The Rays Most Expected All Along Have Arrived

"If I were a writer," Carlos Peña said, trying to convince actual writers to hold off on their requiems for the Rays.

Peña talked about hope and faith and overcoming adversity—as he put it, "the story of the Rays." He sounded more like a presidential candidate than a struggling hitter whose team is on the verge of losing the World Series. But give him one last dream.

It took this long, 177 games to be exact, for the Rays to melt down the way most everyone expected them to melt down all season.

A collapse seemed inevitable when they lost seven straight games entering the All-Star break, when Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, and Troy Percival were injured in the second half, even when the Rays blew a 7-0 lead in Game Five of the American League Championship Series and still led three games to two.

But only on Sunday night, in a 10-2 loss to the Phillies in Game Four of the World Series, did the Rays finally act their age. Their previous two defeats in the Series were by one run. This one was Nightmare on Broad Street:

- Four home runs by the Phillies, including two by Ryan Howard and the first career homer by pitcher Joe Blanton.

- Two errors by Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura, who had committed only seven in the regular season, none since Sept. 10.

- An unusually wild and brief outing by right-hander Andy Sonnanstine, who had won so many big games for the Rays down the stretch.

The Rays, perhaps the best defensive team in the majors during the regular season, have made nine errors in their last 10 postseason games after committing none in their first seven.

Peña and Longoria, the team's No. 3-4 hitters, are a combined 0-for-29 with 15 strikeouts in the series. And, in perhaps the biggest upset of all, the Rays' starters are getting outpitched by their Phillies' counterparts.

"Believe me, I'm very proud of our guys, I am," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I truly believe we can turn this thing around. We have to do something to reverse the momentum of the event."

One big hit by Peña or Longoria might do it, and Longoria, at least, came close again in Game Four, crushing a long flyball foul while striking out three times. The problem is, Howard has hit three home runs in his last two games for the Phillies, and leadoff man Jimmy Rollins also is rolling.

Maybe Rays left-hander Scott Kazmir can produce a big performance Monday night, with rookie phenom David Price available in relief. Game Six, if necessary, would be James Shields vs. Brett Myers; Game Seven, Matt Garza vs. Jamie Moyer.

Reasonable matchups, particularly at The Trop. But unfortunately, the Rays already look beaten.

"I'm going to state the obvious, especially after a game like today's," Peña said. "Their bats are hot. Our bats have been cold. They're also pitching well. You can add a little anxiety on our part, and it's not a good combination."

A little anxiety?

The Rays have completely lost touch with the strike zone, as evidenced by their ratio of 31 strikeouts to nine walks in the Series. And they're pressing defensively, too.

Sonnanstine passed on a chance for an easy 1-6-3 inning-ending double play on Howard in the first inning, instead trying to catch Rollins in a rundown between third base and home. Yes, Longoria appeared to tag Rollins, but the play should have been avoided entirely.

Iwamura's misplays occurred leading off the third and fourth innings, both times leading to runs. And remember, the Phillies scored their winning run the previous night on a hit-by-pitch, wild pitch, and error by catcher Dioner Navarro.

"When you don't hit, it infiltrates all the other things you do, from a position player's perspective," Maddon said. "I'm sure it's wearing on some guys a bit, there's no denying that."

Fans seeing the Rays for the first time will wonder how the heck the team even reached the series, and that's a shame. Smart alecks who sneer "they're done," ridiculing Peña and Longoria, will miss the point entirely. The Rays have authored perhaps the greatest turnaround in the history of the sport.

"If I were a writer," Peña said, launching into his loser's stump speech. Don't sweat it, Carlos, I am a writer. And a disappointing World Series performance is about the last thing I will remember about the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays.

 

This article originally published in FOXSports.com.

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