2025 Major League Baseball Thread

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by toef

Nice pics, but the Rays really need to get out of that dome. It looked like it was a nice partly cloudy day, and I'd love to take the afternoon off to go see a ball game, but I'd hate to be sitting inside that dome to do it.

The Rays definitely won't ever have an open-air ballpark. It's way too hot in the summer in Florida for an open-air park, and that is largely blamed as a reason for the Marlins horrible attendance. Maybe they could eventually get a retractable roof park, which is what the Marlins are doing. There actually is a group that is looking into building a new stadium for the team in Tampa, I don't know if it'd be open-air or retractable roof, but it's going to be difficult because the Rays have a lease at their current St. Petersburg stadium until 2027 and the city of St. Petersburg has threatened to sue anyone that interferes with that lease.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgo...cle1096049.ece

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by toef

Nice pics, but the Rays really need to get out of that dome. It looked like it was a nice partly cloudy day, and I'd love to take the afternoon off to go see a ball game, but I'd hate to be sitting inside that dome to do it.

I'll be the first to admit that the Rays dome is aweful, but it's just one of many problems. The Marlins play outdoors, have two WS championships in their short lifespan, almost always produce quality teams despite a low payroll and still cannot draw a decent crowd. If the Marlins cannot attract a halfway decent fan base with that much success I don't think any MLB team can survive in Florida.

I think the state of Florida is just doomed when it comes to MLB for a multitude of reasons. Even if the Rays move from that aweful St. Pete dome to an open-air ballpark in Tampa I doubt they'd draw 20K per game on average.

Within a decade I wouldn't be surprised if we lose one of both of our MLB teams.

[toef]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

The Rays definitely won't ever have an open-air ballpark. It's way too hot in the summer in Florida for an open-air park, and that is largely blamed as a reason for the Marlins horrible attendance. Maybe they could eventually get a retractable roof park, which is what the Marlins are doing. There actually is a group that is looking into building a new stadium for the team in Tampa, I don't know if it'd be open-air or retractable roof, but it's going to be difficult because the Rays have a lease at their current St. Petersburg stadium until 2027 and the city of St. Petersburg has threatened to sue anyone that interferes with that lease.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgo...cle1096049.ece

Good point. I hadn't really thought of that, but I guess I was never ruling out the idea of playing in a dome, as much as I was just saying the dome they currently use is hideous. Something with some sort of sliding roof seems like it would work well.

The lease through 2027 seems a bit crazy, but since I know nothing about stadium leasing, maybe that's normal. The cynic in me can't help but think some deal was made with the city by some guy who didn't even think the Rays would be around until 2027, just as a way to make sure he kept getting paid.

[Wingman1977]

Originally Posted by toef

Good point. I hadn't really thought of that, but I guess I was never ruling out the idea of playing in a dome, as much as I was just saying the dome they currently use is hideous. Something with some sort of sliding roof seems like it would work well.

The lease through 2027 seems a bit crazy, but since I know nothing about stadium leasing, maybe that's normal. The cynic in me can't help but think some deal was made with the city by some guy who didn't even think the Rays would be around until 2027, just as a way to make sure he kept getting paid.

The Marlins are getting their own stadium to open in 2012 (it's suppose to have a retractable roof).

[Navster]

I guess the whole Yankees protest issue can come to a rest as Josh Beckett has just been placed on the 15 day DL...

fyi

BOSTON (AP)—The Boston Red Sox have placed Josh Beckett(notes) on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...dsox-beckettdl

[SteelPen]

What a start for the Rays! Lead off HR by Jason Bartlett!

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by toef

Good point. I hadn't really thought of that, but I guess I was never ruling out the idea of playing in a dome, as much as I was just saying the dome they currently use is hideous. Something with some sort of sliding roof seems like it would work well.

The lease through 2027 seems a bit crazy, but since I know nothing about stadium leasing, maybe that's normal. The cynic in me can't help but think some deal was made with the city by some guy who didn't even think the Rays would be around until 2027, just as a way to make sure he kept getting paid.

Funny thing is the Tampa area is tailor made for producing a top-notch ballpark that could rival San Francisco's water front park. There are plenty of places a beautiful ballpark could be located. Instead they thought it was a brilliant idea to have the Rays play in a crappy domed stadium in St. Petersburg, which isn't even close to the heart of Tampa.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by NavsterKing

I guess the whole Yankees protest issue can come to a rest as Josh Beckett has just been placed on the 15 day DL...

fyi



http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...dsox-beckettdl

Maybe they just put him on the DL because he sucks this year. Kidding! Well kinda kidding... he really does suck this year.

[SteelPen]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

I'll be the first to admit that the Rays dome is awful, but it's just one of many problems. The Marlins play outdoors, have two WS championships in their short lifespan, almost always produce quality teams despite a low payroll and still cannot draw a decent crowd. If the Marlins cannot attract a halfway decent fan base with that much success I don't think any MLB team can survive in Florida. I think the state of Florida is just doomed when it comes to MLB for a multitude of reasons. Even if the Rays move from that aweful St. Pete dome to an open-air ballpark in Tampa I doubt they'd draw 20K per game on average.

I don't know why people think, The Trop is awful? I'm not saying, it's the best looking park in baseball, but it has come along way since 1998! (I know it opened in 1990, but I'm talking about the Devil Rays 1st season) IMO, the only problems with the stadium is the catwalks and location!

If it was my way, I'd put it right next to Raymond James and make it a sports complex, but I know there is no room for another stadium on Dale Mabry! I wouldn't mind either if they put it at the Florida State Fairgrounds or by the port of Tampa where's Channelside and the St.Pete Times Forum is at!

About not drawing 20k in the Tampa area, I disagree! They would easily draw 20k if they were in the heart of Tampa!

[toef]

Originally Posted by NavsterKing

I guess the whole Yankees protest issue can come to a rest as Josh Beckett has just been placed on the 15 day DL...

When wins are as hard to come by as they are for Boston this year, maybe they don't want to risk losing any of the ones they get.

Originally Posted by Redliner17k

If it was my way, I'd put it right next to Raymond James and make it a sports complex, but I know there is no room for another stadium on Dale Mabry! I wouldn't mind either if they put it at the Florida State Fairgrounds or by the port of Tampa where's Channelside and the St.Pete Times Forum is at!

About not drawing 20k in the Tampa area, I disagree! They would easily draw 20k if they were in the heart of Tampa!

I'm not familiar with the Tampa area at all, but I remember reading that the stadium was built in a somewhat crappy location, population-wise. There's some general thought in baseball that people will only travel up to 30 miles to see a game, and if you draw a circle with a 30 mile radius around the current location of the stadium, you only encircle about 600k fans. Moving the stadium a few miles in some direction would've doubled the amount of potential attendees.

I find it hard to believe those last few miles make the difference between those people up north going to games or not, but apparently it's something MLB execs buy into. I can't seem to find anything on Google that mentions this though.

Edit: Maybe this is where I read it... http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...stadium-search, and I guess it's apparently 30 minutes, not miles.

An excerpt:

The ABC (A Baseball Community) Coalition makes a compelling case for a new ballpark with modern amenities in an area closer to the region's population center. Members have recommended for further study three areas -- North St. Petersburg and the West Shore and downtown areas of Tampa.

The group's research clearly shows St. Petersburg officials chose the wrong location for Tropicana Field, situated near downtown St. Pete.

The proven criteria for attracting fans to baseball games is how many live within a 30-minute drive. Only about 616,000 people live within a 30-minute drive of Tropicana Field -- the lowest, by far, in the major leagues.

Yet there are 3.2 million people in the Tampa Bay market.

Move the ballpark just a few miles north -- to the Carillon area of North St. Petersburg -- and the 30-minute number nearly doubles -- to 1.2 million.

The downtown Tampa "trade area" has 1.6 million people within a 30-minute drive. Hillsborough also has more corporations, whose support is key to professional teams.

[SteelPen]

Way to go boys, 5-0 Rays in the 4th! Wade has been good too, 6 Ks in 3 innings! Couldn't ask for a better start!

EDIT: 6-0 Rays lead going to the bottom of the 4th!

[SteelPen]

Originally Posted by toef

I'm not familiar with the Tampa area at all, but I remember reading that the stadium was built in a somewhat crappy location, population-wise. There's some general thought in baseball that people will only travel up to 30 miles to see a game, and if you draw a circle with a 30 mile radius around the current location of the stadium, you only encircle about 600k fans. Moving the stadium a few miles in some direction would've doubled the amount of potential attendees.

I find it hard to believe those last few miles make the difference between those people up north going to games or not, but apparently it's something MLB execs buy into. I can't seem to find anything on Google that mentions this though.

I live alittle over an hour from The Trop, but my biggest reason, why I want them to have a stadium in the Tampa area, is the Orlando market!

[steelcity24]

Brewers and Pirates locked in a 3-3 tie right now in PNC Park. Top of the 6th.

Brian Burres facing Randy Wolf in this one, both pitchers have been average at best so far.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by toef

Edit: Maybe this is where I read it... http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...stadium-search, and I guess it's apparently 30 minutes, not miles.

An excerpt:

I dunno. An increase from 1.2 million population in the radius increasing to 1.6 million is only a fractional increase in attendence. What the Rays need is an exponential increase in attendence.

And as I said before the Marlins have two World Series championships and regularly field very competitive teams. They are located at a decent location with a decent stadium in Miami and still have aweful attendence.

At some point you just have to wonder if Florida just isn't cut out to support a major league baseball team since such a high percentage of residents are transplants. Take my workplace for example. We have many Phillies, Yankees, Braves, Red Sox, etc. fans but I know not a single Rays or Marlins fan.

In the case of the Rays it doesn't help that the Yankees have deep roots in Tampa due to their spring training location within the city. Anyone thats been to a Yankees-Rays game at the Trop can tell you it feels like the Yankees are the home team.

[SteelPen]

An A-bomb from A.Roid and the Rays lead 6-2!

[volcomsocal]

It's always a nice feeling going to Chavez Ravine knowing I'll see about 46,000 other fans in attendance on any given day.

GO DODGERS.

[Goodguy818]

Originally Posted by volcomsocal

It's always a nice feeling going to Chavez Ravine knowing I'll see about 46,000 other fans in attendance on any given day.

GO DODGERS.

Big game tonight against SD!

[sawzalot]

The Phightens drop two in a row, Offense is sleeping again
With all the weapons on offense you would think they could just out slug the opponent , not today.
Last night a 2-1 loss to the Pirates
Tonite a 4-1 loss to the cubbies.

Father Time Jamie Moyer actually pitched a pretty decent game tonite as did Halladay the night before.

[toef]

Originally Posted by Redliner17k

An A-bomb from A.Roid and the Rays lead 6-2!

This game is a rough one to watch. The Yankees pitching has been terrible of late. The Detroit series was mostly a lack of offense. The Boston games were a terrible bullpen. Today's game vs the Rays is a bit of both, plus bad starting pitching.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by toef

This game is a rough one to watch. The Yankees pitching has been terrible of late. The Detroit series was mostly a lack of offense. The Boston games were a terrible bullpen. Today's game vs the Rays is a bit of both, plus bad starting pitching.

lol pretty much sums it up