Tampa Bay’s third baseman Evan Longoria was promoting the Pepsi MAX Field of Dreams contest on Tuesday and Sarah Tyson was able to interview the two-time Gold Glove winner on behalf of Aerys Sports and Rays Index.

Longoria was featured among other big names in baseball in two Pepsi MAX commercials, and took a starring role in the one below, earlier this year. Now he’s encouraging bay area residents to vote for their very own dream team.

Before Evan met with fans gathered at a Sweetbay Supermarket in Palm Harbor, Florida, I spent a few minutes with him and talked about the Pepsi MAX Field of Dreams and his season so far.

Let’s get started on the right foot. How did it feel to reach that 20-homerun mark the other night and then hit number 21 Monday night?

Um pretty good. It’s been quite a struggle this year just physically to be healthy. But, I mean, I’m pretty happy with how it’s gone. Obviously, my average is not good, but outside of that I mean I think the goal is just to produce as many runs as I can at this point and just do everything I can to help the team win.

That leads right into my next question. Your average isn’t where you want it to be, but you lead the team in ribbies after missing 29 games and your defense has been spectacular, as usual. Does that fit in with Joe Maddon’s “Find another way?”

Like I said, it’s been a different year for me and so I think, to go out there every day and just really try to focus on doing anything you can to help the team win, whether it’s drive runs in, make a defensive play in the eighth or something to save a run…You know I think that’s always been my focus but especially this year when it’s not going as planned. There’s gotta be different ways to try and make things work and so that’s just been my focus.

My dad coached ball for 20 years. He said it looks like lately you’re standing a little farther off the plate than usual. I don’t know if that’s an adjustment you’ve made or if he’s just watched too much TV! But he said you look comfortable.

I don’t know. My mom is a great TV hitting coach too. Ya know, everybody has their opinions, but for me, Derek Shelton has done a great job with just watching video and trying to point things out and see maybe if there is something or other that can help. But my swing has definitely felt good over the past couple of weeks, so I just gotta continue to work.

Your range backhand and forehand is impressive. How much do you spend working on that?

I take probably 20 to 30 ground balls a day. I just try to do it at game speed so it transfers over into the game. But I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I moved over from shortstop so I was already accustomed to having to move moreso than I would if I was just playing third my whole life. But that’s kind of a point of pride for me, just being able to get to balls that other guys may not be able to get to.

Because of your success with Tampa Bay and then teaming up with Pepsi, you’re one of the recognizable faces of Major League Baseball today. What is it like for you to be in that group with the Pepsi MAX commercials?

It’s different. It’s definitely not something that I Read the rest of this entry »

Our correspondent in charge of all things sensible, Jordi Scrubbings, is back with an in-depth look at the Evan Longoria bare-hand catch video that has now topped 4,000,000 views since we first posted it three weeks ago…

By now, half of creation has seen the amazing viral video of Evan Longoria snagging a line drive barehanded during batting practice and saving the life of some random reporter. Over the last few days, it has been revealed that the interview took place at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Florida.

Being that I was in Bradenton doing research for an upcoming assignment for Minor League Baseball.com, I decided to also see what I could find out about this mysterious video.

After some poking around, I managed to meet and talk to the Bradenton Marauders Coordinator of Communications and Radio Broadcasting Joel Godett. Godett was nice enough to answer a few questions about McKechnie Field, Longoria, and the catch.

Rays Index: Can you tell me a little bit about McKechnie Field?

Joel Godett: McKechnie Field is about 100 years old. The Pirates have been here for over 40 years now.  Our team president Frank Coonelly calls it “The Jewel of the Florida State League”.

It’s got an old kind of charm to it. It’s got history to it, it’s got many character stories to it, and it’s neat to see the evolution of the field. It’s neat for us because we have this video and Big League Stew on Yahoo! pointed out that the stadium in the video looks like McKechnie Field. It was cool for us to see the name of our stadium on a site like that.

RI: When was the video filmed?

Godett: It was filmed right before Spring Training, if my memory serves me correct. So it would have been in the end of February. There was a whole thing that day with Gillette, part of a Kenny Mayne series that Gillette is doing called “A Mayne and His Razor“. Kenny Mayne was here that day and he shot a video with Evan Longoria. That was part of that whole day and they shot that video.

RI: Were you guys surprised from a Marauders’ perspective about how popular the video has gotten? Read the rest of this entry »

Last week prior to Wednesday’s White Sox game at The Trop, RayIndex got a chance to ask Rays manager Joe Maddon a few questions.

RaysIndex: Your starting pitchers are second in the big leagues in innings pitched. Do you dismiss that because it’s still April or are you concerned because it’s so early.

Joe Maddon: Oh, I like it. I like it, yeah. I like it because their pitches per appearance is in pretty good shape. There is two ways of looking at it. I think Shieldsie had gone 115 or 116 [pitches] once and so has David [Price]. I you average out, David, he has been at 108 or 109 and I’m OK with that.

RaysIndex: A few non-technical questions about your background. When you were with the Angels, did [former Angels general manager and current Hall of Fame member] Whitey Herzog hire you or were you already there?

Maddon: I was already there when Whitey came on board. I got to know Whitey in the early 90s when Buck Rodgers was there and Billy Bavasi brought him over. I felt really fortunate because I have been around a lot of good Major League Baseball coaches and managers and he was the best I thought at being able to evaluate young talent. I think a lot of times major league personnel don’t do a good job of evaluation because they have been away from the minor league situation for a period of time. So I always relied on the minor league aspect of the scouts but I thought Whitey, Whitey came in and blessed Tim Salmon and he blessed Garrett Anderson and he blessed Damon Easily he blessed Kevin Flora and he said these guys can play. And before Whitey had said that, people were very ambivalent about their thoughts. But when Whitey said it, it had to be true.

RaysIndex: I know he is still a scout at heart.

Maddon: He is the best I have ever been around.

RaysIndex: What did you learn from him that maybe you use to this day? Read the rest of this entry »

Over at Business Insider I got a chance to interview Jon Wertheim, co-author of “Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won.” The book has been described as “Freakonomics for sports.” [Business Insider]

Earlier today we wrote about Peter Gammons’ (incorrect) comments about the local ratings for the Rays and the Yankees. We reached out to Gammons to see if his thoughts on the Rays had changed now that he knows his information was incorrect. They haven’t. And in fact, his response was even more derogatory towards Rays fans.

Here is his response:

The radio ratings thing was presented to me at the end of April, and I now believe they were mistaken. But the fact remains that they are arguably the best team in baseball, certainly the most exciting, and the 18000? [Ed. note: we pointed out to Gammons that the Rays drew 18,000 for a Monday night matchup with the Indians after he commented that the Rays might draw 20,000 for the Yankees] fans should be angry that they don’t support the team well enough. The players are very good, the starting pitchers brilliant and management from the dugout to the front office is as good as it gets. In my mind it’s shameful that they aren’t getting 30,000 a game.

Rays attendence is up. The ratings have doubled. And just last week, Gammons himself wrote that attendance overall in baseball could be down as much as 20% this year. How is 18,000 on a Monday versus the Indians “shameful”?

Clearly there is a diconnect between Gammons and what is going on in the Bay Area. The growth of the Rayshead Army is slow, but it is growing. And rather than looking at that for what it is (good for baseball), Gammons continues to play off of old stereotypes.

And that is disappointing. We expect better from Gammons.

Tonight the Rays return home with the best record in baseball. Much has been written about the Rays ongoing struggle with ticket sales and this weekend marks the team’s first big test to see if they can draw big crowds for teams other than the Red Sox or Yankees. We have also received several complaints from fans about the new ticket pricing system and season-ticket options. So we pestered the Rays for some insight. Their answers are mostly propaganda, but they do clear up some of the questions we have been getting from fans. So here you go…

RI: Back in mid-February, Stuart Sternberg called season-ticket sales “bad, not good.” Now that the season has started, how would you describe season-ticket sales?

TBR: We have nothing new to add to Stu’s comments.

RI: Explain the decision process behind tiered-pricing. Have you seen a difference in the way fans are buying tickets? What do you say to the loyal fans who may now think they are being gouged for the more attractive matchups?

TBR: Tiered pricing is used by the majority of teams across Major League Baseball. We are only 6 games into the home season but buying patterns appear to be consistent with past years. We were very proud to be recognized as the Most Affordable Team in Professional Sports last year by ESPN the magazine. It should also be noted that our season ticket holders continue to receive the best value, with a savings of up to 33% off single game pricing.

RI: It seems a lot of fans are confused with the five different price-levels. In hindsight, was five too many? Why not three? Are there any plans to change this system next season?

TBR: We have not heard of any confusion, but we will continue to seek input from our fans about not just our ticket pricing but all aspects of our business.

RI: The smallest season-ticket plan this season is 20 games and Friday, Saturday and Sunday ticket plans now require the fan to also purchase select weekday games. What was the reason for limiting the season ticket options and making the smallest package a full quarter of the season?

TBR: We offer more than 50 season ticket products. They vary by seating categories, price discount, game selections, etc. Each product has its own benefits associated with it. Two benefits that we are most proud of- seniority and postseason opportunities- are offered to all official season ticket holders. Seniority, by way of a priority number, will ensure you the best seats year over year, and postseason opportunities guarantees the ability to purchase all 10 or 11 games that could occur in the postseason. Periodically, we have offered 4-10 game packages in the form of the Holiday pack, Fan Fest pack, 9=8 pack, etc, and we will be offering a Summer Select 6 pack this June.

RI: Why not offer 6, 8 or 10 game packages that include 1-2 Red Sox/Yankees games, as well as 1 or 2 of each of the bronze, silver and gold games?

TBR: What you described is actually very similar to our Summer Select 6 pack, which will be made available in June. Again, being a season ticket holder provides the best value. Many of our fans get together and buy season tickets as a group (and split the tickets).

RI: We have heard from a lot of season-ticket holders that seem to have been priced out of their old seats. Obviously they can choose to move to a cheaper section, but they don’t seem too happy with that option. What efforts have the Rays made to retain these customers? Did you see a significant change in the percentage of season-ticket customers that renewed their packages this season?

TBR: We continue to offer large discounts to season ticket holders, and we continue to emphasize affordability at Tropicana Field. A family of 4 can attend some games for as low as $32, bring in their own food and park for free. As I mentioned before, we are very proud to be ranked the most affordable team in professional sports.

RI: One of my biggest concerns with attendance has been the more expensive seats close to the field. It is not unusual for the Rays to have a decent-sized crown, but on TV it appears as though the place is empty. It seems to me that this perpetuates the myth that nobody is going to the games and may make the Rays seem unpopular to potential ticket buyers. Are these empty “TV seats” a concern to the Rays? Why not make more of an effort to make sure those seats are filled? Is there anything you can do to get fans into those seats if season-ticket holders aren’t showing up? What about unsold seats? Why not let fans that do have season ticket packages place their name on a waiting list so that if seats in those sections do go unsold, your loyal fans can be moved up?

TBR: If you are speaking of the Avant Air Home Plate Club seats (the big cushioned seats directly behind home), almost all of the seats have been sold to season ticket holders. The customer has access to two lounges so they may not be in their seats for the entire game.

Empty seats also sometimes show on TV in the left and right field foul pole areas, which are also some of the last to sell. We have a Group Sales department that offers special discounts in those areas for groups of 20 more, and you will see some large groups during the season in those areas.

With the baseball season right around the corner, many believe that the three best teams in baseball reside in the AL East, and only two of those teams can make the playoffs. So for a Bostonian point-of-view we went to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. So follow along as Cafardo talks to us about the Red Sox off-season moves, what he has seen from Rocco early on and Manny being Manny.

AN INTERVIEW WITH NICK CAFARDO OF THE BOSTON GLOBE

RI: The Yankees and the Red Sox took very different approaches in the off-season, with the Yankees spending a kazillion dollars and the Sox signing some high-risk, high-reward types. Do you feel the Red Sox did enough this offseason to keep pace? And which acquisition do you see having the biggest impact for the Sox this season?

NC: For the Red Sox it’s all about the post-season so acquiring a proven post-season competitor like John Smoltz, providing he can still pitch at a high level, was a stroke of genius. In Smoltz the Red sox are trying to replicate what Curt Schilling gave them in ’04 and ’07. If he can win a big game in the playoffs and World Series the signing was brilliant.

RI: What has been your impression of Rocco Baldelli so far and what is the general feeling of what he can contribute to the Red Sox this season?

NC: There aren’t many five-tool players out there and he’s one of them. Of course the channelopathy disease really limits some of those tools, but through spring training you see flashes of all of them. He probably doesn’t run as fast as he did when he first came up, but he’s still fast. He has a great arm, runs the bases well, has power and the ball jumps off his bat. So far, it appears he can play in the field more than he did with Tampa. The Sox would love to see Rocco be a co-third outfielder rather than just a fourth outfielder. The huge boost for the Red Sox would be if he could play centerfield against tough lefties so you wouldn’t have to expose Jacoby Ellsbury to tough left-handed pitching. Here’s the other thing to watch for: if he can play more and prove he can be everyday player again he could replace Jason Bay next year if the Red Sox determine Bay’s free-agent price tag is too high.

RI: Of course it is too much to ever expect the Rays to challenge as a rival to the Red Sox the equal of the Yankees, but considering what happened in 2008, how are the Rays perceived by the Red Sox players and the organization?  And outside of Jonathon Papelbon, I expect most of the Red Sox players to say the politically correct things about respecting the Rays, but deep down do you think they believe that or do the players still think the Yankees are the team to beat in the East?

NC: I remember Theo Epstein saying two years that the Rays were going to be a major force for years to come starting this year. He admits he was a year off. But now they’re here and I know that the Red Sox don’t like facing that pitching staff. This isn’t about being politically correct. Red Sox players have felt this was a legitimate threat to them going back two years ago.

RI: Along the same lines, what do you feel is the perception of Red Sox Nation towards the Rays? One-hit wonders or a team to be reckoned with for years to come?

NC: It’s always going to be about the Yankees. That will always be the major rival, but the Rays are going to be like the Orioles back when they were good. There were tremendous games and matchups like Tiant vs. Palmer and now there are great matchups like Beckett vs. Shields or Lester vs. Kazmir. So I think Red Sox Nation eats that up. There isn’t the same passion or hate of the Rays as there is for all things New York, but this is a pretty solid rivalry that fans look forward to watching. And now it’s also become a competition of who’s got the best young players? So Red Sox fans know that the Rays are in this for the long run.

RI: From what you know and what you have seen and read, compare and contrast the front offices of the Sox and Rays as well as Theo Epstein and Andrew Friedman.

NC: I think they’re pretty similar. They both use the new-wave statistical analysis as well as old fashion scouting to find their players. Obviously Boston has a lot more money to work with so they’re probably able to gamble more and are not as afraid to make a mistake on a player because they can either eat the contract or hide the player and find another one. Tampa has to be very precise in all of their player signings so Friedman has to really be perfect in finding a low-budget alternative that he feels will fill a role. The Rays have had to build their team with an emphasis on player development and the Red Sox are going about it the same way but with the added bonus of being able to spend a lot of money on a position if they feel they don’t have it ready in their minor league systsem.

RI: The Red Sox and Manny Ramirez seem to be like the couple that went through a nasty divorce and still can’t stop saying nasty things about the other parent to the kids. Does this risk being a distraction during the season? And does Manny being Manny make life easier for Jason Bay or is there still pressure to replace Manny’s production at a position that is very special in the history of the organization?

NC: The only one who said anything was Papelbon and he made those comments over the winter when the Manny story was still fresh for Esquire’s April edition. This is over for the Red Sox and to Manny’s credit he didn’t react to Papelbon’s comments. So the answer is, no there’s no distraction. As for Bay, a consistent 30-homer, 100-RBI guy, I think he handles this very well. Even he knows he’s not Manny. Only Albert Pujols is Manny. But Bay is really the anti-Manny in that he’s a good left-fielder, who plays every play hard and Boston fans appreciate the effort and the production even though he’s not the feared hitter Manny is.

RI: Have Red Sox fans universally turned against Manny? Or is there still a lot of love for him in Red Sox nation? Take it a step further, if Manny ever steps foot in Fenway Park again wearing a baseball uniform, would we hear more cheers or boos?

NC: I think Manny will always have his hard-core followers who will always look the other way on his indescretions, but I know a lot of people who were fans who turned after he shot his way out of Dodge.

RI: Tell us a great Manny story that has never been portrayed in the media or is not well known.

NC: I think I’ve written all of them. There are some funny stories I’ve heard but can’t verify them so I can’t put them in print.

RI: Who was/is your favorite Red Sox player to cover? And was there a player that gave you an especially hard time? Any memorable encounters?

NC: Been a baseball writer since 1983 so lots of players, lots of stories and a few verbal scuffles. I think Oil Can Boyd was the most memorable character. Everyday brought a new story and a new chapter to one amazingly bizarre career. You always remember the characters – the guys who were a little bit different like Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Jack Clark, Mike Marshall, Matt Stairs, Tony Pena, Lee Smith, Mike Greenwell, Mo Vaughn, Ivan Calderon, Matt Young, Jose Canseco, Jim Rice, Dwight Evans. From a personal point of view, Marty Barrett was tremendous because of the way he was to able break down the game. He had a great mind for baseball. My favorite coach was always Tommy Harper – off the charts incredible baseball mind.  I remember Jack Clark threatened me once over something I wrote and then he got the team to stop talking to me for a few days. I had to meet with team leaders Clemens, Greenwell and Vaughn to straighten things out. Clark and I got along fine after that.

RI: Boston has always been to sports journalists what Pennsylvania has been to quarterbacks. You are working in the presence of a who’s who of baseball and sports writing with Peter Gammons, Dan Shaughnessy and Bob Ryan to name a few. How does that impact your writing? And give us a good story about one (or more) of those guys.

NC: Gammons was my idol and I learned everything about baseball writing from him. We worked at the Globe together for a while. He opened doors for me and introduced me to so many people. We would have hour-long phone calls about baseball almost on a daily basis after Peter had gone to ESPN but was still doing our Sunday notes column. He’s the Babe Ruth of  baseball writing. I’ll never forget some of the call-waitings: “Ah, Nick, gotta go….Bush is on the other line.” Dan is the most courageous baseball writer and columnist I’ve ever been around. He was never afraid to write the tough story and he was always there the next day to face the music and he never backed down. He’s also a great writer and tremendous human being who has helped so many young journalists. Ryan is the most passionate columnist I’ve ever been around. He’s never lost that. He has a great sports mind and always full of opinions. I have so much respect for him.

RI: The Rays are exploring the possibility of installing a retractable roof at The Trop…As a visiting journalist, what is your perception of The Trop? Is the public perception accurate or is it underrated? And would a retractable roof improve the atmosphere and perception?

NC: I like the Trop the way it is. For a reporter, excellent working conditions. I’ve never heard a complaint from people I know who attend the games there.

Now let’s play a little pepper with some quick Q-and-A’s…

RI: Your AL East prediction for 2008?

NC: Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Jays, Orioles..

RI: Your favorite baseball writer(s)?

NC: Gammons, Jon Heyman, Jayson Stark, Ken Rosenthal, Joel Sherman, Bob Nightengale, Scott Miller, Tim Kurkjian, John Lowe, Tracy Ringolsby, Kevin Kernan, Jack Curry. I’m leaving out a thousand names.

RI: Your favorite non-baseball writer(s)?

NC: Bob Duffy.

RI: Favorite place to eat in Boston?

NC: Grille 23

RI: Favorite baseball stadium?

NC: Camden Yards

RI: What is one place you always make sure you visit in Tampa/St.Pete?

NC: International Plaza

RI: Fight between Theo Epstein or Andrew Friedman, who are you betting on?

NC: Epstein has the reach advantage.

We have long-resisted the urge to venture into the world of interviews, but we couldn’t be contained any longer. In what may become a regular feature, we debut our first interview (actually once upon a time we interviewed Chad Orvella). The questions were tough, in part because we wanted to see how good of a dancer Stuart Sternberg is (very good) and in part because you can often learn as much from a non-answer as you can from a real answer. Below we learn Sternberg’s thoughts on how the economy may impact baseball, whether the Rays can remain viable at their current payroll level, what he would change if he were Commissioner and his goal for the Rays in 2009…

The Rays Index interview with Stuart Sternberg

RI: Before we get started, give us a short bio on Stuart Sternberg, from a baseball perspective…What was your favorite team growing up? Did you have a favorite player? Did you play baseball? We envision you as a scrappy David Eckstein-type, always smiling, all-glove, no bat. What was the first Major League Baseball Game you ever attended? Other than a Rays game, is there one game you attended as a fan that sticks out in your memory?

SS: Sandy Koufax,I played through High School and was always a center fielder. Number 3 hitter with a great glove and legs.

RI: OK. Let’s get to work…Outside of the contracts handed out by the Yankees, free agent spending was way down this year. Whether it was a renewed sense of fiscal responsibility or just a lack of funds, Major League Baseball appears to be suffering to some degree in this economy. And now we are hearing that the NBA is handing out loans to teams and several professional sports franchises are cutting back staff…If the economy does not show a strong recovery in the near future, what do you foresee as the short-term and long-term impacts on Major League Baseball?

SS: An even greater separation between the high revenue teams and the rest. There could be a greater bunching “The Rest”. Teams that were , in the past middle market will come down a bit to the rest of the pack. Not good news for competitive balance.

RI: The Rays were one team that did spend money this off-season. You are already on record as saying that the team likely won’t be able to add payroll during the season…Can the Tampa Bay Rays be a viable franchise with a $60 million payroll? And what do you need to see (on the field and off) in order to remain a viable franchise beyond the 2009 season at the current payroll level?

SS: Viable , yes, consistently successful, no. 60 million, and we are stretching it quite a bit here this year cannot do it on a consistent basis.What we are able to do this year is a direct benefit from steps we took in 2006.

RI: You, Andrew Friedman and Matt Silverman have received a lot of praise for bringing new ideas and new points of view to a sport that is often resistant to change…As an owner, have you tried to be active in bringing fresh ideas to Major League Baseball, whether it be on the field or how it operates as a business? In general, how receptive have the other owners been to you and your ideas? And do you feel you have a louder voice among the owners now that you have helped build the Rays into a successful low-payroll franchise?

SS: I think that the voice we have within MLB is some emulation, a direct response to our results last year. We are this years flavor.

RI: Along the same lines…If you were commissioner for a day, what is one change you would implement immediately?

SS: NO DH. That would be the most beneficial quick change to competitive balance not to mention a much better product.

RI: Speaking of which, Bud Selig is 74 years old and if you count his years as acting commissioner, his tenure of 17 years is second only to Kennesaw “Mountain” Landis…If Selig were to retire in the next year or two, give us at least one name you would like to see on the short list to replace Selig and what are the criteria you would look for in the next commissioner?

SS: Bud Seligs greatest asset is his love for the game. He believes that if we do what is in the best interests of baseball then we are doing the right thing, I am paraphrasing there a bit. I would expect the next commissioner to have that same mindset though it would be nearly impossible for that person to have Bud’s love for the game and what it represents to our society. People underestimate how important that really is.

RI: For Major League Baseball, the steroid issue seems to be like the cockroach that you keep missing with your shoe. It just won’t die, and yet many people both inside and outside the sport have long approached this issue, and continue to approach this issue as just a storm that will eventually blow over…In your opinion, how do we get past the steroid issue?

SS: Time, only time. I would say a complete disclosure of all that happened during that era would do it as well, but that can never happen. Too much time has passed and no person or group of people can provide the answers.

RI: Last season the Mets and Yankees drew more than 8 million fans combined. This season, the Yankees have seen full-season season ticket packages increase by more than 20% and even had to cut off sales so that tickets would be available for smaller packages and single-game sales…Knowing this, could New York City support a third baseball team, specifically in your old stomping grounds, Brooklyn? And, other than encroaching on the territorial rights of the Mets and Yankees, what is the argument for NOT having a third team in New York City?

SS: I would think from a financial standpoint it certainly could. The state of California has 5 teams. There is probably another market or two that could support MLB as well.

RI: When the Rays first proposed the idea of a waterfront stadium, it appeared as though the plans and the decision-making process were under team control, with input from outside sources such as the St. Pete City Council. Recently it appears, at least on the surface, that much of the decision-making process has been taken away from the team…Do you feel this is an accurate depiction and if so, does this concern you? What is the Rays level of input at this point and how much say does the team have on specific issues like where the new stadium will be built?

SS: Our organization spent a good deal of time and resources developing and implementing a thoughtful plan for a new ballpark. We never believed we had all of the answers. This is now in the hands of a dedicated group of business and civil leaders who collectively have a better handle on what is needed in the Tampa Bay region. I am extremely pleased with our cooperation with Charlotte County and the magnificent facility that resulted in.

We produced a fantastic community asset which is fan focused. It was all done at a fraction of the cost which other spring training facilities have been built or proposed. In addition we brought in a minor league team to make their home there as well.

RI: St. Pete Mayor Rick Baker wrote an op-ed piece for the St. Pete Times discussing the stadium proposal. In that piece, Baker wrote that he hoped the ownership of the Rays “will take steps to more closely identify the team with the city.” It seemed pretty clear to us that Mayor Baker was suggesting that the Rays path to a new stadium might be less difficult to navigate if the team changed their name to the “St. Pete Rays.” Obviously this would go against the Rays attempts to become a more regional entity…Has the mayor (or the City Council) ever made any specific demands or requests in regards to changing the team name? And if changing the team name is not viable option, what other steps can the team make to more closely associate with the city of St. Pete and satisfy the city’s demands?

SS: Certainly the ballpark on the ST Pete waterfront would have gone a long way. While there are numerous mentions in the national media of Tampa Bay , the city of St Petersburg is not being ignored. We have a bunch of data which measures the exposure St Petersburg has received, it is quite substantial.

RI: Finally…Prior to the 2007 season, people snickered when you said the goal for the season was 50 home wins. That year, the Rays won 37 games at the Trop. People snickered again last March when you set the same goal. But you had the last laugh when the Rays finished 57-24 at home. What clearly outlandish goals have you set for the 2009 season?

SS: Snickered? That’s being kind. Derided is more like it. An outlandish goal? To compete in the American League East a second year. Probably the most difficult task in all team sports.