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Tampa Bay Rays: The franchise all-time bracket

By Bill Felber

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 16: Kevin Kiermaier #39 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs back to the dugout during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field on April 16, 2019 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 16: Kevin Kiermaier #39 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs back to the dugout during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field on April 16, 2019 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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2020 MLB Season
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Tampa Bay Rays: The All-Time Bracket

No. 4 vs. 5 seed

In 2011 the Tampa Bay Rays won 91 games to claim the AL wild card by one game over Boston. The issue came down to the final game, Boston’s loss to Baltimore giving Tampa a chance to clinch if they could beat the Yankees. They did so, 8-7, on Longoria’s 12th inning walk-off home run against Scott Proctor.

Longoria’s average had fallen to .244, but he still provided 31 homers and 99 RBIs, leading the team in both categories. Zobrist drove in 91, and new first baseman Casey Kotchman hit a surprising .306.

With Price suffering through an ordinary 12-13 season, Shields stepped forward. He was 16-12 in 33 starts and a team-leading 195 innings. Shields also fanned 225 opponents.

The 2019 Rays finished second in the East and qualified for the wild card game, beating Oakland before being eliminated by Houston in five division series games.

Austin Meadows drove in 89 runs with 33 home runs to lead a balanced offense. Four Rays topped 20 homers and four surpassed 60 RBIs.

With Snell and Tyler Glasnow both fighting through injury-plagued seasons, veteran Charlie Morton stepped up. Morton was 16-6 with a 3.05 ERA in 33 starts. Yonny Chirinos emerged as a viable starting option, winning nine of 14 decisions.

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Game 1: The 2019 Rays had a 96-66 regular-season record and .593 percentage. That was five games better than 2011’s 91-71 .562.

Game 2: With three wins in six starts, the 2019 team had a.500 post-season record. The 2011 team was 1-3, /250 in post-season play.

Game 3: The 2011 club produced a 104 OPS+, three points better than 2019’s 101.

Game 4: The 2019 team featured a dominant staff led by Morton, and it rang up a 122 ERA+. The 2011 club only managed 105.

Game 5: The 2019 wild card team had a 45.3 WAR. But the 2011 club produced a franchise-record 50.5 WAR.

Game 6: The 2019 Rays fielded .985, two points better than the league average. In 2011 they fielded .988, but that was five points better than the league average.

Game 7: The 2011 team had two All-Star selections, Price and Matt Joyce. In 2019, three Rays graced the All-Star team, Morton, Meadows and infielder Brandon Lowe.

Result: 2019 in seven games

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