Rays pay emotional tribute to 'brother of the bump' DeMerritt

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Rays players, coaches and staff spread throughout the Charlotte Sports Park complex on Tuesday morning, all outfitted in the same T-shirt. Pitching coach Kyle Snyder and others kept theirs on throughout Tampa Bay’s 4-1 win over the Tigers, honoring a colleague and friend unlike any other.

The bottom of the logo on the front of the shirt showed a baseball breaking a bat. Above that, the word “DOG,” with a long-haired, sunglasses-wearing face topped by a “TB” cap inside the second letter. At the top were the words, “Our brother of the bump.”

The Rays honored the life and legacy of Marty DeMerritt, a longtime pitching coach who passed away in January following several health issues. Tuesday would have been his 72nd birthday.

The Rays welcomed DeMerritt’s friends, family and former colleagues to Charlotte Sports Park. His son, Steven (“Stevie”), threw out the ceremonial first pitch to prospect Brayden Taylor while wearing a No. 40 DeMerritt Rays jersey. After the game, the Rays surprised DeMerritt’s family and friends with the dedication of a seat by the bullpen mounds between Fields 3 and 4, then hosted a reception for everyone in attendance.

“It just signifies what he meant to the organization. He had as much to do with my development as a coach -- I don't know how big of a piece of the pie it is, but it's significant,” Snyder said. “There's not a staff member or coach that ever cared more for their players than Marty DeMerritt did.

“That was one of the biggest keys that I took away from him, the care and concern that he had. It was just above and beyond. He developed tons of staff members. He helped hundreds and thousands of baseball players get better as people, as pitchers. We all miss him.”

DeMerritt pitched in the Minors for six seasons, then worked in construction – and as a bounty hunter – while coaching youth baseball in California. He got his break with his hometown Giants, beginning a coaching career that spanned more than 40 years and included stops with the Marlins and Cubs before working for the Rays from 2001 until his retirement in ‘23.

“He cherished the art of pitching and loved his fellow ‘brothers and sisters of the yard,’” the plaque on the newly dedicated seat reads, a reference to the way DeMerritt would refer to his co-workers. “The bullpen was his office, and he often sat here to share his wisdom. We dedicate this seat in his honor and take comfort knowing his memory will live on through all those who pass through his ‘office.’”

Snyder and bullpen coach Jorge Moncada were both extremely close with DeMerritt, an old-school coach with a style and approach all his own. (“He was some kind of entertaining,” manager Kevin Cash said.) Snyder told a story Tuesday about the end of Spring Training in 2012, his first year as a pitching coach. DeMerritt gathered the 40-something pitchers remaining at the Rays’ complex, stepped aside and told Snyder, “They’re all yours.”

“He instilled confidence in the staff, in pitchers, in people,” Snyder said. “He was a special guy.”

DeMerritt played a part in the development of current Rays pitchers Taj Bradley, Shane McClanahan and Shane Baz during their time in the lower levels of the Minors. He was Bradley’s first professional pitching coach and a tremendous help for Baz in 2018-19.

“Definitely a tough-love guy, which I respond well to, so I immediately got along with him,” Baz said. “No matter how good or bad the outing was, he kept it loose. He was a good man.”

Around the horn
? With innings getting harder to come by, the Rays reassigned four pitchers to Minor League camp on Tuesday: lefty Keyshawn Askew and right-handers Logan Workman, Austin Vernon and Alfredo Zarraga.

? Non-roster right-hander Connor Seabold, who pitched in the Majors for parts of three seasons before spending last season with the KBO’s Samsung Lions, struck out three over two scoreless innings in his first outing of the spring. Seabold said the Rays’ track record with getting the most out of pitchers appealed to him as he was looking to return to affiliated ball this year.

“It was definitely a draw,” Seabold said. “Guys joke, like, ‘Hey, what would the Rays do with me?’ when you’re in other orgs. Getting to see it first-hand and experience it and see what makes them so good at what they do, it’s been awesome. I’m loving it so far.”

? Off to a slow start with just one hit and six strikeouts in his first 12 at-bats, veteran non-roster invitee Eloy Jiménez broke his skid and broke into a big smile after launching a solo homer over the boardwalk beyond the left-field fence in the sixth inning.

? Outfielder Matthew Etzel, the Rays’ No. 27 prospect, had a big day at the plate. The 22-year-old slashed a two-run double in the fifth inning then ripped a solo shot to left in the seventh.