MLB Tribune

Tampa Bay Rays Best Chance to Win a World Series

by Scooter on 05/23/2010 in MLB News

The Tampa Bay Rays are off to a tremendous start (31-12) and are in first place in the AL East leading the Yankees by 5 games. These Rays have a chance to eclipse the 1998 New York Yankees record of 125-50. The Yankees went on to win the World Series that year.

Why are the Rays so good? They can hit, pitch, play defense, steal bases and hit with runners in scoring position. Sound familiar? It’s the exact ingredients the 1998 Yankees had. This team is for real and the Yankees will be chancing them all year. The Yankees are in bad shape with a host of key injuries at this point of the season. The Rays are taking every advantage, like a shark that looks for an easy meal such as a hurt fish.

The Rays best chance to win a title is now. The Rays aren’t a big market team like the Yankees and Red Sox. They can’t afford the $20-$25 million per year contracts and at the end of the 2010 season; they have a few key players that will become free agents.

Tampa Bay Rays Free Agent List after 2010:

Carl Crawford (.321 average, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 32 Runs and 11 SB) Crawford will probably sign elsewhere and most likely the New York Yankees.

Carlos Pena (.190 average, 7 HR, 26 RBI, 21 Runs and 2 SB) Pena is not having a stellar year average wise, but he is still a power threat. The Rays might be able to resign Carlos if his batting average is near the Mendoza line for the remainder of 2010.

Grant Balfour is having a good year at relief, after 18 innings pitched, he has an earn run average of 2.45.

Pat Burrell who turns 35 at the end of the season is on the decline. Pat is a lifetime .253 hitter and I am not sure if the Rays will resign him. Burrell did hit 33 homers for Philly in 2008.

See the entire list of potential free agents for 2011.

The Rays are firing on all cylinders and this year will be their best chance of winning a title. Joe Maddon has the Rays fine tuned and motivated. Maddon is schooling other managers in the league and hopefully they’re taking notice.