Former Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, who sold the team a year ago, is watching the team’s World Series run with joy and a touch of “longing” while praising the new ownership group for securing a new ballpark deal and preserving the organization’s core, according to Marc Topkin of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. The baseball operations department led by President Erik Neander, manager Kevin Cash and “much of the business side staff from Sternberg’s era” remain in place. Sternberg said that he is “most pleased for them, many of whom are longtime employees.” But Sternberg added that there is “a dramatic difference” in not being involved on a daily basis. Sternberg said, “There’s just joy and happiness for all the people there. And the fans — people are enjoying it.” Sternberg also had “high praise for the new ownership group” for being able to complete a deal for a ballpark in Tampa, “something Sternberg explored unsuccessfully several times during his tenure.” Sternberg: “They just did an amazing job to help cement the future of the franchise there. And to do it as clean as they did in a reasonable period of time is nothing short of miraculous.” Topkin noted some people in Sternberg’s inner circle are “urging him to attend one of the upcoming World Series game.” Sternberg: “I’ll see how the schedules and things line up. But I’m also a little superstitious. And I don’t want to ‘F’ up a good thing. … The last thing in the world that I’d need to have happen is to show up, and the team lose or whatever” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/21).

DOUBLE THE FUN: In Tampa, Wright & Moske reported officials from St. Petersburg and Tampa both said that their respective cities are “planning to host victory parades” if the Rays win its first World Series. The initiatives “signal the team’s past and present in St. Petersburg and its future in Tampa.” St. Petersburg’s Mayor Ken Welch said that the city’s parade “may follow the same route as the annual St. Pete Pride parade along the downtown waterfront.” Tampa is “working on hosting a boat parade in line with how it has celebrated past sports victories.” Wright & Moske wrote the parade twofer is “emblematic of the stadium tug-of-war between the cities” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/21).