--CF B.J. Upton organized his first celebrity golf tournament, which took place Jan. 27 in Tampa. The event, one of the many charitable events help by athletes during Super Bowl week, raised money for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which serves the homeless in the Tampa Bay area and is located a few blocks from Tropicana Field.
--Chipper Jones and David Wright are penciled in as the third baseman on the U.S. team in the World Baseball Classic. But Evan Longoria is staying ready just in case one of those two pull out and America taps the American League Rookie of the Year. --RHP James Shields and 3B Evan Longoria were two of the many athletes hawking products at the Super Bowl media center during the week before the game, which was played in Tampa. Longoria was promoting Sportys, a video aimed at teaching kids ages 3 to 11 about baseball. Shields showed up to help Rebook unveil a new shoe.
--Many of the NFL writers were saddened to learn manager Joe Maddon wouldn't make the rounds of the media center to talk about his lifelong love affair with the Arizona Cardinals. Those writers at the Super Bowl who covered Maddon during baseball season felt as if he would have been a hit.
--OF Rocco Baldelli took out a half-page ad in Tampa Bay area newspapers to thank Rays fans for their support during his years with the team, especially during last season when Baldelli missed the first four months of the season while he battled a mitrocondrial disorder. "I just thought it was the right thing to do," Baldelli said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 0 -- Games on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball for the Rays since a 17-4 drubbing by the Indians on April 9, 2000. That draught ends May 10 when the Rays play host to the Red Sox.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I wanted to do something for the community. Obviously, the homeless situation in the Tampa Bay area is pretty significant. It's just something I wanted to help out with." -- CF B.J. Upton on why he decided to hold a charity golf tournament during Super Bowl week.
