Tampa Bay was a massive online betting surprise two years ago when they made a stunning run to the World Series, where they were beaten by Philadelphia. The Rays then took a step backwards in 2009, but they look to be back on the right track this season. Here are a few reasons why the Rays should make it back to the postseason in 2010.
Pitching
The Rays currently have the best ERA in the majors at 2.94, and in Matt Garza, James Shields and David Price, they have an incredible trio at the top of the rotation. Price in particular has been outstanding to start the season with a 7-1 record and a 2.41 ERA, and Rafael Soriano has been a solid closer. Jeff Niemann is a perfect 4-0, and Wade Davis hasn’t even been that bad. Grant Balfour has been great in middle relief. As long as the pitching staff keeps up, the Rays can compete with the New York Yankees in the AL East.
Age
Even after their success of a couple years ago, the Rays are still a very young team. Shields is the oldest starter at 28 years old, while Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton are 24 and 25, respectively. Between these two, the Rays should be a favorite of MLB betting players for another couple of years to come. Their age also allows them to play more relaxed.
Revenge
Last year’s season definitely left a bad taste in the mouths of the Rays, and they’ve come out on fire to start the 2010 campaign. There may have been some overconfidence coming into the season after their World Series run, and they may have been shaking by the big-money purchases the Yankees made by picking up C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixiera. The Rays look like a team with a chip on their shoulder because they didn’t play as well as they could have last year, and it’s paying off right now.
Speed
The Rays aren’t going to overpower you, with the exception of Longoria and Carlos Pena, but they generate a lot of runs because of their ability on the basepaths. Due to Upton, Carl Crawford and Ben Zobrist, the Rays lead the American League in stolen bases, and they’re fifth in stolen-base percentage. Once they get on first base, the Rays could be on third before you blink an eye.
Boston’s Decline
The key to betting Tampa Bay could be the Red Sox, who have stumbled out of the gate. The theory is that whoever finishes second in the East will have the best chance at the wild-card spot, and the Yankees are in pole position to win the division. This means the Rays really only need to get past the Red Sox in the East, and they’ve won four of their first five games against the Red Sox this season. Unless the Red Sox improve, sports betting players should have a lot of faith in Tampa Bay’s sports betting chances for the 2010 season.
