No Ray Of Baseball Sunshine On Sunday In Tampa

Via MLB –

The Rays are in the midst of a strange week. Not only did they have to fly back from the West Coast on Sunday and then play a game Monday night, they faced other strange scheduling quirks.

For example, Wednesday’s game against the Royals had a 1:10 p.m. ET start. Saturday’s game against the A’s will also have a 1:10 start, which can be attributed to Tropicana Field facilitating a party for the Republican National Convention.

Tampa Bay will not have a Sunday game because Tropicana Field will be used for an RNC party. Thus, the Rays will wrap up the three-game A’s series that starts Thursday with an afternoon affair on Saturday to allow time for preparation for the soiree.

“Sunday’s going to feel really weird,” outfielder Sam Fuld said. “It would be even weirder if there were regular-season NFL games. Then it would be totally foreign.

“I’ve never had a Sunday off during my pro career — never. College I guess would be the last time. It will be like a tease to the offseason.”

Added Wade Davis: “I never heard of Sunday off. I don’t think anybody has. Weird, right?”

As for getting reacquainted with East Coast time, Fuld believes the team should be over any lingering effects from the time change.

“I think we’re OK,” Fuld said. “[Tuesday], maybe we were a little dead. We always talk about that second day. Quick turnaround today, but we’ll be a little more energized. We’ll be juiced.”

No different than calling a Sunday game because of a hurricane forecast or something, right?