Rays Put 2009 To Bed With Some Lasting Magical Moments

Of all the people to get the first cycle in Tampa Bay Rays history, I considered BJ Upton to be an unlikely candidate. 

Certainly, BJ has the athletic ability to make it happen, and he most certainly did Friday night, but I never thought he had the hustle to make it happen. When the bloop single dropped in to complete the cycle (a single, double, triple, and a home run in one game) it was magical.

So the Rays made history while trouncing the disinterested Yankees 13-4, preventing CC Sabathia from reaching the 20-win mark.

It was a solid season-ending series for Tampa Bay, taking two out of three games from the best team (record wise) in the American League.

The Rays finish the 2009 campaign 84-78, not horrible but definitely not what they were hoping for this season.

2009 did not finish with a playoff berth, but there were definitely some memorable moments:

• Upton's Cycle
• Five Rays in the All-Star Game, including Carl Crawford saving the game for the American League by scaling the outfield wall and robbing a home run. He was also the first Ray ever named the All-Star Game MVP.
• Club records were set for home runs, runs scored, stolen bases, extra base hits, and walks.
• Carl Crawford's six stolen bases in a game in May against the Red Sox
• The Rays coming back from a 7-0 deficit to beat Cleveland
• Beating the Yankees in their new palace in back-to-back games with 10th and ninth inning homers.
• In that second game, getting back-to-back homers against Mariano Rivera, a first for the future hall-of-famer.
• Jason Bartlett's 19-game hitting streak
• Ben Zobrist starting in six different positions while getting career highs in home runs, RBI, and batting average
• Jeff Niemann's 2-hit shutout of Kansas City.
• After a managerial gaff by Rays' Manager Joe Maddon forced the Rays to play without a designated hitter, pitcher Andy Sonnanstine went 1-for-3 with an RBI double in a 7-5 win over Cleveland.
• The Rays blow a 10-0 lead to Cleveland.
• Mark Buerhle No Hits the Rays

There were plenty more moments and we're sure you can add to the list.

It was the second best season in Tampa Bay Rays history. I've said it before, had the seasons been reversed and this season occurred in 08, while the ALCS championship was in '09, the town would be going bananas for the Rays instead of being disappointed with the outcome of this season.

Unless you're the Yankees or Red Sox, you can't expect to be in the playoffs every year. Tampa Bay put together a fine season and learned some valuable lessons across the board.

If they can come up with the resources to keep this team together for another one or two years, they may soon find themselves with another magical season.

So long to the 2009 Tampa Bay Rays.