"It won't be my decision, or solely my decision. But eventually, major-league baseball is going to vaporize this team. It could go on nine, 10, 12 more years. But between now and then, it's going to vaporize this team. Maybe a check gets written locally, maybe someone writes me a check (to buy the team). But it's going to get vaporized."

• "If I had $80 million to put out there, we'd be moving along in life," Sternberg said. "We just don't have $12 million to put into a hitter."

• "When I came here, I was confident we could put a winning team on the field, and that would do it. We won, and we won, and we won and we won … and it didn't do it. Whatever it is, there are 29 other teams passing us like we're going in reverse now. Except on the field, and at some point, that changes."

• "As the owner, I could have affected things today. Today, and a couple of games where a thumper would thump. I could decide to mortgage the future and trade all the young guys, but the truth is that we would only get $9.82 extra at the gate. So what's the sense?"

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/article1195248.ece

http://www.tampabay.com/multimedia/archive/00194/a4s_RAYSSHELTON1005_194203c.jpg

I wonder if The Devil Rays will be Montreal Expos 2.0?

I wonder if The Devil Rays will be Montreal Expos 2.0?


Heaven forbid....Montreal was a baseball ghost town just like Tampa Bay is now. What a shame considering how talented this team is...

Heaven forbid....Montreal was a baseball ghost town just like Tampa Bay is now. What a shame considering how talented this team is...

Vancouver then?

Vancouver then?


Vancouver couldn't sell an NBA team in a smaller venue, it was be 10 x's worse for baseball...

Vancouver couldn't sell an NBA team in a smaller venue, it was be 10 x's worse for baseball...

So baseball can't thrive in Canada unless it's called Toronto?

Could the rays move to Mexico then?

So baseball can't thrive in Canada unless it's called Toronto?

Could the rays move to Mexico then?


Toronto is a decent city for baseball, but only when they are winning. IMO

As far as Mexico goes, the drug climate right now is way to dangerous to put a major league team down there.

Far as i'm concerned the Rays could have vanished from the league when they allowed the Phillies to win the WS in 2008

Vancouver couldn't sell an NBA team in a smaller venue, it was be 10 x's worse for baseball...
Brian please find out the facts before you post. The venue (Rogers Arena which was then known as G.M. Place) was the least of the Vancouver Grizzlies problems. And they had no problem selling tickets either. The only problem they had was getting corporate sponsorship. And that was only because the NBA flatly refused to make any commitment whatsoever to keeping the team in Vancouver. As far as baseball in Vancouver is concerned there is no appropriate venue for MLB in Vancouver and I can't see one being built in the future either. So I don't believe the Rays (or any other MLB team) will be relocating to Vancouver.

Brian please find out the facts before you post. The venue (Rogers Arena which was then known as G.M. Place) was the least of the Vancouver Grizzlies problems. And they had no problem selling tickets either. The only problem they had was getting corporate sponsorship. And that was only because the NBA flatly refused to make any commitment whatsoever to keeping the team in Vancouver. As far as baseball in Vancouver is concerned there is no appropriate venue for MLB in Vancouver and I can't see one being built in the future either. So I don't believe the Rays (or any other MLB team) will be relocating to Vancouver.


I apologize Marv, but why give Vancouver a team, when the NBA wasn't going to support it 100% That really makes no sense. The fact is, Vancouver is a hockey town much like most cities in Canada.

I apologize Marv, but why give Vancouver a team, when the NBA wasn't going to support it 100% That really makes no sense. The fact is, Vancouver is a hockey town much like most cities in Canada.
I believe the NBA only put a team in Vancouver for one reason and that was to get a team into Toronto. They probably felt it would be easier to introduce two Canadian teams at the same time and once the Raptors were established in Toronto and able to stand on their own as the only Canadian franchise it was bye bye Vancouver - hello Memphis.

I believe the NBA only put a team in Vancouver for one reason and that was to get a team into Toronto. They probably felt it would be easier to introduce two Canadian teams at the same time and once the Raptors were established in Toronto and able to stand on their own as the only Canadian franchise it was bye bye Vancouver - hello Memphis.


If that is true, that would be absolutely disgraceful on the part of David Stern!

Somehow this news doesn't surprise me...

http://i54.tinypic.com/swbuoy.jpg
http://i54.tinypic.com/2la8w78.jpg
http://i56.tinypic.com/312e2c6.jpg
http://i55.tinypic.com/24ffkoi.jpg

If Tampa Bay HAD to move...where would they go?

If Tampa Bay HAD to move...where would they go?


That's the thing, there really isn't many major cities in need of a baseball team right now. I would say Las Vegas, but there is no way that would happen.

That's the thing, there really isn't many major cities in need of a baseball team right now. I would say Las Vegas, but there is no way that would happen.

So more than likely...they'll HAVE to fold?

So more than likely...they'll HAVE to fold?


exactly

exactly

So, you're telling me: "Face It, there'll be 29 teams in the Major Leagues"!

I am not saying that at all...the Rays owner is and to be honest, I think he is acting like a crybaby.