After defeating the Texas Rangers yesterday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Rays had the best record in all of baseball. If you put money on that happening this late in the season, I would have laughed at you derisively back in March. Now, it’s somehow a reality. At 32-21, the Rays moved half a game ahead of the Cubs, who were tied with the former Devil Rays going into yesterday’s action.
Everybody always said that Tampa Bay was building towards the future but if they keep this kind of play up, the future may be now. B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria and the glut of young arms that reside in St. Petersburg playing great and might even — gasp — get into the playoffs this year!
Then, as I was writing this, i learned that closer Troy Percival went down with an injury today. The Rays better hope that ‘pen can hold together without its glue guy.
But, at the end of the day, the Cubbies were able to hold off the Dodgers in extra innings, meaning the standings will go back to how it all started, the Cubs and Rays tied on top. The Rays will have to wait another day to break away, but facing the tough White Sox may cause some troubles while Chicago plays host to the struggling Rockies.