Spring Training
Central
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Devil Rays are now the first team to train in their home city since the Cardinals and Athletics did over 80 years ago. Interestingly enough, another bit of history lies with Al Lang Field: it is 84 years old! Don't fret- the stadium has been renovated several times since, including a major one just a few years ago.
Al Lang Field at Florida Power Park has the single most beautiful backdrop of any stadium I have ever seen. It's pretty amazing being able to watch a game. Behind the outfield, you can see huge palm trees looming and watch boats move in and out of the grogeous Tampa Bay. Think of it as Pac-Bell Park in Florida.
A good think about this stadium is that it has a huge overhand that can keep the crowd pretty shady. While this may not seem significant, you'll realize its importance when you are sitting in 95 degree heat.
My favorite feature of this stadium is the huge grill it has. This grill is absolutely huge and is only rivaled by the grill at the Dodgers facility in Vero Beach. Sausages, hamburgers, hotdogs, and the like are cooked right in front of you to perfection.
Seats do not sell too quickly
here at this stadium, probably because the Devil Rays are not exactly the greatest
team in the league. On game day, tickets are sold for the two large grassy berms
that are often quite popular for families with children. I have only been to
the stadium once, and when I did the game was rained out pretty quickly, so
my memories of the facility are not exactly the best. However, everyone else
I know who has visited it on a sunnier day than my trip said they absolutely
loved it.
Box Office Info: (727) 825-3250
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One positive thing
about this stadium is that if you look at that big roof, you can tell
that the fans stay pretty shady. |
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The outside of this
stadium is extremely dull and not at all aesthetically appealing. |
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is a nice overhead view of the stadium. You can see the practice fields
behind the right field wall and the bay to the side of the stadium. (Special thanks to Carl Peterson for this photo) |
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Autograph tip: I got to the stadium two hours before the game started, as I usually do, and there was hardly anyone trying to get autographs. I simply stood near the D-Rays dugout and got plenty of autographs. I've heard that the batting cages are a good place for autographs, and the team also recently made their morning practice sessions free to the public, which you may want to look in to. And
these tips come to us from Makorunner13@cs.com: |