Milton: 1
Tropicana Roof: 0

Best thing that happened to the Rays.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

I don't get why that's funny...

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

I am similarly befuddled.

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Ha! It's merely a commentary on contemporary mores.

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It’s not funny that there were first responders inside, clearly was making a joke at the Rays and the shit stadium they play in that no one wants to go to. I will be more serious from now on.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

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Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.- JD Vance
If you committed violence on that day, obviously, you shouldn’t be pardoned.- JD Vance on the J-6 insurrectionists

Shocked a roof made of paper was so damaged

I saw the Cubs play there this past summer. That roof looked like a circus tent. No shock to me it ripped off.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Kind of like when the metrodome inflatable roof collapsed under an heavy snow.

It looked like a dungeon in there. Hopefully the replacement roof allows more light in, similar to Allegiant Stadium in Vegas.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

Unfortunately they are using Tropicana for housing for out of town first responders and power line techs.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

I think they were talking about the post after yours with the

Gotcha

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

They're going to break ground on a replacement stadium soon (inscrutably, right next to the current one whose location everyone whines about). It wouldn't surprise me if they decide not to put any more money into it and the Rays just split the next few years between Orlando and an expanded spring training complex, whether their own or one of the other ones in the area.

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Was also there, I think for the Thursday night game. Wasn't a fan of the ballpark.

By far the worst one I have been to although I have never been to Oakland. I have seen all but six stadiums now.

We went to Ferg’s, damn that place was big.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

And I was laughing at Hawg's post, not at the actual blow-off.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

We were looking to hit either there or someplace else near the park but one of our crew got into town late so we made him drive from Tampa down to the park. And we made him buy beers.

Looking more and more like Tropicana Field is done. The Rays would have to pay for whatever insurance doesn't cover. I'm guessing they move as many games to Miami as the Marlins' schedule allows (MLBPA is big on playing major-league games at major-league facilities and the league is already pushing their luck with Sacramento) and play the rest at a spring training complex.

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Move the Rays to US Cellular Field.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Designed for 115 MPH.

Category 3 tops out at 129 MPH, Cat 4 at 156 and Cat 5 higher than that. So no mystery that it blew off, right? What am I missing?

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

It was an inside job.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

The damage has been blown out of proportion.

Definitely the jews

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The Semites.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Was that still the original roof from 1988? Wouldn't surprise me if they never bothered to replace it. It's possible that a fresh roof would have made it through slightly the worse for wear, but that fiberglass with 35 years of wind, rain, and UV exposure was significantly weakened and never stood a chance.

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Hurricane fuel can't shred fiberglass roofs.

Do your own research on the tensile strength of fiberglass roof membrane.

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Leaving the Rays west of the Bay = catering to snowbirds and tourists.

East Tampa location closer to more local, permanent population + Lakeland and even Orlando peeps.


Maybe MLB be more amenable to Rays playing in Montreal now.

I don't think Nashville has a proper MLB facility currently. Nashville Sounds play in a dated 10K capacity field that even the MiLB team wants to get the hell out of.

Vandy baseball team, despite being perennially in contention for the CWS, play at a tiny, under 4K capacity field.

NC, another potential expansion location, must have decent minor league facilities. I dunno if MLB wants to test the waters for an expansion franchise with the Rays for a season or two, even/esp with the Rays already committed to staying put in Florida.

All the other potential expansion cities out west or out of the country. Orlando is on the list; difficult to see a 3rd Florida baseball team, considering Rays and Marlins struggle to draw crowds.

Unreal that since 2008, the Rays were screaming that they had to get out of the Trop, out of St. Pete, and move to Tampa so that people could drive to games with less traffic and develop a permanent fanbase. I wonder if it's not too late to get out of building a $2 billion, 30,000-seat dome right next to the Trop.

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