Spring training will be returning to Al Lang Field and St. Petersburg in 2011, as three international teams will train there and other St. Pete sites while playing some exhibition games against MLB teams — and more may be on the way. The city is holding a press conference this morning to announce that the […]
Tag Archives | tampa bay rays
The Week That Was: October 2
Here are the most popular stories published in Ballpark Digest this past week, as measured by page views. The big stories this week: new ballparks in Potomac and Westfield; a baseball institution drops baseball; and the continuing follies in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre over a new ballpark. Westfield approves site for sports complex, complete with new ballpark P-Nats, […]
Rays rip fans for not showing up during pennant race
The Tampa Bay Rays are in the midst of a great pennant race, but players were outspoken in their disappointment when a crowd of only 12,446 fans showed up to Tropicana Field on a night when the Rays could have clinched a divisional title. They didn’t, dropping a 4-0 game to the Baltimore Orioles. Still, […]
The Week That Was: September 18
Here are the top stories published on Ballpark Digest the past week. Plus, a look at the numbers generated by Ballpark Digest users after the transition to the new publishing system; quite honestly, we’re pretty amazed at the response. First off: some numbers for you Web types to chew on. Since we moved to the […]
Renegades, Rays extend PDC
The Hudson Valley Renegades (short season A; NY-Penn League) will remain a farm team of the Tampa Bay Rays, as the pair extend their PDC for two more years. Throughout the Renegades’ 16-year history (14 of those years with Tampa Bay) fans have seen numerous ex-Renegades grace Major League ballparks, including Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria, […]
Hot Rods, Tampa Bay extend PDC
It was a good 2010 for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (Low Class A; Midwest League), as the team set an attendance record, and it just got better: the team signed a two-year extension of its player-development deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. “We want to thank all of our fans as well as our […]
Biscuits, Rays extend PDC
The Montgomery Biscuits (Class AA; Southern League) and the Tampa Bay Rays announced a four-year extension of their player development contract (PDC), effective through the 2014 season. All seven years of Biscuits history in Montgomery have taken place with a Rays affiliation, as more than 200 players have worn the butter and blue, with an […]
Stone Crabs, Rays extend PDC
The Tampa Bay Rays have extended their player development contract (PDC) with the Charlotte Stone Crabs (High Class A; Florida State League) through the 2012 season. The Stone Crabs have served as the High-A affiliate for the Rays since the team was first announced after the 2008 season. Charlotte won the FSL South Division Championship […]
Vegas mayor: We’re ready to build ballpark for American League team
Mayor Oscar Goodman says his city has launched talks regarding a new 45,000-seat roofed ballpark in downtown Las Vegas, adding that an American League team is involved. Two guesses as to what team he’s alluding to, but be warned: Goodman’s enthusiasm sometimes outpaces reality. During his weekly press conference today, Goodman discussed the early stages […]
Rays: No, we’re not interested in limiting ballpark search to St. Pete
After the city of St. Petersburg offered to amend the Tampa Bay Rays’ lease to allow for a new ballpark in Pinellas County with no penalties for leaving the Trop, the Rays have countered by saying any new-ballpark search much encompass the entire Tampa Bay area. After the city of St. Petersburg offered to amend […]
Charlotte County Sports Park / Tampa Bay Rays / Charlotte Stone Crabs
Longtime spring-training aficionados may be able to recognize Charlotte County Sports Park as the former spring home of the Texas Rangers, remodeled to serve as the spring home of the Tampa Bay Rays and the regular-season home of the Charlotte Stone Crabs. Maybe. FAST FACTS Opened: 1988; renovated in 2009 Cost: $5 million original construction; […]
Tropicana Field / Tampa Bay Rays
Let’s get this right out of the way: Tropicana Field is not the worst facility in the major leagues. The Metrodome clearly is. By far. Now, having said that, it’s also clear that Tropicana Field is the second-worst facility in the majors. In many ways it’s directly comparable to the Metrodome, as both hated domes […]