Now starting for the pirates ...

They're proud and paid (rather well) to be Tampa Bay Rays, but for one day, Matt Joyce, David Price and James Shields are going to be pirates. That's Gasparilla pirates, with a lowercase p. The Rays' three 2011 All-Stars will share duties as grand marshals for today's parade through Tampa. While they're cool, calm and collected performing in front of tens of thousands (or sometimes at the Trop, 10,000), the Rays mates aren't quite sure what to expect for this outing, but are excited by the prospects. "This is pretty cool,'' Shields said. "It's really a nice gesture by the community to get us in there. We feel pretty honored.'' Joyce, who grew up in Tampa, has been along the parade route a few times. His mates, Price and Shields, are first-timers. "I'm not sure I've ever even been to a parade,'' Price said. So in the spirit of Blackbeard, Jack Sparrow and Capt. Hook, we asked the three Rays to c...