The World Series has put the Rays and Tropicana Field on baseball's grandest stage, and the online humor magazine The Onion has taken the opportunity to lob a few pieces of overripe fruit.

Today, the Web site featured a spoof story headlined "Double-Booked Tropicana Field Holds First Haunted House World Series," describing a scheduling conflict caused by an assumption earlier this summer that the Rays would not, could not still be playing in October:

According to vice president of stadium operations Rick Nafe, who said he "deeply regrets" the double booking, dates for the haunted house were reserved in late July, a time when the possibility of the stadium being used for the World Series did not seem realistic to anyone in the Rays' front office.

Also appearing on The Onion's site today are stories headlined "All-Time Rays Great Evan Longoria Throws Out First Pitch Of World Series" and "Tormented TBS Producer Wonders Why 'Steve Harvey Show' Was First Thing Out Of Mouth During Game 6 Technical Difficulties." Last week, an Onion story had fun with the Rays' win over Boston in Game 2 of the ALCS with a spoof titled "B.J. Upton Always Dreamed Of Winning Game 2 Of ALCS With Shallow Sac Fly," and a November 2007 story announced "Tampa Bay Devil Rays Change Name, Uniform, Sport."

Ken Walker, Times Staff Writer

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