ST. PETERSBURG -- Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg had every reason to feel good about Tampa Bay’s chances as he stood near the home dugout at Tropicana Field on Friday afternoon. The Rays were about two hours away from unveiling another American League East championship banner above left field, one that represented a 100-win season and a third straight trip to the postseason, and most of that team is back this year.

But “until we actually start winning the games,” Sternberg said, smiling, “it's hard for me to get there" -- even if he expects another winning season from the Rays.

“We have [the] expectation and belief that we should be in the hunt in September, so any year I can come in and feel that way, I'm extraordinarily happy,” he added. “And in that respect, it doesn't feel a lot different than the last couple of years. We're not sneaking up on anybody this year.”

Sternberg touched on a number of other topics during a 16-minute chat with reporters, covering everything from the Rays’ Opening Day payroll to his fascination with switch-hitting shortstop Wander Franco. Here are some of the highlights.

On the payroll
The Rays’ Opening Day payroll this year is between $78 million and $79 million, depending on which calculation you use -- closer to $78.9 million when accounting for player salaries without signing bonuses, contract options or incentives. It’s still among the lowest in the Majors, but it’s a franchise-record mark for Tampa Bay.

Sternberg said it could have been higher and can increase as the season progresses. The Rays made a competitive, well-documented run at free-agent first baseman Freddie Freeman, who ultimately accepted a similar offer to play closer to home with the Dodgers. Regardless, the pursuit displayed Tampa Bay’s willingness to boost its payroll for the right player.

“Our payroll could have been higher this year, but we're in a place right now where we've got some flexibility to get better if need be. We know there'll be some issues going forward during the year,” Sternberg said. “It could be covered by Minor Leaguers, our guys [at] Triple-A [Durham], and also be covered by people on the wires who we pick up, and then potential acquisitions. So we feel that we've got some flexibility.

“This is a good-sized payroll, and we'd like to think -- coming off the season we did and the World Series before -- we're going to get a little bit of lift at the gate as well, which would be helpful.”

Along those lines, the Rays’ opener against the Orioles was announced as a sellout on Thursday -- the 16th consecutive season the club has sold out its home opener, excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Sternberg also said the club’s season ticket plans and memberships “have actually picked up nicely” with “the biggest uptick we’ve had in a number of years.”

“It gives me some optimism in the way things are going, but the proof will be in the pudding,” he said. “We'll see home series by home series.”

On the stadium search
In January, MLB rejected the Rays’ “Sister City” proposal to split future seasons between the Tampa Bay area and Montreal. Their use agreement at Tropicana Field expires after the 2027 season.

Although there is no deadline for a decision or any specifics to speak of, Sternberg said he is “highly optimistic” the Rays will figure out a solution to keep the team in the Tampa Bay area.

“It seems that people are interested and want us to be here. I'm obviously interested and want to be here,” he said. “ I would anticipate that we've got people that are lined up here to want to try to get something done, so I would like to think that at points this year, we'll be able to get at it.”

While the Rays zeroed in on a stadium site in Ybor City in Tampa during the “Sister City” planning, Sternberg said they will use what they’ve learned in their previous efforts to secure a new ballpark while keeping their options open in both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The only thing he ruled out was the idea of a ballpark without a roof, which was in play as part of the split-season plan but wouldn’t be realistic for a full-season stadium here.

On the 2022 Rays
When asked what he’s most excited about regarding this year’s team, Sternberg replied, “The trajectory of the large majority of the players on this team. Just the fact that we've got a bunch of younger people [for whom] their best days are ahead of them. … You can root for this team and know that you probably [have] a pretty good runway ahead of us going forward, even if things don't work out ideally this year. We've got a pretty good runway ahead of us.”

Perhaps no player better illustrates that idea than Franco, the 21-year-old future face of the franchise who over the offseason signed an extension that guarantees him $182 million over the next 11 years. Like everyone else, Sternberg is excited to see what Franco can accomplish during his first full season in the Majors.

“How can you not be?” he said.