Hey there.
I want to thank you for coming to check out the new and improved TampaBayRaysFan.com.
For those of you who have checked out this page from its inception back in January, you will probably notice that the page has changed drastically.
From its humble beginnings as a completely opinion based blog, to a transition to game coverage, to present day with its new format, as a compilation place for the best of Rays baseball from across the web, TBRF has gone though a bevy of changes.
Allow me to explain why.
TBRF was my first venture into the world of sports blogging. I have covered sports for a large portion of my adult life, for local newspapers and other media outlets, but never had I taken on a task as daunting and breaking into a blogosphere about professional baseball.
My thought process going in was “Hey, this should be easy, the team just started winning, so there probably is not a lot of bloggers out there covering them, let me put something together.”
Boy was I wrong.
I soon found out, after some research and reading, that there are great sites RaysIndex.com & DRaysBay.com to name a couple, that I simply could not keep up with from a game coverage and breaking news standpoint.
Cork Gaines and Tommy Rancel do a fantastic job maintaining these pages for all of us Rays fans out there.
For me, TBRF was more of a side job for me, as most of my time is spent slaving away in the world of retail management.
So, I decided to shift gears a bit. Going forward, you will be able to use TBRF as a place for you to see Rays stories from EVERYWHERE across the web. I will be compiling all the best stories, breaking news and game coverage from all sorts of media outlets, and posting them on TBRF.
Of course, there will still be original content, most of which will be me giving my two cents at the end of the stories other people have posted, but I want to be very clear in saying, that TBRF will NEVER take claim for work they did not do. Each story will be properly atributed to the person who wrote it, with a link back to the original website where it can be found.
In regards to original content, keep your eyes peeled for new posts from “The Delorean” and more feature stories based on the seasons goings on as we gear up for the playoffs.
There will be some exciting features added to TBRF too in the coming month, so keep an eye on the page to see the new changes.
So a few things to remember:
Yes, there will be a lot of content on TBRF that you may have seen elsewhere. That is fine. I want this to be one page, where you can go, to see it all without having to dance your way across six different pages on the internet. Now, that does not mean I do not want you to go to those pages. It means, I want you to make the decision for yourself.
Also realize, their WILL still be original content on TBRF, as time permits me to provide it. Also, as always, if you are interested in writing or contributing in anyway at all to TBRF you are welcome to.
I will never turn someone down who wants to be published. All you need to do is email me at thomas.gemkow@tampabayraysfan.com.
I encourage you all to join our RSS feed which can be found at the top of the page, as well as opt in for email updates, as I will soon compile a monthly newsletter to sent out.
Also, if you do not yet have a Twitter account, get one! They are free and a great way to receive updates on all the news related to Rays baseball, not only from me, but from everyone on the web who covers the team. You can click the “Follow Us on Twitter” link found at the bottom of the page to get started.
I will have links on the page that take you to places where you can find great prices on Rays tickets, MLB licensed apparel and original TBRF merchandise, as well as sponsorship from a few products that can help change the world and the way we look at it. Don’t be afraid to check them out, I promise that their will NEVER be a time when a link you click on TBRF takes you to a site fill with Spam pop-ups.
Finally, don’t be afraid to jump in and leave comments on the stories you read here. Conversation is the key to keeping any web community alive, and one thing you can guarantee by coming to TBRF is, you are amongst people who have one common interest…watching the Rays win.
Leave a comment, you never know who you will run into on the comment boards here.
Again, I appreciate you stopping in to check things out on TBRF, and I hope that you come check back often.
GO RAYS!
–Thomas E Gemkow
Thomas Gemkow is the editor-in-chief of TampaBayRaysFan.com. Founded in January of 2009, TampaBayRaysFan.com is a compilation of all the best of the Rays, from across the web. The website can be followed on Twitter
