Rays relieved by series move: 'We just didn't want to go to Baltimore'

NEW YORK – Chris Archer is both the ace of the Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff and also their representative to the players' union, so he took a keen interest in the civil unrest in Baltimore that imperiled the team's series against the Orioles scheduled this weekend at Camden Yards.

He had texted Tony Clark, executive director of the Players' Association, with his concerns about some of the contingency plans, and anticipated some back-and-forth.

There was none.

Clark contacted Archer Tuesday afternoon with a simple message: This is the plan, case closed.

The extenuating baseball circumstances created by the looting and property destruction not far from Camden Yards will have the greatest effect on the Orioles, who will play a game in front of no fans Wednesday afternoon at Camden Yards. Then, they will head to Tampa Bay, rather than host the Rays this weekend, due in large part to a citywide curfew imposed by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake that would have, at the least, prevented night games scheduled for Friday and Saturday from starting at their scheduled time.

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The Rays, meanwhile, will depart Yankee Stadium after Wednesday's game and head home, rather than to Baltimore. Three bonus games at Tropicana Field – although they will play as the visiting team – made the conditions easy to accept, no questions asked. And the circumstances dictating the change only accentuates the mood of cooperation.

"It's a tragic time in Baltimore, no time for us to be going in there," Archer said Tuesday. "I'm glad we're not (going to be) in that situation. As soon as we saw how severe it was (Monday), I texted Tony and said we had some guys with safety concerns. That's a place where we walk to the field.

"It's just better for everyone."

Everyone except the Orioles' baseball interests, of course. They'll play in front of an empty house Wednesday and exchange the comforts of home for the Rays' dome, where the crowd count figures to be miniscule. Tampa Bay ranks last in the major leagues in attendance (17,000 per home date), and the hastily-arranged series against a team that visits three times a year already figures to further depress the count.

"Hopefully," Archer said, "we can get some fans out there."

On the list of concerns, however, four games played in relative anonymity is far down the list.

"We just didn't want to go to Baltimore, period," says Archer. "We would have gone was Washington or Philadelphia, other scenarios that were possibilities.

"It's good to see the Orioles are OK with taking a hit."

It might not be a full financial hit. Major League Baseball and the Orioles will have talks regarding lost revenue after the series, according to MLB spokesman Pat Courtney.

Using a contingency fund, MLB often compensates displaced teams and emergency hosts for expenses and lost revenue. For instance, the Cleveland Indians didn't incur a loss when a foot of snow days before their 2007 season-opening series forced a relocation to Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Cleveland Indians, for instance, did not incur a loss when a foot of snow days before their season-opening series forced a relocation to Milwaukee's Miller Park.

That series was marked by surprisingly large, loud crowds. The Rays and Orioles will settle for safety, even if it makes for an odd experience.

"It will be weird starting ," says Archer, scheduled to pitch Saturday at Tropicana Field, "and throwing to start the bottom of the first."

GALLERY: Protests disrupt Camden Yards