American League Wild-Card – Tampa Bay Rays – Kyle Davis
- Why the Rays Will Win the World Series
They’re a really good baseball team loaded with young players either entering their prime or already in it. Evan Longoria could very well be the best player in the game, as well as its greatest bargain. Desmond Jennings already did his best Carl Crawford impression (the good version) for one-third of last season and will now be given a full slate of contests to make an impact. Ben Zobrist remains of the most versatile and underrated players around. The team’s rotation, already a major strength and anchored by aces David Price and James Shields, as well as AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson, will be even further bolstered by a full season of consensus top prospect Matt Moore. The bullpen is also extremely competent despite operating under the radar (the whole team sort of tends to do that). As well as the Rays are able to pitch the baseball, they might field it even better, with one of the best defenses in the league saving bunches of runs all season, keeping the team close in almost any game they suit up for. Despite their massive glut of young talent, the Rays also feature a (still) fully loaded farm system, with a great deal of pitching depth at their disposal. This allows them a great deal of injury insurance, as well as the freedom to swing a deal for more hitting should the opportunity arise. Tack on one of the smartest and most effective front offices in the game, as well as a forward-thinking manager who will employ any tactic available to squeeze every advantage from every at-bat, and the Tampa Bay Rays have as good a shot at a World Series Championship as any team in the league.
- Why the Rays Will Not Win the World Series
The AL East is ridiculous. Despite being one of the best teams in the league, the Rays have to content annually with two of the biggest juggernauts in professional sports. The Red Sox and Yankees are two teams capable of operating payrolls that run three, four, or even five times that of the small market Rays. Not only that, but the Blue Jays are starting to improve and make some noise in the division as well. And while the strength of the team lies in its pitching, there are no guarantees when it comes to those shoulders and elbows. Many a team has been made to look foolish depending on young pitching to lead it into the postseason, be it through injury, ineffectiveness or both. The lineup, while interesting, falls off in the latter half, and presents risky propositions in the form of Carlos Pena, Matt Joyce, Jose Molina, and Luke Scott. There are some risks on this team that could very easily flop, and in the most loaded division around, the Rays will need every advantage and break to go their way. A few slip ups here and there and a very talented team could easily miss out on the playoffs by a single game or two. Such is life in the AL East.
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