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The Superbowl is finished, meaning that football season is over and baseball is right around the corner and nothing is more evidenced of that than Truck Day.
This morning, the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse crew worked feverishly load truck after truck with equipment that they had been packing and preparing since the beginning of January for spring training, which commences in exactly one week.
Heading south! pic.twitter.com/sE8rGHWFL8
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) February 6, 2017
We pack for a move just like you.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) February 6, 2017
One rack of 50 pants at a time. pic.twitter.com/osz3LOjv4J
#Rays getting set to load equipment truck for the journey to Port Charlotte, where spring camp opens soon pic.twitter.com/rKz09henx4
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) February 6, 2017
RIGHT NOW- @RaysBaseball loading up #SpringTraining equipment. 11 days until pitchers and catchers report! #WTSP #Rays @MLB pic.twitter.com/h40Runq1KY
— Sarah J. Hollenbeck (@SarahHollenbeck) February 6, 2017
The Rays also haven’t thrown everything out with Devil Rays branded on it
The #rays pack for spring training in Port Charlotte. 2 trucks full of gear. Including a baby seat, barber chair & a Devil Rays box. Ok then pic.twitter.com/9AJuguoryw
— Bob Hansen (@WFLAHansen) February 6, 2017
Longtime Rays clubhouse manager, Jose Fernandez, discusses just some of the things his crew is packing and shipping out.
Rays equipment manager Jose Fernandez has a LOT of gear to get to spring training. pic.twitter.com/3bbyfOaweS
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) February 6, 2017
It took them a few hours, but this group is efficient!
All packed.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) February 6, 2017
Give a big hand to these guys! pic.twitter.com/J8xO36rKp4
Everything has been shipped and will be waiting on these same crew members to arrive in Port Charlotte to begin the meticulous process of finding the right place for all of the equipment. They only have a few days to get this done too, as players should begin arriving by the end of the week and the first workout is just seven days away.
Pitchers and catchers report on February 13th, first work out on the 14th. The first full squad workout will be on the 19th, however, most position players likely will be reporting before that date.
BASEBALL IS FINALLY BACK...almost.