Devil Rays Managing General Partner Vince Naimoli "has
ordered the Devil Rays to shun a fundraiser for the
medically needy because organizers of the event decided to
hold it at St. Petersburg's Coliseum instead of Tropicana
Field," according to Adam Smith of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES.
Although the non-profit St. Petersburg hospitals are
sponsors of Tropicana Field, provide medical services there
and pay for a corporate suite, Naimoli last month told top
aides not to support the fundraiser "in any way." The
foundation event "is supposed to help the hospitals pay for
health care services for the poor" (ST. PETE TIMES, 6/13).
LOOKING FOR A PINCH HITTER? Also in St. Pete, Kyle
Parks reports that while the Devil Rays currently rank 25th
out of 30 MLB teams in attendance, averaging 18,956 fans,
the team says it isn't "panicking." Officials "expect big
crowds" when the Yankees and Braves visit in July, and
"they're having some success focusing on big promotions such
as a pregame Christian music concert that helped draw 42,823
people Saturday." Before the season, Naimoli hoped the team
would draw 28,000 fans, but "now it appears that an average
between 22,000 and 25,000 would be a victory." The team is
currently "working harder on group sales." Park adds that
for now, the team's marketing plan will "stay the course,"
and that includes its "Hit Show" campaign, "which emphasizes
the team's sluggers," 3B Vinny Castilla, DH Jose Canseco and
1B Fred McGriff. Parks: "Team officials have been talking
about whether the campaign is still valid, but at this point
they plan to keep it. Scrapping it would create a public-
relations problems of its own" (ST. PETE TIMES, 6/13).
Castilla is currently hitting .213 with 6 HRs and 31 RBIs,
Canseco is hitting .261 with 7 HRs and 43 RBIs, while
McGriff is hitting .265 with 10 HRs and 43 RBIs.