Heatcheck: Week 10

Week 10 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Two home games since last Wednesday. Temperature was never really a problem, but there were a few scattered showers Monday and Tuesday night. So after 45 homes games, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 1

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 5

Take me out the ball game. ---- 39

Rain delay (Rain plays a minor factor) ---- 2

Rain out (Rain plays a major factor) ---- 1

Week 10 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Two home games since last Wednesday. Temperature was never really a problem, but there were a few scattered showers Monday and Tuesday night. So after 45 homes games, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 1

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 5

Take me out the ball game. ---- 39

Rain delay (Rain plays a minor factor) ---- 2

Rain out (Rain plays a major factor) ---- 1

Heatcheck: Week 9

I've decided, for now, to keep Heatcheck Wednesday alive (though this week's installment comes a day late).

Week 9 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Five home games since last Wednesday. Temperature was never really a problem. But rain was. We had heavy rains most all day Saturday (though actually the rain stopped around game time) and Sunday as well.

So after 43 homes games, 53 percent of the home schedule, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 1

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 5

Take me out the ball game. ---- 37

Rain delay (Rain plays a minor factor) ---- 2

Rain out (Rain plays a major factor) ---- 1

Heatcheck: Week 8

Week 8 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Four home games since last Wednesday. We had nice temperature days for Friday, Sunday and Tuesday's games. We rated Saturday "Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure."

However, we got our first serious rain on Friday. We had pretty heavy downpours from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by a light rain that lasted until about 8 p.m. The game would have been played, even if there was no sail at a downtown ballpark, but not without a likely delay. So we'll add two new categories to our contest: Rain delay, and rain out. Friday ranked a "rain delay"

So after 38 homes games, 47 percent of the home schedule, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 1

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 4

Take me out the ball game. ---- 33

Rain delay ---- 1

Rain out ----

Heatcheck Wednesday

Week 7 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

No home games since last Wednesday (luckily for the Rays, I think). So our standings remain the same.

After 34 homes games, 42 percent of the home schedule:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 1

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 3

Take me out the ball game. ---- 30

Heatcheck: Week 6

Week 6 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Five home games since last Wednesday.  We rated Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday's games "Take me out to the ball game," Friday came in at "Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure," and Sunday marks our first "How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot." rating.

This was the most difficult week yet. On Sunday, for instance, it was pretty hot. But if the Rays build a new stadium, people won't be sitting in the sun -- which makes a difference. On the otherhand, it's starting to get pretty sticky out at night.

So after 34 homes games, 42 percent of the home schedule, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 1

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 3

Take me out the ball game. ---- 30

Heatcheck: Week 5

Week 5 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Five home games since last Wednesday (Four night games, one Sunday afternoon first pitch). I was in Washington D.C. from Friday through Monday, so I asked Times colleague Chris Tisch to fill in for me on the ratings up until Tuesday's game. Here's what he came up with -- Four "Take me out to the ball games." Even Sunday, Tisch said, was a nice afternoon for a game outdoors. On Tuesday, I rated the game with the Rangers "Take me out to the ball game" as well.

So after 29 homes games, 36 percent of the home schedule, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 0

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 2

Take me out the ball game. ---- 27

There are five more games on this homestand for the Rays. After that, they don't come back to St. Petersburg until June 13. We're guessing the stats will start to turn then.

Heatcheck Wednesday: Week 4

Week 4 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Two home games since last Wednesday (One night game, one 4 p.m. first pitch). We rated Wednesday's home game against the Yankees "Take me out the ball game" and the Thursday afternoon contest "Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure."

So after 24 homes games, 30 percent of the home schedule, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 0

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 2

Take me out the ball game. ---- 22

Heatcheck Wednesday - Week 3

Week 3 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Five home games since last Wednesday (Four night games, one Sunday afternoon contest). It's only May --- and things will change --- but so far neither heat nor rain has been a factor. We did rate Sunday's 1:30 p.m. first pitch "Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure," based on the strength of the afternoon sun. (We acknowledge that the Rays' say that the retractable fabric roof would shade the stands from the sun, but we're deciding to be conservative in our estimates).

So after 22 homes games, 27 percent of the home schedule, here are our up-to-date standings:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 0

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 1

Take me out the ball game. ---- 21

Heatcheck Wednesday

Week 2 of Heatcheck Wednesday, a permanent feature here at Ballpark Frankness. The idea behind this post is to track the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

No home games since last Wednesday so our standings remain the same:

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 0

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 0

Take me out the ball game. ---- 17

It's starting to get a little warmer out there during the day, but it's still nice at night ... The Rays come home starting Friday.

Heatcheck Wednesday

One of the standing features here at Ballpark Frankness will be "Heatcheck Wednesday." It is exactly what it sounds like. Each Wednesday, we'll look at the past week's Rays home games and wonder how tolerable they would have been, had they been played outdoors.

Couple of caveats to the methodology. First, we acknowledge the Rays say they will be able to make the ballpark cooler than if people were actually sitting outside. Also, we know the games aren't played on the same day every year, nor is the temperature the same every day of every year. And we know there will be a fabric roof to prevent rainouts (but we decided to track how many rainy game nights fans may be in for).

So you know, we're making our unscientific measurements at game time. We're grouping things into three categories: How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot.; Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure; Take me out to the ball game.

Here are the totals since the start of the season. (Can you belive we've already played 17 out of the season's 81 home games?)

First totals

How you feeling? Hot. Hot. Hot. ---- 0

Hot, but nothing a cold beverage couldn't cure. ---- 0

Take me out the ball game. ---- 17

Also, so far we've had no really rainy nights.

So far, there is no really debate. St. Petersburg, even on most afternoons, is pleasant in April. We'll find out if May -- when the Rays play at home 16 times -- is a different story.