They roaredand rang their cowbells when David Price induced a groundout to send the Rays to the 2008World Series. They carriedthatsame verve when Evan Longoria propelled the Raysto the playoffs with a12th-inning walkoff in the final regular-season game of 2011. They erupted whencatcher Jose Lobaton launcheda game-winner to the Ray Jacob DeGrom Jersey Tankin Game 3 of the 2013 ALDS, and a fan in a Dan Johnson jersey went berserk near the landing spot of the home runwhileagirl holdinga "Red Sox Are Wicked Awesome" sign slouched in front of him.Despite the jokes, there is tradition in St. Petersburg.Thirty-six thousand peopleon average have packed Tropicana Field for postseason games. That figure includes a hefty amount of rival-supporting transplants, of course, but it also comprisesbaseball-loving Rays fansstill willing to come out to their run down stadium when it matters most.Even though we won't see that many nativesat the park if the team makes the playoffs in 2019, the upper-edge of local fervorisapparent.So, plenty of human beingswill feel let down if the Rays head elsewhere . The franchise has been in existence 22 years and, even in the most of unfortunate of circumstances, itsdiehards have remained.MORE: Observea sample of theresponses to the Rays' proposal, and the legitimate mix of hurt and frustration:I will no longer watch baseball if this happens William Ro son (@ Tim Tebow Jersey Wro son2) Jason (@jasontb123) This has been a rough week. DRaysBay (@draysbay) People wont want to give their $ to an owner who they think doesnt care about keeping the team here, its a catch 22 Hunter Morgan (@hunterm1518) Sell the team Stu! We don't want a part time team. WhatJoeknow (@WhatJoeKnow) The truth! We like the rays and want them on this side of the Bay but as a tax-paying citizenal body we dont want to pay for out of pocket for the new stadium when the owner is more than capable of handling most of the cost. But as is the case with the on-field team: hes frugal win.everyday (@CJWinterberg) BS. I'm ready to dump all of my Rays jerseys, Juan Lagares Jersey hats, bobble heads, all of the team garbage, & our season tickets we have in front of the Trop. I wont though...not just yet. Mr. Potato (@cocoabee1) No way, total slap in the face to the fans. Sell the team and retire to Long Island! Brad Myers (@BradMyersFL) This is insulting and infuriating. Steve Easterling (@grim_prime) Dark day for the franchise Luis (43-32) (@Vanity_Facade) Why dont more of thosefans attendregular-season games consistently?The Rays Matt Harvey Jersey meagerattendance totals fall, at least partially, on subpar ownership and unacceptable facilities. , current ownerStuart Sternberg does not command much popularity in the local community. The team regularly slashes payroll playoff heroes David Price and Evan Longoria were just a couple of the stars shipped away making it difficult to maintain connection with the on-field talent. Tropicana Field, builtin 1990, is a gloomy, artificial eyesore. It's also controversially located in St. Petersburg, not Tampa, which hampersacce sibility for many fans. The number of people from other states who pa stheir non-Rays allegiance on to the next generation of Tampa baseball fans that would exist even underbetter organizational conditions.Still, there are flickers of homegrown enthusiasm if you squint hard enough.Beyond thepostseason attendance upticks, which happen in any city,out-of-stadium followers have beensurprisingly resilient. By regional prime-time baseball TV ratings in 2018 Keith Hernandez Jersey , , ahead of franchises such as the Mets, Orioles, Padres, Rangers and Angels. That's not great,but itindicates a chunk of the fan base routinely watchesfrom home rather than at the stadium.Their favorite team, however, may one daybe viewable from Montreal.,this is nonethele s an escalation of tension between the Raysand their current region. MLB has long been rumored to be looking for an alternative location for the franchise, and there's now tangible evidence of the league eyeing an out from Tampa. If it's not Canada, then it could be or or any number of U.S. cities.If the Rays do leave, you better believe it will leave a mark. Their fans may be relatively low in number, but their pain is real.