Tropicana Field to be jammed with fans for Yankees-Rays series

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - If you’re not a recent fan of the Tampa Bay Rays then a matchup between the World Champion Yankees and the Rays this weekend in St. Petersburg would mean little more than a chance to see The Champs.

Tampa Bay, not unlike so many metropolitan areas, has a large Yankees fan base.

This series however, pits the two best teams in baseball with first place in the American League East at stake.

Bring on the new Rays.

These are the same ball players who leaped out of baseball’s starting gate in April and tore up ball parks throughout the United States. They remained on top with one of the best road records in baseball for two months.

Then came reality. Not just one Rays player but collectively the team play became so-so in June. Several losses dropped them from first to third in the East. They proved they are human.

The All-Star game featured four Rays players and all four players made a positive impact on the game despite the National League pulling out a rare win. Fans picked Tampa Bay Rays Evan Longoria to start at third base and Carl Crawford to start in left field. It was a good break for the team and a nice showcase of Rays talent.

With a return to regular season play, the Rays have been on fire. Streaky players like fan favorite Carlos Pena found their bats and started pounding opposing pitchers. Stellar defense has become a staple of the Rays approach to baseball. Mix in a complete game no-hitter by pitcher Matt Garza, and solid pitching from the other pitching staff then this Rays team is something to watch. Manager Joe Maddon calls them “fearless”.

Now, bring in the first-place Yankees who are two games ahead of the Rays in the standings.

An emotional return to Yankee Stadium for the Yankees players did not bode well for the Rays after the All-Star break. The passing of their legendary public address announcer and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner made it tough for the Rays to overcome the tide of sentiment. The Rays managed to win only one of the three games in the series.

The Rays organization will honor George Steinbrenner tonight as well with a moment of silence. His presence in the Tampa Bay area was felt by many. He will be missed. The Yankees spring training field on Dale Mabry bears his name. Several charity organizations benefitted from his generosity. Surely, this series would have been one of the big events on his docket if he were still with us.

Yankees Alex Rodriquez is still looking for home run #600. A milestone for one of the many super stars stacked in the Yankees lineup.

If you’re trying to find a ticket, good luck.  Sellout crowds are expected.

These Rays play baseball like old-timers say “it used to be”: great pitching, timely hitting and solid defense. Baseball fan or not, if you can’t get excited about the weekend series between the Yanks and the Rays, then check your pulse.

Bring on the Cowbells or Bronx cheers, Yankees caps or Rays. This should be baseball at its best.