Wade Boggs

HittingTim Salmon, Angels: 3 RBIs, HR, 2B.Wade Boggs, Devil Rays: 3 RBIs, HR.PitchingShigetoshi Hasegawa, Angels: 3 2/3 innings of one-hit relief for his second save.Pub Date: 7/28/98

Don't be surprised this month if baseball fans from Baltimore, Kansas City and Pittsburgh root for the Tampa Bay Rays like pilgrims saying prayers at the feet of a saint. From 1998 to 2007, no franchise seemed more lost than the Rays, who peaked with a 70-91 record during that stretch. Their veteran signings never found the old magic, their pitchers never got anybody out and their fans never cared a lick. But something wild and magical happened this season in baseball's bleakest wasteland.

Athletics: Oakland is 11-27 against the AL East.Devil Rays: Bobby Smith was spiked in the left hand when he was picked off first base in the first inning. Wade Boggs, who had been given the night off the team facing a left-handed starter, replaced him at third base.Pub Date: 8/05/98

It's a fact No Giant has won a batting title since the franchise moved west in 1958 - the longest drought in the NL. Milestone Garret Anderson is the first player in the Angels' 42-year history with three straight seasons of at least 100 RBIs. The number 746: games for Nomar Garciaparra to reach 1,000 hits with Boston, fastest in team history. Wade Boggs took 747.

ManagerJoe Morgan (217-184 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Red Sox).1990 record88-74, first place, 2 games ahead.1990 offensive leadersBA: Wade Boggs ... ... ... .302HR: Ellis Burks... ... ... . 21RBI: Ellis Burks.. ... ... . 89SB: Ellis Burks... ... ... .. 9@1990 pitching leadersWins: Roger Clemens......... 21ERA: Roger Clemens........ 1.93

It's a fact No Giant has won a batting title since the franchise moved west in 1958 - the longest drought in the NL. Milestone Garret Anderson is the first player in the Angels' 42-year history with three straight seasons of at least 100 RBIs. The number 746: games for Nomar Garciaparra to reach 1,000 hits with Boston, fastest in team history. Wade Boggs took 747.

The leaders by position in voting for the 1995 American League All-Star team:Pos. Player ........ Team ....... Votes1B Will Clark ...... Texas ...... 7,3132B Roberto Alomar .. Toronto .... 7,9743B Wade Boggs ...... New York ... 8,698SS Cal Ripken ...... Orioles ... 12,155OF Ken Griffey ..... Seattle ... 14,317.. Kirby Puckett ... Minnesota .. 8,698.. Albert Belle .... Cleveland .. 5,893C Ivan Rodriguez ... Texas ...... 6,774Note: Fans can vote on-line for All-Star starters through June 26 on ABC Online, which is available on America Online.

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees finally found another free agent willing to accept some of their money. They signed Wade Boggs to a three-year, $11 million contract yesterday and hoped the five-time American League batting champion would make their third-base troubles disappear.The signing is curious because Boggs, 34, is coming off the worst season of his 11-year career, all with Boston, and there is speculation that an ailing back will prevent him from regaining his form.In failing to hit .300 for the first time in his career, Boggs batted .259 last season, which dropped his career average from .345 to .338.

Quote: "For J.T. it's been the same all year. We work on things in the bullpen. Warming up before a start he looks good, and then he gets in the game and forgets what he worked on."-- Tigers manager Larry Parrish on Justin Thompson, who gave up six runs in four inningsIt's a fact: The White Sox went 409-492 at Tiger Stadium.Who's hot: Texas (64-42) has its best record in team history after 106 games.Who's not: The Angels lost for the 16th time in 18 games.On deck: Wade Boggs will be pulled from the Devil Rays' lineup if he gets hit No. 2,999 at Safeco Field so he can go for the milestone at home this weekend.

Quote: "When he kissed home plate, I rolled my eyes. That was vintage Wade. That's the reason he doesn't get respect. He's me-me, I-I." -- former baseball star Kirk Gibson, who is now a Detroit Tigers broadcaster, on Wade Boggs kissing home plate after collecting hit No. 3,000.It's a fact: The Athletics, with the majors' top home record, rank 12th in attendance in the American League through Tuesday, having drawn 1,168,366 fans for 65 dates, an average of 17,975.Who's hot: The Indians have won 11 of their past 16 games and finished their six-game road trip 4-2.Who's not: Athletics starter Mike Oquist is 0-3 in seven career appearances against the Indians, including five starts.

LIKE SO MANY others in contemporary professional sport, Major League Baseball's umpires first reached for what they deserved, then over-reached so much that they now appear arrogant and greedy.What's satisfying about their union's apparently self-defeating mass resignation is that, this time, it appears some who over-reached will get their comeuppance. This may help restore order to a game which often seems to have lost its bearings.Twenty-five years ago, many umpires made less than $20,000 a season.

Athletics: Oakland has been involved in 25 one-run games, most in the AL.Devil Rays: Wade Boggs went 2-for-4 for the and needs 26 hits to reach 3,000. Shortstop Kevin Stocker was scratched from the lineup because of left knee tendinitis.Pub Date: 7/06/99

He ran the orange gantlet in from center field in pre-game ceremonies, stroked a pair of crowd-pleasing hits and soaked up the roar of 46,733. Of all the new Orioles, Will Clark may have appreciated the roar of the Camden Yards crowd most."

HittingHarold Baines, Orioles: 4-for-4, double.Wade Boggs, Devil Rays: grand slam.Mike Macfarlane, Athletics: 3-for-3, 2 runs.Pitching4 Brian Moehler, Tigers: 7 innings, 1 run, 5 hits.Pub Date: 9/14/98