. It has been a rough go for sure, but the club has played hard each and every game throughout the way.

Possibly the best news coming with the win is that co-general manager Shawn Marette, can end his three night camp out in right field at Holman Stadium. Marette had been camping out since Friday night when the Devil Rays lost to the St. Lucie Mets 6-0. Marette camped out last year, but after one night the Devil Rays were back in the win column.

The Devil Rays continue their series with Brevard County Tuesday night and go for two in a row. Vero returns home on Wednesday when the Jupiter Hammerheads come to town for three and you can hear each of those games on the Devil Rays radio network.

Marette Remains Under the Lights

For the third night in a row, co-general manager of the Vero Beach Devil Rays, Shawn Marette, continues his camp out in hopes of a win. Following Friday nights loss to the Mets, Marette pitched a tent in right field and said he would do so until the team ends their loosing streak.

This wasn't a first for Marette, as last season the tent went up to end a loosing streak and it worked after only one night. This time around has not been the case. The Devil Rays blew a 4-0 ninth inning lead on Saturday night and would eventually lose 8-5 in ten innings. Up went the tent for night number two at Holman.

Sunday was an afternoon affair with the Brevard County Manatees at Space Coast stadium in Viera. Another 10 inning game for the Devil Rays who after two innings trailed 5-0 but rallied late to tie the game at 6, but a one out single did them in. For the Devil Rays, the ball club unfortunately suffered their 12th loss in a row a season high. As for Shawn Marette? He is roasting marshmallows in right field and will be sleeping under the stars for the third night in a row.

The Devil Rays continue their series with Brevard County on Monday night with a 7pm first pitch. For complete updates on the Shawn Marette Tent Watch, keep checking back to the blog for updates.

Another Camp out for Shawn Marette

Just when you think the streak is over...think again. On a night in which the Devil Rays looked to end their 10 game loosing streak, the Mets decided to start swinging the bats. To the tune of 8 runs in two innings. The firework show is happening right now as I type, but it was the Mets who provided the pop tonight.

The streak is now at 11 and that means that c0-General Manager Shawn Marette, will be camping out at Holman stadium yet again.

A tough loss indeed and the ball club will now head to Brevard county to get back into the win column. The Manatees, as you recall swept the Devil Rays here at Holman this week in three games.

Vero Beach returns home on Wednesday to face the Jupiter Hammerheads and you can listen to the game live on the Devil Rays radio network via www.milb.com or on 106.9 at the field.

Streak Now at 10

For the second time this year the Vero Beach Devil Rays are on the wrong side of a ten game streak. The Devil Rays were shut out for the second time in their last 4 games, tonight at the hands of the St. Lucie Mets 6-0.

The Mets scored two in the third, one in the fourth and three more in the 8th.

The same two teams get together tomorrow night for a 6 o'clock first pitch with the Bud Light pre game show starting at 5:45. You can hear the game on the Devil Rays radio network. Oh by the way, come early with a hunger and participate in the wing contest. Some of the areas top restaurants will compete to be the 2008 wing champion. That will get underway at 4pm.

Shawn Marette, co-general manager of the ball club is pitching a tent on the field as we speak. Until the Devil Rays get into the win column, Shawn will be camping out on the field. Not to mention he will be in the dunk tank tomorrow during wing night.

Devil Rays Return Home Tonight

The Vero Beach Devil Rays return home tonight for 5 games starting with the Brevard County Manatees. The second half struggles continued for the ball club this week with six losses in a row following back to back wins which began the road trip.

It was good to see the club get a series win against the Jupiter Hammerheads at Roger Dean Stadium, but a three game sweep at the hands of the first place Daytona Cubs, and then dropping two against the Mets, have sent the ball club back 12.5 games behind Daytona.

Tonight, the team looks to get back in the win column against a team that they have had good success against all season. Tuesday, also marks anit-doping night at the ball park as the staff gets ready for Olympic night this Thursday. For a complete list of this week's promotions log onto www.vbdrays.com

Of course you can hear tonights broadcast and all 5 of the homestand on the Devil Rays radio network via www.milb.com or on 106.9 FM in and around Holman Stadium.