Milton DFAs The Trop

Red(s)HawksFan

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Jan 23, 2009
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Is the long term plan to tear down the Trop once their new ballpark is built?
Yes, which is why they're not talking about repairing it. It's not like it's irreparable. It's just expensive and since it's going to be torn down in four years anyway, they don't want to do it.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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I like this, temporarily Tampa plays in the west, Houston to the Central and Cleveland or Detroit to the East.
Never going to happen. If the Rays were moving permanently, sure. They're not doing it on a temp basis, and certainly not going to redo the entire 2025 schedule at this stage to accommodate a problem with simpler solutions.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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For any lingering Montreal supporters, I think that’s an appalling idea.

Would it be fun/convenient for Boston fans? Sure! But no offense, the world probably doesn’t revolve around us, and the Tampa fan base, modest though it may be, should be the top priority. (Provided a safe playing environment, of which there are plenty within an hour’s drive of the Trop.)

And the Oakland thing is just an amusing thought exercise, right? Nothing about that makes sense except fuck John Fisher.
 

Average Reds

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George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa might actually work. It has a seating capacity of 11,026 people. In 2024, the average Tampa Bay Ray attendance was 16,515, down from the previous year's total of 17,781. Add some outfield seats and there you go.
  • Seats: Reserved seating, field boxes, and right field deck
  • Luxury suites: 13 suites, each with a capacity of 20 guests

The ballpark also has various amenities, including:
  • A dugout club with a full-service bar, buffet food, and private restrooms
  • A bullpen club or 3B club

View attachment 90649
That's probably the best option, but it brings into play the problem with having an MLB team in Florida in the first place: the Summer weather sucks.

The Marlins handled it when they played in what is now Hard Rock Stadium, so they'll be able to slog through it for a couple of years. But there's a reason the Rays and Marlins play in domes.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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For any lingering Montreal supporters, I think that’s an appalling idea.

Would it be fun/convenient for Boston fans? Sure! But no offense, the world probably doesn’t revolve around us, and the Tampa fan base, modest though it may be, should be the top priority. (Provided a safe playing environment, of which there are plenty within an hour’s drive of the Trop.)

And the Oakland thing is just an amusing thought exercise, right? Nothing about that makes sense except fuck John Fisher.
Montreal isn't happening. Their roof needs repairs and that's going to take three years.
 

SoxFanInCali

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California. Duh.
And the Oakland thing is just an amusing thought exercise, right? Nothing about that makes sense except fuck John Fisher.
While I agree with your logic completely and know if won't happen, being able to say Fuck John Fisher would almost be enough to make it worth it.
 

TheDogMan

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Oct 25, 2024
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That's probably the best option, but it brings into play the problem with having an MLB team in Florida in the first place: the Summer weather sucks.

The Marlins handled it when they played in what is now Hard Rock Stadium, so they'll be able to slog through it for a couple of years. But there's a reason the Rays and Marlins play in domes.
Could the schedule be adjusted to share Atlanta and Miami
 

rajendra82

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Texas played outdoor games for damn near 5 decades. Atlanta does and Tampa and Atlanta aren’t very different climate-wise.
Atlanta climate is likely quite a bit different than Tampa, even in the peak of summer. We are less humid and not as stormy and sometimes get a cold wedge from Appalachians resulting in a cloudy and relatively cool day. I imagine it rains every afternoon in Tampa in summer like it does in Orlando during our Disney trips and doesn't cool down as much in the evenings. I think the reputation as Hotlanta is overblown.

Compare the Climate and Weather in Tampa and Atlanta - Weather Spark
 
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Humphrey

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Could they even play baseball games at Hard Rock with the overhanging canopy (built long after the Marlins left there)? Not sure exactly how the canopy is positioned over what used to be (and would become again) the baseball field. Then again, we've had 26 years of balls hitting the catwalks, haven't we?
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Could they even play baseball games at Hard Rock with the overhanging canopy (built long after the Marlins left there)? Not sure exactly how the canopy is positioned over what used to be (and would become again) the baseball field. Then again, we've had 26 years of balls hitting the catwalks, haven't we?
I don't think the canopy is over the field itself, which probably means it wouldn't cause cat-walk type problems. I imagine that the renovations that included that overhang undid the modular bleachers/grandstands that allowed the stadium to convert to a baseball configuration. If the Rays were to play any home games in Miami, more likely they'd just share Loan Depot Park with the Marlins than invest in making Hard Rock Stadium baseball ready again.

Frankly, I don't think it will come to that because the Rays really don't need a full MLB stadium whether it's Miami, Atlanta, Oakland or wherever. They're not filling the stadium they've been playing in, they're unlikely to fill one a few hundred/thousand miles from home. As long as the nearby minor league facilities meet MLB standards for lighting and player amenities (Steinbrenner Field and TD Ballpark certainly do), it makes way more sense for them to play there.