Your Weekly Rays Update
Overall: 45-31
Last Week: CHI Cubs (3-0), Houston (1-2)
This Week: @ Miami, @ Pitt
Normally the first paragraph is saved for the results of last week but today’s news about the 2 year delay on a new stadium referendum deserves top billing. City and council officials claim that they need more time to study alternative sites for a new stadium but let’s call this what it is, political cowardice. The Al Lang Field site is the best location for a new stadium and would be a boon to local businesses in downtown St Pete. By delaying the vote all city and county officials are doing is raising the eventual cost of the stadium. It all increases the likelihood that Rays management will consider alternative locations of their own, in Orlando or Charlotte.
Boston………….48—32 __ .600
Tampa Bay…45—31 __ .592
New York……..41—36 __ .532
Baltimore…….39—36 __ .520
Toronto……….37—41 __ .474
On the bright side, the Rays swept the Cubbies who have the best record in baseball. That means the Rays have swept both of the teams from Chicago this season. Evan Longoria played exceptionally well last week, and the Rays’ long term deal with the Dirtbag is looking smarter and smarter by the day. Not only can he hit for power and average but he plays some of the better defense on the team.
By the way, does anyone else like the throw back St Pete Pelicans jerseys from the Senior League? Sure the league only existed for two years (1989-1990) but they do look snazzy.
STADIUM UPDATE
In addition to the news about the two year delay mentioned above, the SCB blog uncovered a bit of misinformation by POWW, the group opposed to the new stadium. It appears that the POWW altered the image of the new stadium to make it look larger that it would really be. The POWW has consistently played fast and loose with the truth and it’s a shame for the city they will count the two year delay as a win.
BLOG FEUD
DRays Bay and Rays Index are the twin giants of the Rays blogosphere, which is why it makes for interesting times when the two go at each other, as they do several times during the year. This time around Rays Index took issue with a DRays Bay post claiming Rays bandwagon fans to be dumb.
RUMOR OF THE WEEK
The week before it was Griffey coming to St Pete, now it’s Indians pitcher CC Sabathia being traded to the Rays. While these rumors are fun there is about a 0.5% chance they ever happen. CC Sabathia is the reigning AL Cy Young winner and would cost too much for a player likely to only be here in the short term.
Booyah
1 year ago
Why do you think Evan Longoria is a dirtbag?
Anon
1 year ago
“Dirtbags” is the unofficial nickname of the Long Beach State baseball team, Longoria’s college team.
John
1 year ago
“Al Lang Field is the best location for the stadium”
… if St. Petersburg and not the rest of the Tampa Bay Metro Region is the priority when it comes to drawing fans.
St. Pete is bad enough right now with lack of signage and what not to direct you to and from the Tropicana field lots. Now imagine scattering the parking over “15 minute” walks to the ballpark and you have the makings of a grand debacle.
Cowardice? The cowardice is fearmongering alternatives outside of the bay area instead of addressing the entire bay area alternatives — both sides of the Bay — first and foremost. Instead, it’s fear, Pinellas/St.Pete ro nothing from how the supporters are talking.
That’s not a healthy dialog. The process has not been healthy from the get go — it’s been forced. A delay is fine as this IS a recession market and a bad time to plan a big project like this anyway.
pc
1 year ago
What about the Toy Town site?
Save the pristine waterfront, get a new stadium central to the Bay area (tampa, clearwater, st pete). Win win.
Booyah
1 year ago
How about Tampa?
ski
1 year ago
Like anon said above, Dirtbag is a reference to Longoria’s high school team.
maybe it’s because i grew up there but i’ve never had a problem navigating downtown st pete. and signage could easily correct navigation problems downtown.
to the rays management’s credit they have not been the ones to raise the possibility of moving to another town. although that’s a possibility that has to be considered if the new stadium deal is denied.
help me out, where is the toy town site?
as far as tampa goes if the rays move they would move to the town which offers the best financial incentives to the team. that may be tampa, but that may be orlando or charlotte.
pc
1 year ago
http://www.itsyourtimes.com/?q=node/3144
Has a mention of toy town redevelopment and a map to its exact location. Off of 275 and MLK in North St Pete. It is the old landfill site. Right now the only usage (that I know of) there is people flying radio controlled planes.
A stadium would be much better than building houses and apartments as has been proposed for redevelopment, given the unknown health risks of building on a landfill.
pc
1 year ago
Looks like Pinellas just agreed to sell the Toy Town location (for $10) and “Developers say they have not talked with the Tampa Bay Rays, but would be open to the idea if the county supports it.”
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=83872&catid=8