RAYS BRANDISH STYLE, OF BASEBALL'S PAST

"Speed kills" and it is also the ultimate weapon, in major league baseball. Some teams are not built for the "chicks dig the long ball," way to win. Yet, they still win with speed, team play, and "small ball." Going into the MLB season, this year (in the AL East), the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees were to do battle until the death. Then possibly the other would be the "wild card" team (with just a small shot at the Blue Jays, in the East, being any kind of problem). However, the Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in the East, and the Red Sox and Yankees are playing catch up.

The last team to look like this and go to the playoffs (and ultimately lose in the World Series) was the St. Louis Cardinals (1985). They were a team of pieces to a puzzle, solid pitching (not a staff full of aces), dominate defense, and HUGE amounts of speed. Through the whole 1985 regular season, here is a map of the Cardinals way of winning. Focusing on steals, batting average and on base percentage (as only Jack Clark (22) hit more than 20 home runs, for the whole year).

1985 St. Louis Cardinals
Pos. Players Stolen Bases Avg. OB%

2B Tom Herr 31 .309 .379

3B Terry Pendleton 17 .240 .289

SS Ozzie Smith 31 .276 .355

LF Vince Coleman 110 .267 .320
CF Willie McGee 56 .353 .384
RF Andy Van Slyke 34 .259 .335
OF Lonnie Smith 12 .260 .377


2008 Tampa Bay Rays (1/2 way thru the season)
Pos.--Players-- Stolen Bases-- Avg.-- OB%

3B Evan Longoria 6 .276 .353
INF Akinori Iwamura 5 .275 .351
SS Jason Bartlett 18 .258 .302
OF Carl Crawford 23 .267 .308
OF B. J. Upton 30 .269 .378
INF Eric Hinske 7 .254 .344
OF Johnny Gomes 8 .195 .308

Playing out the final half of the season, aside from Vince Coleman's 110 (massive amount) of steals, there will be a very close comparison, to the Cardinals of 1985. Scott Kazmir is a solid and sometimes dominate pitcher, but aside from him, there is not a set of three starters, needed for playoffs wins. There is not a huge presence in the middle of the lineup, that is going to bring 3-4-5 hitters, that strikes fear in pitchers, changing a game with three swings, either. Yet, the Rays are the best team, in maybe the best division in baseball. Only certain fans and real hard-core fantasy players may see a big correlation to the '85 Cardinals. However, play out the rest of the season (according to first half stats, for the Rays). There will be three players stealing over 36 bases and another set (4 players) stealing close to 20+ bases.

The 1985 Cardinals (like the Rays) also had defense, just in the outfield, Willie McGee (CF and batting champ), Coleman (LF), Slyke (RF had a hose, and in his prime was a five tool player). Ozzie Smith, a hall of famer and "The Wizard" at shortstop, Tommy Herr (.993 fielding percentage) and Pendleton at third was a very solid player, defensively (having a 15+ year career). Looking at the Rays defense, they are in the exact same position. The team's outfielders can flat out fly and get any ball hit. Bartlett at short, is not an Ozzie Smith (but who is), makes every routine play and sometimes the spectacular. Evan Longoria and Iwamura are rookies, but field their respective positions and play above their rookie status, day in and day out.

It is way to early to see what the Rays will do, having a one game lead, going into this week and playing in the division they do. However, they are in good company, with some of the older teams in baseball's great past, like the '85 Cards, '82 Cards, 75 Reds, 85 Royals (even). Where they go from here, will mainly be decided by picking up some pitching, getting a little luck, but mainly stealing bases, playing fundamentally sound baseball and using their speed, speed, speed!

From DMAN, at TheThoughtSpigot.com
http://thethoughtspigot.com/
"Where the news, sports, politics, and public opinion collide in one site"

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