Hmmm. On one level, if a team and its fans see a moment as uniquely positive and warm, then who is anybody else to criticize it?

On the other hand, though: Is there a minimum level of greatness that should be expected in order to make a statue of something or someone? For example, the Longoria home run is certainly memorable, and is probably the right snapshot of one of the most bizarre final days of a season in MLB history. But what makes that whole night (and even the last few weeks of that season) memorable is the collapse of the Red Sox. I mean, that Rays team lost in four games in the divisional round.

Maybe the standard is different for expansion teams. I mean, if every MLB team was asked to create two statues outside their stadium representing the greatest moments/players of their history, who would have the weakest submissions? Probably Colorado? The Rangers? San Diego? Tampa would be right there.

But what makes that whole night (and even the last few weeks of that season) memorable is the collapse of the Red Sox.

It's possible your allegiances may be coloring your opinion on this. I imagine for Tampa, the focus is on the comeback, not the collapse.

But from the outside, I thought Johnson's two-out homer in the ninth was the more memorable moment, though I suppose if you're going to statueize one play from that game, it's better to go with the near Hall of Famer than Dan Johnson.

I was hoping for Brett Phillips running around like an airplane

Yeah I'm with SoSH, I've got to think that homer by Longoria is unquestionably THE moment for Rays fans in their history. Game winning moments are almost always more memorable than game tying moments (see also; Carbo, Bernie) even if in a purely statistical way the game tying moment is really the big one. I can't imagine what moments other than those they would use.

I mean, if every MLB team was asked to create two statues outside their stadium representing the greatest moments/players of their history, who would have the weakest submissions? Probably Colorado? The Rangers? San Diego? Tampa would be right there.

Hmmmm, just thinking of the teams you mentioned;

Colorado - Holliday sliding home safely in the play in game; final out 2007 NLCS?
San Diego - Garvey Home Run, Tony Gwynn swinging
Texas - Nolan Ryan final no hitter, geez, something from 2010/2011 playoff runs I guess. I don't really remember specific moments there. Ranger fans?

Colorado - Holliday sliding home safely in the play in game; final out 2007 NLCS?

The most iconic image in Rockies history is Todd Helton raising both fists while some Diamondback lies face-down in the dirt behind him after a futile slide into first base, the clinching out in the LCS that sent the Rox to the World Series. You still see that all the time. The Holliday slide is probably second.

Texas - Nolan Ryan final no hitter, geez, something from 2010/2011 playoff runs I guess. I don't really remember specific moments there. Ranger fans?

They have one of Nolan Ryan doffing his cap, Ivan Rodriguez squatting, and Neftali Feliz and Bengie Molina celebrating after winning the 2010 ALCS.

The Padres have one of Tony Gwynn hitting, Trevor Hoffman pitching, and one of broadcaster Jerry Coleman.

The Rockies have an anonymous player as their only statue.

The final out of the 2016 WS is a big one for Cub fans currently alive but it certainly isn't iconic. I'm not sure what the 2 iconic Cub images would be.

Probably Harry singing (which they have already) and Merkle's Boner? Homer in the Gloamin?

With neither being captured on film.

On the other hand, though: Is there a minimum level of greatness that should be expected in order to make a statue of something or someone? For example, the Longoria home run is certainly memorable, and is probably the right snapshot of one of the most bizarre final days of a season in MLB history. But what makes that whole night (and even the last few weeks of that season) memorable is the collapse of the Red Sox. I mean, that Rays team lost in four games in the divisional round.

I'd be fine if they added Kevin Youkilis crying in the background, or if Longoria was stepping on Dustin Pedroia or something. It wouldn't be literally accurate, but this is art, right?

I'd be fine if they added Kevin Youkilis crying in the background, or if Longoria was stepping on Dustin Pedroia or something. It wouldn't be literally accurate, but this is art, right?

Yes, the Rays should have a statue of Red Sox players in various states of despondency that night in Baltimore. That seems fitting.

Or eating fried chicken and drinking beer.

The Mets are tough graders in this regard - they didn't unveil a Tom Seaver statue until spring 2022.

The Mets are tough graders in this regard - they didn't unveil a Tom Seaver statue until spring 2022.

If he had been smart enough to play some games in Brooklyn, I bet Fred would have authorized a statue building much sooner.

In seriousness, until recently the Mets had been pretty stingy with all kinds of individual honors.

yes, that's not an endorsement of the Mets' tardiness.

they were very lucky that Tom's wife Nancy - who was regarded in the NY press as Jackie Kennedy-esque - was still alive to see the ceremony, along with his daughters.

and yes, the Mets' new stadium in Year 1 - if you were blindfolded until you reached the entrance - clearly was located in Brooklyn.

it started to improve in Year 2, but it was awkward.

while the Mets play in Queens and Jackie Robinson played in Brooklyn, a neighboring borough - the "42 Rotunda" was, a little odd. nobody I ever heard of begrudged the Mets the tribute to an American icon. but can you put something up, anywhere, that lets you know that the Mets - and not the Brooklyn Dodgers - play here?

former owner Fred Wilpon went to HS in Brooklyn with Sandy Koufax, and he and his son were all about themselves in terms of planning for their new, mostly taxpayer-funded stadium.

#clueless

Akinori was not a great player but that play was a memorable moment. I did not think that Rays could possibly win that series until they finally got that out. The problem they faced was that the Red Sox just couldn’t f***ing die. No matter what you did, like a cheesy horror movie villain, they were going to come back. They had come back from being down 3-1 to Cleveland the year before, came back, won the world series.

Then in the division series, they beat the Angels. Again. Despite the Angels giving a really good effort, unlike their roll over and die from 2007.

The Rays went up 3-1 in the 2008 ALCS. They were leading 7-0 in the 7th inning of game 5, but still could not close it out. This was not like the Rays teams of today with unlimited swing and miss bullpens. Their relievers just didn’t have enough to go through the Red Sox lineup too many times. They might get lucky here or there, but the Red Sox had seen them, and they were not up to the task.

In game 7 David Price, with near zero MLB experience, came in for the 8th inning, 2 run lead, 2 on, 2 out to face J.D. Drew. A guy who had already burned them a few times in game 5. Price had the stuff and got the K. He was able to finish the 9th, ending with the forceout, but did put a runner on base so the tying run was at the plate. As good as Price looked, I fully expected something would happen and it would be another Boston comeback. Price was the key figure in preventing that, but the biggest play happened to be made by Akinori.