Other Winter Meetings Rumors/News

[SouthSideRyan]

Any else getting the feeling we are going to simply end up swapping first basemen with the Rays?

 

I can't see the Orioles missing out on Adam LaRoche. DLee to the Rays? Unless, of course, they simply throw Zobrist over there! HaHa.

 

I am so glad I never became a Rays fan when they first came to town. There management pisses me off almost as much as the Cubs.

The Rays are likely to have have 8 of the first 100 picks in next year's draft. I think their management knows what it's doing.

 

I would have to say they dropped the ball this past season by only adding Chad Qualls at the deadline.

 

Maybe if people like you would go to the games, they could afford more than Chad Qualls. What did you want them to add?

[TruffleShuffle]

you're glad you didn't become a rays fan? andrew friedman is one of the best GMs in the game and they've been one of the best-run franchises during the past five years.

[shnsajax]

you're glad you didn't become a rays fan? andrew friedman is one of the best GMs in the game and they've been one of the best-run franchises during the past five years.

 

The Rays do an incredible job with there resources, and one of the best scouting and development departments around too.

[UMFan83]

Man I HATE going to the World Series and competing favorably each year in a division with 2 teams that have $150 million more in payroll than the Rays. So glad I'm not a Rays fan.

[David]

I'm honestly not sure which I'd rather have... great management but horribly limited resources (not to mention that crap park) or mediocre to poor management and really good resources (even now - unless payroll drops a ton after these contracts go off the books).

 

 

It's close, but I think it's the latter.

[David]

Are the Rays this era's mid-90's Indians?

 

I loved those teams.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm honestly not sure which I'd rather have... great management but horribly limited resources (not to mention that crap park) or mediocre to poor management and really good resources (even now - unless payroll drops a ton after these contracts go off the books).

 

 

It's close, but I think it's the latter.

 

The latter for two reasons. You can always change management, and in addition to the limited resources, the former has an extremely difficult path to the playoffs even when at their best.

[AI]

you're glad you didn't become a rays fan? andrew friedman is one of the best GMs in the game and they've been one of the best-run franchises during the past five years.

 

The Rays do an incredible job with there resources, and one of the best scouting and development departments around too.

When their payroll craters I am afraid they will return to fourth place in the AL East.

[shnsajax]

you're glad you didn't become a rays fan? andrew friedman is one of the best GMs in the game and they've been one of the best-run franchises during the past five years.

 

The Rays do an incredible job with there resources, and one of the best scouting and development departments around too.

When their payroll craters I am afraid they will return to fourth place in the AL East.

 

Hopefully the new stadium has the same results it did in Minnesota.

[David]

Hopefully the new stadium has the same results it did in Minnesota.

 

 

They're getting a new stadium?

 

I know the Marlins are...

[daske17]

Hopefully the new stadium has the same results it did in Minnesota.

 

 

They're getting a new stadium?

 

I know the Marlins are...

 

The Rays haven't been able to secure public funding for the park as of yet.

[David]

Didn't think so. I know they had that one proposal that fell through in the last couple of years.

[shnsajax]

Didn't think so. I know they had that one proposal that fell through in the last couple of years.

 

Dammit, I thought this was already a go. Looked badass too.

 

http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2008/may/0514stadium425.jpg

[Guest]

Didn't think so. I know they had that one proposal that fell through in the last couple of years.

 

Dammit, I thought this was already a go. Looked badass too.

 

http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2008/may/0514stadium425.jpg

 

Looks like enough seating for about 5,000. Just right. :D

[Guest]

I'm honestly not sure which I'd rather have... great management but horribly limited resources (not to mention that crap park) or mediocre to poor management and really good resources (even now - unless payroll drops a ton after these contracts go off the books).

 

 

It's close, but I think it's the latter.

 

The latter for two reasons. You can always change management, and in addition to the limited resources, the former has an extremely difficult path to the playoffs even when at their best.

 

Yeah. Having a smart enough management group to overcome such limited resources would make for a rather limited group to choose from, also. In fact, you'd have to wonder if they weren't smart enough if they took that job over one with more resources to work with.

[Banedon]

Didn't think so. I know they had that one proposal that fell through in the last couple of years.

 

Dammit, I thought this was already a go. Looked badass too.

 

http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2008/may/0514stadium425.jpg

 

Looks like enough seating for about 5,000. Just right. :D

 

Is there a giant mosquito net over that stadium?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

malaria is a bitch

[champaignchris]

I think the Portland Rays will be fine. They should be good for many years to come.

[daske17]

I think the Portland Rays will be fine. They should be good for many years to come.

 

Portland has been brought up many times as a possible destination for a MLB team, but does it have the population to support a team? All they have are the Blazers in terms of professional sports.

[shnsajax]

I think the Portland Rays will be fine. They should be good for many years to come.

 

Portland has been brought up many times as a possible destination for a MLB team, but does it have the population to support a team? All they have are the Blazers in terms of professional sports.

 

Portland Timbers start next season in MLS. I know its just soccer but it is a soccer crazy city that will outdraw the Rays.

[mookie]

Any else getting the feeling we are going to simply end up swapping first basemen with the Rays?

 

I can't see the Orioles missing out on Adam LaRoche. DLee to the Rays? Unless, of course, they simply throw Zobrist over there! HaHa.

 

I am so glad I never became a Rays fan when they first came to town. There management pisses me off almost as much as the Cubs.

The Rays are likely to have have 8 of the first 100 picks in next year's draft. I think their management knows what it's doing.

 

I would have to say they dropped the ball this past season by only adding Chad Qualls at the deadline.

 

Maybe if people like you would go to the games, they could afford more than Chad Qualls. What did you want them to add?

 

I thought a bat would have been advantageous. More people like me? You mean locals that aren't fans? I go to a handful of games every season, but their stadium is a terribly depressing place to see a game.

[mookie]

Didn't think so. I know they had that one proposal that fell through in the last couple of years.

 

Dammit, I thought this was already a go. Looked badass too.

 

http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2008/may/0514stadium425.jpg

 

Looks like enough seating for about 5,000. Just right. :D

 

Is there a giant mosquito net over that stadium?

 

That stadium did look pretty righteous. I saw some interview with Friedman at the beginning of last season saying that St. Petersburg will be unable to sustain the Rays. They are moving, but to where is anyones guess at this point. I am thinking Orlando, but hoping for Vegas!

[champaignchris]

I think the Portland Rays will be fine. They should be good for many years to come.

 

Portland has been brought up many times as a possible destination for a MLB team, but does it have the population to support a team? All they have are the Blazers in terms of professional sports.

 

According to 2009 estimates, Portland and Sacramento are the largest metro areas without a baseball team. (Unless you count the Riverside-San Bernardino "Inland Empire" as a metro area separate from L.A. which the census bureau does.) Both have over two million and have grown in the 15-20% range in population over the last 10 years. Larger than Cleveland, K.C. and Milwaukee, and not a whole bunch smaller than Tampa-St. Pete.

 

EDIT: I don't think baseball would actually want T.B. to move. Demographically speaking, you'd eventually have to move a team right back there.

 

EDITx2: From the pure perspective of available eyeballs on TV sets and rear ends to be put in seats, a National League team in Boston might make more sense than all of the above.

[questionmarkgrace]

EDITx2: From the pure perspective of available eyeballs on TV sets and rear ends to be put in seats, a National League team in Boston might make more sense than all of the above.

 

Agreed. It would be very interesting to see a boston braves redux. I think they could support an NL team depite the Bo-Sox fervor.

 

I always wondered if chicago could support another team.

[Northside Blues]

A third team in New York/Newark would probably be the best for TV. The New York CSA has a population of 22mil, so that's about 7 mil per team. For comparison, Boston's CSA is a little over 7 mil total. A team would take years to survive in either city. The hardcore fans already have their allegiances and the casual fans do too. The Mets were able to survive as a knew team because the Giants and Dodgers left only five or six years earlier so their fans were "free agents" so to speak. That won't happen this time around.

 

If you go by actual TV markets size, largest without teams

 

#13 Tampa/St Petersburg

#19 Orlando

#20 Sacramento

#23 Portland

#25 Charlotte

#26 Indianapolis

#28 Raleigh Durham

#29 Hartford

#30 Nashville

#32 Columbus

#34 Milwaukee (Smallest in MLB)

 

Portland, Sacramento and Orlando all only have one pro team in the big four (all in the NBA too). Vegas, I believe, is the largest CSA without a professional team. Hartford is the largest TV market without a professional team, it looks like, though one would think they are heavy NY influenced. Greenville SC would be the largest TV market without one if you don't include Hartford (#36). Vegas is #43.