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[Kevin Costner and Modern West iperform Thursday night at Straub Park. Getty Images]

There will be Rays all around the Tampa Bay area Thursday-Saturday as the team celebrates the official unveiling of its new uniform, logo, colors and shortened name.

Here is the latest schedule of events and appearances as provided by the Rays. All events are free.

THURSDAY

4 p.m. Interactive activities, including Rays Street Team and mascot Raymond, begin at Straub Park (next to Vinoy Renaissance hotel in downtown St. Pete)

5:30     Fashion Show featuring Rays players, Manager Joe Maddon, Rays coaches and former Rays Wade Boggs and Fred McGriff modeling new uniforms. New merchandise will be available for purchase starting at 5:30.

6:30     Kevin Costner and Modern West in concert performing original rock and roll.

8        Fireworks show

FRIDAY
7 a.m.   Players visit local TV and radio stations

10         Players visit MacDill Air Force Base

10:30    Manager Joe Maddon and team president Matt Silverman present jersey to St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker at City Hall

11:45    Picnic in the Park at Gaslight Park, downtown Tampa. Free hot dogs, peanuts Cracker Jack, sodas, water and autographs from more than 15 players and manager Joe Maddon. Radio announcers Andy Freed and Dave Wills will emcee. T-shirt giveaway. New merchandise available at team store at 400 North Tampa St.

12:30 p.m.    RHPs Gary Glover and Jason Hammel visit participants in Pediatric Cancer Foundation's Kids Fishing Derby at Vinoy Marina adjacent to hotel.

1:45     Carl Crawford, Maddon and Silverman present jersey to Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio at her office.

5:30-7:30 player appearances at Champs Sports stores (subject to change, according to the team.)

Tyrone Square Mall, St. Petersburg
Rocco Baldelli, Brendan Harris, Josh Wilson

International Plaza, Tampa
Scott Kazmir, Dioner Navarro, B.J. Upton

University Square Mall, Tampa
Grant Balfour, Jon Switzer, Delmon Young, Ben Zobrist

Brandon Town Center
Carl Crawford, Gary Glover, Edwin Jackson

DeSoto Square Mall, Bradenton
Jason Hammel, James Shields, Andy Sonnanstine

Southgate Plaza, Sarasota
Al Reyes, Dan Wheeler, manager Joe Maddon

SATURDAY
1-3 p.m. Additional appearances at central Florida Champs Sports
Florida Mall, Orlando
Dioner Navarro, James Shields

Lakeland Square, Lakeland
Dan Wheeler, manager Joe Maddon

 

 

Comments

[Ron]

Fri & Sat evening, Jim Hickey will be signing autographs at several of the ABC Liquor Stores.

[Terry]

"shortened first name"? Isn't their first name "Tampa Bay"?

[the trop]

oh man I hope hes coming to the liquor store closest to me!!! Maybe he'll be at fergs signing beer mugs.

[Joe]

As long as "Tampa Bay" is off of the road uniforms, there will be ZERO love and respect from me. Unacceptable, period. And why you haven't raised more questions and concerns about this is a travesty to whatever hardcore fans that are here!!! It was a chicken-bleep "branding strategy" tactic that shows Silverman and Sternberg's arrogance to the fans that are closest to this club.

[jeff]

Someone please request that the band play "Sympathy for the Devil." I'll be in Orlando checking out the buzz.

[Frank]

Helping celebrate what? Did the luxury tax check come in? Thats all these schmucks care about.

[nils]

The worst franchise in sports. The worst facility in sports. The worst ownership in sports. Now add the worst jerseys in sports. What losers!!!

[Paul]

Kevin Costner? Are you kidding me? Is that the best they could do for this "celebratory" moment for the franchise? An actor who is to new millennium Hollywood what the Rays are to new millennium baseball.... and he's SINGING...

Silverman: (thinks to self) "YES! Someone our fans might have heard of wants to keynote our celebration!

Costner: (thinks to self) "YES! Someone actually wants to pay me to sing...."

What a C-Rate establishment.

[Max]

The new uniforms are a travesty. Taking the "Tampa Bay" off the front of the uniforms just is one more step closer to the S&S Boys moving the team out of the Bay area. Spend more money on established veterans to stabilize all of these "prospects" and "players with a lot of potential" rather than new uniforms that show that the team could be from anywhere, Orlando, Portland, San Antonio, Las Vegas,etc., etc.