History of the Tampa Bay Rays facts for kids
The Tampa Bay Rays are a professional baseball team from the United States. They are based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The team plays in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the American League (AL) East division. Their home stadium has always been Tropicana Field.
The team started playing in the 1998 Major League Baseball season as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This happened after many years of trying to get a baseball team in the Tampa Bay area. A group led by Vince Naimoli was approved in 1995.
For their first ten years, the team struggled a lot. They usually finished in last place in their division. After the 2007 season, Stuart Sternberg bought the team. He changed the team's name from "Devil Rays" to "Rays." The new name was meant to refer to a burst of sunshine, not just the manta ray. However, a manta ray logo is still on their uniforms.
The 2008 season was a big change for the Rays. They had their first winning season and won their first AL East championship. They also won the American League pennant, beating the Boston Red Sox. However, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series that year. Since then, the Rays have made the playoffs many times. They reached their second World Series in 2020.
Contents
Getting the Team (Before 1998)
The Devil Rays started building their team after they were approved in 1995. They hired Chuck LaMar as their general manager. The team's first minor league games were played in 1996. On November 7, 1997, Larry Rothschild became the team's first manager.
The team picked 35 players in the 1997 MLB Expansion Draft. Tony Saunders was the first player drafted by the Devil Rays. They also drafted future star Bobby Abreu. But they traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kevin Stocker. Before the 1998 season, famous players like Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, and Wilson Álvarez joined the team.
Early Years as the Devil Rays (1998–2003)
The Devil Rays played their first game on March 31, 1998. They played against the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field. Over 45,000 fans watched the game. Wilson Álvarez threw the first pitch. Wade Boggs hit the team's first home run that day. Even though they lost their first game, the team started fairly well. However, they ended up losing 99 games that year.
A special moment happened on August 7, 1999. Wade Boggs got his 3000th career hit. He was the first player to do this with a home run. Boggs retired after that season. He was the first Ray to have his jersey number retired. He was also put into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
The Devil Rays brought in powerful hitters like Vinny Castilla, Jose Canseco, and Greg Vaughn. Along with Fred McGriff, they were called the "Hit Show." But these players were older and could not play as well as before. The Devil Rays continued to struggle in 1999 and 2000.
Before the 2001 season, the team changed their colors and uniforms. They also got outfielder Ben Grieve from Oakland. Early in 2001, Larry Rothschild was fired as manager. Hal McRae took over. Fred McGriff was traded to the Chicago Cubs. By the 2002 season, the Devil Rays decided to rebuild. They focused on younger players. Players like Randy Winn, Aubrey Huff, Toby Hall, and Carl Crawford started to become important. However, 2002 was the worst season for the team so far.
Before the 2003 season, the team traded Randy Winn. This allowed them to hire Lou Piniella as manager. Piniella was from Tampa. He had managed many winning teams, including the Cincinnati Reds who won the World Series Trophy in 1990. Piniella wanted to build a winning team in his hometown. His first team still finished last, but they played better than the 2002 team. A highlight of 2003 was Rocco Baldelli becoming a top rookie.
Continued Struggles and New Manager (2004–2007)
In the 2004 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season, the Devil Rays surprised many. They won 70 games for the first time. They finished in 4th place in the American League East. This was their first time not finishing last. They had a 12-game winning streak, which was a team record.
After the All-Star Break in 2005, the Devil Rays played much better. Carl Crawford, Jorge Cantú, and Jonny Gomes led a strong offense. But their pitching was not as good. Manager Lou Piniella left the team because he felt the owners were not committed enough to winning. Joe Maddon became the new manager.
Soon after, new owner Stuart Sternberg made big changes. He fired Chuck LaMar and many others. Matthew Silverman became team president. Andrew Friedman became Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations.
Fans were hopeful for the 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season. The team's home opener had the most fans since 1998. However, the team struggled in the second half of the season. They finished with the worst record in the league, 61–101.
The Devil Rays were part of two unusual triple plays in 2006. On June 11, they hit into a rare triple play. On September 2, they made a triple play where the ball never touched the bat. This had never happened before. The Devil Rays finished with a winning record at home for the first time ever.
In 2007, the Devil Rays played some games at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. They swept the Texas Rangers in that series. The 2007 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season team was very young. Pitchers James Shields and Scott Kazmir played well. But the team still had the worst record in baseball (66–96). They finished last in their division for the ninth time in ten seasons.
Becoming a Contender (2008–2014)
New Name, New Outlook, New Results (2008)
Before the 2008 season, the team changed its name to the "Tampa Bay Rays." They also got new uniforms. The new colors were navy, Columbia blue, and gold. Their new logo showed a bright yellow sunburst. The team's payroll was increased to $43 million.
The Rays kept most of their players from 2007. They also added Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, and veteran pitcher Troy Percival. Top prospect Evan Longoria was expected to be a key player. Pitcher David Price, a top college player, also joined.
The Rays had a great spring training. They started the season with a win. They also played a home series at Champion Stadium in Walt Disney World again. They won all three games.
The Rays became the first team since 1900 to have the best record in the league after having the worst record the year before. This was their best start ever. In June, there was a big fight against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
By July, the Rays had a good lead in their division. Scott Kazmir, Dioner Navarro, and Evan Longoria were chosen for the All-Star Game. Longoria also took part in the Home Run Derby.
Even with injuries to key players like Longoria and Carl Crawford, the Rays had a great August. They won 21 games and lost only 7. This was their best month ever.
On September 20, the Rays made the playoffs for the first time. They also won the AL East Pennant. In the playoffs, the Rays beat the Chicago White Sox. They then beat the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS to reach the World Series. However, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
The Rays' success was due to much better defense and pitching. They also stole many bases. Their pitching staff was among the best in the league.
Defending the American League Crown (2009)
The Rays' payroll went up to over $60 million. However, attendance was still low, even after their World Series appearance.
The Rays had a slow start in 2009. But they improved by the All-Star break. Carl Crawford, Jason Bartlett, Ben Zobrist, and Evan Longoria were named All-Stars. Longoria was supposed to start but was injured. Carlos Peña was added and took part in the 2009 Home Run Derby. In the All-Star Game, Carl Crawford won the MVP award for a great catch.
In August, Akinori Iwamura returned from injuries. The Rays traded Scott Kazmir to the Angels. Kazmir was the team's all-time leader in wins and strikeouts when he left.
The Rays struggled in September. They lost 11 games in a row. Carlos Peña broke his finger and missed the rest of the season. He was leading the American League in home runs at the time. The Rays finished with a winning record but did not make the playoffs. On October 2, B.J. Upton became the first Tampa Bay player to hit for the cycle.
After the 2009 season, Akinori Iwamura was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Return to Division Champions (2010)
In spring training, the Rays had their best record ever. Second baseman Sean Rodriguez played very well.
The Rays had the best record in the league at one point. But Dallas Braden of the Oakland Athletics threw a perfect game against them in May. It was the second perfect game in a row thrown against Tampa Bay. The Rays were also victims of a no-hitter on June 25. Former Ray, Edwin Jackson, threw it at Tropicana Field.
David Price, Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, and Rafael Soriano were chosen for the 2010 All-Star game. Price was the starting pitcher for the American League.
On July 26, 2010, Matt Garza threw a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers. It was the first no-hitter in the Rays' history.
On the last day of the season, the Rays won their second AL East championship. They finished with the best record in the American League (96–66). David Price won 19 games. Rafael Soriano had 45 saves. Both were new team records.
In the playoffs, the Rays lost to the Texas Rangers in five games.
"Game 162" and Wild Card Berth (2011)
Many key players left the Rays in the offseason. Matt Garza was traded to the Chicago Cubs. Shortstop Jason Bartlett went to the San Diego Padres. Seven relief pitchers also left. First baseman Carlos Peña, the team's all-time home run leader, signed with the Chicago Cubs. The biggest loss was Carl Crawford, who signed with the Boston Red Sox.
The Rays signed veterans Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. But Ramirez retired early in the season.
The Rays started the season 0–6, their worst start ever. But they finished April with a winning record. They were the first team in history to do this after an 0–6 start.
On the final day of the season, the Rays were tied with the Boston Red Sox for the American League wild card spot. The Rays won the wild card by beating the New York Yankees 8–7 in 12 innings. The Rays came back from a 7–0 score in the eighth inning. They tied the game in the ninth inning with a home run by Dan Johnson. Evan Longoria's walk-off home run won the game in the 12th inning. This happened just after the Baltimore Orioles beat the Red Sox. The Red Sox had a big collapse, losing a 9-game lead in September.
Game 162 is remembered at Tropicana Field. There is "162 Landing" where Longoria's home run landed. There is also a white seat in the right field corner where Dan Johnson's home run landed.
The Rays were eliminated in the playoffs by the Texas Rangers.
Injuries and New Stars (2012)
The Rays did not make the playoffs in 2012. But they still had a good record of 90–72. Closer Fernando Rodney set a new team record with 48 saves. He also had a very low earned run average (0.60). Rodney was named AL Comeback Player of the Year. David Price became the first pitcher in team history to win 20 games. He also won the Cy Young Award.
Playoff Berth (2013)
In the offseason, the Rays traded pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis. They got top prospects Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi. The Rays also added players like Yunel Escobar and James Loney. They re-signed Fernando Rodney.
End of the Joe Maddon Era (2014)
On October 24, 2014, manager Joe Maddon left the Rays. He then became the manager of the Chicago Cubs.
Kevin Cash Era (2015–Present)
Growing Pains (2015)
The Rays named Kevin Cash as their new manager on December 5, 2014. He was the youngest manager in the league. In Cash's first season (2015), Chris Archer pitched very well. Center-fielder Kevin Kiermaier won his first Gold Glove Award. The team finished with a record of 80–82.
Second-Year Struggles (2016)
The team did worse in 2016. They finished last in the AL East for the first time since 2007. They only won 68 games. Many players were injured, including Kiermaier.
Strong Start, Poor Finish (2017)
The next season, Archer and Alex Cobb pitched well. The Rays were in third place at the All-Star break. But they finished the season with the same record as 2015. In 2017, Erik Neander became the general manager. He continued the Rays' strategy of making many trades.
Back on the Upswing (2018)
Before 2018, the Rays traded Evan Longoria to the Giants. Longoria had been a very important player for the team. They also traded pitcher Jake Odorizzi. Later, they traded Archer for pitcher Tyler Glasnow, outfielder Austin Meadows, and prospect Shane Baz.
Even with many pitchers leaving, Glasnow and Blake Snell led the pitching staff. Snell won 21 games and had a very low ERA (1.89). He won the team's second Cy Young Award. The team also started using the "opener" strategy. This is when a pitcher starts the game for only a few outs. Then, a more traditional starting pitcher comes in. This strategy helped the Rays have the second-best team ERA in the American League. The Rays won 90 games but missed the playoffs.
Return to the Playoffs (2019)
Cash led the Rays back to the playoffs in 2019. They started the season very well. They won 96 games. Their pitching staff was excellent. It included starters Glasnow, Snell, and Charlie Morton. Relievers Nick Anderson and Diego Castillo were also strong. They had the best ERA in the American League. The team beat Oakland to win the AL Wild Card spot. But they lost to the Houston Astros in the playoffs.
Shortened Season and Second World Series Appearance (2020)
.jpg)
The Rays kept most of their main players for the 2020 season. The season was shortened to 60 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a slow start, the Rays played very well. They won 35 of their last 48 games. Their pitching staff and bullpen were strong. Brandon Lowe also had a great offensive season. The team finished with the best record in the AL (40–20). They won their first division title since 2011 and went to the playoffs again.
The Rays beat the Yankees in the playoffs. Mike Brosseau hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning. The postseason was dominated by Randy Arozarena. He set new records for postseason home runs (10) and hits (29). He also set a record for total bases (64).
In a rematch of 2019, the Rays beat the Astros in the ALCS. They then met the Dodgers in the World Series. The Rays won Game 4 in an amazing way. Brett Phillips got a hit with two outs in the ninth inning. This scored two runs and won the game. It tied the series at two games each. Despite this, the Rays lost the next two games to the Dodgers. They were defeated in their second try for a World Series title.
100 Wins (2021)
In 2021, the Rays won 100 games for the first time ever. They also won their second straight AL East title. However, they lost to the Boston Red Sox in the playoffs.
2022 Season
In 2022, the Rays finished with an 86–76 record. They placed third in the AL East. They made the playoffs but were eliminated by the Cleveland Guardians in the Wild Card Series.
2023 Season
In 2023, the Rays started the season with a historic 13–0 record. They finished with a 99–63 record. As the fourth seed in the American League, they were eliminated in the Wild Card Series by the Texas Rangers. The Rangers went on to win the World Series that year.
|
