MLB team preview – Tampa Bay Rays
For years, the Tampa Bay Rays were a laughing stock in baseball betting circles. Last year, though, the stars finally aligned. Sucking for all those years allowed the Rays to stockpile prospects and everyone seemed to break out simultaneously. After the Rays defied the MLB odds in 2008, one question weighs heavily on sports betting fans’ minds: was last season a fluke?
For the most part, the answer is a resounding “no.” Tampa retained pretty much every major component of its AL pennant-winning roster. The only factor working against the Rays is money – namely, the giant pile of it dropped by the Yankees and Red Sox over the summer in their free-agent frenzy. There’s no denying the Rays will be hard-pressed to make the playoffs again simply because they share a division with the top two World Series odds favorites for 2009. However, while Tampa didn’t spend like crazy in the offseason, their young stars should continue improving, meaning they should field a better team on Opening Day than they did last year.
The Rays’ hitting should remain a potent blend of power and speed. Budding superstar Evan Longoria doesn’t seem like the “sophomore slump” type, so baseball betting fans should expect improvement. His phenomenal defense is a nice bonus, too. Carlos Pena is a steady source of homers and gets on base, while toolsy B.J. Upton’s power explosion in the playoffs last year suggests he’s starting to harness his talent. Offseason signing Pat Burrell is a perfect fit at DH and should launch 30 dingers. The fact that Carl Crawford, once the face of the franchise, is almost an afterthought shows just how far the Rays have come.
Tampa’s former Achilles heel looks like its greatest strength now. The starting rotation has no holes and lots of upside; Scott Kazmir and James Shields are entering their prime, Matt Garza is delivering on his former top-prospect hype and the sky’s the limit for flamethrower David Price, who is a prime Rookie-of-the -Year candidate. Online sports betting fans don’t have to sweat at the sportsbook while the Rays protect a lead anymore; Troy Percival can still get the job done, while Dan Wheeler and Grand Balfour former one of the best setup tandems in baseball.
Top to bottom, the Rays’ roster is talented, young and exciting. While offshore sportsbooks can’t favor them to win the AL East considering how improved Boston and New York are, the Rays are still more than capable of keeping up with the big boys all season long. Ninety wins is still realistic.
