By Dana Jennings, Online Sports Editor
0 runs. 2 hits. 1 error. That was the box score for game 2 of the American League Divisional Series (ALDS) for the Tampa Bay Rays. Saint Leo University Junior Greg Robinson stood up, gathered his belongings, and said “DARNIT!” The team, over the course of the season, has become the royal “we” and we just lost. Again. Down in the hole 0-2, the Rays came back to win the next two in Texas force a deciding game 5 in the ALDS, but ultimately ended their season at home with anemic bats and merely average pitching. In the MLB playoffs, that simply is not going to cut it.
This is the same dilemma that has plagued the Rays all season; if their batters do not get on base and steal bases, then the Rays can get smothered by other team’s big bats. The Rays scored 802 runs, which was third in the whole MLB, and was fueled by their 172 stolen bases and 672 walks, which were both league-leading stats.
These great numbers helped lead them to the best record in the league, but they were middle-of-the-road in homers with 160, and they were tied for fourth worst batting average in the league with a .247 team average. What this plethora of numbers means is that the Rays can go in spurts and droughts, capable of putting an opponent into a deep hole early in a game, but the team can also find itself losing its chemistry and hit a rough patch easily.
The Rays have found rough patches during the season, having been no-hit by opponents twice this season alone, and 3 times in a 12-month period. The Rays competed at sub-par levels during the ALDS, and the Texas Rangers played at their normal, playoff caliber level and sent the Rays into the offseason.
As the cowbells stood silent and Greg led the way down out of the stadium, the fans were disheartened and pessimistic. The Rays will have the entire offseason to regroup and make another run at the playoffs, but this season is done, and the fans have gone home cursing.
