[HAPPY HOUR] New Stadium Should Have Plenty Of Parking
Ben Zobrist, Jake McGee, Jeff Niemann, Kenny Lofton, New Stadium, Reid Brignac, Wade Davis March 11th. 2008, 5:30pmTampa Bay Rays (20 days until Opening Day)
Links are coming in fast and furious today, so let’s throw a few more out for your Happy Hour amusement…
DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…
- A consultant for the Rays notes that 14,000 off-street parking spots would be available during Rays home games at their proposed stadium, while sellout crowd would only require 11,950. [Tampa Tribune]
- Jayson Stark of ESPN.com is reporting that the Rays have expressed interest in acquiring Kenny Lofton. According to R.J. Anderson of DRays Bay this is not the first time the Rays have flirted with the veteran outfielder. [DRays Bay]
- Bill Chastain explores the different possibilities to replace Ben Zobrist on the opening day roster, including Reid Brignac who would be happy to play a backup role for a few weeks. [Tampa Bay Rays]
“Absolutely,” Brignac said. “If that’s what it comes down to, I’ll be very ready for whatever option comes up. I want to play every day. But if they need me to be a utility guy for a couple of weeks, I’d be more than happy to help them out, get my at-bats here and there, be a back up at second and short.”
- Outs Per Swing is playing catch-up on their “40 Rays 40 Days” feature, throwing a bunch out today tomorrow. Our favorite is Jeff Niemann. Our love for Niemann is thinly veiled on this site. We just feel, that Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel are known commodities and they are not going to help the Rays over the top. Niemann at least has the possibility to be very good or even great and he has enough minor league innings under his belt that we feel he is ready. [Outs Per Swing]
- Marc Lancaster takes a look at the parallel careers of Jake McGee and Wade Davis. [Tampa Tribune]
- The Rays submitted a preliminary project design for their proposed stadium to St. Pete officials. [Tampa Bay Rays]
“This preliminary design consideration document illustrates how the Rays’ new ballpark will respect and enhance the rich history of baseball on the Al Lang site and its dynamic downtown waterfront location; we expect this project will mean as much to downtown St. Petersburg as most of our other projects have meant to their communities,” said Joe Spear, founding senior principal of HOK Sport, in a release by the Rays.
- FoxSports.com handicaps the rookie of the year races. [FoxSports.com]
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I share the sentiment that Jason Hammel is by now a known quantity and unlikely to help this team. Jackson – man, you just wish that Jekyll Jackson could show up more often. Maybe in the bullpen?
Niemann and Talbot are both ready and have nothing left to prove in the minors. I like both of them as depth over the likes of Hammel and Doh!mann.
I can’t wait for the one building full of stadium opponents to attempt to address this parking survey. My guess is that they will ignore it and forge ahead with their curmudgeonly “we just don’t like it” defense.