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Are the Rays the Real Deal?

Jagwar

By Jagwar
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Jagwar Hangout Grand Counsel

Jagwar

Posted
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I know it is only mid-May, but I am very impressed by the baseball the Rays are playing. They look completely different to me from any Tampa Bay team in years past.

And the heart of that lineup is going to be an absolute nightmare to face 19 times a year. :eektf:

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Mad Mark All-Star

Mad Mark

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I know it is only mid-May, but I am very impressed by the baseball the Rays are playing. They look completely different to me from any Tampa Bay team in years past.

And the heart of that lineup is going to be an absolute nightmare to face 19 times a year. :eektf:

If their bullpen continues to produce career years at an absurd clip, they're in it for the duration. I'm really surprised at the upturn their pitching has taken this season.

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Sports Guy Hangout Grand Counsel

Sports Guy

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Yea, a lot will depend on their BP...They have a quality rotation and a lot of offensive potential...Their defense was suspect last year and I assume it is better since the left side of the IF is so much improved.

They definitely could be for real.

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Mackus Hangout Grand Counsel

Mackus

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I suspect the Rays will eventually fade away this year.

Upcoming years are a different story.

I agree with this. I don't think they quite have the pieces for this year, but will continue to get better and better for the next several. I do think they have a great shot at finishing over .500 for the first time this year.
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nadecir Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

nadecir

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The American League East is shaping up to be an incredibly tough division over the next few years. The Orioles could have a much better team and still not compete.

The Yankees will loose a bunch of marginal players (Giambi, Mussina, Pavano, etc) this year, and they will shave at least $40 million off their payroll. Combine that with big new revenues coming from their new stadium, and the Yankees will be able to afford a huge payroll to sign few agents like Sabathia and Teixeira over the next couple of seasons. The Yankees have some good young players, and with a huge payroll, they will be good.

The Red Sox have good group of young players and can afford a big payroll themselves. They will be good for the next several years.

The Rays may be the team to beat very soon. Their pitching is good, they have the first pick of this years draft. The Rays are getting a new ball park in 2012, and that can only help their team.

The Jays are probably in the worst shape out of all the teams in the AL East.

The AL East is shaping up to be murder over the next five or so years.

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DrungoHazewood Hangout Grand Counsel

DrungoHazewood

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A little bit from the Hardball Times:

Jeff Sullivan and I were looking around Baseball-Reference's team BABIP numbers a bit and, to paraphrase Jeff's words:

Part of it has to do with the batted ball profile yielded by the pitching staff, but if the Rays keep up their current pace, their 2008 defense would be 248 plays better than their 2007 defense would be with the same pitching staff. Using Tango's number that 1 extra out ~ 0.8 runs saved, that’s nearly 200 runs, which is about 20 wins given the standard 8-10 runs per win theory.

If their defense stays strong they are definitely for real. And their pitching will get most of the credit in the mainstream media.

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Frobby Hangout Grand Counsel

Frobby

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I agree with this. I don't think they quite have the pieces for this year, but will continue to get better and better for the next several. I do think they have a great shot at finishing over .500 for the first time this year.
Well, there is no need for me to post again now

DITTO

If Mackus and vatech1994 say it, it must be true. Ditto.

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Baroquen131 Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

Baroquen131

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I know it is only mid-May, but I am very impressed by the baseball the Rays are playing. They look completely different to me from any Tampa Bay team in years past.

Well duh... that's because they're the Rays, not the Devil Rays. :D

(And I hear they use Comcast Digital Voice for their phone calls now... so they're obviously different.) [Yeah, obscure joke, I know]

Anyway, I agree with everyone else in the thread. The Rays are looking good. Finally, it looks like the pieces are coming together for them. While they may fade down the stretch, they definitely a few steps ahead of the O's in their building efforts.

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