Rays cutting payroll, despite success?

[steelcurtain311]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article****p...ook_tb&c_id=tb


This is just appalling, and the reason why baseball is so broken. The Rays are a VERY good baseball team. Yet they now have to fall apart because of money issues. It defeats the purpose of professional sports, it really does.

[Dice]

Well, you can send them over to the White Sox. We definitely could use some of those guys. Hell, we don't even know if Ozzie is going to be here next year(I hope he stays). But just in case, if you want to send Joe Maddon as well.

[av7]

Blame the fans for not supporting the team

[Dbax_Faithful]

Quote: Originally Posted by avrbas

Blame the fans for not supporting the team

You hit the nail on the head there. I've watched a couple games that were in Tampa (I watched on TV) and I was so surprised at the low attendance for a (at the time) first place team. Those people down in Florida need to start supporting their teams, because the Marlins attendance has been almost non-existant.

[boomhauertjs]

Normally I would blame this on the revenue structure of baseball, but in the Rays' case, you have to blame the fans. For a team that has been a contender the last few years (not a one-year fluke), their attendance figures are embarassing. If Tampa won't support a contender, then I would have no problem with them relocating.

[Dog]

Quote: Originally Posted by avrbas

Blame the fans for not supporting the team

THIS!


In a Rays Yankees game last week it was CC Sabathia vs David Price. Huge game. Two great pitchers going at it, in the heat of the playoff race, and the stadium was only 75% full...


In the World Series the Rays had to hold concerts after the games to get people to attend.

[MassNole]

I think people blaming the fans are seeing this too black and white. Yes, Tampa should have better attendance given its success, but ultimately the fans know it's only a matter of time before the top talent goes elsewhere through Free Agency regardless of their support. Just another example of MLB is really only a 3-4 team league with a high level farm system masking itself as the rest of the league.

[jake44np]

Quote: Originally Posted by avrbas

Blame the fans for not supporting the team

Blame a very crappy indoor stadium for fans not wanting to go to the game.