* Everybody knows the Rays finished last–30th–in MLB attendance last year. Average attendance was 17,857–or 52.4 percent of Tropicana Field capacity. We’re all familiar with the downside of the Trop and the location of that obsolete facility on the fringe of the market. And that this Tampa Bay area is not some traditional MLB market with a long history and local identity. Etc.
Interestingly enough, check out the franchises that finished 28th and 29th in attendance: the well-established, tradition-steeped Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians, respectively. The Sox averaged 20,896–or 51.5 percent capacity, while the Indians averaged 18,428–or 42.2 percent capacity.
* It’s as much a rite of spring as the opening of MLB training camps. Sure enough, there are players not reporting because of visa issues. And, sure enough, no country is more prominent in this regard than the Dominican Republic. This still confounds. If baseball is your biggest export, why wouldn’t you streamline this process so it didn’t happen–every year. This year it’s Alex Colome, the team’s likely fifth starter until Matt Moore returns.
* Cuba could soon have another reminder of the pre-Castro1950s–besides those vintage American cars. According to Tony Clark, president of MLB’s Players Association, major league teams are seriously considering returning to Cuba to play spring exhibition games.
* “Get a life” is an all-too-familiar cliché. It certainly applies, however, to those hanging around Steinbrenner Field these days hoping for an Alex Rodriguez autograph.
Speaking of, A-Roid has three years remaining on his contract and is still owed obscene millions. He hasn’t played in a year and a half, has had surgery on both hips and will turn 40 in a few months. This gives charade a bad name. But this is what the Yankees got when they threw too much money for too long a period of time at someone too well known for character flaws.
Too damn bad.
* Let’s give credit to the Big Ten for formally considering the issue of whether freshmen athletes should be ineligible to compete while they adjust to college life. The conference said it has reached out to members to see if there’s interest “in beginning a national discussion regarding a year of readiness for student-athletes.” It would apply solely to football and men’s basketball.
Alas, you can’t rebottle that genie. Just ask the University of Kentucky’s basketball barker, John “One and done” Calipari.
Coaches such as Calipari, and those that must try to compete with his mercenaries, are not out there recruiting “student-athletes.” That’s for soccer, cross country, tennis, soft ball, swimming, lacrosse and the rest of the non-revenue sports.
Should the Big Ten adopt freshman (football/basketball) ineligibility in the name of student-athlete “readiness,” it would be a competitive disadvantage. It won’t, of course, happen, but nice try.
*For more than a decade, ESPN has been televising the July 4th Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating World Championship from Coney Island. For some unfathomable reason, 40,000 spectators watched and 2.8 million viewers tuned in last year to watch Joey Chestnut devour the competition and 69 hotdogs in 10 minutes.
Now the Tampa Bay region is playing a part with the recent hosting of a regional eating competition at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City. Winners qualified for Coney Island.
Final Fours. Stanley Cup Final. GOP Convention. Bollywood Oscars. Tampa Bay is a major player. Now add glutton for glory with the Nathan’s nexus. Belch.