How legit are the Tampa Bay Rays? Latest: Game winning hit for Gross, Rays in 1st place (reply #47)

[Kurt]

I really kind of like the Rays team as a whole this year but I still have issues with the fact that they play in a state that has no business having a MLB team.

 

Get MLB out of Florida.

 

I'm predicting a sub 500 finish.

[SeriesFinale]

I really kind of like the Rays team as a whole this year but I still have issues with the fact that they play in a state that has no business having a MLB team.

 

Get MLB out of Florida.

 

I'm predicting a sub 500 finish.

 

Oh, this again. Every time there's a thread about the Rays or Marlins you make a crack about Florida. I don't know what your issue is, but I still don't think the Rays have ever been given a good chance to succeed there. As far as the Marlins, they have less an excuse for their attendance woes, but they're still playing in a bad stadium with a team that gets blown up every 2-3 years. Regardless, the Rays are still outdrawing 8 teams percentage-wise, and the Marlins aren't even dead-last.

[zurch1818]

The Cubs use to be called the White Sox, Colts, and my personal favorite -- Orphans. I guess you could also call the Orioles the Brewers.

 

Back on subject, the Rays are legit this year. If their pitching can hold out this year, there is no reason why they can't contend. Pitching wins games. This was what got the Brewers 7 games over .500 at the allstar break in 04. Pitching is also what gave us an historically bad second half of that same year.

[Diskono]

Uh oh, look what I've started! First, a team moving is different from a random nickname change (though I have called the Nationals the "Washington Expos" on occasion...I think that's a much better name TBH). Anyhow, to me, changing a team nickname is like a person getting up one day and deciding that he wants to be called "T-Bone". In this case, I picture a marketing meeting somewhere in Tampa with some guy giving a powerpoint presentation on how the new name "sounds 67% cooler", and then debating for hours on whether or not the new logo needs fangs. It's funny to me.

 

And yes, I still say California Angels, Phoenix Cardinals, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, but I also enjoy annoying people.

[MessiahRp]

The Rays can easily finish in second in this division. I don't know that they can overtake Boston for the length of an entire season but the Yankees are relying on some really young and really old arms to carry them and they seem to lack the depth to do too much this year. Toronto is always a middle of the pack club and I don't see them being much better this year and Baltimore's improving but they're still on the lifetime rebuilding track that Peter Angelos has had them on for awhile so it might take some time to get enough pieces to contend. The Rays have an incredible wealth of young talent and remind me of the D-Backs of the AL. They could easily finish 2nd in the AL East and should some of the AL Central teams struggle they could very well contend in the Wild Card race.

 

Rp

[rluzinski]

Pitching wins games. This was what got the Brewers 7 games over .500 at the allstar break in 04. Pitching is also what gave us an historically bad second half of that same year.

 

Actually, pitching, fielding and offense wins games.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Rays won't finish higher than 3rd. If the Yankees or the Red Sox need players to hold off Tampa Bay, they'll go get them in July. That's where the economics really hurts the small market teams and nobody's smaller than TB. I'm not sold on Toronto at all. Other than Rios and the ageless Matt Stairs, it's a very ho-hum lineup. Unless Rolen turns into the Rolen of 3-4 years ago, they will go nowhere.

 

BTW, doesn't everyone still call them the California Angels?

[joepepsi]

I'm not sold on Toronto at all. Other than Rios and the ageless Matt Stairs, it's a very ho-hum lineup. Unless Rolen turns into the Rolen of 3-4 years ago, they will go nowhere.

So far Rolen has an .818 slugging percentage! a .462 oba! He's freaking Barry Bonds! (in his first 11 at bats anyway...). There's a reasonable chance he is healthy this year. Reasonable for him of course means he could break down at any time. Nevertheless, he started the season on the DL due to a broken finger; it wasn't a back or knee problem or something else that could linger all season.

 

They also recently called up Adam Lind, who was terrorizing pitchers in AAA. It's time he be given the everyday LF job, and replacing Shannon Stewart should not be too daunting of a task. These two could provide quite a boost to the lineup as the summer heats up.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

The Rays can easily finish in second in this division.

 

Easily? I can't agree with that. Perhaps they'll take 3rd easily, but even then you never know. The Yankees are not nearly as vulnerable as you think. Their offensive depth is actually very sound (save at C), and imo it's only a matter of time before Hughes & Kennedy get things going. Hughes actually had a nice start derailed by a rain delay in (iirc) his last outing.

[endaround]

Actually no, there is really no reason to believe that Hughes and Kennedy are going to be lights out this year. Maybe by the end of the year, but young pitchers usually struggle and add in a terrible defense and you can have some bad days.

[Invader3K]

At the very least, it's good to see another young and rising team in the AL. Tampa could really be a powerhouse once their new stadium is built and their fanbase continues to grow.

As for the name change, I don't care...the only part I don't like is that you can't call them "the D-Rays" anymore. "Bay Rays?" "T-Rays?" What is it?

[JohnBriggs12]

I think they should be called the St. Petersburg Rays. There is no city named Tampa Bay and unless their new ball park springs out of the bay, they aren't housed in Tampa Bay.

[SeriesFinale]

I think Tampa Bay is a good fit...it's a cohesive region and they draw from all parts of the Tampa Bay Area, not just St. Pete, or Tampa, or Clearwater, or even Sarasota/Bradenton.

 

The one sports moniker I always thought was odd was/is the Golden State Warriors.

 

Can you imagine the Badger State Brewers? The Sunshine State Rays?

[Invader3K]

In my view the "Tampa Bay" thing is similar to the "New England Patriots." Not that big of a deal, IMHO.

[TooLiveBrew]

Actually no, there is really no reason to believe that Hughes and Kennedy are going to be lights out this year. Maybe by the end of the year, but young pitchers usually struggle and add in a terrible defense and you can have some bad days.

So far, any time I've said anything about Hughes & Kennedy being solid, you've jumped in to tell me they aren't going to be lights-out. Why? Are you misreading what I type?

 

'Terrible defense" isn't accurate (imo) -- seems a bit of an overstatement. They're no Colorado or whatever, but certainly aren't Florida.

[endaround]

I haven't really said anything about them, perhaps you have me confused with some one else? But I won't be surprised at all if they struggle.

 

As to the defense, which position are the Yankees above average? 2B maybe? They have a poor outfield, Jeter is Jeter and ARod is regressing.

[TooLiveBrew]

Cabrera is clearly better than avg (defensively) in CF. Damon is about average (save arm strength) in LF, Cano, Molina, A-Rod is at worst slightly below-avg., even with regression/aging. To call them 'terrible' just isn't accurate imo.

 

I know you've pointed out to me before about how Hughes & Kennedy are not to be expected to do anything much more than pitch slightly better than replacement-level or worse. Of course I can't go find a thread, but I know I'm not mistaking you for anyone. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I don't think they've done well yet, but I think that expecting them to pitch as poorly as they have thus far (esp. Hughes) for the remainder of 2008 is a bad bet.

[SeriesFinale]

Another sweep of a good team today: they beat Ervin Santana and the Angels.

 

Still way early but I think I'm officially intrigued.

[BrewCrewForever]

Rays are by far my favorite team in the AL. Remind of the Brewers a few years ago, I got some of their players on my fantasy team that are giving me great production: Shields, Kazmir, Navarro and Crawford.

[zzzmanwitz]

This question was brought up on BBTN last night, which team has more staying power, The Rays or the marlins. I would have agree with steve phillips (ugh) and say that the Tampa Bay Rays, even in a harder division have more staying power. They are just the better team out of the two.

[rluzinski]

Not really knowing anything else, the Ray were actually projected to be a decent team this year (a hair above average), so I'd take them over the Marlins.

[Tbadder]

I'm calling them by their real name: Tampa Bay Heathen Rays

[adamb100]

If you didnt catch it, Gabe Gross got the game winning hit in the top of the 11th to put the rays in 1st place in the AL East. It may only be May but it's still an amazing feat for a team in the same division as the Yankees/Red Sox.

[bball123h2]

Good for Gabe and for Tampa. I'm hoping they do well enough to get their new stadium approved, as the idea of watching baseball in a sailboat is pretty attractive.

[TooLiveBrew]

Edwin Jackson was really, really tough for Tampa last night. He was consistently touching 94/95 with his FB, and locating quite well for a guy throwing that hard. Keep in mind this was the Yankees without Rodriguez or Posada, and Cano still really cold.

 

Not trying to take anything away from TB (or their season), just wanted to point out that this was more along the lines of a fluky 2-1 win at home -- fluky as in a 'could've gone either way' game.