The World Champion… Rays?

This post relates to major league baseball.

At this point in the season there is no way to ignore what is happening in the AL east. The former whipping boy of the division has now held a position for the better part of the 2008 season that was at one time reserved for only the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox. No longer do claims that the Rays will “fall back into their place” or that this is just a “fluke run” hold any validity. Yes, it seems that the Tampa Bay Rays are here to stay. But for how long?

Despite the impressive numbers, long reign on top,  or the franchise best (at the time of this writing) 81 wins, the Rays are still in untested waters. Who is to say that they don’t face a crushing defeat in their very first round of the playoffs? The very first ever post-season appearance by the Tampa Bay team, none-the-less. Barring a late-season melt-down, it seems that we will find out.

What makes their accomplishments all the more grand is the fact that they play in one of the toughest divisions in the entire sport. The AL East was previously a two team divsion, everyone else was just fuel for their fire. For a team to come up from the bottom (a position the Rays know far too well) and beat out both the Yankees and the Red Sox (repeatedly) is something that the entire baseball world needs to recognize. No longer is it “Well the Yankees lost today but the Red Sox did too so we don’t lose any games to them.” For the first time in as long as I can remember, there is actually another team in the AL East to contend with for a playoff spot. Not to mention that it appears that for the first time in fourteen years there will be a post-season without the Bronx Bombers, but my thoughts on that subject will be held until the last game of the season has come to a close.

For now, all we can do is watch. But at this point, it seems that the Rays are ready for October.