The Nest

As good as the Tampa Bay Rays looked during a majority of the games against the Red Sox in the ALCS it was almost a complete role reversal in the World Series.

Poor fielding, mental errors, missed opportunities, low slugging percentage and questionable management decisions plagued the young franchise throughout the series. Why pinch hit for a guy (Rocco Baldelli) who’s already homered once in the game?

The Rays had a dream…that quickly turned into a (two part) nightmare. If it weren’t for the 2 day rain delay, Tampa would have been sent packing much earlier. The low budget team with the big ideas instilled by manager Joe Maddon almost made it. Perhaps the stage was a little too big for them. In this tech crazy world, more people are watching than ever in the history of baseball – did that play on their mind? Did the thought of accomplishing the near impossible (worst to first) overwhelm them?… Did the World Series carrot, dangling tantalizingly at the end of a string, just out of reach prove too much?

No, it was something much more straightforward than that. The Phillies played better and smarter baseball, pushed the envelope when necessary, caught a few lucky breaks from the umpiring crew and finished the deal. They would not be denied their (rightful) place in World Series history in 2008.

So Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans who, much like the Red Sox fans endured years of pain and disappointment watching their team flail about like a beached turtle flipped on its back helplessly trying to right itself. The tide has turned, the turtle is on all fours and jubiliantly celebrating its return to victory.

The Rays now have a taste of the post season in their mouth and coming so close will only make the desire to return stronger. If they can survive the free agency market and any of the other pitfalls that might come their way and bring the core of the team back next year, they will be a force to be reckoned with and no longer the whipping post – begging for scraps at the bottom of the AL East.