HAVE THE TAMPA BAY RAYS EVER WON THE WORLD SERIES?
It took the Tampa Bay Rays ten years from their first season in 1998 before they ever had a winning record. In fact they finished in last place every season, except for 2004, when they finished in fourth place. And then 2008, when they won the American League pennant and played in the World Series. They lost the Series to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games.
Here are the team results for the history of the franchise:
TEAM RESULTS
|
Year
|
Wins
|
Losses
|
Average
|
Games Behind
|
|
2008
|
97
|
65
|
.599
|
--
|
|
2007
|
66
|
96
|
.407
|
30.00
|
|
2006
|
61
|
101
|
.377
|
36.00
|
|
2005
|
67
|
95
|
.414
|
28.0
|
|
2004
|
70
|
91
|
.435
|
30.5
|
|
2003
|
63
|
99
|
.389
|
38.0
|
|
2002
|
55
|
106
|
.342
|
48.0
|
|
2001
|
62
|
100
|
.383
|
34.0
|
|
2000
|
69
|
92
|
.429
|
18.0
|
|
1999
|
69
|
93
|
.426
|
29.0
|
|
1998
|
63
|
99
|
.389
|
51.0
|
TAMPA BAY ALL-STARS
But if the team wasn’t winning, they have sent a player to the All-Star Team every year. Here are the Tampa Bay All-Stars.
|
Year
|
Player, position
|
|
2008
|
Scott Kazmir, LHP
Evan Longoria, 3B
Dioner Navarro, C
|
|
2007
|
Carl Crawford, OF
|
|
2006
|
Scott Kazmir, LHP
|
|
2005
|
Danys Baez, RHP
|
|
2004
|
Carl Crawford, OF
|
|
2003
|
Lance Carter, RHP
|
|
2002
|
Randy Winn, OF
|
|
2001
|
Greg Vaughn, OF
|
|
2000
|
Fred McGriff, 1B
|
|
1999
|
Jose Canseco, OF
Roberto Hernandez, P
|
|
1998
|
Rolando Arrojo, P
|
HALL OF FAME
And the Rays are not without representation in the Hall of Fame. Third baseman Wade Boggs, who spent most of his career with the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, wore a Rays jersey in 1998 and 1999. Boggs was elected to the Hall in 2005. Boggs’ career batting average was .328 and he hammered a lifetime 3,010 hits and 137 home runs.
RETIRED RAYS JERSEYS
The Rays have retired two jerseys in its short history. Tampa Bay Rays jersey number 12, worn by Wade Boggs, was retired in 2001.
Jackie Robinson’s number 42 was retired by all of MLB in 1997, before Rays were founded.
