Cardiac Rays Bring Their Brooms To Kansas City And Life To Their Season

It could have been a disastrous start to the ten game road trip. Instead it became a clarion call to the rest of the American League—the Tampa Bay Rays are back. In three days in Kansas City, the baseball club found a little of that magic that propelled them to shocking heights in 2008. When the defense made just the right play at the right time. When they had enough pitching and the batters found just enough in their bats to squeak home crucial victories.

Yes, this could have brought the end of the Rays of hope. It could have signaled the end of the ride for Tampa Bay fans. Instead, it reminded them of what this team was in '08 and what it’s capable of being in '09.

Make no mistake; I'm not putting any added importance to a three game series against the lowly Royals in the middle of July as being anything other than what it is. However, there are points in a season, crossroads, if you will.

Go in one direction and you achieve amazing glory and find the respect of your peers. Go the other and you sit on the sidelines wondering what might have been.

For the Tampa Bay baseball club, this non-marquee series against a small market losing team in the middle of July was just such a seminal moment.

Three times Kansas City took leads into the eighth inning against the defending American League champions. Three times they lost. Whether it was Evan Longoria, Willy Aybar or today's hero, Carlos Pena—it meant something. Baseball is a funny game and the Rays could go on to lose the rest of the games of this road trip.

Something tells me though, that's not going to happen.

A road has been taken. It’s brought them within four and a half games of the division lead and three and a half from the wildcard.

It’s brought back the magic.