TAMPA, FL – I’ve never experienced Tropicana Field being as lively as it was for Game 1 of the Division Series. Saturday’s game felt like New Year’s Eve as the Rays had their first playoff game sellout in 15 years with 40,542 fans making their way into the ballpark.
The upper deck, which is closed off for most games, was packed from foul pole to foul pole with fans who were nowhere to be found during the regular season. By the 7th inning, the few clueless wannabes headed for the exits as Rays starter Drew Rasmussen was flirting with a no-hitter.
The only question was will the ANALytical geeks inform manager Kevin Cash to remove his dominating starter before he faces the Yankees lineup for their third at bats? Did they learn anything from blowing the 2020 World Series, when they took Blake Snell out in Game 6 vs. the Dodgers.
The stadium exploded when Yankees catcher Austin Wells broke up Rasmussen’s no hit bid with 2 outs in the 8th inning getting throw out at 3rd base trying to extend his double into a triple. All I could think of was, if George “Boss” Steinbrenner was around, he would’ve fired 3rd base coach Luis Rojas even though Rojas put the stop sign on Wells cause that was George’s way.
I also couldn’t help to think how NY Mets President David Stearns has his fingerprints on the Rays Game 1 starter Rasmussen and Game 2 starter Freddy Peralta by trading both of them to Tampa. The wimp, who single handedly destroyed his Mets team, may have a hand in eliminating the Yankees in this playoff series.
Watching a playoff game at The Trop is the way to go. The ushers have no attitude and you’ll leave the game with money in your pocket, which is unlikely to happen at The Cathedral up in Da Bronx!
