For baseball world, the sooner the better on Rays stadium decision

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — First the St. Petersburg City Council and now Pinellas County commissioners want more time before voting on whether to commit funding for their roughly combined half of the new $1.3 billion Rays stadium planned as part of the massive Historic Gas Plant redevelopment project.

That’s understandable for any vote on a project of scope, and especially one with politicians, some with loftier ambitions, concerned about answering to constituents.

But news that the votes, once planned for early 2024, likely will be delayed into at least May has raised some concern around the game about where the push for a new stadium, which started in 2007, is headed.

Especially as the Rays’ situation — with their Tropicana Field lease ending after 2027 amid the A’s working on moving to Las Vegas, and a growing push by other cities for expansion — has league-wide impact.

“We’re at the point now where it needs to go,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said last month.

After meeting with Rays players as part of his spring camp tour, union chief Tony Clark last week similarly said that resolution is needed, one way or another.

“The sooner common ground can be found such that everyone knows what tomorrow — the proverbial tomorrow — is going to look, like it’s going to be beneficial,” he said.

Among his reasons is that players — veterans eyeing multiyear deals, young ones whose rights are controlled for six years — want to know where they’ll be playing in 2028.

“Players who are committed long-term, who are interested perhaps in being committed long-term, or that the club is interested in committing to long-term, having an idea as to where they may be calling home is going to be of benefit,” Clark said.

Rays player rep Pete Fairbanks had a similar view. “The faster we can get shovels in the ground, I think the happier the region, team, staff, players will all be,” he said. “I wish we could hit ‘rebuild stadium’ (like on a video game), and the next year it’s there.”

Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg, speaking after arriving in the Dominican Republic for this weekend’s exhibition games, said from the standpoint of the team and its partners in the project quicker action is preferred.

“Time is not your friend when you have something that you feel good about and you think that is going to work out,” he said. “So, nothing good could happen between now and next week. And certainly nothing great is going to happen between now and May. So, the sooner the better in this case.

“Sometimes you have to get your ducks in order to do whatever. We’re ready to go.”

Sternberg said team officials remain confident of getting approval.

“I feel good about it,” he said. “As we’re doing all the work that we’re doing, I feel even better that it’s going to be an amazing, tremendous, successful project for everybody.

“It’s a project; I’m not thinking about it for the team as much. All the work that’s been done in the last three-four months has been on the development side and trying to figure out how it all fits. And the folks who do this for a living, with Gensler (architecture/planning) and Hines (the global developer), they get more excited every week by what an amazing project they expect us to do, besides the stadium.”

On Zunino retiring

Manager Kevin Cash has fond memories of former catcher Mike Zunino, who spent 2019-22 with the Rays as part of an 11-season career and now looks to get into coaching.

“Congrats to Mike,” Cash said. “He meant a lot. A lot of good things were taking place when he was kind of leading our pitching staff. The 2020 postseason — Randy (Arozarena) stole the show — but you look at what Manny Margot and Mike Zunino did, they’re right there with him with the big home runs and big hits. Just a quality person, quality family, so happy for him.”

Zunino, 32, retired just shy of some round numbers, with a .199 average and 149 homers, as well as the 10-year service mark for a full pension. He said in an Instagram post: “I am excited to bring what I have learned in the game to the next generation of MLB players and to give back to the game that has given so much to me.”

Rays rumblings

Pitcher Shane Baz didn’t tweak his left oblique just picking up some small piece of iron in the weight room last week. “It was like a 70-pound kettlebell, or maybe 100,” he said, then joked, “It might have been one of Yandy (Diaz)’s.” … There’s some apples and oranges in calculating teams’ opening-day payrolls, but by Rays math they’re at roughly $92 million, a franchise high by far. … Infielder/outfielder Amed Rosario turned down $4 million from the Yankees to take $1.5 million (plus up to $500,000 more in incentives) from the Rays, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reported, primarily because of “a clearer route to regular at-bats.” … Cash knew retired manager Terry Francona, a close friend, liked Rosario from their time in Cleveland, and has seen it: “He has texted me three or four times specifically asking about him; so just the amount of respect that he has for that player.” ... MLB.com pegged the Rays’ farm system No. 6 overall but noted they are “somewhat surprisingly … a little light on arms.” … 2005 All-Star reliever Danys Baez was back in the Rays clubhouse last week in his new role working with the union to help players with long-term financial planning. … More than a couple of big-name players have been wearing Crocs around the clubhouse. … If Baker Mayfield re-signs with the Bucs to stay in Tampa Bay, he’s going to have to learn some allegiances can’t be tested, such as taking batting practice in Tampa Thursday with the Yankees. Plus, he’s a Rangers fan. … Bally Sports Sun’s Tricia Whitaker re-upped for a third season to also do Friday night games for AppleTV+. … Add veteran starter Zach Eflin to those impressed by Japanese newcomer Naoyuki Uwasawa’s personality in addition to his pitching: “He’s pretty much the life of the room when you talk to him.” ... Jim Bowden, writing for The Athletic, tabbed Jonathan Aranda as the player turning the most heads in camp.

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