ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Friday is opening day for the Tampa Bay Rays, as they host Baltimore at sold out Tropicana Field.
Rhe Rays took the AL East and won 100 games in '21. Center fielder Brett Phillips (photo) tells flagship WDAE says they're aiming high. "There's a lot of expectations from ourselves, from the front office and fans, and rightfully so...Our main goal is to win a World Series."
The Rays were stopped in the first round of the playoffs last year by the Boston Red Sox.
Off the field, Tropicana Field has some new concession features, in a setup already labeled best in MLB by at least one survey.
Chief business officer Bill Walsh ticked off some of the new menu items at food stands this year: (team news release)
Modern Bird (Budweiser Porch)
+ Korean Spiced Chicken Sandwich - Chicken sandwich with gochujang, house slaw and spicy mayo
+ Chicken Queso Dip - Slow-roasted chicken with jack cheese, tomatoes and scallions served with sea salt tortilla chips
Pig & Potato (Budweiser Porch)
+ P&P Pierogi - Potato pierogi with chorizo butter, sour cream and fried onions
+ Foot-Long Tater Tot - House-made tater tot, bacon, sour cream and scallions
Beach Drive (Third Base Food Hall)
+ Jerk Chicken Sandwich - Jerk chicken thighs with pineapple mayo and pickled cabbage slaw
+ Steel Drum - House-smoked turkey leg, seasoned with star anise and jalapeño pineapple honey
+ Caribbean Bowl - Jerk pork, black beans, yellow rice and jalapeño aioli
Promotions for the upcoming year include a bobblehead doll of catcher Mike Zunino, in a swamp with a gator. Zunino is a product of the University of Florida.
The Rays host the Orioles in their first homestand. First pitch is at 3:10 p.m. All Rays games are on WDAE (95.3 FM, 620 AM).
Find out more about what to expect at the Trop in our Beyond the News podcast below:
Photo: Getty Images