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Rays Dispel Notions, Navigate Oceans

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 27, 2008

The so-called "miracle" season is nothing new in baseball but never has there been something quite like what the Rays have pulled off.

I use the term "miracle" reluctantly because people could take it wrong. It could imply that the Rays were simply lucky and that's not fair to them.

Every time I think about them actually winning the American League East on a $43 million payroll, I just shake my head. I was doing a lot of that as Friday night turned to Saturday morning as the Rays wrapped up the division championship.

If you want to say they "backed in" because they missed two chances to win it on the field and needed Boston to lose to the Yankees, go ahead. You'll also miss the point.

They have put so many notions to rest this season, but the biggest one of all is that you have to spend like the Red Sox and Yankees to compete with them.

Obviously, you don't.

I think that's one reason much of the baseball universe will pull for the Rays in the playoffs. Not only are they the best, freshest story in the game, but they appeal to the underdog in everyone. You get sick after a while of watching teams with all the money simply try to buy the championship, like the Yankees have done and will try to do again next year.

It often works.

It didn't this time.

I was talking recently with Rays TV announcer Joe Magrane, who pitched in the World Series with St. Louis. We were talking about where this season might rank among baseball's great comeback stories. The '69 Miracle Mets have drawn a lot of comparisons to the Rays, but many believe the '91 Atlanta Braves are a more apt partner in history.

They were 65-97 in 1990 (the Rays were 66-96 last year) before shocking the world by winning 94 games and taking Minnesota to the seventh game of the World Series. Before that season, the Braves had lost 92 or more games four seasons in a row, including 106 in 1998.

Magrane just smiled and said, "Yes, but the Braves just had to navigate a pond by comparison to get to the playoffs. The Rays had to navigate an ocean."

An ocean named the A.L. East.

You'd like to think this is the start of a new world order in that division but we probably know better. Stuff happens. Two years ago we thought Detroit was set for a long run after the Tigers advanced to the World Series on the back of a talented young pitching staff.

They collapsed last season and will finish under .500 this year.

So it's best to simply savor what we've seen. The comebacks, the clutch home runs, the diving catches. Beating Boston eight of nine games at the Trop. Taking two of three from the Red Sox at Fenway when it mattered most.

Sweeping the Angels. Watching Jason Bartlett patrol shortstop like no one ever has for the Rays. Watching Matt Garza dominate.

This team defied the odds.

This team has a chance to keep defying the odds.

After all the bad news about steroids and cheaters, baseball needed something like this.

We all did.

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