Home opener festivities under way
ST. PETERSBURG -– The 10th Devil Rays opening day started Friday much like the first in 1998.
Lots of excitement. Measured expectations.
Yes, there’s a new flower garden, fresh paint and a bigger rightfield video scoreboard.
“But they should have spent that money on a relief pitcher,” said an almost grumpy Al Willis, picking up his season tickets.
The Rays new owners oozed goodwill last year offering perks like free parking. But that charm has now dulled under the intense pressure of the win column.
A sellout crowd of more than 38,000 was expected Friday. Thousands of fans had already made their way to Tropicana Field hours before the 7 p.m. game. Some fired up their grills and tapped a beer keg. Some searched for extra tickets. One group from Valrico painted their chests --- G-O-D-E-V-I-L-R-A-Y-S-!-!-!
“Anything can happen,” said Kevin Hug, a middle school geography teacher who took the day off to get ready for the game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Hug, a converted Chicago Cubs fans, knows a thing or two about being patient. The Cubs haven’t one a World Series since 1908. So to Hug, the Rays 9-year drought seems almost trite.
-- AARON SHAROCKMAN, Times Staff Writer
Follow the Rays through spring training and the season with Marc Topkin, Joe Smith and the Times sports staff. We invite your participation in the comments area.
MARC- RAYS ON A ROLL & HAVE BEST TALENT EVER. BY MID SEASON THEY WILL BE NEAR 500 AND AFTER REMOVING SOME DEAD WOOD MOSTLY PITCHERS THEY MAY HAVE A STRONG FINISH. I AM PICKING 85 WINS. THE DURHAM TRIO,PLUS IWAMURA WILL BE SPECIAL TO WATCH! COULD HAVE A NEW LOOK 5 STARTERS IN SEPT. KAZ,SHEILDS [ETC.]. GO RAYS !!!
Posted by: RICHIE RICARDO | April 07, 2007 at 10:19 AM
The Rays' owners aren't committed to this team. They're going through the motions bidding their time to see if Charlotte will bid for them instead of the Florida Marlins.
Posted by: DavidSassoon | July 07, 2007 at 03:19 PM
The rays ownwerhip only cares about getting whatever money they can get out of the poor people who goes to the games and the revenue sharing they get from the yankees and Red sox.
The Commisioner is sopossed to do what is in the best intrest of Baseball. Well the best intrest is to Find ownwership in Tampa that will try to put a good product, If not then a ownwer who will move the team to a city that will support a team. Or what he should do. is to Fold The rays, marlins, Pirates and Royals and maybe the A's and Rockies!
Posted by: larnov | July 22, 2007 at 09:39 PM
The Tampa Bay Rays have thousands of fans all over the world. Here, I may consider myself as one of the big fans of this wonderful team. Whenever I’ve time I try to attend their games, though sometimes it becomes a little difficult to get Rays tickets and this is due to these great fans that the team has. Tampa Bay Rays tickets are a little pricy or hard to be found but the team, as a professional and essential team of MLB, worth any price to watch their games. And when we love a team we try as much as possible these financial obstacles.
Posted by: Alison | July 01, 2008 at 10:04 AM