Episode 168 — Neil Solondz: Behind the Mic with the Rays, Working at 30 Ballparks, & the Future of Tampa Bay Baseball

[00:00:00] Neil: every day that I get ready for a game is someone listening for the very first time.

[00:00:04] Neil: And, it may be their only opportunity to listen to you  and if they don’t like what they hear, um, they’re going to make their own judgments based on that. And, and I think you have to treat every broadcast as, um, it could be your last. So how do you want, you know, your, your audience to perceive you and you kind of go at it that way  you’re telling a story every day, but someone may be listening to a chapter for the first time. 

[00:00:42] Anna: What’s up bucketheads. Thanks for tuning in and welcome to episode number 168 of the baseball bucket list podcast. I’m your host Anna DiTommaso. And each week on the show, I speak with a different baseball fan about their favorite memories. What’s left on their baseball bucket list and what the game of baseball means to them.

[00:00:58] Anna: This week, add the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Neil Solondz, radio play by play broadcaster for the Tampa bay Rays. Neil joined me for an interview in the middle of the Ray’s last road trip while the team was in Philly, which was coincidentally his 30th ballpark to have worked in. 

[00:01:14] Anna: He’s been with the Rays organization for over a decade. And in this episode, we dive into his journey through the world of baseball broadcasting. From growing up in New Jersey and falling in love with sports at a young age to working his way through the minor leagues and eventually landing in the booth calling games for the rays. We chat about what it’s like to prepare for the game, how radio broadcasting requires a unique skillset. And the importance of always being ready because every broadcast might just be someone’s first. We also talk about the excitement surrounding the raise new ballpark set to open in 2028 and what that means for the franchise and its future in Tampa bay. This conversation was a blast. 

[00:01:51] Anna: I know you guys are really going to love it, so let’s get right to it. Now without further ado, sit back, relax and enjoy some baseball banter with Neal Solondz. 

[00:02:01] Anna: Neil, thank you so much for joining us today on the Baseball Bucket List. How are things up there in Philadelphia?

[00:02:07] Neil: They’re good. I appreciate having me on. Um, this actually was the last of the 30 ballparks that I had not broadcast in. Um, I had been to ballparks in Philadelphia before, just hadn’t worked it. So, um, I wish the results were better, uh, against, uh, the Phillies, but they’re a really good team and there’s a reason that they’re among those that have a good chance to win the World Series this year.

[00:02:31] Anna: Philly is one of those ballparks where, I mean, I first visited it in 2008 and obviously that was the earlier half of the season. I did not go up there for the World Series, but, I heard you guys talking about this prior to Monday’s game, kind of the what ifs and if onlys of 2008.

[00:02:49] Anna: So every time I see Citizen’s Bank, despite how beautiful and wonderful of a ballpark it is, I still just have these little, like, internal rustlings of UGH, you know?

[00:03:00] Neil: I can totally understand that. Um, you know, it, uh, it’ll probably feel that way until the Rays win their first world series title. Um, but in the, uh, in the meantime, it’s, uh, this group has been on an awesome ride for the last several years and, you know, whether things turn out this way, the right way, or the way we hope this year or not.

[00:03:22] Neil: I still think the future is pretty bright for the franchise and was especially excited that, you know, from a ballpark perspective, approval came for the, for the new facility for 28 as well. I think that’s as big a win as you could possibly find on a landscape this year.

[00:03:38] Anna: Definitely so, definitely so, and I know we’re gonna jump into all of that, but uh, out of the gate, I gotta ask, How is it that you fell in love with the game of baseball?

[00:03:49] Neil: You know, I think it probably starts with just falling in love with sports in general. You know, you grow up in a, I grew up in a suburban environment in New Jersey where You know, every day you would go out and play with your neighbors. Um, it was, um, the kind of atmosphere where you’d play outside until mom called you in for dinner.

[00:04:10] Neil: and I think probably when I played little league all the way through and probably realized at 14, I couldn’t hit a curve ball and I was left handed and I wasn’t going to play anywhere but first base in the outfield. So, um, you know, the, the options were limited, but I think I, I had a love for baseball along with all sports and probably, there were a couple of unique moments as a kid.

[00:04:36] Neil: One, um, stands out. I remember actually when Thurman Munson passed away in his, um, uh, plane crash because I was in the playground with, uh, a neighborhood friend who actually was related to Catfish Hunter. And he was the one who’s, you know, in those days, you don’t have Twitter and you didn’t have cell phones and he somehow found out the news and Um, that’s kind of how I, like, first moment of, wow, um, I also remember being at my grandma’s house in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, watching on TV when Bucky Dent hit the home run off Mike Torres in, in, uh, in 78, um, but then probably as a teenager, the big moment was being at, Shea Stadium And the place feeling like it was going to almost like collapse because it, I mean, it was almost like I was riding a wave when Doc Gooden was pitching.

[00:05:36] Neil: And so I think those kinds of moments endear you to the passion of the game. And, um, we’re among the many reasons why I fell in love with the game of baseball.

[00:05:47] Anna: Yeah, I think that collective energy you just mentioned, you know, about being. At Shea. My dad, my dad has this story that he tells about mark Fidrych all the time. Cause he grew up in Detroit and he tells a story about how loud old tiger stadium would get when Fidrych was pitching that the place would just be absolutely packed. 

[00:06:04] Anna: And it was all made of wood and he’d be concerned that it was going to like fall down. I think that probably endeared the game a lot to my dad too  And you know as you mentioned we all kind of have our moments like that where we just we can think back and kind of Close our eyes and you almost get the same emotions welling up inside of you so that’s how you kind of fell in love with the game from a fan’s perspective Talk a little bit about your journey into the broadcasting world, you know, is that something that you took an interest in from a young age? Or did you just kind of like stumble your way into it,

[00:06:35] Neil: I would say probably when I was 12, my interest was peaked, um, or 13, somewhere in that neighborhood when I realized I wasn’t going to be a tremendous athlete. I’m, I’m 6’1 now, but I probably was 5’7 until about my senior year of high school, so basketball was not an option and nor were many of the major sports and, um, you know, I’m, I’m the oldest of three and, uh, my brother used to get annoyed with me because there were times where as a teenager, I would turn the sound down on, on the game and pretend I was broadcasting it or in the backyard, if we’re playing wiffle ball or, or whatever it is, um, you know, pretending I’m doing something.

[00:07:16] Neil: So I know that I had the bug fairly early because I love sports and wanted a way of doing it. And I remember I was, In high school and I was, um, a band geek, but I also found a way. We had like a local cable TV station associated with the high school. And, and I was actually until my junior year, I kind of basically stopped band because I could get to broadcast the high school games.

[00:07:46] Neil: Um, and so I did high school games. I wrote, uh, went on to do it in college and kind of figured at some point I wanted a way of, of working in baseball or working in sports, I would say. You know, I went to college at Rutgers in New Jersey and was also very active with our student radio station and our daily newspaper and I don’t know that I thought at 21 or 22, hey, baseball is going to be it.

[00:08:14] Neil: I thought, well, that would be great. Or maybe I become the voice of a university or something of that nature. But at that time, most of the schools, um, folks would stay for the format’s pretty different now, but you would have legendary voices that would stay at their university for 40 or 50 years. And they would pass on.

[00:08:34] Neil: Before they, they actually retired, you know, rather than retire. So, um, it was unique that I was doing, um, pre and post game for Rutgers football and basketball and sideline and a weeknight call in show. And then the Somerset Patriots came into our backyard. They were an independent Atlantic league team, um, with Sparky Lyle, the former Cy Young award winner managing.

[00:08:57] Neil: And I got to do the first couple of years of that. And once I started doing that, I’m like, Oh, it was almost like, Oh, I didn’t realize I could get into baseball and meaning to get into the field and then that led me to start pursuing minor league baseball and then I went from Quad City to Lakewood, New Jersey to Durham, North Carolina to eventually fortunate enough to get to the Rays. that’s kind of the long and short of it. Um, it was, it, there, there are certainly a lot of steps along the journey that were really unique. Um, but, um, you know, just love the game and love broadcasting it and then found a way to say, okay, I can do this.

[00:09:34] Anna: Our timelines are kind of similar. It’s, it’s odd, you know, looking back over it, but you know, you were in Durham, um, and kind of like the, the mid aughts, I guess is how, what we’re supposed to call them now. And I was at a school called Campbell university, which is

[00:09:46] Anna: not far. 

[00:09:47] Neil: Creek.

[00:09:48] Anna: right. Yeah. From Durham.

[00:09:50] Anna: Um, and basically the same timeframe. So I remember that time very fondly because that was when the, uh, the superstars that would build. the franchise, from my perspective, were, you know, cutting their teeth in, in Durham. And, um, I think one of the things that I didn’t realize until recently, more recently, was that the broadcast team kind of has their own call up system, right?

[00:10:19] Anna: I mean, you kind of can go through an organization and, and build your own skills, build your own resume at the lower levels, and it’s something that I’m starting to recognize a lot more as I kind of watch people. Uh, on Twitter, talk about, you know, making big league debuts from a broadcast standpoint. Can you kind of talk about that time in your career where you were with the Rays organization, but you know, kind of building your way up to sitting in a big league broadcast booth?

[00:10:51] Neil: So when I got to Durham, I just felt fortunate just because I knew how good the franchise was. I was lucky to be in Lakewood as well. I mean, every step along the way, I think you’re pretty fortunate to kind of be where you are. Um, and I didn’t look at it at the time of, okay, I’ll move through the system because when I was in Quad City, it was a twins affiliate.

[00:11:10] Neil: Lakewood was a Phillies affiliate, and obviously Durham was a Rays affiliate. So, and I would say for most, they don’t necessarily move up. Within the same organization. Um, you know, Dave Wills came from a White Sox affiliate and then was a White Sox pre and post game guy and, and, uh, or actually at some point the King County was also a Marlins affiliate.

[00:11:31] Neil: They changed affiliations of number of times and Andy was his last stop was in Pawtucket, which was a Red Sox affiliate and for most, I would say. We’re not necessarily fortunate to say, Hey, we’re going to go through the system we’re with, you know, I think things just happened to work out in such a way that I was lucky enough to, to go from Durham to a pre postgame job with the Rays in 2012.

[00:11:58] Neil: I was there from 04 to 11. Um, eight years, as you mentioned, where you really saw the growth of the franchise and go from the Devil Rays to the Rays, which was incredible, um, and got to see a lot of history and some wonderful people is, is more, probably even more so than, than, uh, the, the talented players.

[00:12:15] Neil: Um, and then in 10 and 11. There was a unique opportunity where I got to fill in on some pre and post game broadcasts, and then was fortunate enough in, in the off season, uh, prior to the 2012 year to, to get hired in that role. Um, and knew at that point, well, hopefully this is kind of, um, you know, the, the next to last step or the unique step in the journey that to do what I wanted to do, which was call games at the major league level for a living.

[00:12:45] Anna: I want to talk about your your voice for a moment If you’ll if you’ll let me and you know, I’ve I’ve had the opportunity to speak with Folks in the broadcast media world. They all have this voice that just kind of has a very nuanced kind of Characteristic about it and you know, obviously your voice is something that you’re born with but can you train it to be more?

[00:13:11] Anna: Uh, booming, more annunciative, you know, those types of things.

[00:13:16] Neil: Oh, yeah. Um, I think there are a lot of people in the industry who I’ve worked with a voice coach before. Um, and I think there are a lot of things that you can do on a daily basis to become better at what you do. Um, you know, it’s no different than a singer who trains themselves to, to breathe better, to, to hit certain notes, to take care of their body.

[00:13:38] Neil: I mean, you know, I think Certainly not finely tuned great athletes by any stretch of the imagination. They do all kinds of things to get their bodies ready for that day’s game and have to go through their fair share of pain where we don’t have, you know, broadcasting. I don’t necessarily feel, you know, we have, you know, Um, aren’t dealing with injuries on a daily basis, but you’re trying to keep your mind sharp, your, um, your voice sharp, you, you listen back to things, what do I like, what do I not like, um, about what you do, and, and probably each of us is our own worst critic, and, um, and, you know, you, but you still prepare every single day, I, I, I, I kind of look at it as every day that I get ready for a game is someone listening for the very first time.

[00:14:25] Neil: And, um, they’re, it may be their only opportunity to listen to you and if they don’t like what they hear, um, they’re going to make their own judgments based on that. And, and I think you have to treat every broadcast as, um, it could be your last. So how do you want, you know, your, your audience to perceive you and you kind of go at it that way that you’re telling a story every day, but someone may be listening to a chapter for the first time.

[00:14:52] Anna: Yeah. That’s a really good perspective to have on it. One of the questions I wanted to ask you was was about game day preparation and series preparation obviously in the middle of a road Trip right now playing a Phillies team, which we I mean now with obviously the schedule shake up We will see more of them But you know, it wasn’t as if the Phillies are a major rival that we see 16 times a year and you kind of answered the first half of that question with preparation in terms of like, you’re doing stuff every day to kind of hone the skill and stay sharp and probably just keep a pulse on Major League Baseball as a whole, but when you find yourself sitting down to call games for teams that you’re not as familiar with, how much preparation and homework has to go into making sure that you’re able to kind of fill those little instances with the quips or the quick facts about guys that you’re not used to seeing?

[00:15:49] Neil: I think a lot. I mean, I think it is fortunate now that we see every team every year, but you’re seeing different stages of the year and you have to remember, okay, where are they in, in the big picture and where is your team in the big picture? And, and I think it helps to be current on whatever’s going on.

[00:16:07] Neil: Um, the 11. So there certainly are things germane to. That that will be touched on just like last night. I’m not focusing on the presidential debate while it’s going on but if you make a debate comment or a comment about You know, this is a subject i’m not going to debate and and you’re staying away from the politics of it um, you can have fun because I think Your goal is still to educate and entertain your audience on a regular basis.

[00:16:37] Neil: And whether it’s that or you’re current on a streaming show or whatever may be going on in the world, um, you’re trying to give people two and a half to three hours of a break from it all in, in, you know, whatever they’re dealing with in the real world. So, uh, I think you’re constantly preparing on the teams.

[00:16:59] Neil: But also constantly preparing on whatever stories you can bring to the table, whatever is, is new out there with your players, with the opposing players. Um, you know, and then some things happen organically. The first day of the Philly series, you know, you got 40, 000 fans chaining Buddy Kennedy’s name, which I can’t say anyone expected, especially when he hadn’t even had a hit yet in a, in a Phillies uniform.

[00:17:22] Neil: But, um, you know, it’s one of those, you know, Unique things that can happen at the game of baseball and and um, it certainly Baird talking about in further detail the next day because he also was a guy who grew up in the same hometown as Mike Trout and his dad is, or his grandfather’s Don Money who was a longtime Major League Baseball player.

[00:17:42] Neil: So, um, all of those things, you know, you’re trying to weave in at the appropriate time. Um, and hopefully, you know, you’re entertaining and educational to the audience you bring.

[00:17:53] Anna: I think that’s what I find so attractive about radio broadcasts in particular is, there’s something about just the medium of Baseball over the radio, you know with tv the visual side of it does a lot of the heavy lifting um, and I I feel like You periods of silence on TV are less quote unquote awkward and You know there can be more of them because people are still watching they’re still engaged and everything whereas with baseball you really have to walk this delicate line on the radio of Leaving space to hear the like hear the ambiance of the game the environment of the ballpark But still not you know making it periods of dead air.

[00:18:38] Anna: So, I mean, I guess that’s a roundabout way of kind of asking, you know, growing up and being a fan of sports, did you kind of have broadcasters or broadcast styles that you were a bigger fan of that you’ve kind of rolled in to obviously create your own unique style of play by play?

[00:18:59] Neil: I would say yes. Um, I would say that first and foremost, I have a great partner. Um, Andy Freed is a tremendous person, human being, broadcaster, all of the above, and he understands the history of baseball probably better than, than anyone I could imagine working with, and he has a love for the game that’s, um, contagious.

[00:19:23] Neil: And so working with him on a daily basis, it’s a fun conversation on and off air. We, we love working together. And I think that’s as it was with Dave, I think, um, it’s, it’s super important to have that, you know, I, I, I grew up in the Northeast. So I would say one of the things that, you know, stood out, I, I was, Andy likes to say I’m, I’m like the perfect story to become a Rays broadcaster because, um, until I, until the Yankees won 78, I was a Yankee fan and then immediately switched to the Mets because they were the underdog.

[00:19:56] Neil: Every one of my family was a Yankee fan and I switched over. So I rooted for the underdog. And obviously the Razor in the American league East are kind of the ultimate underdog. Um, so ending up working there was, you know, kind of like a, uh, a perfect. Storyline, um, but I, I grew up on, on, uh, you know, Bob Murphy and Gary Cohen, who I thought were a wonderful combination of Bob being like that wonderful grandfather, you know, storyteller that you would hear on the back porch drinking lemonade and could make anything sound comfortable.

[00:20:32] Neil: And Gary being one of the best broadcasters that the sport has had about being so accurate and so on the note, especially in the key moments. I think you strive to be that, but you have to be your own self. Um, I’ve made, I’ve been quite careful not to listen. To other broadcasts since taking a full time play by play role again with Andy because I don’t want others to seep into my subconsciousness and I’d rather just focus.

[00:21:00] Neil: on the relationship with with Andy on a day by day basis and listen back to what I like about myself and you know you listen to games for year after year after year you don’t want to pick others vernacular up you want it to be your own and you want it to be authentic and I think that’s really really um critical and important and hopefully it plays that way you know I think it’s always going to be a work in progress and um you know I want to be someone who Hopefully comes off as friendly, loves the game.

[00:21:30] Neil: cares about the history, cares about the players and can tell stories that that people can relate to or that find the players relatable because they’re always the story on the field. I mean, to me it’s always about the game on the field first above anything else.

[00:21:45] Anna: I think another thing that’s so phenomenal about a radio broadcast is, you know, Having time, and this is unique to baseball as far as in my opinion, I guess, the dead space of the game, which I know is less now because of the pitch clock and, and the time between innings being shortened and things like that, but, you know, finding those moments to weave in these human interest stories about, uh, you know, The guy who goes back and graduates from, from high school in the middle of a big league season just to make his mom happy and things like that.

[00:22:19] Anna: And so I know, I know human interest stories are everywhere, but I think that this team, which you kind of alluded to, just the Reyes franchise as a rule is full of underdogs and great humanistic stories. And, um, I mean, I just, I guess I’m kind of curious to know. How do you weave those in so organically, right?

[00:22:43] Anna: Because you don’t have a script to the game. You don’t know what’s happening. You might have, hey, I want to talk about these few things today, but you know, what’s it like to have to sit there and try to think of like, okay, when do I tell this story and make it seem right?

[00:22:58] Neil: Um, I think you have to just trust yourself. in in those moments and you’re going to tell stories that are at the wrong time or or may not fit. I think the hardest thing has been to adjust to a pitch clock, um, at first because, you know, you might have had 30 seconds in between pitches where now you have 15 and how do you tell that same story with the same effective or tell that story the same effectiveness in 15 seconds versus 30.

[00:23:25] Neil: I think you learn to be really Much more concise with your word choice and how you go about doing it. Um, and, and so that has been like part of the adjustment period. Um, but I, I think, you know, you, you pay attention to what’s going on with the game too. Like, uh, your storytelling in an 8 1 game may be different than in a 2 1 game or in a tie game with the Go ahead, run a third base and two out in the, in the eighth inning, you know, you’re, you’re, you’re adjusting based on the, the time of the game, the second inning versus the fifth or the eighth, um, in a close game, they’re all different.

[00:24:04] Neil: So you try and kind of weigh that and go, okay, this. You know, let’s, let’s go in this route or if you have a lengthy at bat, you know, sometimes you’re, you’re, you’ve got a great story to tell and the guy comes up, swings first pitch and grounds out to shortstop and well, he’ll have four more, three more plate appearances and, you know, two more games in the series or three more games in the series.

[00:24:26] Neil: So, you know, the story can be told at another point. Um, and I think you just have to kind of judge case on its own. Usually The 90 seconds in between innings is where I start to kind of think, okay, what might, who’s coming up? What’s the storyline of the game? and, and, you know, I think we all.

[00:24:46] Neil: Take some notes and have different ways of preparing, but you know, there are certain stories that I’ll probably have. I might have a hundred different stories and get to five of them or ten of them, but you know, I’ll try and prioritize. Okay, what are some things that really would make sense to touch on if I’m given the chance and hopefully we’re hitting on the highlights.

[00:25:03] Anna: Yeah, I’ve always just wondered about that because of the way that the the game it’s it’s unlike any other game again There’s there’s no clock so, you know you don’t have like X amount of whatever’s to fit in here because the At bat could be like you said one pitch or it could be 14. We don’t know but Um, I want to touch on, you know, you talked about one of the big highlights of this season, obviously the news and the progression of this new ballpark that’s going to be built, supposed to be ready by the 2028 season.

[00:25:36] Anna: And, you know, fresh on the heels of the Oakland announcement and debacle and fallout, I am no longer in the Tampa Bay area, but I would love to hear from someone who is involved in that world on a daily basis what that means to the city and the surrounding area, knowing that the Rays are here to stay.

[00:25:59] Neil: It’s hard for me to speak like for an entire region, um, but

[00:26:03] Neil: I can speak as a, member of the team and, and, and a dad who, you know, my wife and I, we moved to our two kids here at four and five years of age. And when we came from Durham, North Carolina, one of the things we discussed was, Well, what’s going to be the status with the team?

[00:26:19] Neil: Are we going to have to move in four or five years? And, you know, I was given pretty strong assurances at the time. Hey, this team is staying in Tampa Bay. And I’ve always said that, but I think from a fan perspective, for many, there was probably a cloud hanging overhead. Well, we don’t have a stadium deal yet.

[00:26:34] Neil: So what? What is and that’s something I would hear on, you know, public speaking appearances and to to know that, you know, we’re It’s now behind it’s in the rearview mirror. Um Is amazing and extremely exciting. Um, I know how many Folks have spent, whether it’s Melanie Lenz or Robbie Arts or our presidents, Matt Silverman and Brian Ault or, uh, uh, Rafael Amador Fink, who, who is, you know, been running point on a lot of this and, and, um, Dana Ward and so many others, um, to, to allow this to, to happen and the support from the city council, the, the county, the, and, and, and, You know, all the individuals in between to make this work, um, and the many partners from from Heinz, et cetera.

[00:27:23] Neil: Um, you know, to me, it’s extremely exciting because, um, I think you know, you’re, you’re now going from what if To when, you know, and, and now I think it allows the focus to be more on, you know, instead of having that one question, well, what if, well, now we know, okay, 2028 20 new stadiums supposed to open and, and, um, Um, to me, it’s just super exciting as a, as a broadcaster, as a fan, as, you know, you know, this is the place where my kids grew up.

[00:27:59] Neil: So I want them to see a new ballpark. I want, I want this to be our, you know, continue to be our home. And so, you know, I’m excited about what’s to come. And I know a lot of folks in our, you know, our front office was, you know, obviously thrilled to get to this point. And, uh, now the real fun begins and, and a lot of folks well above me are doing a lot of great work to get that the ballpark done, uh, on time three years from now, three plus years from now.

[00:28:25] Anna: I remember when I, when I finally read that it was like, Okay, we’re there now. This is like a done deal, essentially. Uh, just a wave of relief washing over me as a fan. And, you know, I can only imagine as someone whose career is tied up in all of that, the sense that you must have felt. Uh, because this has been a long, drawn out process.

[00:28:48] Anna: In my garage I have a, A poster that they handed me walking into the Trop one day that says let’s build the ballpark. And it was about the, uh, the downtown waterfront, St. Pete, uh, ballpark back in, you know, I don’t know if that was 08, 09 or beyond,

[00:29:05] Neil: it was 08. 

[00:29:06] Anna: And uh, you know, I just remember this being a thing hanging over the heads of Rays fans for, for a long time.

[00:29:12] Anna: And as someone who doesn’t live in the area currently, but the goal is to obviously get back at some point in the back of my mind. I always was very hesitant, cautious, I don’t know what the right word is, but I guess just worried about like, okay, when, when my life gives me an opportunity to get back to the place that I love being at, is one of the major reasons that I love being there, still going to be there, and so, um, it was just a huge relief and I, I can’t wait to see it, but the biggest question I have about that is, in the renderings, I don’t see a Raze tank.

[00:29:51] Anna: Surely they’re gonna fix that.

[00:29:54] Neil: We’ve been told that there is going to be some iteration of a Rays tank, where it is, how it’s configured. Um, I haven’t asked all the details cause I know that it’s still ongoing. I know that. You know, the thing that I keep hearing is, is the word intimacy involving this, this facility, because it’s going to be the first one first stadium that’s built with netting in place.

[00:30:17] Neil: Like, remember that nets were added up the lines, um, well, um, into when these stadiums are built. So now you can bring the fans even closer to the action, knowing that you’ve got nets. Up the lines and that’s that’s less of an issue. So there may be more there may be less foul ground than you have at most ballparks because of that fact, um, there may be different ways that you can engage fans than ever before.

[00:30:44] Neil: And I think they’re looking at all these options and trying to find ways to make this, uh, a ballpark. You know, we always talk about the intimacy of the game, probably in spring training, but how can you bring it even closer to people in the major league season? And I think that whatever unique, renderings or, or final, uh, uh, renderings of the ballpark that exist, they’re going to be things that I think a lot of fans have not seen before.

[00:31:13] Neil: Uh, they’ll probably have a lot more unique gathering places than ever before. Um, it will be a very social atmosphere, but I think people will be able to engage and love the game in a lot of different ways.

[00:31:25] Anna: Definitely. I look forward to it. It’s, uh, that’s a point that I hadn’t thought of before, but you’re absolutely right about that. It opens up a lot more opportunity for development and design and, um, I’m glad to hear that there’s going to be some sort of a Rays tank because I feel like there would be a riot otherwise.

[00:31:42] Neil: Yeah, yeah, I and they’ve said that all along that that’s going to be part of it. I just don’t know how and where and, you know, I’ll let again, people smarter than me figure that out. That’s

[00:31:55] Anna: comes to mind if I ask you what your favorite baseball memory is?

[00:31:59] Neil: good question. I would say that probably one of the things that stick out you know, Aki stepping on second because that was, you know, the first Not the true greatest moment of the ays, but I think that sticks out. I think Mike Brosseau’s is home run off Aroldis Chapman. I think Evan Longoria is home run in 2011.

[00:32:22] Neil: Um, I, I would say the, the, um, the Randy Arozarena, Brett Phillips moment from game four, the 2020 World Series. Um, there was a lot from 2020 that. That stick out, I mentioned two moments, Brosseau and Phillips, and I think part of that is because I think we saw during that period, there was a ton of uncertainty.

[00:32:44] Neil: I mean, for most of us, we didn’t even know if or when a season would happen because of the pandemic. We didn’t know if or when. When we would broadcast that year. And we also saw through emails, through tweets, through texts, how much playing those games brought some normalcy to people in a very, very difficult time period.

[00:33:06] Neil: So for me, as much as. 2008 and 2011, um, and some of the years beyond that, 2013, 19, 21, you know, all of the, you know, 13 wins in a row to start 23, um, I think some of the stuff from 2020 sticks out just because of, um, the time in our world that existed. So even though I was calling pre and post games at that time, from a baseball standpoint, those moments stick out to me just because I know what they meant to so many people, including myself.

[00:33:39] Neil: I mean, You know, we, we, it was a very, very unsure period.

[00:33:43] Anna: Yeah. Uh, you describing it, I’m, I’m, I’m starting to get a little choked up because I feel the exact same about it. And, you know, in my opinion, my favorite Rays baseball memory in particular is the Brosseau home run off of Chapman. I mean, I think, you know, David hurls a rock and it hits Goliath and, and down he goes.

[00:34:03] Anna: And, uh, just that, that moment that kind of. To your point, like, captured, exemplified, the entire year long kerfuffle that we had been on, and, uh, I wasn’t sitting next to my dad, but I called him immediately, and he answers the phone, and he goes, Did you hear me?

[00:34:22] Anna: Cause he was yelling so loud. He’s in South Carolina. I’m in Texas. But that was his response, you know, just, uh, and, and feeling that closeness to him, even though we were so far away, it just, obviously it meant a lot. So, good answer. 

[00:34:37] Neil: Thank you. You know, I, I, I, um, I also just remember seeing so many videos that people took of themselves. While all this is going on and obviously you, you, you didn’t in that moment, but it brought back really awesome memories. And to me, that’s what baseball broadcasting is. It’s, it’s creating moments that are memorable for people like we’re in, Andy likes to say we’re in the memory making business.

[00:35:03] Neil: And, um, I think he’s absolutely a thousand percent right. That that’s what this is all about that and it may be the way we describe a moment and maybe a funny story that we tell it may be making a player relatable to the person who’s listening, whatever it is in different moments. Hopefully we’re finding different ways to be relatable to people, um, and, um, and tell the stories of our players and hopefully the really good stories.

[00:35:29] Neil: And, you know, maybe there’s a championship moment to come in the very near term. Who 

[00:35:32] Anna: I hope so. I hope so. I’m, uh, I’m looking forward to it. So I, I hope it’s, it’s in the, the near future, but, we started this interview, you mentioned that, that Philly was the last of 30 ballparks that you’ve had an opportunity to work in now. So, I mean, a lot of fans that, uh, The bucket list is, I want to get to all 30 ballparks, but, you know, is there something still at the very top of your baseball bucket list?

[00:36:00] Neil: I, if I were lucky enough to call a world series game, that would probably be right at the top. Um, I, you know, Andy’s gotten to do that a couple of times and I’d love to do that with him. I think that would probably be right at the top of the list. I mean, being there for opening day of a new ballpark in Tampa Bay would probably, uh, be, uh, you know, an incredible thrill if I’m fortunate enough to continue to do that all the way through 28 and beyond.

[00:36:25] Neil: Um, you know, those are probably two things that stand out. I mean, I think, you know, the first day that I called and made any innings in a major league baseball game in 2011 was something that stood out to me because I didn’t know what my future held. I didn’t know that I was going to get an opportunity the next season to work in major league baseball.

[00:36:44] Neil: And I remember just telling my wife, Hey, I don’t know what’s going to come going forward, but I got a chance to do this. And I know I can do this. Um, and I can at least say I did it. Because, you know, you’re, you’re, you never take any moment that you have for granted. And so, you know, to have been fortunate enough to be with this organization for as many years as I have, I consider myself very, very fortunate, very lucky and fortunate to work for great people and with great people.

[00:37:15] Anna: well, I’m glad we have you. I really am. I feel like it’s, uh, it’s just a normal part of my day to tune in and, you know, listen to, to Neil and Andy and hear what they have to say about the Rays and, uh, Um, what’s to come for the franchise and I have a good feeling about the next handful of years I I feel like good times are on the way and you know look forward to just kind of being along for the ride, but Before I let you go Where do we send people if they want to follow you online, if they want to find out more about you or just keep up on you?

[00:37:48] Neil: So I’m on, uh, I guess X. And, uh, and Instagram, um, those are probably the best two ways. Uh, I think I have a Facebook fan page too, that people can follow. I try and keep, I’ve got separate accounts on Instagram and separate accounts on Facebook, one from my family and, you know, having two teenage kids. I like to keep them out of, um, uh, you know, attention and, and, and keep my private life with them private.

[00:38:16] Neil: And I like to, uh, incorporate. A lot of the ballpark related stuff. Um in my social so i’m very simple. It’s @neilsolondz for uh, both instagram and and twitter or x Uh as it is now and um, I would welcome people to also follow you know at race radio because um and follow andy be freed and and you know, because I consider us a family we’re We’re very You know Um, fortunately, we’ve got a, uh, Chris Miller heads up our department now and he does an amazing job and, and Becca Carney.

[00:38:51] Neil: I know we talk about them during the course of our broadcast, but they, they and Enrique and Ricardo are Spanish broadcasters and our, um, broadcast assistants this year, Max and Jared, we are a family. Really feel that way. And I think, um, the last couple of years have probably brought us a lot closer to because of everything that, you know, that’s taken place.

[00:39:13] Neil: And, you know, I think, um, the one thing we try not to do is just not take a, a day for granted, uh, that we get to work in baseball and get to work for the Rays.

[00:39:22] Anna: like I said, I’m a big fan of both the team and the team behind the team. So, really appreciate you making time to join me today and can’t thank you enough and hope that the rest of the road trip wraps up all right, and you know, I’ll see you Next week, I guess, at the Trop.

[00:39:41] Neil: I appreciate you having me on and, uh, looking forward to that.

[00:39:44] Anna: And that will wrap up this episode at the baseball bucket list podcast, special things to Neil Solondz for joining us today and sharing those stories and memories. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, if you think you might like to be a guest on the show, head to baseball bucket list.com/podcast and fill out an application. 

[00:40:00] Anna: I’d absolutely love to hear from you while you’re there. Make sure to spend some time on the site, sign up for a free membership. Build your own baseball bucket list. Track your ballpark visits and connect with other fans. If you find yourself enjoying the show each week, please take a moment to rate and review it in the podcast app of your choice. It goes such a long way in helping new listeners find the show. 

[00:40:19] Anna: And I would really, really appreciate it. That’s it for this week. Thanks so much for listening. We’ll see you. Next episode.