Kevin Cash’s Latest Prank War Incident
Kevin Cash, the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays for the last ten years, faced a little surprise courtesy of Reds manager Terry Francona. This occurred after Cincinnati triumphed over Tampa Bay with a 7-2 victory on Friday.
As the Rays warmed up at the Great American Ballpark, they stumbled upon a humorous video loop featuring Cash striking out during his playing career.
The video dates back to when Francona was managing the Boston Red Sox in the late 2000s, showcasing a moment from Cash’s earlier days. For context, Cash transitioned to the Rays after working as Francona’s bullpen coach in Cleveland.
This playful prank fits into an ongoing series of practical jokes exchanged between the two managers, a rivalry that has been brewing since 2015. Francona, known for his lighthearted fun, started this latest prank, which involved someone writing “Zep Says Hi” on Cash’s car in reference to former Cleveland pitcher Marc Rzepczynski.
In 2017, Francona escalated the humor by publicly highlighting Cash’s less-than-stellar statistics from his playing days. When the Rays visited Progressive Field, fans were treated to a scoreboard display that showed Cash’s unimpressive career slash lines: .183/.248/.278. The message humorously pointed out that among non-pitchers with over 650 plate appearances, Cash had one of the lowest OPS+ scores in major league baseball history.
While Francona might have the upper hand when it comes to pranking Cash, the latter hasn’t hesitated to respond. Before a game between the two teams, Cash confiscated Francona’s prized scooter and placed it on the field, where it ended up getting hit by a ball during batting practice.
Francona openly recognizes the playful nature of these exchanges, although he insists his jabs come from a place of affection. “I probably won’t say anything nice about him for the public,” he joked with reporters. “But in private, I really value him. I believe he’s one of the best.” Yet, he playfully noted that he’d keep his true feelings under wraps if it’s meant for public consumption.
