Hey hey, Tampa Bay

[I]Author’s note: This column was written with Tampa Bay up 3-1 over Boston in the ALCS and assumes they will win it. If Boston comes back to win the series, next week’s column will be about how Boston is the greatest comeback team of all time and what a lousy predictor I am.[/I]

Worst to first, Baybee.

All the Tampa Bay Rays had to do: 1. Destroy a dynasty and 2. Conquer a nation.

Playing in the same division as the New York Yankees with 13 straight playoff appearances and Boston with Red Sox Nation still celebrating their second championship in the past four years, no one picked TB, not even their fans like me.

The only comparison that I can think of in baseball history is the 1969 New York Mets, who had won 73 games the previous year, finishing next to last place while TB won just 66 games last season and finished last nine of their first 10 seasons. But the Amazin’ Mets won the World Series so it’s premature to make that final judgment now. Let’s wait for the dance to end.

Abysmally, the Devil Rays were primed to rival the turn of the century Cleveland Spiders as the worst major league franchise of all time.

Who would have thought the Rays would win the pennant except perhaps some jawboning Busch-drinking yahoos sitting on a Florida porch or drunks at a Las Vegas sports book.

TB made Boston look old and slow.

Actually, the Red Sox made themselves look old and slow by bringing out Tim “Wake Me Up When It’s Over” Wakefield, at 42 older and slower than anyone the Rays had. He was throwing lollipops in Game 4 which allowed the Rays, when they weren’t hitting home runs, to steal whenever they wanted.

No team stole more bases in 2008 than the Bay Boys who also hit more home runs than the Red Sox. Power and speed from a group of players all coming into their prime at the same time under the guidance of third year manager Joe Maddon.

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?

And the 25-man roster costs less than two A-Rods.

This is a team built on the cheap.

All of those pitiful seasons allowed them to get the top talent like B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria who haven’t had time to get new fat contracts.

But they let Josh Hamilton (.320/32/130) get away. Oh well, you can’t win them all. But in baseball, you don’t have to win every time, just more than you lose.

The Rays couldn’t even win fans until these playoffs. The reason for the sorry attendance year after year is simple actually. Having lived in that area and knowing the people there, I understand that people in Tampa don’t particularly care for St. Pete and don’t want to drive all the way over there. If the stadium was in Tampa, more people would attend.

Most of baseball nation was looking forward to a Dodgers/Red Sox World Series. Fox Sports certainly was. The Phillies and Rays threw them a curve ball.

Instead of Manny Ramirez, Joe Torre, and David Ortiz, it’s Shane Victorino, Charlie Manuel, and Carlos Pena.

Hey hey.

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[I]Coldeen is a longtime journalist in the CNMI and is currently the news director of KSPN2[/I]