Rays waiting to see what storm brings
With tropical storm Fay tracking toward the Tampa Bay area, the Rays have begun trying to sort out how their three-game series against the Angels will be affected.
"We're playing the game on Monday," team president Matt Silverman said. "If the storm maintains its current path, [Tuesday's game] would be in doubt. And then we'll make a call on Wednesday based on Tuesday."
Silverman said the Rays have been in communication with the American League and the Angels.
"And we're hopeful we'll get the series in, [but] two out of three is the most likely case," Silverman said. "But with the unpredictability of the storm, it's pretty much a wait-and-see game."
Silverman said the Angels were already en route to St. Petersburg.
"After Monday's game, there's a possibility [the Angels] would go to a neighboring city -- whether it's Miami or Atlanta -- so they could be close," Silverman said. "But it all depends on the path of the storm."
Silverman pointed out that Miami and Atlanta are cities close in geographical proximity to St. Petersburg, and cities that should be unaffected by the storm.
"We should know Monday night about Tuesday's game," Silverman said. "We have to confer with the city of St. Petersburg and understand its needs. [Tropicana Field is] one of the command centers for the city, and that will affect the timing of the games. At this point, it's all speculative because the storm is still a good ways away from the coast."
Silverman was asked about the possibility of a Wednesday doubleheader in the event Tuesday's game is canceled.
"It all depends on the storm, the timing of landfall and where it hits," Silverman said. "We'll talk to the league and decide whether there's the ability to play two or just to play one on Wednesday. But we're hopeful we'll be able to get in at least two games.
"... We haven't discussed [the possibility of a doubleheader] in detail with the league, but I don't think it's very likely. There is a mutual off-day on Sept. 1 that is a possibility. So at least we know there's a time we can make up the game or games."
Rays manager Joe Maddon said the organization is mindful that the players are concerned with their loved ones.
"The biggest thing is the families of everybody involved," Maddon said. "We're just most concerned about our guys being with their families if this indeed becomes a serious and more serious situation. Baseball is one thing. Your family is something entirely more important. We'll just have to deal with that as it goes along. We'll try to get baseball games in, but make sure that the players get to be involved with their families."
Cliff Floyd said the players are just as much "real people" when it comes to this stuff as anybody else.
"As crazy as it may be, we have to ask questions just as much as anybody else and get as much information as anybody else," Floyd said. "Because our phones are going to ring from our families asking what they're supposed to do, and we're supposed to know the answers." The Rays have had to reschedule or cancel games due to hurricanes four times in the team's history. On Sept. 17, 2000, Hurricane Gordon canceled a game against Oakland. Two games against Detroit were not played on Sept. 4-5, 2004, because of Hurricane Frances, and they were made up during a doubleheader played on Sept. 30, 2004. And the Sept. 26, 2004, game against Toronto was canceled and not rescheduled due to Hurricane Jeanne.
With tropical storm Fay tracking toward the Tampa Bay area, the Rays have begun trying to sort out how their three-game series against the Angels will be affected.
"We're playing the game on Monday," team president Matt Silverman said. "If the storm maintains its current path, [Tuesday's game] would be in doubt. And then we'll make a call on Wednesday based on Tuesday."
Silverman said the Rays have been in communication with the American League and the Angels.
"And we're hopeful we'll get the series in, [but] two out of three is the most likely case," Silverman said. "But with the unpredictability of the storm, it's pretty much a wait-and-see game."
Silverman said the Angels were already en route to St. Petersburg.
"After Monday's game, there's a possibility [the Angels] would go to a neighboring city -- whether it's Miami or Atlanta -- so they could be close," Silverman said. "But it all depends on the path of the storm."
Silverman pointed out that Miami and Atlanta are cities close in geographical proximity to St. Petersburg, and cities that should be unaffected by the storm.
"We should know Monday night about Tuesday's game," Silverman said. "We have to confer with the city of St. Petersburg and understand its needs. [Tropicana Field is] one of the command centers for the city, and that will affect the timing of the games. At this point, it's all speculative because the storm is still a good ways away from the coast."
Silverman was asked about the possibility of a Wednesday doubleheader in the event Tuesday's game is canceled.
"It all depends on the storm, the timing of landfall and where it hits," Silverman said. "We'll talk to the league and decide whether there's the ability to play two or just to play one on Wednesday. But we're hopeful we'll be able to get in at least two games.
"... We haven't discussed [the possibility of a doubleheader] in detail with the league, but I don't think it's very likely. There is a mutual off-day on Sept. 1 that is a possibility. So at least we know there's a time we can make up the game or games."
Rays manager Joe Maddon said the organization is mindful that the players are concerned with their loved ones.
"The biggest thing is the families of everybody involved," Maddon said. "We're just most concerned about our guys being with their families if this indeed becomes a serious and more serious situation. Baseball is one thing. Your family is something entirely more important. We'll just have to deal with that as it goes along. We'll try to get baseball games in, but make sure that the players get to be involved with their families."
Cliff Floyd said the players are just as much "real people" when it comes to this stuff as anybody else.
"As crazy as it may be, we have to ask questions just as much as anybody else and get as much information as anybody else," Floyd said. "Because our phones are going to ring from our families asking what they're supposed to do, and we're supposed to know the answers." The Rays have had to reschedule or cancel games due to hurricanes four times in the team's history. On Sept. 17, 2000, Hurricane Gordon canceled a game against Oakland. Two games against Detroit were not played on Sept. 4-5, 2004, because of Hurricane Frances, and they were made up during a doubleheader played on Sept. 30, 2004. And the Sept. 26, 2004, game against Toronto was canceled and not rescheduled due to Hurricane Jeanne.
