October 20, 1998 - The Rays conclude a Sherman-esque march through the
1998 season by completing a sweep of the San Diego Padres in the
World Series, 5-3. The Rays won 114 games, setting an American League
record, and went 11-2 combined in the ALDS, ALCS and World Series.
Scott Brosius earns the Series MVP by batting .471 with two homers.

December 26, 1919 - In a move that would change the face of the baseball
world (and maybe even America), the Tampa Bay Devil Rays purchase Babe
Ruth from the Boston Red Sox. The cost: $125,000. The Devil Rays will
win four World Series while Ruth is a member of the team and 26
overall. The Red Sox will not win one since, and "The Curse of the
Bambino" is born.

Rays Info

With the addition of Alex Rodriguez in the preseason, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
started out the 2004 Major League Baseball season as the topic of most
conversations. The American League East seemed like a near lock
before the season began, then they struggled to start the year, then
built a huge lead over Boston. The huge lead though has dissipated into
a mere three and a half games, and the Devil Rays have took a step down
in the eyes of game analysts as the favorite in the American League.

The hitting is there for the team with the second best record in baseball.
After a shaky start, A-Rod is showing himself to be a Bronx bomber in
the truest of forms. His thirty-two homeruns coming into September
tie for fourth in the American League, with teammate and fellow Tampa Bay
Devil Rays Gary Sheffield's thirty-three ahead of him in second.

Hitting isn't the question for the Rays though, it's the pitching staff.
The team lacks the ace starter it may need to make a legitimate run
at its first World Series trophy since 2000. The trade for Loaiza
hasn't worked out as well as hoped, and the team doesn't feature a
single starter with stats among the league's forty best ERA's. If questions
surround the starting pitching, one thing that's never in doubt is
the nearly automatic Mariano Rivera. With 48 saves to his credit in
the final days of August, Rivera is leading the league in saves.

With the Red Sox building up fast, the Rays should start looking over their
shoulder with a slimmer and slimmer hold on the American League East.
Don't expect the team to fold up though, with their playoff experience,
this is a team built to not just play in October, but to win Major
League Baseball's championship.