Excitement Growing for 2009 Fan Fest

Here we are less than 24 hours until the players begin to get
comfortable in their chairs in Tropicana Field and they get their wrists loose
to sign hundreds of fans autographs at the Tampa Bay Rays Fan Fest.  How fitting
that this years event falls on February 14th. For it was the play of this team
that they tried to get America to fall in love with them in 2008. More or less
they got to complete that mission, but the 2009 campaign is for you to fall for
them all over again.
 

The
event will be the first time most of the fans have seen the American League
trophy since it was handed from player to player on the turf after the thrilling
Game 7 defeat of our division foe, the Boston Red Sox. The events is the rite of
spring that all Rays fans are excited about and anticipate the entire winter
long. It is the time of the year when we know that resin bags and glove oil is
only a few days away. That the crack of the bat in the crisp Florida air is only
moments away and that 70 mile drive will seem like minutes from the Tampa Bay
area to the new complex in Port Charlotte,
Florida.

But
tomorrow is about so many other things. It is about celebrating the new class of
2009 Rays/Pepsi  Fan Wall of Famer’s getting their jerseys and awards over on the
third base side of the stadium at noon. It is about the silent auction put on
during every Fan Fest where you can bid on prizes and even purchase some game
used and autographed merchandise from past Rays seasons. It is also a time to
stroll by the SABRE table and see just how well you know the past of both the
Rays and baseball in their yearly quiz to the fans. But as we all know, the real
excitement is watching the kids frolic and play in the interactive games during
the event.

Watching a kid at bat in the smaller replica of Ebbets Field hit a
ball out over the plastic fencing, or even hit one back over the middle towards
the pitching machine. Then to watch them scream and clamor over to Raymond, our
fuzzy Sea Dog mascot who will dance, hug and sign autographs that will be pinned
to their walls for years. Or maybe you enjoy the stroll over to the media and
corporate areas to get posters and small keepsakes like a poster featuring the
on-air personalities of the Rays. Then put your name into the ringer for a
number of daily prizes picked during the event and announced over the
loudspeaker and on the Jumbotron.

Or
maybe you enjoy some of the past and will stand there for extended period of time
looking into the display cases at bats used by Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Ted
Williams displayed out in the middle of the field. Or maybe even stroll beyond
the clay of the Rays outfield at the many collectibles stands featuring Rays
items and the rest of baseball.  Or maybe the new events that started in 2008
will peak your interest from Metro PCS where a Rays player will phone someone
for you to show them your Rays commitment. All in all there are a hundred thing
to do during the day. And some of the best might just be to interact with other
Rays fans to celebrate last season, or chat about the possibilities of
2009.

But whatever brings you to the event, be sure not to miss one of
the two most popular events of the Fan Fest. The clubhouse tour. I know when I
was working with Pepsi a few seasons ago I got to see the remodeled clubhouse
before the rest of the fans because I was helping stock it with soda coolers and
merchandise. At that time it was one of the most beautiful places I had even
seen in my life. It was plush without the air of over indulgence and it seemed
like the perfect place to get ready for battle on the field. So it is a true
treat that people can stroll through the stalls and halls to see what players
get to live every day and every game while with the
team.

But
we all know what most people have come to the event for, it is the autograph
sessions that run from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event is one of the most popular
events of the entire Fan Fest, and for a good reason. I have noticed in the past
that certain players are easier in the beginning of the season for signature
than after the games begin, or even near the end of the season. Added to the
magic this year is a special event for Season Ticket holders where players will
be there for pictures with their special wristband holders. Also of importance
is the fact that this season, only kids under 14 and Season Ticket holders will
not have to pay for the right to obtain
autographs.

This
years Fan Fest will promote a $ 10 donation for a chance to obtain a wristband
to gain your favorite Rays players autograph during these session. At the bottom
of the blog, I will provide a list of the scheduled players and their times so
you can coordinate you day to get some face time with your team favorite. The
donation will go to benefit the Rays Baseball Foundation, which is the large
charity started by the Rays to promote giving and services throughout the Tampa
Bay Area. The Rays Baseball Foundation is committed to
supporting youth and education programs throughout the Tampa Bay region. In
2008, the Rays Baseball Foundation proudly invested more than $600,000 in youth
and education programs in the Tampa Bay area through grant programs and
community outreach initiatives.

 
The excitement is building every
moment in me, and I will be sure to take a host of photos to try and covey the
excitement and the anticipation of Rays baseball in 2009.  Before I go
today, let me include the signing schedule here provided by the Tampa
Tribune so we can all coordinate our baseballs and bats before coming into
the stadium. Also listed in red will be the special
photo opportunities for Rays Season Ticket holders at the event.
Here is the autograph
schedule (subject to change):

12-1 p.m.

Table 1- John Jaso,
Gabe
Kapler
Table 2 – Juan
Salas, Ray
Olmedo
Table 3 – Pat
Burrell, Randy Choate,
Table 4 – Tim Beckham, Reid
Brignac
Table 5 – Carl
Crawford

(Season-ticket
holders line, photo only) – James Shields, Fernando
Perez
 
1-2 p.m.

Table 1 – Joe Nelson, Chad
Bradford
Table 2 – B.J.
Upton , Willy
Aybar
Table 3 – Chad
Orvella, Michel Hernandez, Derek
Rodriguez
Table 4 –
Julio
DePaula , Jacob
McGee
Table 5 – Jon
Weber, Jason Cromer, Calvin
Medlock

(Season ticket
holders line, photo only) – Evan Longoria, Matt
Garza
 
2-3 p.m.

 
Table
1 – Matt Joyce, Grant Balfour
Table 2 – Carlos Pena, Jason
Hammel
Table 3 – Craig
Albernaz, Ray
Sadler
Table 4 – Jeremy
Cummings, Elliot Johnson
Table 5 – Neil Frontz, Chris Nowak, Dan
Wheeler

(Season ticket
holders line – photo only) – Dioner Navarro, Andy
Sonnanstine
 
3-4 p.m.

Table 1- Steve Henderson,
Joe
Maddon
Table 2- Wade
Davis, David Price
Table
3- Dave Martinez, George
Hendrick
Table 4- Lance
Cormier, Brian
Shouse
Table 5- Chris
Richard, Jason Childers, Dewon Day
 
(Season
Ticket Holders Line- Photo Only)- Jason Bartlett, J.P.
Howell
 
4-5 p.m.
 
Table 1
-Bobby Ramos, Jim
Hickey
Table 2 – James
Houser, Mitch Talbot
Table 3 – Shawn Riggans, Justin
Ruggiano
Table 4 – Scott
Kazmir, Carlos Hernandez
Table 5 – Brian Anderson, Tom Foley, Todd
Greene

(Season ticket
holders line, photo only) – Troy Percival, Jeff Niemann