Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Your Weekly Rays Update

MAGIC NUMBER TO CLINCH AL EAST: 6

Overall: 92-62
Last Week: BOS (2-1), MIN (2-2)
This Week: @ BAL, @ DET

It’s been too long since the last Rays update on the Sticks but there is no better occasion to reintroduce this feature than the Rays clinching the playoffs.  During spring training, Manager Joe Maddon emphasized the team slogan, 9=8, i.e. if the 9 Rays starters played hard for 9 innings they would win one of the 8 playoffs spots.  Maddon’s slogan has turned into a prophesy as the Rays are now a lock for the first playoff series in franchise history.

Tampa Bay…92—62 __ .597
Boston………….91—64 __ .587
New York……..84—71 __ .542
Toronto……….83—73 __ .532
Baltimore…….67—86 __ .438

The Rays have a 1.5 game lead over the Red Sox, which is essentially a 2 game lead since the Rays own the tie-breaker over the Red Sox. With a week to go in the season, the Rays have a 72% chance of winning the division according to Baseball Prospectus. And considering that the O’s and Tigers both have losing records the Rays have an easy path from here to their first ever division title.

Whatever happens from here, the Rays are essentially playing with house money. Few expected them to compete for the playoffs, and no one that I saw had them winning the division. This is a team which was built to win next year, and for the next three or four years after that. I’ve spoken to a few people (mostly Yankees fans) who write off the Rays as a fluke, and believe they will lose their best players next year. Almost all the key players on this team are young and locked up to long term contracts. This team should only get better over the next few seasons.

PRICE IS UP
David Price will make his first major league start today against Baltimore. Price was originally scheduled to make his first start on Tuesday but Maddon likes the match up for Price today better.

PLAYOFF TIX
Playoff tickets go on sale to the general public Wednesday at 9 am. You can stop by the Rays website to pickup tickets but not only have the Rays given first priority to season ticket holders but fans were given the opportunity to pre-register for tickets.

PLAYOFF OPPONENTS
If the Rays win the AL East they will play the winner of the AL Central, which is likely to be the White Sox. That series would begin in St Pete. If the Rays lose the division then they have to travel to LA to play the Angels. No matter what the Rays will avoid playing the Red Sox in the first round.

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