While the news about the Tampa Bay Rays and their quest for a new stadium is that there isn't any news, Mayor Bob Buckhorn was still able to insert himself with Tampa Bay's Major League Baseball franchise on Tuesday. Buckhorn awarded the key to the city to David Price, the Rays' star pitcher who was awarded the Cy Young Award last month as the American League's best pitcher of 2012.
"David, as all of you know, has made us very proud, as have the Rays," Buckhorn said in his remarks introducing the star pitcher at an event held at City Hall Plaza in Downtown Tampa. "We take great pride in David's award this year. He is a good guy, I mean he is really, really a good guy. There's nothing pretentious about him. He's been blessed. He's an amazing athlete. He's an amazing ballplayer, but he's also most importantly an amazing human being."
With at least 60 people in attendance watching the ceremony — including City Council members Mary Mulhern, Harry Cohen and Lisa Montelione — Buckhorn offered the key not only to Price, but also to his French Bulldog Astro, who Buckhorn and Price mentioned almost as much as they mentioned Cy Young.
"You guys didn't have to do this. I'm a small piece to a big puzzle and that's the rest of my teammates," Price said humbly. "This is a blessing ... I never did anything like this back home, to come here and have the recognition that you all give me, it's a blessing." The star player added that his dog Astro "loves it."
