Tampa Bay Rays
Established: 1998
Other Names:
Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-2007)
2016 results: 77-85,
5th in the AL East
2017 Prediction: 5th
World Series Titles: 0
Most Recent: N/A
Last World Series
Appearance: 2008
Last Division Title: 2010
Ballpark: Tropicana
Field
Est: 1993
Best Season: 2008
Before the 2008 season, Tampa
had played ten seasons. In the five-team American League East, they finished in
last place nine of those years. The only exception was 2004 when they managed
to climb to fourth. But in 2008, the team changed their name from Devil Rays to
Rays and the sun began to shine on the club (yeah, I know they play in a dome
with an unretractable roof). Not only did they finish with a winning record for
the first time (97-65), they finished in first place, two games ahead of the
Red Sox. After taking out the Chicago White Sox in four games in the ALDS, they
met Boston in the ALCS. After dropping the first game, Tampa won three straight
to take a three games to one lead. But the Red Sox battled back to force a Game
7. A 3-1 Tampa victory secured the first Pennant in team history. However, the
Rays fell short of winning the World Series, losing in five games to the
Philadelphia Phillies. Offensively, the Rays looked to Carlos Pena, rookie Evan
Longoria, Carl Crawford and Melvin Upton Jr. Pitching wise, Tampa depended on
starters James Shields, Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine, and relievers Troy
Percival and David Price.
Best All-time Player:
Evan Longoria
Longoria has come along way,
from being just a guy with a famous last name to the All-Star player he is
today, and at only 31 years of age, he still has a lot of baseball left in him.
He broke into MLB with the Rays at the age of 22 in 2008 and put up numbers
(.272 average, 27 homers and 85 RBIs) good enough to win the AL Rookie of the
Year Award. In his nine years with the Rays, he has been a three-time All-Star,
won two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger Award. In 1279 career games, he has
accumulated 1311 hits, 709 runs scored, a .271 batting average, 241 home runs,
806 RBIs and 45 stolen bases. Despite being the subject of trade rumours during
this offseason, it looks like he will start 2017 with Tampa Bay. How long he
stays with the organization is anybody’s guess.
Best Player on the
Current Roster: Evan Longoria
Yup, he’s also still the best
player on the club. In 2016, he played in 160 games (fourth year in a row he’s
reached that many), hit .273, 36 home runs and added 98 RBIs. He committed only
nine errors in 366 chances at third base, good enough for a .975 fielding
percentage.
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