The "Thank You" will feature a note written by our writers at DRaysBay, and be presented as a graphic designed by the Tampa Bay Times media team. The picture in the ad is shown above, and here is the text of the ad:

The Tampa Bay Rays franchise has undergone a lot of change in the past nine years: new name, new uniforms, new managers, and new ownership. The one constant in all of that change has been Carl Crawford.

Our franchise leader in hits, batting average, stolen bases, doubles, triples, runs scored, breath-taking defensive plays, and more, Crawford has become one of Tampa Bay's most beloved sports figures. It’s rare for any player to spend nine years of their career in one city, let alone the best leftfielder in all of baseball.

The Rays are still strong and will stay competitive, but we should consider ourselves lucky to have seen Crawford play. Good luck in the rest of your career, Carl – you’ve earned it.

Thanks for everything,

The Tampa Bay Community

Brought to you by the fans at DRaysBay.com. To share your memories or to leave a personal message to Crawford, visit DRaysBay.com today.