The 10 most-read DRaysBay articles of 2024
Here’s what y’all were most interested in reading this year.
This article has become a favorite tradition here at the site, my tenth at the helm. We had ~5.3 million page views this year, and for that I am grateful! I appreciate all of you and your readership.
Before we get to the top ten most-read articles, here are a few honorable mentions :
- Rays acquire C Ben Rortvedt from Yankees in 3-team deal - a trade with the Yankees???
- Two grassroots groups oppose the new Rays stadium in St. Petersburg - a deep dive from Lizzie on what exactly is behind the opposition to the new Rays stadium that made headlines in January 2024.
- Rays acquire INF José Caballero from Mariners for OF Luke Raley - The Rays needed a short stop and found one... Would you believe this is technically the highest rated article involving Wander Franco’s absence from the team? It was a busy year!
- Rays admit new stadium deal remains “in effect.” - We break down a very unclear step in the Rays Stadium Saga, more on that at No. 7 below.
Now on to the top-10!
No. 10 - Rays trade Randy Arozarena to Seattle Mariners
I’m still too hurt by this to discuss any further, let’s move on.
No. 9 - St. Pete City Council calls Rays bluff, rushes approval of their new stadium bonds
The City Council was the first to fold in the stadium bond standoff by rushing the bond approvals onto the City’s agenda before newly elected officials could take office and potentially sink the stadium deal negotiated by Mayor Ken Welch.
No. 8 - Rays trade All-Star Isaac Paredes to the Cubs
This was the most notable of a flurry of trades the Rays made mid-season, providing the Rays with three key pieces: UTIL Christopher Morel, RP Hunter Bigge, and prospect RHP Ty Johnson.
No. 7 - Pinellas County Commission requests Rays terminate new stadium deal by Dec. 1
If there was one article I hope y’all read this year, it’s this one, where I broke down three important claims in the Rays Stadium saga, including a breakdown of cross references to the legal documents. Those claims were:
- Claim 1: The county’s bonds are not late (True)
- Claim 2: The local government cannot freely terminate the stadium agreement until 2030 (Half Truth)
- Claim 3. The Rays “must” formally terminate the agreement by Sunday, December 1 (False)
That third claim was actually a gift from the County Commission, in which they chose to regard the Rays “letter” — which claimed the Stadium deal was “dead” — did not meet the legal standard of a termination letter.
No. 6 - Projecting the Rays 2024 Opening Day Roster
In this article, I questioned why Harold Ramirez was still on the roster, particularly when he cost $4.4 million. He would be designated for assignment on June 7.
No. 5 - Pinellas County threatens to pull stadium funding if Rays leave for 2025-2027 seasons
This piece reacted to the news that Pinellas County was considering not approving their loans to fund the new Rays stadium, decrying a loss of tax revenue (which would pay for the bonds). As we saw, that was a legally precarious position, and the bonds eventually passed after a 49 day delay.
No. 4 - The Rays new stadium plan might lose its funding
This piece explained why both Pinellas County and the St. Petersburg City Council were considering not approving their loans to fund the new Rays stadium.
No. 3 - How the Rays Lost Their New Stadium Deal: A Timeline
After Rays co-President Brian Auld convinced the St. Petersburg City Council to cancel their plans to repair Tropicana Field, this timeline was put together to illustrate just how badly the Rays have managed to screw up their stadium plans time and time again.
No. 2 - The Rays incredible new logo features the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
All hail the SkyRay!
Adam provided a detailed look at the history of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge as we celebrated the inventive and unique uniforms the Rays debuted in 2024.
Other articles covering the City Connect jerseys, which made their debut in May 2024:
- Rays City Connect jersey honors “grit and glow” of Tampa Bay
- Back in Black: The Rays new City Connect jersey is a return to Devil Rays colors
- How skateboarding inspired the Rays City Connect jersey
No. 1 - Where will the Rays play in 2025?
Following the devastation to Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton, we broke down the most likely destinations for the Rays to play in 2025. Among the options was using a minor league stadium, which at the time was not a given. In a poll at the end of the article, only 18% of the 5,300+ respondents thought the Rays would choose such a low-seating venue.
If anyone is curious, here are the top articles from last year.
Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year to all Rays fans!