The Philadelphia Phillies vs the Tampa Bay Rays.
All across the baseball blogosphere, you’re going to see lots of real baseball analysis about the matchups on the field and in the dugout as well as some predictions about the outcome of the Fall Classic.
I’m not going to do that this year - it’s well evidenced that I suck at predictions … my 10/27/07 prediction that the Red Sox would repeat in 2008 didn’t come true.
Personally, I’m more interested in what’s happening on TOP of the Dugout - because we love baseball cheerleaders here at HRD.
So here’s your Home Run Derby 2008 World Series Preview - of the eye candy on the sidelines.
Representing the American League …
The Ray Team of the Tampa Bay Rays
First of all, the Ray Team is not a Northern Florida version of the Marlins Mermaids. Could you imagine how many retired old men would have heart attacks if the Mermaids were shaking their Miami thangs at the Trop?
Introduced in 2006, the Rays Team is “an interactive entertainment squad that performs various tasks” during Rays Home Games. They give away T-Shirts and stuff and lead the crowd in cheers. So they’re basically a rip-off of the Padres’ Pad Squad - right down to having a lame name and being co-ed.
From what I’m told, the Tampa crowd was really quiet before they came along. Even while they were winning this season.
They Dance on the Dugout …
They hang out with Zack Hample - the guy who catches every home run ball.
And just like anybody else, they’ve got a Sarah Palin impersonator on the squad.
And representing the National League …
The Ballgirls of the Philadelphia Phillies
Let’s start off by saying that the Ballgirls are NOT a cheerleading squad. They’re actual ballgirls … they sit down the foul lines and grab balls that go out of play during the game … and usually give them to kids in the stands.
Of course, you’ve go to bend over to pick up balls … or even sometimes hot dogs thrown on the field on college night.
That Houston Astro didn’t mind.
They also field a softball team - most of them played in college. Here they are at a charity event earlier this season.
I love the stripes on the socks.
Officially, they’re a “staff of ballgirls who can represent the organization in media situations as well as perform duties on the field.” Some of those on-field duties include wearing hot pants on 70’s night …
Or fulfilling the Philly Phanatic’s Christmas Wish by wearing Sexy Santa outfits …
Or just chatting up the on-field staff … in tight shorts.
There were more pics of the Ballgirls than there were of the Ray Team … probably because more people go to Phillies games than Rays games.
I think the Phillies have the Rays beat in sideline eye