The Tampa Bay Rays finished the regular season with the American League’s No. 1 seed, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting treated like an afterthought in October.
CBS Sports put together a set of postseason rankings this week, and Tampa Bay came out lower than expected in a few key spots. The Rays were slotted fifth among playoff pitching staffs and seventh among playoff offenses, even though they had the best record in the American League and are now waiting to host either the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox in Tampa Bay on Saturday for the American League Division Series.
That kind of placement feels especially odd given what Tampa Bay has put together on the mound. The Rays had two pitchers make the All-Star Game, and they also featured the American League pitcher of the month in September.
Add in Bryan Baker, who was described as the best closer this season, and it’s hard to see why the group landed so far down the list. CBS also ranked both Boston and New York ahead of Tampa Bay in pitching, with the Yankees at No.
The offense got similar treatment. Tampa Bay checked in seventh among the 12 playoff teams, again behind the Yankees.
Still, CBS Sports writer Matt Snyder pointed to a lineup with plenty to like, writing, "The Rays lineup isn't overly deep, but they have one of the best power hitters in baseball -- and he isn't just a power hitter -- in Junior Caminero, along with the AL stolen base leader Chandler Simpson, who hit over .300," said CBS Sports writer Matt Snyder. "Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Díaz are good-to-great hitters, and Liam Hicks has been an excellent addition since the trade deadline.
Victor Mesa Jr. closed the season on a heater as well. Though the Rays aren't elite at OPS, they finished eighth and second in average and are the toughest team in baseball to strike out."
Even with that profile, Tampa Bay still finds itself fighting for respect in the national conversation. The club is not being viewed the way its record suggests it should be, and the next chance to answer comes Saturday, when the Rays open their pursuit of their first World Series title.
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