MLB - Sports Rumors

Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:21 am EDT

Yanks starting to believe Rays, Red Sox will be tough to catch

By Joe Zedalis

Normally any Boston Red Sox loss is good news for the Yanks, but not this one. The New York Yankees know the Sox are going to be very tough to catch the rest of the way. On the other hand, they probably thought the Rays would be reverting back to their perennial losing form by now, and maybe, deep down, they still believe it will happen soon enough.

But three months is a long time to be a fluke, and though the Yankees aren't about to admit they're worrying about the wild-card race yet, it's starting to look like any playoff run will have to go through, of all places, Tampa Bay wrote New York Daily News baseball columnist John Harper.

"I think they're going to be there," Mussina said after taking a tough loss Monday night. "They've been doing it for three months, and though they don't have a history of winning, once you believe you're a pretty good team, then you can do a lot of things.  I think they believe now. And I know for sure the rest of us believe they're a good team. Unless they have a major injury, they're going to be there."

Yes, maybe it's officially time to start taking the Rays seriously. They reached the halfway point in their season on Sunday with a record of 49-32, which is the best ever posted in the first half by a team that had the majors' worst record the previous season.

And by defeating the Sox, 5-4, Monday night they raised their home record to 31-13, another sign they believe.

Source: New York Daily NewsNew Window

digg delicious
more

60 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. Yank fan
    1. Posted by Yank fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    yanks are the best.
  2. Whitney W
    2. Posted by Whitney W Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:47 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Nice! First comment is from a Yankees fan in denial. Yankees are a good team, but will not catch the Sox and Rays in the East.
    As a Bosox fan I am concerned with the Rays. They are a good team, but lets see how they handle the pressure of the 2nd half. They have the talent, but do they have the other intangibles that define winning ball clubs.
    The Sox need more consistency and will not run away with it this year. Barring any major injuries they have an excellent shot on winning it all though!
    C'mon lets get Sabathia!!!!!
  3. frederick t
    3. Posted by frederick t Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    not this year......
  4. Yank fan
    4. Posted by Yank fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    red sox will fall short, they don't have the team. When Ortiz is hurt, manny is aging, drew had a fluke month, varitek is old and frankly not that good.
  5. just bite me
    5. Posted by just bite me Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:05 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    as a Yankee fan, i have to agree with #2. the Yankees are a good team but simply do not have the makeup this year to contend. i hope I am wrong, but, this team is very inconsistent. they are getting old and need some more team guys and less big contracts. I do think Tampa is for real and I think they are going to win the east. Like it or not, they have had the top draft pick for multiple years, it was only a matter of time. However, it does make me very happy every time kasmir wins a game(unless its against the yanks), i hear all those met fans crying.
  6. Dave W
    6. Posted by Dave W Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Gonna be a tough year for both Yankees and sox. I'm a huge Yankee fan and love watching the rivalry but the Rays are putting up a good fight. Gonna be a tough year. Only one place for first and the wild card. Someone ain't gonna make it.
  7. zubee
    7. Posted by zubee Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    It is about time the Rays received some attention. They have been playing great baseball, doing all the little things that go unnoticed to make them a winning baseball team. If they play the same way in the second half of the season, they could be division champs with the Sox and Yanks battling for wild card.
  8. #1 Colts Fan
    8. Posted by #1 Colts Fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Red Sox fan here: I think the Sox and Yanks are in trouble.... kind of looks like a changing of the guard. The Rays look hungry and are obviously talented...... if the Rays can make a battle of this it will change the AL. East for good......September will be interesting
  9. vtfarmboy
    9. Posted by vtfarmboy Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Typical of the Yankee fans to think they have to be the best. Well guess what folks that hasnt been true for a few years now. Get over yourselves. Its over.
  10. The Real Deal
    10. Posted by The Real Deal Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:55 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I still remain skeptical of the Rays and the "2008 feel good story". I am one of the very few who think they will slide in the 2nd half much the same way as the Orioles of a couple of years back ,and finish out of the money. Of course, no one outside of Boston and New York wants that to happen. I could be wrong, but sometimes when you are the only one predicting something you end up being the only one that's right.
  11. infest_then_ruin
    11. Posted by infest_then_ruin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The Rays will continue their hot streak. When they call up David Price in August they will dominate even more!
  12. The Champiiiin
    12. Posted by The Champiiiin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    yawn, another day the daily news is as lost as the post...
  13. soxfaninchina
    13. Posted by soxfaninchina Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    i remember back around spring training some writer wrote an article about how the rays had a deeper pitching staff than the sox or anyone else in the east. he was right. it all follows the pitching. if the rays' pitching holds up, they will win the division. but, you have to expect that beckett will pitch better, manny will warm up again and papi will come back in time to make a good push for that #1 spot.
  14. soxfaninchina
    14. Posted by soxfaninchina Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    and i agree with #15 about Price, but it won't be this year. He, and the rest of the Rays, will be good well beyond this season, though. That's why the Yankees haven't been good enough to win it all these past few years; they spend all of their money on bats, and not enough on pitchers.
  15. Jay
    15. Posted by Jay Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    How does the article support the title at all? There's no quote from any Yankee saying anything about catching anyone.
  16. The Real Deal
    16. Posted by The Real Deal Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:55 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Actually, I don't mind having all these people picking Tampa Bay to win the AL East. That obviously makes the Red Sox the "underdog" again. I always liked the Sox as the underdog. lol
  17. WSChamps0407
    17. Posted by WSChamps0407 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:19 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    What do you call 25 guys watching the World Series?
    The New York Yankees
    The Yankees are going to have to admit that they aren't the team they used to be. They are struggling and the younger team, Tampa has taken advantage of early draft picks. The Sox are struggling too, and may have to settle for the Wild Card. But the Yankees are going to be sitting in October, planning for spring training instead of the play offs
  18. angloamer
    18. Posted by angloamer Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:54 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    The Rays are a good young team, but they do not have the hitting to carry them thru the rest of the year. They do not have a hitter in the top 25. The Sox beat them 6 in a row before last nights loss, and they will win the east by 5 games. The sox just have to much talent. As soon as they are completly healthy, they will pull away, but I think the Rays are now the team to beat for the wild card.
  19. darby
    19. Posted by darby Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:59 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    I agree with comment 2 and 21 also cause seriously the wild card is either tampa,oakland,detroit,or minnesota too.I think boston wins by a couple of games at the end and tampa is next.I don't think we need c.c. at all we have enough pitchign we only need bullpen help in my mind.
  20. furter
    20. Posted by furter Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hey Yankees fans, remeber the 80's? HA!
  21. angloamer
    21. Posted by angloamer Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:54 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    To the Yankee fans, stop dreaming, with each week that passes by it becomes more apparent that you have a 500 ball club, and with all those old dudes you signed to 4 year contracts, it does not look like you have much of a future either, but you can still dream about those old world world series you won. All that money you spent, was for nothing.
  22. roblefferts
    22. Posted by roblefferts Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    All this talk about a Yankees-Red Sox battle for the wild card? Don't forget this isn't a two team race. Oakland and Minnesota are both playing great baseball and Detroit is starting to surge. Boston and New York might both be sitting home in October.
  23. darby
    23. Posted by darby Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:59 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Hey comment 26 I agree with u on that except there is absolutly no chance boston is sittign at home in october.I will tell u why cause boston is currently the champs.
  24. roblefferts
    24. Posted by roblefferts Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    #27, you Boston fans are becoming as delusional as us Yankees fans. I made the mistake of expecting championships and have been disappointed every year since 2000. It's a different league nowadays - don't take your recent success for granted and don't forget the humbleness and respect for other teams that Boston fans used to have. The AL power has shifted away from the Yankees and not necessarily towards Boston.
  25. crewgroup666
    25. Posted by crewgroup666 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    As a (red) dyed-in-the-wool Sox fan, I love to see the Yankees drift aimlessly into mediocrity. On the other hand, it's always exciting to see preennial losers like the Rays start to develop into contendesr. The annual AL East Yankees-Red Sox story was getting pretty boring. Go SOX!

Sports Rumors

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

More Rumors

Teams

Customize to follow news and rumors on your favorite teams. [ Sign in ]