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Rays' hurricane-damaged home can be fixed for $55M+, ready for '26.​

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A detailed assessment of the hurricane damage to Tropicana Field concludes that the home of the Tampa Bay Rays is structurally sound and can be repaired for about $55.7 million in time for the 2026 season.
The 412-page report released Tuesday by the city of St. Petersburg, which owns the building, found that the basic structure of the domed stadium "does not appear to have been adversely affected" by Hurricane Milton's winds, which shredded most of its fabric roof.
The primary structure is serviceable and capable of supporting a replacement tension membrane fabric roof," said the report by Hennessy Construction Services.
Eighteen of the ballpark's 24 fabric panels failed when Milton roared ashore Oct. 9, the report found. There was also damage to interior parts of the Trop, as it's known for short, from rainwater and other storm-related causes. The ballpark opened in 1990 and has been the Rays' home since their inception in 1998.
The Rays did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment. Since the ballpark, under this damage and repair assessment, would not be ready until the 2026 season, the Rays must find another place to play next year.
Major League Baseball wants the Rays to remain in the area near their fan base if at all possible, with several Tampa Bay-area spring training sites suggested. These include ballparks in Clearwater (Phillies), Tampa (Yankees), Dunedin (Blue Jays), Sarasota (Orioles), Lakeland (Tigers) and the Rays' own spring training home in Port Charlotte. Most of these locations host minor league teams in the summer.
Tropicana Field is already scheduled to be demolished when a new, $1.3 billion ballpark is finished in time for the 2028 season. With unforeseen costs to the city and Pinellas County from two hurricanes -- vast amounts of debris removal, damage to parks and infrastructure -- two of the main financial sources for the new ballpark could reconsider those plans or decide not to repair the Trop at all.
The St. Petersburg City Council will discuss the report at its Nov. 21 meeting.
We have so much need across the city," council member Brandi Gabbard said at a meeting last week. "I love the Rays. I love Tropicana Field. It's not about not wanting to do this. It's about a balance of priorities."
The council recently approved $6.5 million to clean up the ballpark and protect it from any further damage, including waterproofing areas such as the press box, seating areas and scoreboard.
The city does have an insurance claim for the damage and repairs, but it includes a $22 million deductible and probably would cover only part of the overall costs. That means taxpayer dollars would have to be used.
The planned new Rays ballpark is part of a $6.5 billion project that will include affordable housing, a Black history museum, retail and office space, and restaurants and bars. The project is known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which was once a thriving Black community but was displaced by construction of the ballpark and an interstate highway.
 

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Chris Sale, Garrett Crochet win comeback players of year.​

LAS VEGAS -- Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball's Comeback Player of the Year awards on Thursday.
Cleveland right-hander Emmanuel Clase won his second AL Reliever of the Year award and St. Louis righty Ryan Helsley won the NL honor.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani joined David Ortiz as the only players to win four straight Outstanding Designated Hitter awards. Ohtani and the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in their leagues.
Major League Baseball made the announcements at its All-MLB Awards Show.
Sale, 35, was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177⅔ innings for the NL's first pitching triple crown since the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw in 2011. He earned his eighth All-Star selection and first since 2018.
Sale helped Boston to the 2018 World Series title but made just 56 starts from 2020-23, going 17-18 with a 4.86 ERA, 400 strikeouts and 79 walks over 298⅓ innings. He was acquired by Boston from the White Sox in December 2016 and made nine trips to the injured list with the Red Sox, mostly with shoulder and elbow ailments. He had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020, and returned to a big league mound on Aug. 14, 2021.
Sale fractured a rib while pitching in batting practice in February 2022 during the management lockout. On July 17, in his second start back, he broke his left pinkie finger when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the Yankees' Aaron Hicks. Sale broke his right wrist while riding a bicycle en route to lunch on Aug. 6, ending his season.
Crochet, 25, was 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA over 32 starts for a White Sox team that set a post-1900 record of 121 losses, becoming a first-time All-Star. He struck out 209 and walked 33 in 146 innings.
He had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022, and returned to the major leagues on May 18, 2023. Crochet had a 3.55 ERA in 13 relief appearances in 2023, and then joined the rotation this year.
Sale and Crochet were chosen in voting by MLB.com beat writers.
Clase and Helsley were unanimous picks by a panel that included Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, along with John Franco and Billy Wagner. The AL award is named after Rivera and the NL honor after Hoffman.
A three-time All-Star, Clase was 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA, 66 strikeouts and 10 walks in 74⅓ innings, holding batters to a .154 average. The 26-year-old converted 47 of 50 save chances, including his last 47.
Voting was based on the regular season. Clase was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in the playoffs, allowing three home runs, one more than his regular-season total.
Helsley, a two-time All-Star, was 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and 49 saves in 53 chances. He struck out 79 and walked 23 in 66⅓ innings.
Ohtani became the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. A two-way star limited to hitting following elbow surgery, Ohtani batted .310 and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs while stealing 59 bases.
Ortiz won the DH award five years in a row from 2003-07.
The DH award, named after Edgar Martinez, is picked in voting by team beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments. MLB.com writers determined the finalists for the Aaron awards, and a fan vote was combined with picks from a panel of Hall of Famers and former winners to determine the selections.
Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs while hitting .322.
 

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Presenting your 2024 All-MLB First Team!

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The last time two starting pitchers won Rookie of the Year before tonight?

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Who will win AL and NL Manager of the Year honors?
Find out tonight.
 

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The first-year manager led Cleveland to a division title and the second-best record in the AL

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He is the first Brewers manager to ever win the award, Milwaukee was the only franchise to never have a MOY winner.

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