In game 3 one member of The RAYSHEAD Army received national attention when he caught Evan Longoria's home run ball while sitting above the Green Monster at Fenway Park.

We caught up with Michael Aguis and asked him a few questions about the home run that pissed off the Red Sox Nation.

RI: Monster seats are among the most coveted seats for a Red Sox game. How does a diehard Rays fan end up with Monster seats for an ALCS game?

MA: The guy sitting to the right of me (who dropped it) is a good friend of mine (and a Red Sox fan), and he had a connection to get them. We had gone up to Fenway about 4 years ago to see a D-Rays/Sox game, so he knows I am a real fan.

RI: Did you attend the game with the Red Sox fans sitting next to you? What was their reaction to you ending up with the home run ball?

MA: Yes. They thought it was pretty funny. They are not typical chowds. I stayed with the couple to the left of me.

RI: What was the reaction of the Red Sox fans near you? Any memorable one-liners?

MA:All of Fenway that day was very low-key, but the Green Monster Seats had a very corporate crowd. MUCH nicer fans than the bandwaggoners who come down to the Trop, I think either they didn't really care about the game, or were too pissed to be down 5-0 to worry about me. I have felt more intimidated at a UF-Vandy game in Nashville! BTW: Speaking of the bandwagoning Pink Hat Nation, look at the third picture down on this old Sports Guy column from 2002 blasting the D-Rays. The seats are empty. BUT NO RED SOX NATION, either!!

RI: One Red Sox website was upset with how much fun the lady next to you seemed to be having during the game and questioned her loyalty...Any chance we can get her to wear a Rays cap and a blue scarf next time?

MA: I saw that site. Her and her husband share season tickets with friends down the 3rd base line. I can call her and ask her to...She is a good sport.

RI: When did you first realize that you were a story that lots of people were talking about?

MA: Within 30 seconds, I got about 10 texts. I knew the cameras would be up there if one was hit.

RI: Were there any stories about you and the home run that you thought were particularly funny/weird/memorable?

MA: The funny story is that I told everyone for a week that if a Red Sox player hit a HR up there, and I caught it, I, in my Rays jersey, would throw it back, and give some attention to the Rays and our fans. I was warned by my friend on the train ride up not to do it. I think this was better.

RI: Is this the most embarrassing photo that has ever been taken of you?

MA: It would have been if we lost.

RI: Since the national attention, do you now regret not having a mohawk?

MA: I regret not staying in Boston last night for the real beating.. I'm not sure a Rayhawk would fly at work, but I am growing a lucky beard - stopped shaving the day we clinched. I grew one for the Gators when they won the BCS, the Final Four, and for the Giants when they won the Super Bowl. I call it the Billy Barool, like Judge Smalls' lucky putter in Caddyshack.

Is that the sweetest image you have ever seen that doesn't involve Salma Hayek?

We have to admit, for all the knocks against Rays fans this season, we are severely disappointed in the Boston "faithful". We have been to regular season games at Fenway versus the A's that were louder than the crowd in games 3 and 4. We already learned this morning that premium seats were easier to obtain at Fenway than at the Trop. Add to that the early exodus of pink hats from Fenway, and we feel that Red Sox Nation is in turmoil.

Guess that is what happens when the fan base just assumes the Red Sox will win the series.

After seeing firsthand how loud and rockin' The Trop was in games 1 and 2, we have never been more proud of The RAYSHEAD Army.

Sometimes the stars align in such a manner, that we all have to just sit back in awe and admire the power. The Rays are in the ALCS against the hated Red Sox. This was the perfect time to conduct a Hajj and journey to our Mecca.

The good news is we will be in attendance for both games 1 and 2. The bad news is that there will not be any Live Blog-A-Baloos unless Marc Topkin let's us borrow his laptop.

ROADTRIP TO THE TROP! And all RAYSHEADS are welcome to join us.

WHEN: Saturday October 10. ALCS Game 2 versus the Boston Red Sux

WHERE: Pre-gaming at Ferg's Sports Bar (4 pm).

Check the Twitter updates in the sidebar for updates and more specifics.

In celebration of the Ray winning the ALDS and advancing to the ALCS, we are adding a couple of shirts to the Rays Index Store, and lowering the price on an old favorite...

Click on any image to be taken directly to the Rays Index Store.

We are at Austin City Limits all day today and tomorrow, so no "Hangover" today and tomorrow is up in the air at this point. Until we come back, we will leave you with our anthem.

Last night was a landmark moment in the history of Rays Index. Three weeks ago we called on the Tampa Bay Rays to institute the use of "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes as a late-inning rally song to pump up the crowd.

According to numerous comments and emails, last night the Rays used the song during Red Sox pitching changes at least once and possibly twice.

So we went to the video tape. And sure enough, as the Rays broadcast comes back from commercial during a pitching change in the 8th inning, we heard the unmistakable riff of Jack White's semi-acoustic guitar.



The song is already popular at many European soccer events. Watch the following video and imagine how intimidating the Trop would be with 36,000 fans chanting in unison inside an enclosed dome...



The Rays are in first place with a chance to lock up their first-ever playoff spot. Just imagine how the Trop will rock in the playoffs once the fans catch on to the rhythm chanting of this song. We have never been more proud to be a member of THE RAYSHEAD ARMY.

Yesterday, many were ready to cede the division to the Red Sox and any hopes of being a competive team in the playoffs. Last night's game was a mere formality. Midnight was ready strike and the 2008 Rays were about to be permanently transformed back into a pumpkin. And then the 9th inning happened. Dan Johnson happened. Long flight with delays? No worries. No batting practice prior to the game? No worries. No major league at bats in 5 months? No worries. Come in to face one of the best closers in baseball and maybe the best fastball he has seen in months? No worries. He is the Red Bearded Bull. El Toro Rojo. He gives the ball wings.

And just like that the magic number is down to 12 and the Rays are back up 1.5 games. No matter what happens tonight, the Rays will still be in first place and at least 1 game up in the loss column.

And imagine if the Rays actually win tonight. What will they say if the Rays actually win this series in Fenway? What will they say if the Rays leave the series with a 2.5 game lead and up 3 in the loss column? Some will be quiet. Many will say it doesn't matter to the Sox and their fans. They will say making the playoffs is all that matters.

For them...Just this video...

The Tampa Bay Rays announced they will not sell tickets in the upper-tier sections should the Rays make the playoffs. These same seats are covered by a blue tarp during the regular season. Apparently the Rays decided 7,500 fans would enjoy the game better from the parking lot.

Should the Rays make the playoffs, don't look for the team to increase capacity at the Trop. It is now 36,048; used to be 43,700. According to a Rays' spokesman, the team has no plans to unwrap that light blue tarp from those top-tier seats.

"We would not remove the tarp," states Rays' Vice President for Communications Rick Vaughn. "The building operates well at the current capacity. The seats beneath the tarps don't provide the experience we expect to deliver to our fans.

To us, this reasoning seems skeptical at best. Might the Rays be more worried that some, or all, of the extra seats would go unsold during any potential playoff game? No team wants the stigma of not being able to sell out a playoff game. Especially a team like the Rays, whose fan support is already questioned by the rest of baseball.

Of course, this could also be a business decision to increase the apparent demand of playoff tickets, by decreasing the potential supply. This is not unlike that bar/club that makes people wait outside when there are only 20 people inside. [Ed. note: Decreasing supply of playoff tickets may also increase season ticket sales...See comments]

Either way, it is hard to believe the Rays would pass up the opportunity to take in nearly $2 million in ticket sales alone, not too mention the extra dollars spent at concession stands.

The spokesman did suggest Major League Baseball might overrule the Rays and force the team to sell the extra tickets.

So let's hear it: Do you think the Rays would have trouble selling 43,700 tickets for a playoff game?

Rays Not Planning To Increase Capacity For Playoffs [Tampa Tribune]