XM MLB Chat: St. Pete welcome home party for AL champs

Yankees get to watch yet another AL championship team ring ceremony from the sidelines:

"Tuesday: vs. Yankees. AL championship ring ceremony pre-game, replica rings for all fans.

Wednesday: vs. Yankees. Presentation of Carlos Pena’s Gold Glove award; AL championship cowbells for all fans."

Tips for fans visiting Tropicana Field from St. Pete Times:

"The back row of the 200 level can be a great place to watch the game, because you can catch replays on the TVs meant for the suites.

• The wait for on-field access for postgame concerts (you'll need an armband) can be brutal. If you want a position up front, head for the line after the seventh-inning stretch.

• Beer sales stop after the seventh inning. So that's why you hit Ferg's before the game for a couple of cheaper brews, then you can pace yourself better.

• If someone offers you a Whitney Bank Club ticket gratis, take it in a heartbeat. Free beer and wine (the mixed drinks are wicked expensive, though), plus a buffet, plus nice private bathrooms. And that's just inside the place. The seats are nice and plush and offer a sweet view.

The area behind the tbt* party deck is a cool place to watch the game. With its full bar and tables where you can stand and chat, it's a good place to hang out if you don't like your seat up in the nosebleeds.

• Don't even try to get into the area where the suites are unless you have a ticket. They always check. Always. (That's not to say you can't get in; we know ways, but we really can't tell you unless you contact us at a top secret location.)

• When you're leaving the Trop from the 300 sections, it's faster to take the down ramp outside than to negotiate the escalators and crowds inside.

PARKING FREEBIE ALERT

Ride a bike or a scooter and you can park right near the rotunda entrance for free! You can come in off the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street entrance, or you can enter from 11th Street near Ferg's. (Careful about those cars on First Avenue S whizzing by.)

PARKING FREEBIE ALERT II

If you have four people or more in a car, you can park for free in most Trop lots (Except Lot 1, based on availability). If you have fewer people, plan on paying $15 per car, or $30 for an RV.

PARKING DON'TS

You don't want to park on the street at a meter. You can only purchase two hours at a time, and most games last three. Yes, they do check until midnight unless the sign says otherwise. And don't even think about trying to squeeze into some nondescript place on a side street. The parking attendants work most games, and you will more than likely get a ticket. Better to pay the $10 or $15 for a private lot than a $25 ticket. . . . Speaking of private lots, most are reasonable and require less than a five-block walk.

ENJOY SPECIAL DISCOUNTS

Every Sunday is Family Fun Day. Outfield seats start at $18 for regular games and include a voucher for a hot dog, Pepsi and snack. Also, the Rays do a giveaway to the first 10,000 kids 14 and younger. After the game, kids can run the bases. . . . For all regular games, military personnel with an ID can purchase up to four half-price outfield seats."...

photo above with Rays mascot from St. Pete Times