Rays President Matt Silverman yesterday said that he "anticipates increased attendance at Tropicana Field this year." In Tampa Bay, Robert Trigaux notes Silverman credits both an "improved Rays team in 2012 -- assisted by this week's signing of manager Joe Maddon to a 3-year contract extension -- and a concerted branding and business push by the Rays organization to build deeper roots across the Tampa Bay community." The Rays cited Scarborough Research data as indicating that the team last year passed the Buccaneers "in total number of fans after trailing the Bucs badly just a few years ago." Rays fans "grew 105 percent in the past five years and numbered 1.52 million at the end of last season, measured just before the baseball playoffs." Silverman wants to "emphasize the Rays are seriously entrenched here, even as he notes attendance at Rays games slipped last year" to 1.53 million as MLB teams averaged closer to 2.5 million (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/15).
HOT SELLERS: In California, Bill Plunkett notes following the Angels' deals with 1B Albert Pujols and P C.J. Wilson, team store sales in December "were comparable to the volume the Angels would do during a playoff run with 60 to 70 percent attributable to Pujols-related items or products." In addition, the team said that there has been "over 4,000 season-ticket and mini-season ticket packages sold since the signings were announced on Dec. 8." That burst has "pushed the total for 2012 to 22,300 season-tickets (or full-season equivalents), surpassing the 2011 total by 1,000 -- and counting." The Angels are "projecting 24,000 season-ticket packages will be sold by the time the team opens" the '12 season (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/15). In L.A., Mike DiGiovanna noted luxury suite license renewals are "near 100% (27 total) renewal and are on pace to increase by 7% this season." Meanwhile, an increase in the price of spring-training tickets "has not hurt sales for the Angels." The team announced yesterday that five of its 15 scheduled exhibition games in Tempe, Ariz., are "near sellouts, and sales are trending better than 24% over last year" (LATIMES.com, 2/14).
BAY AREA BOON: In Sacramento, Brian Blomster notes signing Cuban OF Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract "created a reason to pay attention" to the A's. If Cespedes "produces, as many experts believe he can, there could be quite a show in Oakland while prospects develop and a new ballpark materializes" (SACBEE.com, 2/15). Columnist Kevin Blackistone said of the deal, “It’s a low investment. It’s not like you’re going to Japan and having to buy a guy out of there and having to spend a ton of money. This is pretty smart. They just need to spend some more on their pitching staff.” L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke: “This guy better be the Spanish-speaking Scott Hatteberg, that’s all I got to say, because it makes no sense to me. This team has been just decimated this winter by Billy Beane and now he’s bringing in the highest-paid player who nobody’s ever seen before" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 2/14).
NICKEL AND DIMED? In Boston, Ron Borges writes under the header, "Think What You Want, The Red Sox Do Spend." The talk about how team Owner John Henry "has turned into a cheapskate seems a bit much." The idea that a team "with the second highest payroll in baseball is nickel and diming the operation seems a stretch." Borges: "This is a guy who pays more luxury taxes than Donald Trump" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/15).
