Tampa Bay Rays Tommy Pham not backing off comments about fanbase

Tommy Pham does not have any regrets about speaking his mind when it comes to the Tampa bay Rays fanbase.

It did not take long for Tommy Pham to make waves amongst the Tampa Bay Rays faithful. Acquired in a midseason deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, he immediately made an impact in the lineup, producing an excellent .343/.448/.622 batting line, with seven homers, seven doubles, and five steals in his 174 plate appearances. He was exactly what the lineup needed, another solid all around offensive threat.

Then came the offseason, where Pham continued to make more waves amongst Rays fandom. This time, he criticized the fans for not coming out to Tropicana Field to support the team, unfavorably comparing them to the crowds and Busch Stadium when he was a part of the St. Louis Cardinals.

During Rays FanFest, he did not back off those comments. He reiterated his desire for more fans to come to see the Rays play in person, accurately stating that a team with the talent and expectations of the 2019 squad deserve to have a large and raucous crowd cheering them on.

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Pham also stated his annoyance regarding that original interview that he had with MLB Network Radio. There were plenty of positives stated about the team and the direction they were heading, yet the focus was on that one soundbyte.

It is understandable as to why Pham, and the Rays fanbase, should be excited. Charlie Morton has been brought on board, solidifying the top of the Rays rotation. Avisail Garcia gives Tampa Bay another power bat for the middle of their lineup. Young pitchers Brent Honeywell and Jose De Leon should be healthy for the second half, ready to contribute in what should be another run to the postseason.

That expected success, as well as the success that the Rays had last year, are a major part of why Pham would find the lack of fans at the ballpark so disheartening. They are a young, exciting team, one that despite their financial disadvantages, should contend in one of the more difficult divisions in baseball. Seeing that scrappy Rays squad going toe to toe with the Yankees and Red Sox in the standings should be worth the price of admission.

Tommy Pham has not backed off his statements that the Tampa Bay Rays fans need to show up at the ballpark. This young, exciting squad certainly deserves the support.