MacDill Happenings

The Tampa Bay Ray Fan Fest is 20 February at Tropicana Field in St. Pete.  Admission and parking is free! Autographs for kids 14 and under are free. Autographs for fans 15 and older will cost $20 with the donation going to the Haiti disaster relief efforts through the American Red Cross and Save the Children. There will be a kids interactive area with wiffle ball home run derby challenges, speed pitch machines, and batting cages. You can also tour the clubhouse! Or you can audition to sing the National Anthem before a regular season game! Baseball season is around the corner with the first spring game on 4 March.  Pitchers and catchers reporting into camp yesterday.  The first full workout is 24 February.  The Rays start out the season on the road against the Orioles. The major league schedule home opener is 6 April!  We did not make the playoffs last season, but it has been a good off-season.  With a couple of good trades and signing of free agents and some reported extra hard off-season conditioning by some key players who have a lot to prove, fans can look forward to a great season.  Making it to the World Series in 2008 has raised the expectations of fans.  Fans are not going to be satisfied with not making the playoffs.   The Rays have the players and the minor league system to be in contention for a long time!  More importantly, the owners and management know how to build a contender in a small market.