Tampa Bay will win 88 games this season

[areacodes]

Yeah, it's supposed to have a retractable GLASS (!) roof. I can't wait 'til that one gets built.

TLB, I thought it was going to be more of a fabric type material that was covering the roof...

edit: the Rays site says it is going to be a "weatherproof fabric" and Wikipedia calls it a "fabric covering"

[Schlitz001]

The retractable glass roof had me thinking back to my younger days of frying ants under a magnifying glass. Mesh makes more sense. That stadium looks really futuristic. I wonder if they're keeping the devil rays in the outfield?

[lcbj68c]

It's fabric, not glass

[And That]

The Rays are becoming one of my favorite teams, if only because I'd love to see a team other than the Yanks or BoSox win the division. And the Rays beating out the Yanks for even the WC would send the Steinbrenners into a sublime fit of rage.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

The Rays would also be a great trading partner because they could use a DH while we could use their young pitching. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[giffted1]

The Rays were my favorite AL team before they swept the Cubs. This is just icing on the cake.

[Glennron]

I like how on Sportscenter they just mentioned that the Rays last 13 games were against division leaders (Cubs, Angels, Bo Sox, Chi Sox) and that they went 7-6 during that stretch. What they failed to mention was that they were 6-1 at home at 1-5 on the road. They haven't been too bad on the road, but they've played the most home games in the majors I still think they'll be similar to the 07 Brewers only with less of a collapse, so maybe 87 or so wins.

[owbc]

The Yankees have won 7 in a row. I don't know if they have the pitching to win the WC, but I would be concerned if I was a Rays fan.

[And That]

Matt Garza pitched a 1-hitter today (the hit was a Hanley Ramirez jack) and the Rays currently hold a 4 game WC lead over the Yanks, pending their game tonight. BP gives the Rays an 81% shot at the playoffs and an average win total of 96(!) games, so it's good to be a Rays fan.

(I'm a secret Rays fan, shh.)

[SeriesFinale]

The Rays trashed their stadium plan this week, by the way.

 

They may well get a new park in the next 5-10 years but any attempt to get it on the ballot this November is dead and I'd be surprised if it were a) on the waterfront and b) with that cool "sail" design

 

I was just down in St. Pete last weekend visiting my old stomping grounds and the locals weren't too fond of either idea

[BrewCrewForever]

The Rays are my AL team for sure. Just love the exciting young talent on that team. HAve a bunch of them on my fantasy team as well (Crawford, Navarro, Kazmir, Garza and Jackson).

[TooLiveBrew]

TLB, I thought it was going to be more of a fabric type material that was covering the roof...

 

edit: the Rays site says it is going to be a "weatherproof fabric" and Wikipedia calls it a "fabric covering"

 

Ah, I stand corrected. Sorry for choo-choo'ing the misinformation train. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

 

 

The Rays trashed their stadium plan this week, by the way.

 

They may well get a new park in the next 5-10 years but any attempt to get it on the ballot this November is dead and I'd be surprised if it were a) on the waterfront and b) with that cool "sail" design

 

Wow. That stinks. Public support not there, huh?

[recte44]

Vegas Rays?

[kmcasper23]

2008 Rays=2007 Brewers, Will maybe finish 83-79

[pitchleague]

I know it's a concrete facility, but is there any way they could "take the roof off" of the Tropicana Dome? would that be just as costly as building a whole new open air stadium? I'm sure that in order to do so, they'd have to close the stadium for up to a year, which means the Rays would have to play elsewhere for a year. Would this even be do-able.

 

And then, how structurally sound would the park be without the roof, I wonder.

 

I'm just babbling about.

[SeriesFinale]

The support is there for a new stadium in the next several years provided that doesn't put a massive burden on the public; it just seems that most wanted to see it not on the waterfront (either up in the Toytown area or at the Trop's current site) and with a retractable rather than the open-air sail-canvas

 

I went to see the Rays-Marlins game a couple Saturday nights ago, and I have to say that after having attended literally dozens of Rays games where the attendance was south of 12,000 if lucky (and a handful where it was north of that), it's a completely different ballpark when there are 35,000 people actually there...and they're cheering on the Rays!

 

The amenities there are fine, and the sightlines as well. The problem is the place is an absolute mausoleum when no-one is there....truly depressing and I think that's a reason why a lot of people there went once a year if that. I'm glad they're finally taking advantage of the weirdness of the space: using cowbells and noisemakers, putting lights up on the darned catwalks (that's an older "improvement" but still). The main thing though is to have fans there, and they have that now, and I think some sustained winning will finally allow the area to blossom into the strong market I know it can be.

[Glennron]

The only time I was at a game at Tropicana was in 2003 when the Devil Rays were terrible. They were playing Toronto, who I think was okay but nothing great. I'm sure the fact there were less than 10,000 people there didn't help, but it was the most boring baseball stadium imaginable. I'm glad I'm not a Rays fan living in St. Pete cause there's no way I'd want to have to go to that stadium again.

[pitchleague]

The amenities there are fine, and the sightlines as well. The problem is the place is an absolute mausoleum when no-one is there....truly depressing

I would agree with this. Of course, you could absolutely say this for Miller Park and Chase Field, two ballparks that I have been in that REALLY feels like an airplane hanger when there are small crowds and a lousy team on the field.

 

[SeriesFinale]

I'm glad I'm not a Rays fan living in St. Pete cause there's no way I'd want to have to go to that stadium again.

I lived about a mile from the Trop in the summers of '99 and '00 and I went all the time: $5 tickets and ice-cold AC!

[rluzinski]

So, the Rays were projected to be above average. They've actually played well above average for almost half a season. For some, that means that they are likely to play under .500for the rest of the year? Is that one of those predictions that sports fans love to share but wouldn't put a nickel wager on it actually happening?

 

What's the logic behind it?

[endaround]

They don't have the proven veteran leadership of a Craig Counsell or a Jeff Suppan keeping them from collapsing in the 2nd half!

[TooLiveBrew]

The main thing though is to have fans there, and they have that now, and I think some sustained winning will finally allow the area to blossom into the strong market I know it can be.

 

Yeah, Tampa really does have potential in terms of sustainable market revenue. The Rockies are certainly reaching their ceiling in terms of their market (I mean that in a good way), and the Rays' great drafting & development of young guys certainly has them in position to do the same.

 

Where is the Tampa market's 'ceiling' -- is it somewhere around Houston? Just thinking in terms of comparisons with other MLB markets as they are today. I know it'd likely never be up with NY, Bos, LA, etc.

[Invader3K]

Heard talk on XM this afternoon of Tampa Bay possibly being in the CC Sabathia sweepstakes. That would be something.

 

Although, I would rather see us get him (if it doesn't cost us too much, etc).

[splitterpfj]

Where is the Tampa market's 'ceiling' -- is it somewhere around Houston? Just thinking in terms of comparisons with other MLB markets as they are today. I know it'd likely never be up with NY, Bos, LA, etc.

 

The list I have is getting a bit dated, it's 2004, but as far as TV households go...

 

Tampa/ St Pete, #12 nationally, 1,710,400 households

Houston, #10 nationally, 1,938,670 households

 

FYI, Milwaukee, #33 nationally, 880,390 households

[Glennron]

Heard talk on XM this afternoon of Tampa Bay possibly being in the CC Sabathia sweepstakes. That would be something.

 

Although, I would rather see us get him (if it doesn't cost us too much, etc).

Wow, they already have one of tbe best rotations in baseball. Can you imagine Sabathia-Kazmir-Shields in a playoff series? That would be a nightmare for other teams.