Thursday, January 17th, 2008
Remember, you can shoot me an email any time with ideas for the Lunch Break (or anything else!) at scottcaruso@gmail.com.
Here’s an email that Richard sent to me the other day:
Scott, would like to put a push on to get a better hot dawg at the trop. He guy just kidding (well not really, hot dawgs do suck). Looking forward to the ‘08 season. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to my morning coffee at the Namoli complex next month. Be my last year, been doing it for 10 years..
Go Rays
Better hot dogs, eh? That almost sounds like something I can campaign on to actually win the David Bloom Award next year instead of giving in to the power of corr… you know what, I’m gonna stop myself right there. I’ve already gotten into enough trouble with that award.
Anyways… back to the issue at hand. Better hot dogs. Yeah, the Trop’s hot dogs are alright (I’m kind of fond of the ultra-bad for you Sting’em Dog, myself) but they could always be better. That brings me to the topic of discussion for today: other than more wins, what would make the experience at the Trop more enjoyable for you? Do you think it’s perfect the way it is? I’d love to hear how the diehards feel about this one.
For me, I want them to actually tone down the sound effects and music that is constantly blaring through the sound system. Not only is there too much of it, but it is EXTREMELY loud. And maybe one of those promotions like some other teams do where it’s $1 hot dog night or something along those lines. I actually think that could inspire more people to head on down there.
Tags: I was robbed in David Bloom voting and all I got was th, Sting'em dogs, Tropicana Field
Posted in Discussion | 13 Comments »
Monday, January 14th, 2008
Here’s what you may have missed over the weekend while writing cuss words on your checks to pay for parking tickets:
Marc Topkin checked in with a bunch of notes in the Sunday St. Pete Times:
About the utility player the Rays want:
The preferred profile for the wanted “super-utility” player is a left-handed hitter who can play first and third and fill in at the corner outfield spots, and likely would be acquired via trade.
Though I’m not sure why they’d want a LEFTY to play first since that’s what Carlos Pena is and the addition of this player would likely mean the end of Joel Guzman’s chances of making the roster, that player they are talking about sounds an awful lot like Frank Catalanotto. Problem is, he makes $3.5 million and plays for another team (Texas), so the Rays would have to swing some kind of trade. I don’t see that happening.
As is being reported for about the 10th time, the Rays are going beyond the original payroll estimate of $40 million.
“From the original thoughts that all of us had, we’re a good bit above that number and it’s just the way things worked out,” Friedman said. “It’s the opportunistic approach that we had this offseason.”
I don’t think it’s ever been a question of getting to $40 million and stopping there. I think the team was truly taking the approach that it would spend whatever it needed to spend so long as it remained within the plan - the plan of course being to continue to develop the majority of its talent from within. The money spent on Troy Percival, for instance, was the right move to make and the organization should be commended for being willing to shell out a little more cash than it said it was going to.
I’m thinking Topkin might be taking the blog route and just reposting the news of the week because he said, as we’ve heard a number of times already, that the decision on Evan Longoria’s status will likely come prior to Spring Training.
t would seem an unusual way to do things, but Friedman said the Rays might decide before 3B prospect Evan Longoria gets to spring training whether or not he’s on the team.
The thinking is that the Rays already know enough about him, that talent evaluations during the spring are often skewed by circumstance and level of competition, and that deciding beforehand would reduce scrutiny (and pressure) on his day-to-day play.
But doing so would seem to make sense only if they decide Longoria, 22, isn’t going to make the team. That way, it eliminates the question from being a daily issue, as well as a potential controversy if Longoria were to put up huge spring numbers.
I have to disagree with Topkin on the point that it only makes sense if he isn’t going to make the team. “It eliminates the question from being a daily issue”? Uhhh, this isn’t the New York media, pal. I suspect that you, Marc Lancaster, and Bill Chastain aren’t going to exactly crush the guy’s spirits with your reporting over the course of Spring Training. You might just be overstating your job a little, don’t you think?
Rocco Baldelli watch: He is actually running and hasn’t hurt himself… yet.
Baldelli said he has been working out and running three days a week with no problems from his previously troubling hamstrings and plans to “turn it up a notch” after returning to Florida at the end of the month. “If I can hit and kind of take it easy running, I think everything will fall right into place after that,” he said.
That’s right. Rocco’s getting ready to “turn it up a notch.” Look out, AL East.
In all seriousness, the return of a healthy Baldelli would be a boon to this team because it simply adds an All-Star-caliber player to an already strong team. Considering how little he was around last season, it’s almost like another big free agent signing.
No, seriously…
And for those who keep asking, the Trop can’t be “converted” to an outdoor stadium by removing the roof and some walls because it was built with no drainage or weatherproofing (and would be very costly to do).
WHO ASKED THIS QUESTION?! No, seriously. I want to know. Was it one of you guys?
Elsewhere in the Raysverse, the team is playing the “it will give more money to schools” card as it relates to the new stadium. Not a bad move, considering reaction on the project seems mixed at best. (St. Pete Times)
The Rays say the successful redevelopment of Tropicana Field and its parking lots could generate $5-million a year in new property tax revenues for state and Pinellas schools. If the redevelopment includes retail, millions more dollars could flow into the city and county coffers each year through sales tax payments.
That money, which would not help build a new stadium for the Rays, could be used to build new schools or new parks or pay teachers or police officers more, the Rays say.
Watching this whole thing play out is like watching a politician who is 5 to 10 points down in the polls try to make up ground heading into a primary.
I’m not going to steal The Professor’s thunder on this one, since he already wrote pretty much what I would’ve written about it, but Joe Maddon made it a point to say last week that .500 is a reasonable goal for this team. (Tampa Tribune)
The blend of talent and experience has the manager talking about a .500 season as “a reasonable goal,” but it won’t deter him from taking a back-to-basics approach to spring training. In fact, the potential to crack the 70-win barrier for the first time in Rays history might only serve to reinforce Maddon’s determination to avoid giving away so many winnable games by committing fundamental mistakes.
“I’m going to apply a lot of pressure to the coaches and myself this spring training to make sure we get these fundamentals down appropriately,” Maddon said. “We’ve talked about them for two years; I believe this group is ready to put them into play. I believe this group is ready to take what we’re talking about and execute them. I believe this group will accept constructive criticism well and be accountable for their actions.
As soon as you shoot for mediocrity, you set yourself up for failure. Way to go, Joe. This team - like every team’s goal - should be to win as many games as possible and ultimately reach the playoffs. But, nah, let’s shoot for a third-place finish and the chance to watch Joe Buck annoy the fans of two other teams instead of ours in the playoffs.
Tags: Evan Longoria, Frank Catalanotto, Joe Maddon, Marc Topkin, new stadium, payroll, Rocco Baldelli, Tropicana Field
Posted in Links Galore | 9 Comments »
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008
Here’s what’s going on in the Raysverse while about 10 people head to the polls in New Hampshire to decide between Democractic and Republican candidates…
I’m up for an award! Maybe it’s a bowling alley. I’m not one to beg and stump for votes but PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE go vote for me. Thanks.
I really wanted to break down Dayn Perry’s article on FOX Sports about how the Rays are turning a corner, but I couldn’t break myself away from this one quote that really irks me:
…whatever the reasons, Rays fans — both of them! — finally have cause for optimism.
Is it really necessary to put down the fanbase that you are trying to attract with your article? It’s one thing for a columnist or a writer who regularly writes about a team to take a little jab at his breatheren - we’re all in it together and doing it in good fun - but this guy thought it would be funny to put down the fans of the Rays just to make a point. Dayn is probably a fine writer; he wouldn’t be writing for FOX Sports if he wasn’t, but I’m just not a fan of this one.
Apparently, the Toronto Blue Jays weren’t paying attention is 2007 as they signed Shawn Camp to a minor league deal. Also, something I didn’t realize - so a correction from a few days ago - Jorge Velandia HAS already signed, being picked up by the Pirates. (Rays Report)
Bill Chastain checked in with his latest mail bag. A lot of the same from him. He thinks the Rays will find and sign a left-handed reliever, he told some guy that his ideas for free agent signings were stupid (but was much nicer about it), he had to explain - AGAIN - why Akinori Iwamura is moving to second base, and had to deal with someone who doesn’t understand the Evan Longoria process, either. I do NOT envy this man’s job. (MLB.com)
If you feel particularly strongly about what the city should do with Tropicana Field after the new stadium is built, you can make your voice heard at a special public meeting being held on Wednesday at the Trop. (St. Pete Times)
Speaking of the stadium, I sure hope the Rays have a contingency plan for building this thing, because the local government doesn’t look likely to provide the $60 million subsidy that they need. This little song-and-dance will go back and forth for a while. (St. Pete Times)
Tags: Akinori Iwamura, Bill Chastain, Blue Jays, David Bloom Award, Dayn Perry, Evan Longoia, Fans, Jorge Velandia, LOOGY, mailbag, new stadium, Pirates, Shawn Camp, Tropicana Field
Posted in Links Galore | 1 Comment »
