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Time: 6:10 Central. Vegas Line: -110 TB / +100 MIN
Weather: Start temp in Saint Pete, 85°, But They’re Indoors
Opponent’s SB site: DRays Bay
TV: FSN. Radio: Announcers are tested in 3-14 blowouts
The Rays will be using an “opener,” Ryne Stanek. I know nothing of this man, except that his player profile photo features one heckuva mullet.
Fans of Neil deMause’s Field Of Schemes website will be familiar with Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, who signed a lease agreement to stay at Tropicana Field through 2027 and now wants out of it. Sorry, sir, that’s not how these things work. Ask Carl Pohlad’s ghost for details.
The Rays recorded their lowest-ever attendance on Wednesday. Mr. Sternberg constantly telling fans how crummy they are for not buying tickets is becoming something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Fans generally don’t like being told they’re crummy just because they choose not to give you money.
Tuesday, Avisaíl García hit a ridiculous inside-the-park home run when outfielder Randall Grichuck lost a pop up in the ceiling lights. Metrodome fans remember what that was like.
It got so quiet in Tropicana Field recently that when an opposing player bunted away from the shift, pitcher Rich Hill’s cussing could be heard very, very clearly. Mr. Hill did not agree with his manager there.
Speaking of managers, DRays Bay had an appreciative writeup of Rocco’s return to Tampa. Goes through all the miserable health luck he had.
Tropicana Field has a pretty interesting Wiki page. Just don’t click on the link to manta rays (the fish), unless you want more details about fish sex than you probably do. The building was called ThunderDome when the NHL’s Lightning played there. That’s cool.
Finally, “Devil Rays” is a cooler name than Rays. It got changed because some loonies thought the name promoted devil worship. Uh, no, it’s a fish. Pretty tolerant one, at that. The mantas in Tropicana Field don’t seem to mind occasional homers landing in their fish tank. I’d be completely losing my marbles if a baseball suddenly crashed through the roof of my house.
Catch y’all later for the recap, unless a stray baseball takes out my computer. GoTwinsGo!