Can't Spell Baseball With TB

by Jeff Laboon

Embarrassing.

Once a word used to describe the Tampa Bay Rays, it is now used to describe their attendance numbers. Earlier this week, Tampa's star 3B Evan Longoria tried to rally the troops by asking the Ray's faithful to show more of their support. The Rays are in the final stretch of a playoff race, tied with the Yankees for first place in the AL East with only three games remaining, but only fill 52.6 percent of Tropicana Field on a given night.

Starting pitcher David Price reiterated Longoria's words on Twitter, saying, "Had a chance to clinch a post season spot tonight with about 10,000 fans in the stands....embarrassing."


The Rays are moving forward but their fans are not joining them. Given the Rays' success, Tropicana Field should be on par with the Metrodome during the early 1990s - loud, packed, and a madhouse. Instead, the Trop matches up with Three Rivers Stadium circa 1999 - quiet, empty, and ugly.

(Where oh where are the Rays fans?)

Is it the Rays fault? Absolutely not. Management fields one of the most talented and most marketable teams in the league. The real reason why the stadium is so empty is entirely up to speculation. Is it the sub-par facilities? Is it the dome? Is it the market? No, it's baseball's fault.

The shocking attendance numbers should cause MLB brass to shake. Baseball is becoming a dualistic league. There are the big market clubs that make money and can spend money and then there are the small market clubs that have to hope that their system can produce one good team every decade or so just so they can stay afloat.

(Longoria leads the young Rays.)

Look at the Milwaukee Brewers. Two years ago, the Brewers finished 90-72 and won the NL Wild Card. It was their second straight season above .500. They even traded for CC Sabathia to show that their time was now. Fast forward to 2010. The Brewers are about to finished below .500 for the second straight season. The Brewers "dynasty" is passing before fans very eyes. Years of development resulted in one postseason berth.

(Sabathia came and went in Milwaukee, just like the Brewers' playoff hopes.)

Look at the New York Yankees. Two years ago, the Yankees finished 89-73 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994. That off-season the Yankees signed Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. The Yankees are returning to the playoffs for the second straight season. The Yankees "dynasty" never really ended. One season, the Yankees were outperformed by the Rays and Boston Red Sox. That's not a sign of a downfall.

It won't be soon before the Rays' "dynasty" passes just like so many small market franchise's before them. That's what is embarrassing.