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Woe unto the Rays

Home ▸ Archive ▸ Pro Sports ▸ Woe unto the Rays
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

Senior Member

10,760 posts
Jun 21, 2010 6:09 PM
Through May 23rd:
Tampa Bay: 32-12
New York Yankees: 26-18
Toronto: 26-20
Boston: 24-21

Since May 23rd:
Tampa Bay: 10-15
New York Yankees: 17-8
Toronto: 12-12
Boston: 19-7

Is this just a natural "falling back to the pack" or is there something really wrong with the Rays? As of tonight they stand one game back of the Yankees in the AL East and tied with Boston for 2nd place.
Jun 21, 2010 6:09pm
wes_mantooth's avatar

wes_mantooth

Tomfoolery & shenanigans

17,977 posts
Jun 21, 2010 6:17 PM
Baseball is just such a long season....teams go through bad patches and recoup.
Jun 21, 2010 6:17pm
jordo212000's avatar

jordo212000

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10,664 posts
Jun 21, 2010 8:12 PM
This is the natural falling back. No team could keep that pace up. They're not going away IMO. Too much offensive firepower and too much good pitching for them not to be in the chase
Jun 21, 2010 8:12pm
wildcats20's avatar

wildcats20

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27,794 posts
Jun 21, 2010 8:39 PM
Here in lies a problem with baseball.

You have arguably 3 of the best teams in baseball and only 2 of them can make the playoffs. Realignment anyone??
Jun 21, 2010 8:39pm
wes_mantooth's avatar

wes_mantooth

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Jun 21, 2010 8:48 PM
wildcats20;396592 wrote:Here in lies a problem with baseball.

You have arguably 3 of the best teams in baseball and only 2 of them can make the playoffs. Realignment anyone??

Drennan was discussing this today. Apparently, Buster Olney(sp?) has a pretty interesting plan for realignment.
Jun 21, 2010 8:48pm
jordo212000's avatar

jordo212000

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10,664 posts
Jun 21, 2010 8:49 PM
Realignment isn't a terrible idea, but I would much rather just eliminate the divisions all together. Just take the top 4 teams in each league
Jun 21, 2010 8:49pm
wes_mantooth's avatar

wes_mantooth

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Jun 21, 2010 8:50 PM
^^^Actually, I think that is pretty close to what Olney wants, but I think he wanted 6 teams....not sure how that would work.
Jun 21, 2010 8:50pm
jordo212000's avatar

jordo212000

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Jun 21, 2010 8:56 PM
wes_mantooth;396603 wrote:^^^Actually, I think that is pretty close to what Olney wants, but I think he wanted 6 teams....not sure how that would work.

Yeah I'd actually favor that, I always thought baseball was cutting out a lot of revenue and fan interest by limiting the postseason to 4 teams per league
Jun 21, 2010 8:56pm
darbypitcher22's avatar

darbypitcher22

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8,000 posts
Jun 21, 2010 9:28 PM
I think its a natural falling back, although one you wouldn't expect with who Tampa Bay had on the interleague docket(Florida and Atlanta, two teams they are a lot better than)
Jun 21, 2010 9:28pm
Mulva's avatar

Mulva

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13,650 posts
Jun 21, 2010 9:42 PM
Before May 23rd, they played the Orioles, Astros, Indians, Royals, and Mariners (5 of the 7 worst teams in baseball) 21 times, and went 16-5.

Since then, they've played those teams 0 times. I'd say that pretty well explains it.
Jun 21, 2010 9:42pm
mucalum49's avatar

mucalum49

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1,639 posts
Jun 21, 2010 11:23 PM
Mulva;396681 wrote:Before May 23rd, they played the Orioles, Astros, Indians, Royals, and Mariners (5 of the 7 worst teams in baseball) 21 times, and went 16-5.

Since then, they've played those teams 0 times. I'd say that pretty well explains it.

This. Even as a Rays fan the first third of their season was charmin soft. Wade Davis has had some awful starts lately (Jeremy Helickson please!) and the offense is coming back to earth. The starting pitching was on a historical pace and they have leveled off. In 2008 when they were good they still needed to rely on timely hitting and base running. I think they will stay in the race but some adjustments will need to be made.
Jun 21, 2010 11:23pm
darbypitcher22's avatar

darbypitcher22

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Jun 22, 2010 5:08 PM
they'll definately stay in the race, IMO, but I'm not sure the pitching will be able to sustain over the long haul, especially the bullpen. Price has been the only one that's really been consistent to me over the course of the year so far and it'll take more than 1 guy to take the division or the wild card
Jun 22, 2010 5:08pm
karen lotz's avatar

karen lotz

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Jun 22, 2010 5:28 PM
darbypitcher22;396670 wrote:I think its a natural falling back, although one you wouldn't expect with who Tampa Bay had on the interleague docket(Florida and Atlanta, two teams they are a lot better than)

lol
Jun 22, 2010 5:28pm
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

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Jun 22, 2010 5:31 PM
Nobody is a lot better than Atlanta in the ML. Maybe you can argue better, but not a lot better. They are the best team in the National League.
Jun 22, 2010 5:31pm
jordo212000's avatar

jordo212000

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Jun 22, 2010 5:36 PM
Laley23;397602 wrote:Nobody is a lot better than Atlanta in the ML. Maybe you can argue better, but not a lot better. They are the best team in the National League.

I wouldn't argue that Tampa is "a lot" better than the Braves, but I think when all is said and done the Rays will finish with the better record. Besides, records aside the Braves have a much more difficult division to navigate (top to bottom IMO). Sure the Yankees and Red Sox are tough, but the Blue Jays and Orioles aren't exactly world beaters. The NL East has the 2x NL Pennant winning Phillies, the improved Mets, the young and talented Marlins, and a Nationals team that doesn't play like a last place team.
Jun 22, 2010 5:36pm
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

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Jun 22, 2010 5:49 PM
I disagree with that assessment. While the O's are pitiful, the rest of the AL East stacks up better than the NL East. Even the Jays are 6 games above .500.

Yankees > Braves
Rays > Mets
Red Sox > Phillies
Blue Jays = Marlins
Orioles < Nationals

Plus, the NL East gets to play most of their games against the NL, which is easier as well
Jun 22, 2010 5:49pm
A

Al Bundy

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4,180 posts
Jun 22, 2010 5:58 PM
wes_mantooth;396603 wrote:^^^Actually, I think that is pretty close to what Olney wants, but I think he wanted 6 teams....not sure how that would work.

Sounds like we would be having Thanksgiving baseball with that plan. I really don't see how they could expand the playoffs unless they end the regular season much earlier. In the last 20 years, there have only been 3 World Series where at least one of the teams didn't play in a cold weather outdoor stadium.
Jun 22, 2010 5:58pm
wes_mantooth's avatar

wes_mantooth

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Jun 22, 2010 6:04 PM
^^^Pretty much. I would think that the season would have to be shortened by quite a bit....and that would never happen. I may have misheard as well....the tv was on but I wasn't really paying close attention.
Jun 22, 2010 6:04pm
jordo212000's avatar

jordo212000

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Jun 22, 2010 6:34 PM
gorocks99;397629 wrote:I disagree with that assessment. While the O's are pitiful, the rest of the AL East stacks up better than the NL East. Even the Jays are 6 games above .500.

Yankees > Braves
Rays > Mets
Red Sox > Phillies
Blue Jays = Marlins
Orioles < Nationals

Plus, the NL East gets to play most of their games against the NL, which is easier as well

You might be right, I don't know.

I think the Yanks and Sawks are great, but not as good as they have been in the past (i.e. last year). Both took steps backward offensively and some of their 'guys' have slowed considerably. The Blue Jays are pretenders IMO and the Orioles are atrocious.

I just see the NL East being the better division the rest of the way and I see the Rays winning the division. I really like the way their team is constructed. Just my $.02
Jun 22, 2010 6:34pm
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

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Jun 23, 2010 1:57 AM
jordo212000;397673 wrote:You might be right, I don't know.

I think the Yanks and Sawks are great, but not as good as they have been in the past (i.e. last year). Both took steps backward offensively and some of their 'guys' have slowed considerably. The Blue Jays are pretenders IMO and the Orioles are atrocious.

I just see the NL East being the better division the rest of the way and I see the Rays winning the division. I really like the way their team is constructed. Just my $.02

But there is no way, at this point in time, you can say the Phils havent taken the BIGGEST step back.
Jun 23, 2010 1:57am
darbypitcher22's avatar

darbypitcher22

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Jun 23, 2010 1:32 PM
I think after the way the Braves played last night against Chicago, who has been playing better as of late but is still nowhere close to challenging Detroit or Minnesota in the Central, that the Rays are way better.
Jun 23, 2010 1:32pm
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

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Jun 23, 2010 2:36 PM
darbypitcher22;398681 wrote:I think after the way the Braves played last night against Chicago, who has been playing better as of late but is still nowhere close to challenging Detroit or Minnesota in the Central, that the Rays are way better.

You dont think I couldnt pick a random ass game the Rays have played though and say the same thing with the Braves being way better?

I just dont see how, to this point, you can discredit a team with 42 wins and possibly say ANY team in the majors is "way better"
Jun 23, 2010 2:36pm
mucalum49's avatar

mucalum49

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1,639 posts
Jun 23, 2010 3:02 PM
Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Helickson of the Rays were chosen to the Future's Game on All-Star break. If they were to be called up then they would no longer qualify, correct? After Wade Davis' struggles the last handful of starts I think Helickson (9-2, 2.38ERA in AAA) should get a chance at the 5th starter spot while Davis works out the kinks. Jennings should be up to take out B.J. Upton. From my bragging about so many guys hitting over .300 a few weeks ago that sure turned around to bite me in the ass now that half of our starters are under .230 these days.
Jun 23, 2010 3:02pm
darbypitcher22's avatar

darbypitcher22

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Jun 23, 2010 4:41 PM
look, the bravs may have 42 wins but I'm just not sold, especially on their starting pitching
Jun 23, 2010 4:41pm
karen lotz's avatar

karen lotz

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Jun 23, 2010 4:50 PM
darbypitcher22;398681 wrote:I think after the way the Braves played last night against Chicago, who has been playing better as of late but is still nowhere close to challenging Detroit or Minnesota in the Central, that the Rays are way better.

The Braves won two out of three from Tampa last week. Does that not matter?
Jun 23, 2010 4:50pm