Agony

I'd first and foremost like to give my thoughts on what now very well be one of the more depressing seasons the Tampa Bay Rays will ever have to overcome.

The season is over for them. And what a season it was. Not only did they top the American league with the best record, but they proved to be formidable against the best teams in the game and even had winning records against the defending World Series champions, the New York Yankees.

However, that celebration was all for naught as the Rays could not get past the first round of the American League playoffs. They lost the first series they played to the Texas Rangers. It was not the prettiest of losses to be sure. neither team could win at home, and Texas took three games from us in our own home field, Tropicana Field.

The Rangers, to give them credit played hard every game, but this was a team who had never won a playoff series...ever. That means in their existence as a pro sports team, they had never advanced past the first round. Well now they have, and it was against the Rays of all teams.

The Rays had a season of highs and lows. They proved to be competitive against the best, but also gave up a few bad games. They were in at least three games that the opposing pitcher posted a no hitter or worse: a perfect game. This outing was no better. Ranger ace, Cliff Lee played a complete game, and not only did he win the first game in the series, but he also closed out the series and knocked the Rays out of the playoffs and off the mountain.

Now the Rays deal with the sad off season that will steal all their talent. The owners have already said they are going to cut cost of the team dramatically, nearly 20 millions dollars worth in fact. With the contracts expiring for some of their pivotal players, this does not bode well for the team.

Here are some of the few players the Rays will most likely lose this coming off season: Carl Crawford, Rafael Soriano, Carlos Pena, Matt Garza, B.J. Upton, Jason Bartlett, and possibly some more well known and well loved players on the team. Crawford will be one of (if not) the most sought out after free agent(s) this off season. He is a great player and has spent nine wonderful and very memorable seasons with the Rays. A speedy base runner and a great left fielder, Crawford will be an upgrade for almost any team who has the money to offer him instantly. Sadly, the Rays do not have that privilege. They just do not earn enough revenue and the owners will not spend the money to keep Crawford.

Next years Rays are already looking to be a team on the outside, trying to rebuild after what will be its hardest off seasons to date. Its a sad state, after what looked to be such a promising year.

Last nights loss was a hard one to swallow.