Sports

Rays tell Pinellas County that “The Deal is on.” Tampa is watching with an eye to keep the Rays in town

Published

3 months ago

December 2, 2024

RANT SPORTS – The Tampa Bay Rays have informed the Pinellas County Commission that the agreements for a new $1.3 billion stadium will stand for the time being. Commission Chair Kathleen Peters issued a letter to the team, requiring them to declare whether they will proceed with building the stadium or withdraw by Sunday, December 1.

Due to the damage to Tropicana Field by hurricane Milton the Rays at the advice of Major League Baseball agreed to pay the New York Yankees $15 million dollars to play the 2025 season in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The decision was based in what minor league park in the area was best suited to play up to MLB standards.

The Rays response Peters letter

On Friday, the Rays stated in a letter to the County Commission that the agreements would remain effective until either party withdraws, or deadlines are met. The Rays expressed in their correspondence to the commission that they would not have proceeded with the deal had they been aware that future commissions could rescind approval or postpone the project until 2029.

“The Rays have fulfilled its obligations to date and continue to wait for decisions and actions by the City of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County,” the letter signed by team president Matt Silverman said.

Pinellas County reacts to the Rays letter

The Tampa Bay Times has reported that Peters’ response to the Rays on Saturday afternoon suggests a softening of political stances. The Rays believed they had secured a deal in July; however, circumstances have shifted, leaving the agreement in a state of uncertainty.

“While publicly the Rays organization has said ‘the deal is dead,’ their written statement is in contrast,” Peters said in a statement. “Despite the Rays’ lack of political prowess of late, I’ve always been optimistic about this project because of the great economic impact it could bring to our county.

“To continue to keep taxes low for residents, we need to develop new funding streams. I look forward to continued discussion with my colleagues about how this stadium can do just that, while solidifying Pinellas as a diverse tourist destination.”

How we got here

The Pinellas County Commissioners have upheld the deal agreed upon in July with a 5-2 vote, authorizing the issuance of bonds required to secure the necessary funds for constructing the new Rays stadium. This stadium is a major part of the $6.5 billion redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District, which will include a mix of office and retail spaces, green areas, a concert venue, and affordable housing.

However, the election of two new anti-stadium members to the Pinellas County Commission has led to repeated postponements of the vote on the bonds. This has caused the Rays to question whether they truly have a deal, given that a new set of commissioners could overturn the agreement reached in July.

The city of St. Petersburg has postponed a vote to commence repairs on Tropicana Field, casting uncertainty over the 2026 season. It raises the question: why repair the dome if it’s going to be demolished to make way for a new stadium?

RANT SPORTS MUST READS

Rays face a deadline with Pinellas County

Prime Video Sports goes local with MLB this reason

Snell lands with the Dodgers in hopes of adding pitching depth

Tampa is looking on to see how things work out

The Rays have stated that the new agreement permits Hillsborough County and the city of Tampa as a secondary option for an alternative stadium. Despite Tampa’s desire for a baseball team spanning over four decades, a viable plan has yet to be realized.

This situation may shift as the team is slated to play in Tampa, just across from Raymond James Stadium, the Buccaneers’ abode, at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ winter retreat. Fans who have previously lamented the hassle of crossing Tampa Bay can now seize the chance to occupy the 11,000 seats available at each home game.

The latest development in Tampa was in 2018, with plans for a ballpark estimated at around $900 million, located across from the Ybor City district. This area is one of the city’s most historic, known as the heart of Cuban culture and long recognized as the cigar-making capital of the world.

“The location that we were we had identified last couple years is still available in the Ybor City, port area,” Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan said.

“[MLB] Commissioner [Rob] Manfred has told me, personally, Tampa Bay is a very important market for Major League Baseball, and that’s why, just a couple days ago, you saw him come out and reaffirm that. One way or another, we’re going to work things out here in Tampa Bay,” Hagan said.

Source link

Sports

Lightning extend their winning streak to 5 games with a 4-1 win over the Kraken

Published

9 hours ago

February 24, 2025

Austin Reed

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is scored against by Montreal Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher during first-period NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves and the Tampa Bay Lightning extended their winning streak to five games with a 4-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken on Sunday night.

Nikita Kucherov, Luke Glendening and Nick Paul scored in the third period and Brandon Hagel added his third short-handed goal of the season as the Lightning improved to 6-0-1 in their last seven games.

Shane Wright scored, and Ales Stezka finished with 19 saves in his NHL debut for Seattle.

After a scoreless first period, Hagel gave the Lightning the lead when he raced up ice to fend off Oliver Bjorkstrand and put a spinning backhander on goal for his league-leading seventh short-handed score of the season at 9:27 of the second period.

Kucherov and Glendening scored 1:43 apart in the third period to give Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead. Wright tipped in a shot by Brandon Montour to cut it 3-1 at 15:24. Paul added an empty-net goal.

Takeaways

Kraken: Seattle fell to 0-9 in the second half of back-to-back games. … Stezka, a 28-year-old rookie, became the first goalie to make an NHL debut with the Kraken.

Lightning: Tampa Bay recorded its 10th short-handed goal of the season, second-most in the league behind Florida (12). … Defenseman J.J. Moser returned to the lineup after missing 28 games with an undisclosed lower-body injury.

Key moment

Tampa Bay was nursing a one-goal lead in the third period when the Lightning scored off a set faceoff play. Brayden Point pulled a puck off the draw back to Nikita Kucherov, who scored on a quick shot past Stezka at 11:15 of the third.

Key stat

Tampa Bay improved to 7-0-1 all-time against Seattle.

Up next

Both teams play Tuesday. Seattle is at St. Louis, while Tampa Bay hosts Edmonton.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Source link

Sports

Judge won’t grow beard, supportive of Yankees changing rule

Published

16 hours ago

February 24, 2025

Austin Reed

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Associated Press – New York Yankees star Aaron Judge supports the club’s decision to finally allow players to grow well-groomed beards, but don’t expect to see him with one anytime soon.

Judge said Saturday that he was shocked by the rule change but added that he has no plans to grow a beard, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post.

The Yankees announced Friday they were amending the decades-long policy that prohibits beards after conversations with current and former players.

“If this is something that’s going to stop us from winning games or stop us from getting a player or stop a certain guy from not performing their best, why would we put that in the way of what our ultimate goal is?” Judge said, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News.

The Yankees’ facial hair policy dated back to the early 1970s when George Steinbrenner purchased the franchise. Players weren’t permitted to have hair touching the collar of their jersey, and a mustache was the only acceptable facial hair.

Source link

Sports

Buccaneers Baker Mayfield’s Stellar 2024 Season Earns Ongoing Accolades

Published

17 hours ago

February 23, 2025

Austin Reed

Buccaneers Lions Football – ap photo Baker Mayfield

Bucs Report – Special to Sports Talk Florida – Throughout the offseason, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield faced intense scrutiny from critics who doubted the team’s potential heading into the 2024 season.

Following a breakout 2023 campaign that earned him a Pro Bowl selection and a division title, skeptics wondered if Mayfield’s success was a fleeting phenomenon. However, Mayfield silenced his doubters by elevating his game to new heights in 2024.

Mayfield achieved impressive statistics in 2024, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, while also setting a new career-high with a 71.4% completion rate. Notably, despite his outstanding performance, he was overlooked for a Pro Bowl selection.

—

Although Mayfield has received limited accolades over the past two years, Pro Football Focus (PFF) has taken notice of his impressive performance. In their annual ranking of the top 101 players from the 2024 season, PFF slotted Mayfield at No. 63, recognizing him as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks alongside just six others.

“Under yet another new offensive play-caller, Mayfield earned an 85.9 overall grade this season, which represents a new career-high for him and ranked him sixth in the NFL. Including the postseason, his 43 passing touchdowns tied him for second-most in the league. His signature performance came in Week 18 with an NFC South title on the line, as he posted a career-best 94.8 overall grade.”

This ranking serves as a well-deserved acknowledgment of Mayfield’s skills, notably placing him ahead of fellow quarterback Jalen Hurts (91).

As he prepares to adapt to his third offensive coordinator in as many years, the spotlight will once again be on Mayfield to prove his consistency and replicate his success.

Fortunately, Josh Grizzard’s promotion from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator ensures a measure of continuity, which should facilitate a smoother transition.

After two consecutive Pro Bowl-caliber seasons, Mayfield has finally garnered recognition from the broader NFL community. Now, as the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on him, eagerly anticipating whether he can sustain his exceptional performance.

Given his impressive track record, it’s reasonable to expect that Mayfield and the Buccaneers will make another playoff appearance in 2025.