Tampa Bay Rays
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-2007)
- American League (since 1998) East Division (since 1998)
- American League title (1): 2008
- Division title (2): 2008, 2010
The Tampa Bay Rays are a U.S. baseball team. They play in the Eastern Division of the American League.
The franchise founded in 1998, has its headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida, the original name was to 2007 Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Their home games wearing the Rays from since its formation in Tropicana Field. After a long series of failures, the Rays have established and could both 2008 and 2010 to intervene in the battle for the league and World Series title. In the 2011 they were as so-called wild-card team in the postseason.
- 3.1 All Time Home Run Leaders
- 3.2 Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- 3.3 No longer assigned numbers
- 3.4 Player of the Rays
History
Foundation in 1998 up to 2007 ( Devil Rays )
In the relatively short history club were the then- Devil Rays first to last place in their division, the American League East, subscribed. The negative peak was the 2002 season with a score of 55 victories against 106 defeats; positive "highlight" of the fourth division course in 2004 with a score of 70:91.
Carl Crawford, who plays in the outfield since 2002 for the expansion team from Florida, was at this time, despite the failures of the team to the driving force of the franchise. A consistent putting on the youth was facilitated by the Rays got access to the best talent because of the bad season results in exactly this sense of the draft system. The following Erstrundenwahlen ( Top Picks ) made it to the starting players for the Rays:
- Rocco Baldelli (2000, a total of 6 players of the draft ), outfield in the MLB for the Rays from 2003-2008
- B. J. Upton (2002, No. 2), outfield, since 2004
- Delmon Young (2003, No. 1), outfield, 2006-2007
- Jeff Niemann (2004, No. 4), Pitcher, since 2008
- Evan Longoria (2006, No. 3), third base, since 2008
- David Price (2007, No. 1), Pitcher, since 2008
In addition, more players, for example, were also budget reasons as stars obliged who had already passed the zenith of her career, Wade Boggs.
On the manager's position was a critical impetus for this time neither Larry Rothschild (1998-2001) nor the well-traveled as a player and coach Lou Piniella (2003-2005). Since 2006, Joe Maddon, manager of the Rays.
Since 2008: reboot as Rays
Despite the many good young prospects, who were in the farm system to the Rays, the first successes were recorded only in the 2008 season. After renaming the team surprisingly won his division in front of the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees and reached for the first time in its history, the post-season. DC on their first play-off participation, the Rays won over the Chicago White Sox ( 3-1 in the Division Series ) and the Boston Red Sox ( 4-3 in the League Series) their first Pennant, so the championship of the American League. In the 2008 World Series, the team finally defeated, with 1:4 against the Philadelphia Phillies. For the successes this year in particular, the key players Evan Longoria, the rookie of the year, was Carlos Peña, BJ Akinori Iwamura and Upton responsible, during the otherwise successful Crawford was plagued by injuries and could deny only 109 games.
Season 2009
In the 2009 season, the Rays did not continue to the same extent to the success from 2008. The remaining until the end of August chances of reaching the play-offs but were clearly playful with a 11 games lasting losing streak. Overall, they achieved only the second time a positive overall balance with 84 victories against 78 defeats and thus finished third in their division. While Crawford was able to continue past successes again, Iwamura and Peña fell by injuries from each long. Exceptional contrast this season with their respective best career year Jason Bartlett ( .320 AVG ) and the very versatile Ben Zobrist, who started at five different positions ( .297 AVG, 27 home runs ).
Season 2010
In the past season in October, the Rays showed at the beginning of excellence and led the AL East Division as of April 22, long time, meantime, with 5.5 games ahead. In by far the best season ever start for the Rays followed consistent performances, the space around the leadership of the division resulted in a neck-and -neck race with the New York Yankees.
Five games left in the season the collection was recorded in the post-season, on the final day, the Rays secured the second time winning the East Division. In the first round of the postseason, the American League Division Series in 2010, they then failed in the decisive fifth game to the Texas Rangers. Overall, this meant that the Rays second best season ever ( after 2008 ).
Season 2011
The owner of the team, Stuart Sternberg, already a significant cut in the salaries of players .. announced in the course of the 2010 season after the 2010 season, according numerous regulars left partly in the wake of the FreeAgent system the team. Among these, mention in particular to Carl Crawford as the long-time face of the franchise Carlos Peña or the pitcher Matt Garza, the first no-hitter for the Rays managed 2010. This rejuvenation of the team is paralleled by the change from veterans like Johnny Damon or Manny Ramirez.
Standings from the last few years
The colored cells describe their own performance in the AL East, the numbers in parentheses are the distances to the other teams at the end of the season. WC = Wild Card reaches ALDS = AL Division Series, ALCS reached = AL Championship Series AL = AL Pennant ( lost World Series ), WSC = World Series Champion
Achievements
- AL Champion: 2008
- Division Title: 2008, 2010
- AL Wild Card: 2011, 2013
Player
All Time Home Run Leaders
Note: * nor for the Rays active
As of 29 Sept. 2011
Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Wade Boggs
No longer assigned numbers
Player of the Rays
Pitcher
Starting rotation
- 22 Chris Archer
- 53 Alex Cobb
- 55 Matt Moore
- 23 Jake Odorizzi
- 14 David Price
Bullpen
Closer
- 50 Grant Balfour
Catcher
- 24 Ryan Hanigan
- 28 José Molina
Infielder
Outfielder
- 7 David DeJesus
- 5 Brandon Guyer
- 8 Desmond Jennings
- 20 Matt Joyce
- 9 Wil Myers
- 1 Sean Rodriguez
Pitcher
- 38 Jeff Beliveau
- 26 Brad Boxberger
- 58 Jeremy Hellickson
- 51 Nathan Karns
- 31 Mike Montgomery
- 46 Juan Carlos Oviedo
- 34 C. J. Rief Hauser
- 45 Enny Romero
- 49 Kirby Yates
Infielder
- 29 Tim Beckham
- 30 Vince Belnome
- 36 Hak -Ju Lee
Outfielder
- 39 Kevin Kiermaier
Manager
- 70 Joe Maddon
Coach
- 41 Stan Boroski ( Bullpen )
- 77 Scott Cursi ( Bullpen Catcher )
- 6 Tom Foley ( third base )
- 25 George Hendrick ( first base )
- 48 Jim Hickey ( pitching )
- 4 Dave Martinez (Bench)
- 44 Jamie Nelson ( Assistant Hitting )
- 17 Derek Shelton ( Hitting )
- 66 Don Zimmer (Senior Baseball Advisor)
Barred
- 37 Álex Colome *
Injured List (15 days) * Locked Roster updated on April 2, 2014 Transfers • Establishment
Minor league teams in the Tampa Bay Rays
- AAA Durham Bulls, Durham, North Carolina
- AA: Montgomery Biscuits, Montgomery, Alabama
- Advanced A: Charlotte Stone Crabs, Port Charlotte, Florida
- A: Bowling Green Hot Rods, Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Short A: Hudson Valley Renegades, Wappingers Falls, New York
- Rookie Princeton Rays, Princeton, West Virginia