Rays Pay Homage To Tampa Bay With New City Connect Jersey

We are about a month into the 2024 MLB season, and every year a handful of baseball teams are picked by Nike to design a unique jersey that represents the city that they play for. This year, Tampa Bay was up to bat & they did not disappoint, as they unveiled their "City Connect" jersey yesterday (April 29th).

The MLB partnered with Nike to be the official uniform of the league, on a 10-year deal, worth a whopping $1 billion, back in 2019. The Nike "City Connect" jersey's have been an addition to the Nike MLB jersey collection since 2021, and every team that has designed a jersey since then, has incorporated unique cultural & community inspired elements. This uniform design is similar to how the NBA does with their "City Edition" jerseys.

The Tampa Bay Rays were finally selected this year, and man! This is one amazing uniform design. I was honored to have received the jersey before it went public for the fans to see and purchase. When I got the box in hand I was immediately hyped. I've have been a fan of the "City Connect" jerseys since Nike & the MLB started putting them out, and have been patiently waiting for Tampa to drop one. 

When I unboxed the jersey, I loved colorway right away. The them behind the Rays city jersey was "grit & glow," with the entire uniform decked in a scaley faded black tone, with the classic Tampa Bay lettering with flames on top, & the awesome combo of the vibrant neon colors around the trim. 

The uniform inspiration comes from, the underground skating scene in Tampa. In 1978, the first public skate park was created here in Tampa, FL which everyone in the community knows as "The Bro Bowl" at St. Perry Harvey Park. The skate park is also a registered historic place.

Some other cool features are, the Tampa Ray with the skateboard deck on the logo, skate grip used on the jersey lettering and patches, & the little Easter eggs of what Tampa culture is all about. The jersey is available now & can purchase on the teams site.

Peep my unboxing of the new uni below.

Spring is coming, and that means baseball is on the way. So, why not get into some early MLB Power Rankings?

If you weren't happy with how last season ended, then you're in luck. That's because you have a million new games up ahead in the 2024 season. Okay, maybe not a million. But, a lot. The Major League Baseball season schedule packs a whopping 162 games for each of the 30 teams in the American League (AL) and National League (NL). Those games take place over about six months. That means baseball fans, in theory, could watch 2,430 games in the regular season alone.

Don't do that. You have more of a life than to sit around watching 2,430 baseball games. But, I should talk. During football season, I watch all the games I can get my eyes on.

Let's not leave out the minor leagues, by the way. It's always really fun to go to a minor league baseball game, because it's much more chill than a major league game. It's also cheaper, both tickets and parking. So, don't just support your major league team this year. Cheer for the minor league guys, too. You won't have quite as many games to catch in the minor league, though, as a full, regular season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games and High-A and Single-A are 132 games. Still, that's lots and lots of baseball to attend.

With the official start of baseball season getting closer, it's a good time to get into my initial Power Rankings for 2024. Sure, this is a bit premature, since players will shift going into the season. But, the biggest players are with their respective teams now, so we have a good picture and idea of which teams will pop in 2024. Frankly, deciding between No. 1 and 2 was very difficult, because both teams are so, so solid right now. Who are your picks for the 2024 season? Reach out to me here and let me know, and find the full MLB schedule here.

Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has done a good job of putting together a team that could deliver, even with a limited budget. Expect to see Mitch Garver, Jorge Polanco, Luis Urias, Mitch Haniger and many more on the field this season. The Mariners were decent last year, and fans could be in for a solid team this year.

Wander Franco is still a question, but without him, the Tampa Bay Rays look strong. The team simply has one of the best batches of offensive players in the MLB. Will they go all the way? We'll find out. They could certainly make a run for it.

The Toronto Blue Jays played well last season and had a fantastic rotation, but they didn't win a playoff game. Say what? They're back for revenge this year, and they have a similar, stellar lineup.

The New York Yankees have more question marks than most of the teams on this list. But, overall, they look solid. As time shakes out, we'll know more about how this roster will shape up, but it's looking on the upswing so far. Would you expect anything less from such a heritage team?

The Arizona Diamondbacks are coming off a pleasantly surprising World Series run. They're hungry for more. They've added Eduardo Rodriguez to the middle of their rotation and have made a few other choice moves.

How did the Philadelphia Phillies not make it to the World Series last year? They totally should have, but that's all in the past. The team has gotten so close for so long, and this seems like the year that they could actually win it all. Maybe.

The Baltimore Orioles won 101 games last year, but they're bringing in Jackson Holliday, who will probably be AL Rookie of the Year. They've also added Craig Kimbrel to the fold. Fans expected bolder moves, but we feel good about this lineup.

The Houston Astros are regulars on the road to the World Series. They were in the American League Championship Series for the seventh consecutive season in 2023. They're likely to do it again.

The Dodgers really stepped it up in the offseason. They've brought on star players in Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They're going to be really tough to beat.

The Atlanta Braves are the team to beat in 2024. Not only do they have a stellar lineup that they're bringing back from last season, but they've also added left fielder Jarred Kelenic and pitcher Chris Sale. They're the team to beat.

How did the Texas Rangers not get in the top 10? Ridiculous, right? Well, they obviously just won the World Series. They could do it again, but I decided to give some of the other teams a bit of the spotlight. That said, yes, the Rangers are going to be very strong in 2024. Also, let's talk about the Detroit Tigers. They underperformed in 2023, but they could surprise people this year. Over the years, the team has brought on plenty of talent, and they've continued that in the offseason.
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