Orioles execs early yesterday morning assembled in Owner Peter Angelos' office "to map out possibilities" for today’s game against the White Sox as well as the rest of the team's homestand amid the social unrest in Baltimore, according to Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore SUN. While thinking about ways to get back on the field, the club had "prioritized the safety of its fans while allowing time for the city to return to some normalcy." The Orioles "ultimately decided on an unprecedented shifting of the schedule." Yesterday's game was postponed and will be made up on May 28 as part of a doubleheader along with Monday's postponed game. Meanwhile, this weekend's series against the Rays was moved to Tropicana Field, though the Orioles will serve as the home team. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said, "I’ve been in all the talks and everything’s been about the city of Baltimore and the safety of our fans. It’s not about money. It’s not about a baseball season. That doesn’t come up" (Baltimore SUN, 4/29). Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal said Showalter spoke with Angelos, and Angelos’ "only concern was Baltimore." Rosenthal: "It was not the financial ramifications, not the competitive ramifications. All he cared about was safety and the city itself. That’s the proper priority” (“MLB Whiparound,” FS1, 4/28). MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred yesterday said that the decision-making process "went smoothly between the league and the teams involved." He said, "Mr. Angelos, from the first minute of the very first conversation we had last night, put the safety and well-being of the Baltimore fans above any other consideration, competitive or monetary" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29). Orioles P and player rep Darren O'Day said that he was told "very little about what the plans were" for last night's game "until the decision was made." O'Day: "It’s kind of out of the players' hands, and we kind of do what we are instructed" (Baltimore SUN, 4/29).
FLYING SOUTH: In Tampa, Marc Topkin reports tickets for this weekend's series at Tropicana Field were scheduled to go on sale today. They will cost $15-18 and "will be general admission." The uncertainty over the situation "led to the mutual decision to move the weekend series to the Trop, though there was discussion about playing at a neutral site, such as Washington or Philadelphia, and even internal talks about the Orioles' spring stadium in Sarasota." Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg said, "At the end of all of it, really without a lot of discussion with us at all, it was decided to play the games at Tropicana Field." Topkin notes the Orioles "will take a considerable financial hit, losing the revenue from three home dates and taking on the additional travel expenses." They will "receive the ticket and concessions revenues from the games at the Trop but will be responsible for the expenses and staffing costs." Sternberg said that the Rays "had no interest in shifting a home series with the Orioles (July 24-26) to Baltimore in return," acknowledging that the idea "'came up' during the discussions" (
TAMPA BAY TIMES, 4/29). In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck noted some fans "will wonder why the Orioles and Rays didn't trade home series," but MLB "apparently didn't feel that would be fair to Rays ticket holders" (
BALTIMORESUN.com, 4/28).
GOOD LUCK GETTING A GOOD CROWD: USA TODAY's Paul White writes the crowd count for the series "figures to be miniscule." The Rays rank "last in the major leagues in attendance (17,000 per home date), and the hastily arranged series against a team that visits three times a year already figures to further depress the count." Rays P and player rep Chris Archer said, "Hopefully, we can get some fans out there." He added, "We just didn't want to go to Baltimore, period. We would have gone [to] Washington or Philadelphia, other scenarios that were possibilities. It's good to see the Orioles are OK with taking a hit." MLB Chief Communications Officer Pat Courtney said that the league and the Orioles "will have talks regarding lost revenue after the series." White notes using a contingency fund, MLB "often compensates displaced teams and emergency hosts for expenses and lost revenue" (USA TODAY, 4/29).
PREPARING FOR THE WORST: In N.Y., Mike Lupica notes Showalter "understands why" a series between the Orioles and the Rays that was supposed to be played this weekend at Camden Yards is "being moved to St. Petersburg." He noted the police report on how Freddie Gray died in police custody "could come out any day," and the team "better be prepared.” Lupica notes Showalter is indicating that "as bad as things have been this week in Baltimore, that they could get worse." Showalter: "I understand the desire for normalcy. I get that. But I think we all understand that it’s going to take more than one baseball game to return this city to normalcy" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/29).
NO HELP OFFERED? In N.Y., Tyler Kepner notes two MLB ballparks near Baltimore -- Nationals Park and Citizens Bank Park -- are not hosting games today, and there are "several precedents in recent history for neutral-site games." However, the logistics of shifting to a different site on such short notice "made that option unappealing" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/29). A Nationals spokesperson on Monday said that the club was "never approached by the Orioles or MLB to serve as a host." Orioles VP/Communications & Marketing Greg Bader "declined comment on whether the MASN issue played a role in the Orioles’ decision-making." But one source said that the MASN conflict "influenced the thinking of some Baltimore executives as the club pursued possible alternatives." The Nationals, in turn, "never reached out to offer their facility." MLB "didn’t push the issue" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/29).
