Tampa Bay Rays: Ideas of Added Awesomeness for the 2020 Season

Tampa Bay Rays: We have a 30-man roster, 60 games, and start the tenth inning with a runner on base. While we are changing things up, I have some ideas.

The Tampa Bay Rays will be playing under some unusual circumstances this season. Amid the myriad of rule changes to accommodate the season under pandemic, here some more ideas to make things even more fun.

Tampa Bay Rays – Music During At-Bats

Play music during entire at-bats like the KBO and NPB.

You can catch a glimpse of it in the video above from current Tampa Bay Rays player Yoshitomo Tsutsugo in the Tokyo Dome.

I say let the player’s walkup music reverberate through the empty stadium while they have the at-bat.

Tampa Bay Rays – Pro-Wrestling Promos Prior to At-Bats

Let the players cut pro-wrestling-like promos before the at-bat.

Announcer: Runners on first and second with two outs in the sixth inning here as John Means takes a deep breath with Kevin Kiermaier stepping up to the plate. Wait a minute, he’s grabbing the microphone!

Kevin Kiermaier: John Means, you better be ready for KK to lay the smackdown on you, brother. Before I do, I just want to take a minute to point out that you guys don’t belong on the field with us. It’s only a 60 game season and I bet you’ll still find a way to lose 100 games this year. I might as well wear a blindfold for this at-bat because you ain’t throwing nothing but meatballs. You’ll be seeing this pretty face in your nightmares…ALL NIGHT LONG!

Announcer: And now that he’s said his piece, Kiermaier steps in and watches strike on go by. Strike Two! And Kiermaier strikes out for the third time tonight. 

Tampa Bay Rays – Cardboard Cutouts of Fans

Please follow the lead of the Athletics, Giants, and Royals, and sell seats to fans who want a cardboard cutout of them placed in the stands. If a foul ball hits your cardboard cutout, they will send you a souvenir ball. This has to happen!

What sort of ideas do you have to make this season even more entertaining for television? Mic up more players during games? How about this one?

Tampa Bay Rays – One Challenge Flag for Balls/Strikes

Managers get one challenge flag for balls and strikes. Upon the throwing of the flag, the previous pitch is reviewed. If the ump got the call wrong then the manager gets to punch him in the stomach one time.

Tampa Bay Rays – Owner of the team with worst record gets head shaved.

Take the two teams with the worst records at the end of the season and make them square off in a one-game playoff in which the majority owner of the losing team gets their head shaved by Rob Manfred.

I think a couple of these ideas are okay. What sort of ideas do you have?