Interesting article from Steve Berthiaume on ESPN about the struggles of the Rays to draw people to watch them live or even on television.

However, it's interesting to read hand-wringing article like this one when you know baseball's biggest embarrassment is yet to come. Check out this reader comment on that article:

skidemon166 wrote:The problem is that other than the dolphins, really, Florida can't support a sports franchise all that well..quite a lot of people there (as I seem to recall) live in retirement communities and it's just too big a hassle to get out of the house for the day to go see hockey, basketball, baseball, whatever. (As evidenced by the fact that even in the 2nd round of hte playoffs, in the game where the Heat had a chance to eliminate the Celtics, the game didn't sell out until 6pm or so ON GAME NIGHT...tell me another city/state where that would happen?)

That stadium in Miami may wind up changing the way this country does business when it comes to sports. The Marlins are going to move into it in 2012... and by 2014 at the latest, they'll be back to averaging 17,000 a game.

Only this won't be like the Expos, who could be swept under the Washington rug. The team will be bound to the area for another two decades or more.

I think I found the problem with the Rays. This is from an article written by an avowed Rays fan, interviewing 3 other supporters, about why getting fans to the game is so difficult (underlines added for emphasis by me):

Getting to the stadium is as frustrating as it is to watch the Rays try to score runs at home this year. Most people have to take I-275 one way or the other and it is a virtual parking lot from Ybor City - which is 25-30 miles east of the stadium, pretty much all of the way to the stadium some days. It has taken me as long as an hour to make that drive from what is essentially east Tampa to Tropicana Field. Smart fans will take the Crosstown toll way to get over to 92 and crawl through stoplights to get to the game but location and the hassle of getting to Tropicana Field is a huge deterrent for fans. My father lives 15 miles from it but after the last 45 minute drive in for a game, he won't go to a game unless I pick him up and do the driving on my way in to work a game.

It takes you ONE HOUR at rush hour to drive 30 miles, and you are BITCHING? 45 minutes to drive to the game is too much?

What a bunch of cocksmoking bitchfucks.

these people are old

Hamels and Jurrjens will both be going for the "first to 10 wins" designation on Saturday (at least in the NL, but maybe even all MLB).

Nobody cares about professional sports in Florida

/fin

There are only 5 scheduled games today.

Oakland's troubles reviewed. They never should have left!

It must be so humbling for a major league player to have the pitcher bat in front of him.

PrattRules wrote:It must be so humbling for a major league player to have the pitcher bat in front of him.

I woinder if the Phillies have ever had a pitcher begin the game batting not ninth. Maybe in the 19th century?

My memory might be tricking me, but I thought in a line up shake up a few years ago the team let Hamels bat 8th.

*** There are plenty of googleholes on this topic, but no confirmation.

From a fantasy perspective, I'd much rather have a speed guy in the NL batting 9th than 8th. 8 hitters don't steal because the pitcher is always bunting in the 9 spot or (if 2 outs) they want to make sure they turn the lineup over.

mozartpc27 wrote:Oakland's troubles reviewed. They never should have left!

It's a wonder they've been there this long. In 1974, they were going for their 3rd straight WS title, and they were 11th out of 12 AL teams in attendance. And 22nd out of 24 in all of MLB.

Then again, they were near the top for the 89-90 teams, so who knows.

The way the Phils sell ticket and now shill tickets for the minors, you could envision the A's return to the city.

I took it as a direct insult that it was mentioned in any way, shape or form that the Z's could end up in NYC, even thought I suspect it was just thrown out there because NYC is so idolized.

thephan wrote:The way the Phils sell ticket and now shill tickets for the minors, you could envision the A's return to the city.

I took it as a direct insult that it was mentioned in any way, shape or form that the Z's could end up in NYC, even thought I suspect it was just thrown out there because NYC is so idolized.

Also, NYC has a MSA population of 19 million people and Philadelphia's is 6 million. Split NYC 3 ways and it is still higher than Philadelphia.

mozartpc27 wrote:

PrattRules wrote:It must be so humbling for a major league player to have the pitcher bat in front of him.

I woinder if the Phillies have ever had a pitcher begin the game batting not ninth. Maybe in the 19th century?

1979, Carlton batted in front of Bud Harrelson.

philliesphhan wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Oakland's troubles reviewed. They never should have left!

It's a wonder they've been there this long. In 1974, they were going for their 3rd straight WS title, and they were 11th out of 12 AL teams in attendance. And 22nd out of 24 in all of MLB.

Then again, they were near the top for the 89-90 teams, so who knows.

I remember reading a baseball guide in 1978 or so that wrote up the A's as "Denver-Oakland" because it was presumed they were about to move to Denver.

Swiggers wrote:

philliesphhan wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Oakland's troubles reviewed. They never should have left!

It's a wonder they've been there this long. In 1974, they were going for their 3rd straight WS title, and they were 11th out of 12 AL teams in attendance. And 22nd out of 24 in all of MLB.

Then again, they were near the top for the 89-90 teams, so who knows.

I remember reading a baseball guide in 1978 or so that wrote up the A's as "Denver-Oakland" because it was presumed they were about to move to Denver.

They should have gone.

Still think they should wind up some place like Portland. Maybe San Antonio.

mozartpc27 wrote:

Swiggers wrote:

philliesphhan wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Oakland's troubles reviewed. They never should have left!

It's a wonder they've been there this long. In 1974, they were going for their 3rd straight WS title, and they were 11th out of 12 AL teams in attendance. And 22nd out of 24 in all of MLB.

Then again, they were near the top for the 89-90 teams, so who knows.

I remember reading a baseball guide in 1978 or so that wrote up the A's as "Denver-Oakland" because it was presumed they were about to move to Denver.

They should have gone.

Still think they should wind up some place like Portland. Maybe San Antonio.

Some oil baron named Davis was going to move the A's to Denver. At the time, Denver's triple-A team in Mile High was drawing well and the A's had a full season in Oakland (either '78 or '79) without a crowd as large as 20,000. One night against Seattle, they drew 653 for a major league. A's third baseman Wayne Gross said he yelled "good night" to the crowd at the end of the game and they all heard him.

Saw Bryce Harper play last night in a single-A game in Greensboro. Overrated chants during every AB (1-4, 1B, 2 warning track fly outs). Pretty neat. Some guy named Michael Taylor had a homer and triple, thought it was our ol' friend, but it wasn't.

BuddyGroom wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:

Swiggers wrote:

philliesphhan wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Oakland's troubles reviewed. They never should have left!

It's a wonder they've been there this long. In 1974, they were going for their 3rd straight WS title, and they were 11th out of 12 AL teams in attendance. And 22nd out of 24 in all of MLB.

Then again, they were near the top for the 89-90 teams, so who knows.

I remember reading a baseball guide in 1978 or so that wrote up the A's as "Denver-Oakland" because it was presumed they were about to move to Denver.

They should have gone.

Still think they should wind up some place like Portland. Maybe San Antonio.

Some oil baron named Davis was going to move the A's to Denver. At the time, Denver's triple-A team in Mile High was drawing well and the A's had a full season in Oakland (either '78 or '79) without a crowd as large as 20,000. One night against Seattle, they drew 653 for a major league. A's third baseman Wayne Gross said he yelled "good night" to the crowd at the end of the game and they all heard him.

Wow

Another game that year only had 750, though by that point they were 52-100.

The 1978 team was 17-5, and then won 11-3 at home to move to 18-5 and the attendance that game was 2,512