A standing ovation for baseball lovers

Tampa Bay finally loves baseball.

Sure, it helps coming off a winning season, and the free 3 Doors Down Postgame Concert might have put a lock on the crowd. But it was obvious at Tropicana Field yesterday that fans are here to stay.

More than 36,000 turned out to watch the Rays beat the Twins 5-2. And our section led the ovation when the announcer declared it was Bradenton Night.

But the real standing ovation went to rookie David Price as he headed to the dugout, as writer Roger Mooney notes in his cover story. The lefty struck out 11 and allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings Saturday against the Twins. (What is it with managers taking out a winning pitcher, by the way? But at least Maddon left him in long enough to get the 10Ks needed for every fan to get a free pizza, courtesy of Kane’s and PapaJohns…)

I still sported my Cardinals jersey, in honor of enjoying a game at Busch Stadium less than a week ago. But it was great to jostle through a sea of Rays jerseys -– and I came home with a free Rays cap, guilt-free.

Now about those dang cowbells…

-- Joan