2007 schedule set

If the Yankees win the World Series this season, the Devil Rays will be the first ones to see them defend it. The Rays will open the 2007 season with a three-game series at Yankee Stadium that starts on April 2, and play their home opener April 6 against Toronto.

The Rays have adjusted the start times for 2007 home games, with weekday and Saturday games moved up from 7:15 to 7:10 p.m. and Sunday games pushed back from 1:15 to 1:40.

The Rays will host the Dodgers (June 22-24), Marlins (May 18-20) and Padres (June 12-14) in interleague play. They will visit the Diamondbacks (June 18-20), Marlins (June 8-10) and Rockies (June 15-17).

Other highlights include weekend series with the Yankees (July 12-15) and Red Sox (July 27-29 and Sept. 21-23).

View the Rays'  schedule.

Comments

[Derek Ormond]

To Whom It May Concern,

I've been searching for email addresses for the Rays front office, but haven't been able to find any online. I know this isn't your specific area, but, if you think this email may of interest to the Rays organization, please feel free to bring it to their attention or send me an email address so that I may do so.

Up until this year, my wife and I had always enjoyed a friendly, clean and safe experience at Tropicana Field. I’m very disappointed to report that 2006 supplied us with many negative comments concerning this St. Pete landmark.

After moving from New England in 1998, in an effort to assuage our Boston obsession, we began attending spring training games in Fort Myers and regular season play at Tropicana Field when the Red Sox came to town. Now that the 2006 MLB season has come to a close, I’ve had a little time to cool my temper, but I’m still doubtful about our return to the Trop in 2007.

For the moment, I will put aside my team loyalty as I express my dissatisfaction in regard to our overall treatment while attending games this year. Rather, I would point out that, regardless of one’s personal choice in terms of a team, I am certain that Tropicana nor PepsiCo - which owns Tropicana and makes it a point to prominently display its corporate imagery throughout the dome – would approve of the mistreatment of any of their customers whose attendance increases their annual revenue and, thus, the value of their portfolio. In fact, I further help support Tropicana and PepsiCo throughout the year by purchasing their many fine products. Despite this, regrettably, as a baseball fan, I feel it’s my duty to make note of several instances of distasteful and discourteous behavior, not to mention unsafe conditions at Tropicana Field.

As a Red Sox fan, I’ve come to expect a certain amount of heckling from the hometown supporters when I’m visiting another team’s facility. This year, however, I was shocked that this practice was being embraced by the employees of Tropicana Field, particularly since they’ve always been so friendly in the past. Based solely on the jersey I was wearing, the gentleman at Will Call attempted to discourage our attendance that night by telling us our tickets were not for that game. Since I had ordered our tickets online and had the printout to prove what tickets I had purchased – and since the tickets he gave us were, indeed, for that night’s game – I didn’t find his behavior amusing in the least. I was particularly enraged that he never made any attempt to explain that he was joking or apologize for his inappropriate rudeness.

While attempting to procure some food and beverages from one of the Trop’s many fine concessions areas, again, because of my jersey, which supported the visiting team, the server informed me the total price of my items was double the amount of the prices listed on the menu. She then proceeded to inform me that I was being double-charged because I was a supporter of the opposing team. It was also obvious to me and everyone standing in line that she wasn’t joking.

At the end of one game, the fans, hometown and visiting alike, were immediately rushed out of the dome by security. For a minute, I thought I was going to have to get a hall pass in order to use the restroom before we made the long trek home. I was stopped and practically interrogated as I was following several other fans also making their last stop before heading to their cars. Being the only person with a visiting team jersey, I will leave it to your imagination how singled out and unwelcome I felt when security personnel finally waved me in with a curt “Make it quick.” I would’ve already been done and out if he’d just let me go in with everyone else.

Like most ballparks, Tropicana Field discontinues the sale of alcohol after the seventh inning. Well, sort of. The bar near the entrance of the facility remains open through the entire run of each game and continues to serve patrons long after the ninth inning is over. Whether the Rays won or lost, my wife and I were continually confronted by intoxicated hometown fans looking for a fight with visitors as we made our way out of the dome and into the parking lot. I audibly heard Rays fans sizing up visitors, myself included, and deciding who they were going to take a swing at that night. I’d pass it off as an exception to the normally friendly environment at Tropicana Field, but this occurred at almost every game we attended this year. Surely, the Trop can’t think they’re supporting a safe driver policy for their fans by continuing these irresponsible alcohol sales.

Tailgating is encouraged in Tropicana Field’s parking lot. The dates Boston visits are popular games to attend, so, needless to say, the parking lot was quite full each time we visited St. Pete. I daresay, however that the quantity of beer bottles, trash and hot charcoal briquettes that had been carelessly dumped and strewn across the entire lot greatly outnumbered the many vehicles attempting to safely vacate the premises. Luckily, besides the long wait to get out of the lot itself, I successfully navigated my way to the street following each game. Sadly, one night, the nice gentleman in the pickup truck in the next row over from us wasn’t so fortunate. Unbeknownst to him, a beer bottle had rolled or been placed in front of his rear right tire and both loudly burst as he drove over it.

I believe Tropicana Field offers some of the best-priced tickets in baseball. Given its large capacity and the low attendance of Rays fans, up until this year, it’s been a pleasure to simply walk up and purchase our tickets an hour before a game. You just can’t do that in Boston these days. While we’re not crazy about the design of the facility or the long drive from the opposite side of Florida, we used to love coming to St. Pete to cheer for our team. Presently, I can no longer say that is the case.

While I realize that our attendance of games at Tropicana Field is limited to those dates that Boston is in town, I also know that many Red Sox fans buy tickets to these games. One simply has to look around the stands when there to know this for a fact. At any game we’ve attended, the predominant color is red, generally by a margin of two thirds. The Red Sox represent some of the largest attendance draws of the Rays season. While that may be sad in terms of local support for the Rays, I would find it truly hard to believe that the Trop was actually attempting to dissuade the ticket revenue that visitors like us represent.

My wife and I are Red Sox fans for life. Whether or not we continue to attend games at Tropicana Field will not change that. However, being long-suffering Red Sox fans, we can relate to some of the Rays’ woes since their inception. Also, being Red Sox fans, we know a little thing about faith. This faith not only applies to the Red Sox, but to the game of baseball itself and all those associated with Major League Baseball. I have faith that the Trop will make will make every effort to make each and every one of their guests welcome, home and visitor alike. Yes, I still believe. I’m just not sure if I’ll be doing that in St. Pete.

Best wishes for a successful 2007 season.

Sincerely,

Derek Ormond