Tampa Bay Rays
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BoSox Need To Catch Some RaysJuly 9th, 2008
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Maybe the American League East won’t be much of a race, after all.
Doing their best Boston Celtics impersonation, the Tampa Bay Rays, in just a calendar year, have gone from worst to first. And while Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett don’t quite equate to the big ticket acquisition of Kevin Garnett from Minnesota, the two cogs have chipped in and helped change the dynamic of the once hapless Rays—a club that previously seemed destined forever to finish well-below .500 every season, continuing a long-standing tradition of being the butt end of countless jokes and jabs.
With a 55-32 record and .632 winning percentage heading into Monday’s afternoon contest against the Kansas City Royals, the Rays have upgraded from basement dweller status to baseball’s penthouse suite. And with a recent sweep of the second place Boston Red Sox, the red-hot Rays, winners of seven in a row and 11 of their last 12 games, sit atop the AL East with a didn’t-see-that-coming seven game lead in the loss column. Read more
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Rays Shine on Opening DayApril 2nd, 2008
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Now that spring training is over, the newly exorcised Rays are looking to take Major League Baseball by surprise. The Rays strutted their way through the Orioles 6 – 2 at Camden Yards on a rare opening day victory.
Monday’s victory marked their first at opening day in eight years. James Shields, who moved up due to Kazmir’s injury, pitched a solid seven innings holding the O’s to five hits while only surrendering two runs. The bullpen with Trever Miller, Al Reyes and Dan Wheeler surrendered only one hit to close out.
Eric Hinske produced a solo shot in his Rays’ debut and B. J. Upton produced two RBIs. Kevin Millar produced the only runs for the Orioles driving in two.
As it looks, the Rays picked up where they left off in offense and while the pitching kept the momentum for the game that was sorely lacking all last year. One down, 161 more to go.