New York radio host on Rays’ success: ‘They’re probably cheating’
BALTIMORE — After watching the Rays take two of three from the Yankees over the weekend, two hosts on popular New York sports radio station WFAN are suggesting they have compiled the best record in the majors by cheating.
“There’s something suspicious about that, by the way,” Evan Roberts said. “Very suspicious.”
To which co-host Craig Carton replied: “Yeah, they’re probably cheating.”
“I didn’t say it,” Roberts said. “But all I know is I am a baseball fan, I know baseball, I like baseball, I was very skeptical with what I saw this weekend.”
In posting a 29-7 record (through Monday), the Rays have surprisingly led the majors in runs, home runs, OPS and most other offensive categories.
Carton said their performance “makes no sense at all,” calling the Rays “a bunch of journeymen outperforming their baseball cards.”
“All of them,” Roberts said, then named a couple: “Christian Bethancourt? Hello? Taylor Walls? What? You know what we do, what most of us do? We don’t know who they are, so we say, ‘Oh, the Rays are brilliant.’ Here’s the problem: I know who they are; they’re not good. The Rays are 19-3 at home? Hello?”
He then referenced the Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal that was exposed in an article by The Athletic, saying of the Rays’ success, “Are you going to wake up when the article is written in The Athletic or are you going to wake up now?”
Roberts said he had “no evidence” of the Rays doing anything wrong, but later added, “Sometimes you don’t need evidence. Sometimes you’ve got to say, ‘What I’m watching doesn’t make sense.’ So I’ll do it. I’m not a Yankees fan. I have no reason to say it. I’m going to raise my hand: Hey, ladies and gentlemen, what I’m seeing in Tampa makes no sense.”
Roberts continued his rant on Tuesday, saying, per audacy.com, “Look at all those crappy players and how they’re all having amazing years. They have a lot of guys on their team that all of a sudden are putting up crazy numbers. ... I like Wander Franco but there’s a lot of examples. A lot of these, all at the same time. Like Chad Mottola is the greatest hitting coach of all time. I find that strange.’'
The Rays, via a team spokesperson, declined comment.
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