In Tampa, Amy Hollyfield in a front-page piece writes there was "no crowd in sight" at Tropicana Field for Monday's Red Sox-Rays game, even with the home team in the "throws of a playoff fight in the final week of the season." Announced attendance was 8,779, but "maybe half that many people were on hand" for the Rays' win. Hollyfield: "If the Rays can't draw the support of Tampa Bay during this playoff push, how is this a home for baseball?" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 9/25). The team drew an announced 16,699 for last night's game at the Trop against the Yankees (THE DAILY).
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY: In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps noted this season "wasn't a great one at the gate" for the Indians, as the club's total attendance of 1,738,642 was down 188,059, or 9.8% from last season's 1,926,701. The per-game average of 22,008, which reflects the team "losing a pair of home dates because of rain, was down" 8.6% from the '18 average of 24,084. The Indians likely will "finish the season ranked 21st in MLB in average attendance," the same as the team's '18 ranking and one spot better than in '17. However, attendance was "significantly higher in those seasons" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 9/24).
TEAM-FRIENDLY DEAL: THE ATHLETIC's Ken Rosenthal noted Marlins manager Don Mattingly's $2.8M salary this season was "believed to be the sixth-highest" in the majors. But to "get an extension, Mattingly needed to accept a significant pay cut," which is "exactly what he did" in his new two-year deal. Exact financial terms are not known, but a source said that Mattingly's salary will be in the $2M range and "possibly below" (THEATHLETIC.com, 9/22).
