Why I Love the Rays and My All-Time Team

The Rays are in the World Series and whether they win or lose, it's a major accomplishment all in itself. Maybe this is me prepping for a moral victory and a series loss, but I won't even be mad. I have been a fan of the Rays for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure when or what the exact reason is or how much of it is attributed to living in Durham, NC, home of Tampa Bay's AAA affiliate, the Durham Bulls. Growing up I frequented the DBAP to watch players I hoped to become future Rays. I have also been to several Rays games, including July 26, 2010, when Matt Garza threw the only no-hitter in Rays history. Some of it could also be the rooting for the underdog. They are towards the bottom of the league in payroll and have to compete in the same division as the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Watching them beat the Red Sox in '08 and the Yankees this year in the playoffs was nothing short of satisfying. I think the Rays should be considered "America's Team" after beating both the Yankees and the Houston Astros in the same playoffs. 

What's amazing is that I'm technically older than Rays in that I was born in 1997 and the Rays started playing in 1998 (and yes, I know they were announced and approved in 1995, but let me have this one). With their being so young, there haven't been too many superstar players to come through. In this post, I want to talk through my all-time team. This is a combination of the best players to have put on a Rays uniform and my favorite players to play for the team. This won't be exclusive to the name change either. Some of the players on my list played for the franchise before they shortened the name. There will be a fair amount of personal fan service since this is my list. My team will be a typical 25-man roster with a starting lineup, the ninth being a DH, a full five-man rotation, a seven pitcher bullpen, and a bench of four additional position players. With that settled, here is my team, beginning with the pitching.

My Starting Rotation

David Price (2008-2014)

There are a couple obvious choices for the rotation and this might be the easiest of the pitchers. Price was the 1st pick in the 2007 Draft, the last before the name change. Price hardly spent any time in the minors before being called up to the big team in the lead up to the 2008 postseason. Price pitched 5 1/3 innings in relief against the Yankees in his debut, but it was his postseason performance that made Rays fans excited. Price finished off the Red Sox in Game 7 of the ALCS, getting the last four outs en route to a World Series berth. Price turned a spectacular postseason into a respectable tenure with the Rays. Price is the franchise-leader in ERA (3.18), 2nd in Wins (82) and Innings Pitched (1143 2/3), and 3rd in Strikeouts (1065). But his crowning achievements is his Cy Young Award in 2012, the first for any Rays pitcher, by going 20-5 with a 2.56 ERA and 205 Strikeouts in 211 IP. As is the case with most big-time players to play in the organization, he wouldn't be a Ray forever. His time with the team ended at the 2014 Trade Deadline when he was traded to Detroit in a three-team deal that also included Seattle that helped to net us Willy Adames, the team's current shortstop. 

James Shields (2006-2012)

When you look at his numbers, they aren't going to pop out to you as being spectacular. Shields is likely to be more known for giving up the home run to Bartolo Colon as a member of the San Diego Padres or as the player the White Sox traded Fernando Tatis Jr for. But Shields was a part of the AL Pennant Team in 2008 and put together one of the most amazing seasons a Rays pitcher has ever had. During the 2011 season, Shields finished 3rd in Cy Young Voting when he went 16-12 with a 2.82 ERA. It was the 11 Complete Games and 4 Shutouts he pitched that included a stretch of three straight Complete Games in June that was the most impressive part. Shields is the franchise-leader in Wins (87), Strikeouts (1250), Innings Pitched (1454 2/3), Complete Games (19), Shutouts (8), and Games Started (217). He might not be the most spectacular pitcher, but he is one of the five best to be a Ray.

Scott Kazmir (2004-2009)

I'll admit, Kazmir is the first name I think of when talking about Rays pitchers and he is one of the few that wasn't drafted by the team but acquired in a trade with the New York Mets when he was a prospect. Kazmir was a part of the dark ages of the team's history where they were stuck in the basement of the AL East. But as bad as those teams were, outside going 2-3 in 2004 when he joined the team late in the year, his record was never below .500. He led the league in Strikeouts in 2007 (239) and was a 2-time All-Star with the team. His 3.92 ERA with the team doesn't stand out, but he is 3rd in team history in Wins (55), and 4th in Innings Pitched (834), Strikeouts (874), and Games Started (144). He didn't pitch great in the postseason in 2008 and when he started off 2009 with an ERA just under 6.00, the team decided to move on and traded him to the Angels in a deal that didn't yield much of a return. It was an unfortunate way for one of the best to leave.

Blake Snell (2016-)

The first current member of the team, Snell would likely move up the list if I were to do it in a few years. He is the ace of the staff currently, though Tyler Glasnow might have something to say about that. He has struggled some with injuries in the last couple years, but he's already won a Cy Young Award in his young career. Snell was an astounding 21-5 in 2018 with a 1.89 ERA and 221 Strikeouts in just 180 2/3 Innings. His brilliance has been seen in the postseason as well, where outside of a rough start against the Yankees in the ALDS, he's pitched exceptionally. Snell will likely come close to another Cy Young Award if not outright win another one. He sitting in 2nd in ERA in team history and is sneaking up the board in most other major stats, currently 5th in Strikeouts (648) and 6th in Wins (42). 

Matt Garza (2008-2010)

Garza's tenure with the team was short-lived, but the impact he made is without question. Garza was acquired from the Twins in the offseason before the 2008 season in a move that history has looked back fondly on. In shipping out Delmon Young, it allowed them to acquire both Garza and Jason Bartlett and this was just a small part of what ultimately became an amazing turnaround for the franchise. He wasn't anything amazing through the regular season, going 11-9 with a 3.70 in 30 starts, but his postseason performance, especially in the ALCS against Boston was masterful. He made two starts in the series, including Game 7, and went 2-0 and allowing two earned runs combined en route to being named the MVP of the series. But his crowning moment was the no-hitter I mentioned in the opening on July 26, 2010 against the Detroit Tigers. He allowed just one walk and faced the minimum for the only no-hitter in team history to this point. He would be traded in the offseason which gave the Rays a return that included Chris Archer and fan-favorite Sam Fuld.

My Bullpen

Joel Peralta (2011-2014)

Pine tar use during a game ignored, Peralta was one of the most used relievers in the bullpen for the team during his four seasons. Case and point, he appeared in 80 games in 2013, going 3-8 with a 3.41 ERA. The two years before he pitched in 71 and 76 games respectively. In four seasons, he totalled 296 appearances, pitching 269 1/3 Innings. For reference, he played three seasons in Kansas City, the second-most he's played for one team, and appeared in only 166 games. That's 130 games difference in one only a one year difference. He was also close to perfect in six playoff appearance across 2011 and 2013, appearing six times and allowing just four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 Innings. Peralta's numbers don't jump off the page, but he was definitely a workhorse for the team.

JP Howell (2006-2009, 2011-2012)

Howell wasn't one to blow up the radar guns and he was a bit streaky. He was originally used as a starter and it was an absolute disaster. In his first two seasons with the team, both as a starter, Howell 2-9 in 18 starts with a 6.46 ERA, including a 7.59 ERA in 2007. Along with the name change in 2008, Howell's role with the team also changed, moving to the bullpen full time. In his first full year in the bullpen, his appeared in 64 games and pitched to a 6-1 record and a 2.22 ERA. He was named the closer in 2009 and recorded 17 Saves along with a 2.84 ERA. A torn labrum forced him to miss the 2010 season and he didn't bounce back well in 2011, but 2012 was a return to form of sorts. You can't ignore those first two years, but I'd select him for what he did after then. 

Diego Castillo (2018-)

Castillo hasn't been around for long but he is the best of a currently loaded bullpen. Castillo was often used as an opener in his rookie season in 2018, starting 11 games for the team and pitching to a 3.18 ERA. He is a versatile pitcher that can be used in any situation and has been used exactly like that. In 2019, he started six games and finished 18 more, picking up eight saves. He made 22 appearances in the shortened 60 game season in 2020 and was a perfect 3-0 with four saves and a 1.66 ERA. He's also 1-0 in 21 postseason appearances with a 0.63 ERA in 14 1/3 Innings across 2019 and 2020. My hope is that he'll be a permanent part of the bullpen in the seasons to come and spends a considerable amount of time with the team. 

Rafael Soriano (2010)

It is tough to judge someone based on one season with a team, but Soriano had an outstanding 2010 season. Tampa Bay traded for him in the offseason before the 2010 season in a one-for-one with Atlanta. He was entering the last season of his contract and had a respectable 2009 season for the Braves. There is little doubt in my mind that the Rays won this trade. Soriano was named the closer and proceeded to break Roberto Hernandez's single-season Saves record that had stood since 1999. Soriano posted 45 Saves and a 1.73 ERA during an All-Star season. This would be his only season with the team as his contract expired at the end of the season and he would sign with the Yankees. Soriano's 2010 earned him Cy Young and MVP votes and is one of the best season's for a Rays reliever ever, but just one of them.

Jake McGee (2010-2015)

McGee was a 5th-round pick for the team in 2004, but didn't break into the league until 2010 and wasn't a regular until the following season. Once he was on the team for good, he was mighty hard to hit against. McGee had four straight years where he won five games in a season and posted a sub-2.00 ERA twice (2012, 2014). McGee was another workhorse who pitched 69, 71, and 73 games each year from 2012 to 2014. The trade sending him to Colorado was a good decision in retrospect though it sent both McGee and German Marquez to Colorado for Corey Dickerson. McGee didn't pitch well in his four seasons in Colorado, though he did bounce back in 2020 with the Dodgers. But I'm not picking guys based on how they're playing now.

Fernando Rodney (2012-2013)

Rodney has moved around a lot in his MLB career, but his first season in Tampa Bay may have been the most impressive of his entire career. He signed with the Rays in 2012 and broke Soriano's single-season saves record with 48 Saves and that wasn't the best part. In 76 appearances, Rodney allowed just five earned runs for a 0.60 ERA for the entire season. His 2013 wasn't as impressive but he did finish with 38 Saves. Rodney's 85 Saves are the 3rd-most in team history which is more than enough of a reason for his inclusion on this list. 

Alex Colome (2013-2018)

After signing with the team in 2007, Colome didn't become a full-time member of the bullpen until 2015 after starting eight games across 2013 and 2014. Colome began the 2015 season in the rotation and made 13 starts but was moved to the bullpen, where he would see considerably more success. He was named the closer in 2016 and finished with 37 Saves and a 1.91 ERA in an All-Star season. He followed this up by finishing with 47 Saves in 2017, 2nd to only Fernando Rodney's 48 in 2012. He added 11 Saves more to start 2018 before being traded to Seattle early in the season. His 95 saves are the 2nd-most in team history and place him as the closer on my all-time team.

The Starting Line-Up

LF Carl Crawford (2002-2010)

Before there was Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford was the original star of the team. Crawford, a 4-time All Star and All Star Game MVP in 2009, was a mainstay at the top of the lineup during some of the darker days for the franchise. Crawford was an all-around player for his entire time with the Rays. He won a Gold Glove in 2010, a Silver Slugger Award the same season, led the league in Stolen Bases four times, with 46 Stolen Bases or more in seven of his nine seasons, and finished 7th in MVP voting in 2010, his final with the team. He's the franchise leader in career Batting Average (.296), Hits (1480), Triples (105), and Stolen Bases (409). He is the best all-around player to ever man the Rays outfield.

RF Ben Zobrist (2006-2014)

Zobrist was the Swiss-Army Knife of the Rays franchise for most of his time in Tampa Bay. Excluding the battery, there is no limited to where Zobrist could be put defensively. Acquired in the trade with Houston that sent Aubrey Huff, it took Zobrist three seasons with the team to become a regular. Once he did in 2009, he tore the league up, posting his best single season of his career. He hit .297 with 27 HR and 91 RBI, not to mention his walk-to-strikeout rate was 91 to 104, which is extremely impressive to me. He would finish 8th in MVP voting that year and would appear in his first of two All Star Games in his time with the Rays. He is in the Top 3 in most of the major hitting categories in franchise history, behind Crawford and Longoria. I'll always remember him for making the toughest play in Garza's no-hitter in right field.

3B Evan Longoria (2008-2017)

The arrival of Evan Longoria was one of the many things that spurred the major turn-around for the Rays. Longoria won Rookie of the Year in 2008 which helped kick start a strong tenure with the team. He's a three time Gold Glove Winner at Third Base, won a Silver Slugger Award in 2009, received MVP votes six times, finishing as high as 6th twice, and leads the franchise in Games Played (1435), Runs Scored (780), Doubles (338), Home Runs (261), RBIs (892), and Top 3 in a bunch of others. As good as was for the team, his crowning achievement is his performance on the night of September 28, 2011, the night more famously known as Game 162. Down 7-3 in the Bottom of the 8th Inning, Longoria launched a three-run home run off Yankees reliever Luis Ayala to cut the deficit to one run. After tying the game in the ninth, Longoria smacked a line drive down the left field line that cleared the short fence in the corner to clinch the Wild Card spot for the team. His being traded to San Francisco signaled the end of an era for the franchise.

1B Carlos Pena (2007-2010, 2012)

Pena might be the most pure home run hitter the franchise has ever had, which might be a bold statement. Signed as a free agent in 2007, Pena stepped on the scene by smacking 46 Home Runs and driving in 121 Runs in 148 Games, good enough for 9th in MVP voting and a Silver Slugger Award. This would be the beginning of three straight 30+/100+ seasons with the team, winning a Gold Glove in 2008 and finishing 9th again in MVP voting the same season. A down season is likely the reason the team allowed him to walk after 2010, but he would be back again in 2012. He had another rough season in 2012 and would again not be re-signed. In his short time with the team, Pena managed to finish 2nd in team history in Home Runs (163) and 4th in RBIs (468).

DH Jonny Gomes (2003-2008)

This is the first major "personal fan service" selection I'm making with my team. The reason is that Jonny Gomes was my favorite player growing up. I wore the number 31 in Little League and Travel Ball because of Jonny Gomes. I got to meet him once when I was really young, though I don't remember too much of that interaction. Gomes on the field was amazingly entertaining even when it wasn't for the Rays. His story is even more amazing and I'd highly recommend you watch the E:60 report about his life. On the field, Gomes finished 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting in 2005, smacking 21 Home Runs, his career high. He spent most of his time in a platoon role between right field and DH. He'd only hit 20 Home Runs one more time with the Rays and eventually left as a free agent after not playing the postseason in 2008. I continued to follow him and would root for him even if he was playing the Rays. 

2B Brandon Lowe (2018-)

I was conflicted on who to place here and once I remembered Zobrist also played in the outfield, the decision was a little easier. I think Lowe is the best position player currently on the roster and his numbers these last two years would support that. After finishing 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, Lowe nearly topped his Home Run total from 2019 (17) by hitting 14 in just 52 Games. He got on base a lot more during the regular season. The next thing for him is getting over the hump in the playoffs. He could well be the future of the offense in the coming years. 

CF Kevin Kiermaier (2013-)

Another member of the current roster, Kiermaier is the longest tenured player on the roster. He only appeared in one game in 2013, but joined full time in the outfield in 2014. The calling card of Kiermaier is his ability to catch almost anything in center field. He's a three-time Gold Glove winner and has the highest Defensive WAR in franchise history. He doesn't hit for much power and his bat is a bit streaky but his defense is more than enough for him to be in my lineup. He's climbing up some of the franchise leaderboard in several categories. He's currently 2nd in Triples (44), 4th in Stolen Bases (97), 6th in Games Played (729), Hits (619), and 9th in Home Runs (71). 

C Dioner Navarro (2006-2010)

It is no secret that Tampa Bay has not had the best luck when it comes to catchers. If they hit about .200 in a season, it is considered a miracle. So when the Rays send a catcher to the All-Star Game, that's a pretty big deal. This happened to Navarro in 2008 when the improbable seemed to be normal for the team. Navarro was dealt to the Rays in 2006 in a trade that included then-starter Toby Hall. Navarro finished 2008 hitting .295 and was a lone bright spot for the team in their World Series loss to Philadelphia, hitting .353 in the five game series. His average dipped each of the next two seasons, dropping to .194 in 2010, and he'd be allowed to walk in free agency. He wasn't bad behind the place either, throwing out 38% or better of runner trying to steal on him three times in five seasons.

SS Jason Bartlett (2008-2010)

Picking a starting shortstop was the most difficult choice when creating this team. I struggle between three names but landed on Jason Bartlett by just a hair. Between Bartlett and Julio Lugo, both guys could hit well, but the real difference is Bartlett's defensive ability. Neither was great but Bartlett's number was slightly better. Bartlett also has an edge for an All-Star Game appearance in 2009 and finishing with a .320 BA and 14 Home Runs. Lugo does deserve some credit for playing on some historically bad Tampa Bay teams and still putting up the numbers he did. 

Bench

C Toby Hall (2000-2006)

This is the only other catcher I would remotely consider as a back-up. Hall's numbers weren't anything great, but he hit higher than .250 every season before 2006, when he was eventually traded. He was also a better defensive catcher than Navarro. At his peak, he was throwing out close to 50% of all runners. Hall was eventually traded for Dioner Navarro as part of a larger deal which is a bit ironic. But he's easily one of the two best backstops in franchise history.

INF Dan Johnson (2008, 2010-2011)

Because this is my bench, I can afford to be a little more flexible and weird. Dan Johnson is on here for two reasons and only two reasons. The first was September 9, 2008 in a game in Boston when Johnson stepped up to pinch hit against Jonathan Papelbon in the middle of a playoff race. Down 4-3 in the Top of the 9th, Johnson took Papelbon deep to tie it up which helped set up the Rays to win the game a few batters later. The second reason is Game 162 in 2011. After the massive 6-run 8th inning against the Yankees, Johnson came in to pinch hit with two outs in the Bottom of the 9th. Down to his final strike, Johnson laced a pitch down the right field line that stayed just inside the foul pole to tie the game. His ability to hit clutch home runs is the only reason I have him on my bench. 

OF B.J. Upton (2004, 2006-2012)

If I'm being totally honest, I'm not a huge fan of Upton, but there is no doubting his ability at the plate. Becoming a full-time starter in 2007, Upton broke out by hitting .300 with 24 Home Runs and 82 RBIs. He was also a serious threat on the base paths, swiping 40 bases three straight years starting in 2008. His average dropped consistently after 2007, though he would slug 28 Home Runs in 2012. The lasting impact he made on me, however, was when we got chewed out in the dugout by Evan Longoria after not chasing down a ball in gap. This soured me to him but also understand just how good he was.

Utility Elliot Johnson (2008, 2011-2012)

This decision is the most "personal fan service" of all of my picks. Elliot Johnson was not a household name and didn't spend a lot of time in Tampa Bay but I used to take lessons from him when I was growing up. Johnson was never a regular on the team, though he did play in a career-high 133 Games in 2012. Johnson, much like Zobrist, was an extremely versatile player who could play anywhere on the field. He was frequently used as a pinch runner and stole 18 bases in 2012. He would later be traded as the PTBNL in the deal that sent James Shields to the Royals for a return that included Jake Odorizzi and Wil Myers. 

My team is very heavy on players from the 2008 World Series team. They are the best team in franchise history to this point, though the 2020 team is giving them a run for their money. That team had a lot of excellent talent on it that have stood out to this day. There are a lot of players I considered that I ultimately left off the list. It's not because they aren't worthy, it's just I only had but so many spots. There are still some spots that I'd argue aren't perfect, but this is my team and I'd be more than happy to watch them play.