ST. PETERSBURG -- Taylor Motter tore his Rays pullover off and tossed it to the ground. He shouted as each of his teammates on the outfield grass warming up on Thursday chuckled and ignored him. It didn't matter to the utility man and only active player in Major League Baseball who went to Coastal Carolina; his arms were raised high above his head watching his old school celebrate a national championship.
Every player was on the outfield turf, trying warm up for batting practice with divided attention. The Jumbotron above was playing the bottom of the ninth of the College World Series.