Rays feel they're here to stay
Pieces in place, but task is tough
PHILADELPHIA - Coming out of spring training, no one had predicted the Rays would be in the World Series. Not even their manager, author of that 9=8 slogan, the one intended to represent nine players working for nine innings to grab one of eight playoff spots.
That was why there was a note of hope amid the disappointment of Wednesday night's Game 5, in which the Phillies clinched the championship at the expense of the Rays. It was why, instead of being discouraged, Carlos Peña talked about the experience, how "cool" it was, and how rewarding it was, even in defeat. The Rays - and the rest of the American League - understand that with a raft of young talent, Tampa Bay might not be fading any time soon.
"This is the beginning, and I want them to understand that," manager Joe Maddon said. "A mind once stretched has a difficult time going back to its original form. We've been stretched. Our guys are not going to be happy without playing in October from now on. And that's good."
Evan Longoria was signed to a long-term deal just days after he made his major league debut. The pitching staff has four members under age 26, and that's not including phenom David Price, who seems ready to have a long run as a dominating starter. The Rays have Peña signed until 2010, and options on Carl Crawford until then.
There is more promising talent in the minor leagues, including a couple of notable pitching prospects.
And now, finally, there is the knowledge that this team can win.
"We've done a tremendous amount of growing this whole season," Longoria said. "Coming into spring training knowing that it's not going to really matter if we win 10 or 15 games in the spring because everybody knows we can win during the season now. It's not going to be about all that stuff. We've accomplished so much that I think the fans understand now that we do have a winning group of guys here and a group of guys who's going to be here for a long time."
But that doesn't mean anyone should pencil the Rays into the World Series in 2009. Although the team is talented, and has added veteran pieces to mix in with a young core, the Rays compete in a crowded AL East. There is potential for the Rays to take a step back next season if they don't find the same magic in 2009 as they captured in 2008.
From a bullpen that was among the worst in baseball in 2007, the Rays fashioned one of the best in 2008. They got incredible performances from Grant Balfour and J.P. Howell and Dan Wheeler, even amid the loss of closer Troy Percival. But bullpens are one of the hardest pieces to predict in baseball. The Rays are certainly not guaranteed to repeat some of the performances they got this season, especially with the competition they will face next year.
Longoria could have a sophomore slump, or he could continue in the vein that probably has earned him the Rookie of the Year award. Scott Kazmir could finally put it all together and last more than five innings occasionally, or he could continue to match Daisuke Matsuzaka in frustrating performances.
Still, as executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday night, "We feel like we're in a decent position, starting in the offseason, in terms of [whether we will] sustain the success we had this year. This was an extremely impactful season for us as an organization."
"Where we had come from and where we have arrived at this particular point is almost unthinkable, to get it done this quickly," Maddon said. "It's powerful what we have done this year, and I know from my perspective this is just the beginning.
"We need to continue to grow. There's a lot of things we've got to do better. I think this World Series for us is going to provide the most specific instructional video they've ever put out on the market for us as an organization. I'm not just concerned about this group here. We're going to perpetuate our good play through the minor leagues also."
So the players learned, the organization learned, and the American League learned.
"This was the laughingstock of the league for a while," Cliff Floyd said. "You see these guys on TV, you see talent, you wonder when it's going to come together. It takes time to develop, and they developed, and here we are. We didn't win it, but we got darn close. You have to know that talent takes time to develop. Now that they've got a taste of it, I can't see them falling too far off this thing and not wanting to be here again next year."
But wanting and doing are two different things. The Red Sox remain a threat, and after a down year, the Yankees are sure to be major players in free agency. The Blue Jays might eventually put it together. So, while the Rays might be ready to begin a sustained run at the top of the division and the top of the league, there are only - at most - two postseason spots that come out of the AL East. And that's not counting improved secondary clubs in other divisions, like the Indians and A's.
That was not stopping the Rays players Wednesday night. At the same time they were processing what had just happened, the future was out there.
"Dream big," Longoria said. "We've got to want to get back here again."
Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com. 