Thought this might be of interest -- Stuart Sternberg, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, was quoted today as saying that no matter what happens this October, the Rays will be reducing their payroll from a franchise-record $72 million to below $50 million next season. According to Sternberg, the Rays "can't come close" to turning a profit this year, even if they win the World Series, and he's not optimistic season ticket sales will increase as much as they did from 2008 to 2009. Apparently, they needed to double that increase in order to keep payroll at its current level. To me, this is a shame, because unlike the previous ownership of that club, he's made an effort to be competitive and keep as many guys as he can. The fanbase just isn't supporting the team. Two things about this story jump out to me -- we're lucky to be a part of a fanbase that will put 20,000-30,000 butts in the seats no matter what the team's record is, and baseball won't be in Tampa for much longer.