Keeping the Rays won't be cheap. Losing them, though, would cost St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay even more. The time has come to tie the Rays to the city for decades. It's time to say yes to this deal.
I've watched the Rays stadium saga for literally decades. It's been a slog, full of ups and downs and plenty of dramas. It finally feels like there's real momentum for keeping the team in St. Pete and building a new stadium. I've got my fingers crossed.
posted by matt in Wednesday, July 3, 2024
Great game today — Rays won 5-0. A few home runs, a fantastic pitching performance by the Rays starter, Taj Bradley, and Rays first baseman Isaac Paredes was a single shy of the cycle. He went about it backwards, too, getting the home run, triple, and double in that order. Having the hard work done (the triple!), he only needed a single during his last at bat in the eighth inning. It wasn't meant to be though, as he hit a can of corn to center field to end his offensive day. Still, fun to see.
photo posted by matt in Sunday, June 30, 2024
With the move completed, we went to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox play the Rays. It wasn't much of a game, with the Rays winning 12-4. They jumped to an early lead and the Sox struggled to catch up, particularly after the bullpen entered the game.
But, any day at the ballpark is a good day, and any day at Fenway is a great day.
We did get to see five (I think) home runs sail over the Green Monster, which was pretty cool. We also got to see a position player pitching, which I don't think I've seen in person before.
This photo is of Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta serving up the first pitch of the game to Rays third baseman Yandy Diaz.
tags: baseball mlb redsox rays
photo posted by matt in Sunday, August 28, 2022
The Rays jumped out to an early lead but gradually let the Yankees back into the game, eventually losing. We did see Aaron Judge hit two home runs, though, which was pretty cool. He cleared the catwalks on one that actually came right toward our left field bleacher seats. There is no question about his talent–he's an absolute monster; a once in a generation power hitter.
Watching him crush two home runs was special, and will undoubtedly become a baseball memory that I cherish.
But, it's the Yankees in Tampa Bay, which means their fans outnumbered Rays fans in the stadium. I hate that.
So, as a Rays fan, my favorite memory of the night was watching Judge come to the plate with bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning. Yankees fans were confident he was going to crush a grand slam. He had, after all, already hit one of his two homers for the day. They could just feel the grannie in the air. And so could Renee and I, frankly. The guy is flat out fearsome in that situation, and the entire stadium–Yankees fans, Rays fans, and, I suspect, the players, too–felt that.
But the Rays pitcher had nerves of steel and struck him out swinging. Beautiful!
That at bat, with the tension and battle that comes with every pitch and every swing in those situations, is everything I love about baseball.
And, I have to admit, the redemption opportunity baseball gives every player, often later in the same game, is part of it, too, even when it works for the Yankees. Judge did, after all, hit that cat-walk-clearing second home run of the game in the top of the seventh inning, his first at bat following that strikeout in the top of the fifth. Mr. Judge redeemed himself, with emphasis.
tags: baseball mlb rays yankees
postposted by matt in Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Tropicana Field is, without question, the worst stadium in baseball. The facility just doesn't function well, at all. The people are always amazing, though, and make up for the facility in many ways.
tags: mlb baseball tampabay rays tropicanafield stpetersburg
postposted by matt in Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Sure it's the worst stadium in baseball. But, Renee and I are at the ballpark, watching the Rays and rooting against the Yankees. And that makes everything ok.
tags: mlb baseball rays stpetersburg
photo posted by matt in Wednesday, June 22, 2022