We understand the allure of interleague games. We are fans of it. We love Yankees-Mets. We love Angels-Dodgers and Cubs-White Sox. We love Devil Rays-Marlins and we really loved Devil Rays-Phillies. But for every Yankees-Mets series there are three or four Devil Rays-Diamondbacks series. We do understand the reasoning behind the matchup. The two franchises will forever be linked as the last two expansion teams. For a while at least, they will be measured against each other. The Diamondbacks have a championship already. The Devil Rays have finished last in all but one season. And while we understand the reasoning for the matchup, there is no allure to this series. This was never more evident than the number of stories we have read about a potential "homecoming" for Luis Gonzalez next season when he is likely to be a free agent. The Diamondbacks have a $10 million dollar option on Gonzo next season which they are not likely to exercise. Reporters, desperate for an angle to this series, repeatedly asked Gonzo about returning to Tampa Bay to end his career. While a move like that may make sense for Gonzalez, it makes absolutely no sense for the Devil Rays. Gonzalez will be 39 next season and is clearly a shadow of his former self. And we don't even mean a shadow of the 2001 Gonzalez when he hit 57 home runs, the only season he has ever hit more than 31. We mean a shadow of the normal Gonzo, who hits .265 and 25 home runs. The Rays already have a logjam of outfielders and will not be in the market for an over-the-hill player used to making a lot of money. Unless Gonzo is will to accept a role as a pinch-hitter making little more than the veteran minimum, there is little chance he will be wearing a Devil Rays uniform in 2007.

Gonzo is open to joining Devil Rays [Arizona Republic]
Gonzo forced to address 'whispers' in homecoming [tbo.com]