The Mid-Market Rays

For the first time since the advent of the Rays, the St. Petersburg Times has a reason to talk about what it will take for the Rays to keep winning:

The Rays say they will contend for the playoffs "more often than not'' if they can raise their payroll near baseball's midpoint, about $80-million, nearly twice this year's payroll."We are a midmarket team that right now generates revenues near the bottom of Major League Baseball, says Rays president Matt Silverman. "If we can generate revenues commensurate with our market size, we'll be able to put a competitive product on the field almost every year.''

The Rays won't speculate on how much cash a spiffy new ballpark would muster, but a public study shows that the Milwaukee Brewers earned an additional $40-million a year after they moved into Miller Park in 2001. That's about what the Rays lack to reach their middle-of-the-pack payroll goal.

I'm just as thrilled about what has gone on with the Rays as the next guy, but I sure hope folks down there hold on to this article for future reference and drag it out again in the event that management cites revenue discrepancies as the reason why they can't keep up with the 2016 Red Sox and Yankees.