Welcome aboard the Tampa Bay Ray bandwagon, everybody. Enjoy the ride.
As a huge fan of underdogs, it is in my nature to root for the David in a battle between inferior and superior. And that's why I have fallen in love with the Rays.
What is there not to like about a team that has never smelled the playoffs and is competing for the World Series championship?
It's an understatement to say the Rays have struggled to do well since becoming a Major League Baseball team in 1998. With one of the lowest payrolls in the league, finishing anything other than last in the AL East was considered a success. That achievement only happened once, back in 2004 when they finished with a record of 70-91.
So it was quite a shock when the Rays opened this season with such success. Even with the quick start, the common baseball fan expected the inexperienced Rays to fall down the stretch.
But the Rays have played as well as any team in the majors. The youthful Rays possess a veteran attitude, acting as if their recent success was nothing new. They had an "us against the world" mindset during the regular season, motivating them to prove the AL East, the MLB and the baseball world that they were to be a force this season.
And now here they are, four victories away from raising their first World Series banner.
This team is filled with players to root for. B.J. Upton, a player once disciplined for a lack of hustle, has turned into an all-around great asset to the Rays. Who knew a player that once had 56 errors in the minor leagues could hit seven home runs in the playoffs?
But that's what the Rays are all about. They are a bunch of young, talented players that worked extremely hard to get better. With the help of a dedicated manager, the player honed their skills and becoming better teammates forming chemistry amongst each other.
Evan Longoria instantly became a star and team player ever since he reached the majors in April. Even though he comes off as a player that could be a huge star with a huge ego in the future, Longoria is the new hot thing that says all the right things.
Carlos Pena, a player that previously never lived up to his potential, resurrected his career with the Rays and became a respectable power hitter. He is just one example of players who have struggled so far during their careers only to turn the corner this regular season.
Success was a new thing to the players on the team. With that success came media attention, a new fan base and raised expectations-all things the inexperienced Rays were not used to. Manager Joe Maddon and his staff got his team ready to deal with any challenge facing them and they have beat the odds.
But even with their maturity, the Rays are a group enjoying the ride. Their celebration after beating the Red Sox illustrated the team was still young at heart.
As the players jumped into a dog pile that probably crushed whoever was on the bottom, stress was relieved after almost choking a 3-1 game lead away and proving the common baseball fan right.
They have managed to prove that the Tampa Bay Rays are the real deal, once and for all.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
