What a funny game this is

[pickoff22]

This year many "experts" called for the Rays to win the division or even the WS with the Sox the next most picked team from the East. Of course they are at the bottom of the pack (with the Rays being absolutely atrocious - yikes). And of course the team picked to finish last lead the division and are a nice 12 games over .500

 

And of course last year we were the popular pick with the Red Sox chosen to finish last.

 

How many times does this game prove that you really don't know s*** about the game and what's going to happen. Love it.

[Atothe]

This year many "experts" called for the Rays to win the division or even the WS with the Sox the next most picked team from the East. Of course they are at the bottom of the pack (with the Rays being absolutely atrocious - yikes). And of course the team picked to finish last lead the division and are a nice 12 games over .500

 

And of course last year we were the popular pick with the Red Sox chosen to finish last.

 

How many times does this game prove that you really don't know s*** about the game and what's going to happen. Love it.

 

Baseball and football are weird games, you can s*** one year and a playoff team the next.

[BarkatToronto]

Redsox are only 9GB. Teams have come back from much worse positions

[wilko]

This year many "experts" called for the Rays to win the division or even the WS with the Sox the next most picked team from the East. Of course they are at the bottom of the pack (with the Rays being absolutely atrocious - yikes). And of course the team picked to finish last lead the division and are a nice 12 games over .500

 

And of course last year we were the popular pick with the Red Sox chosen to finish last.

 

How many times does this game prove that you really don't know s*** about the game and what's going to happen. Love it.

 

 

The season's only young, most have played 64 games so far. I wouldn't count anyone out yet.

[Sammy225]

The season's only young, most have played 64 games so far. I wouldn't count anyone out yet.

 

How about the Astros can we count them out?

[Convo]

I never understood the optimism behind the Rays this year... they usually just scrape by offensively because of the wizardry on the mound. Now their pitching is less than stellar and they are looking about as good as you would expect.

[Convo]

How about the Astros can we count them out?

 

The Astros are going to be good very soon, maybe even competing next year.

[Atothe]

The Astros are going to be good very soon, maybe even competing next year.

 

they can't hit 2 grandslams every game, they need more pitching

[Convo]

they can't hit 2 grandslams every game, they need more pitching

 

Maybe but all their young SP is likely only going to get better and perhaps they make a play for 1-2 SP when the time is right.

[intentional wok]

The Astros are going to be good very soon, maybe even competing next year.

 

I think they'll at least move themselves out of "at least our [underachieving team] isn't as bad as the Astros" territory.

 

Who even has the worst W-L these days? I think it's the Rays, which is so, so sweet.

[John_Havok]

Maybe but all their young SP is likely only going to get better....

 

Very dangerous assertion. Pitching is volatile as hell.

[Boxcar]

I never understood the optimism behind the Rays this year... they usually just scrape by offensively because of the wizardry on the mound. Now their pitching is less than stellar and they are looking about as good as you would expect.

 

Their pitching has never been stellar. Well, I should say outside of 2012. Prior to 2012, it was middle of the pack. 2013 it was around middle of the pack too.

[Convo]

Their pitching has never been stellar. Well, I should say outside of 2012. Prior to 2012, it was middle of the pack. 2013 it was around middle of the pack too.

 

Hmm, you're kind of right... didn't expect that. 2012 it was dominant, 2013 it was just pretty good (5th in AL).

[Boxcar]

Hmm, you're kind of right... didn't expect that. 2012 it was dominant, 2013 it was just pretty good (5th in AL).

 

I bet you'd also be surprised to know that from 2008-2013 the Rays had the third best offense in baseball by wRC+.

 

Edit: That plus good defense has them as #1 in baseball on the position player side during that timeframe.

[pickoff22]

Redsox are only 9GB. Teams have come back from much worse positions

 

Sure, it has happened. But the odds are against them especially with all the struggles their outfield and starters have had. When we were 9 back last year no one thought we had a chance.