The Tampa Bay Rays became an organization in 1998. They have one World Series appearance in 2008 when they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games.
Here is an all-time starting lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays.
1. Carl Crawford, Left Field (2002-2010)
Carl Crawford spent nine seasons with the Rays. He made four All-Star games and won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award in his time there. His career slash line with the club is .296/.337/.444. Crawford led the American League in triples four times, including in 2004 when he led the MLB with 19. In the franchises only World Series appearance, Crawford hit two homers and scored four runs with a .932 OPS in the series.
2. Ben Zobrist, Second Base (2006-2014)
Ben Zobrist played in 145 total regular season games in his first three seasons with Tampa. He played more than that in 2009 when he played in 152 games. It was also one of his best seasons statistically as he slashed .297/.405/.543 and hit 27 home runs that year. In his nine regular seasons played with the Rays, Zobrist hit 229 two-baggers, 114 homers and scored 565 runs.
3. Evan Longoria, Third Base (2008-2017)
The 2008 American League Rookie of the Year was Evan Longoria in his debut season with the Rays. He slashed .272/.343/.531 in 122 games that season. Tampa Bay made the World Series that season as well. In that Postseason run, Longoria hit six homers and 13 RBIs in 16 games. Longoria went on to win three Gold Glove awards and a Silver Slugger in his 10 seasons with Tampa Bay.
4. Carlos Peña, First Base (2007-2010, 2012)
Carlos Peña played five seasons with the Rays, making his only career All-Star game with the team in 2009. That season, he was tied for most home runs in the American League with 39. He also hit 25 doubles and had 100 RBIs that season. Peña played in 19 career playoff games, all with Tampa Bay. In those games, the slugger slashed .269/.388/.522. He also had eight extra-base hits and 14 RBIs in his Postseason career.
5. Jonny Gomes, Designated Hitter (2003-2008)
Jonny Gomes compiled a .784 OPS in his six seasons with the Rays. He reached 20 home runs in back-to-back seasons when he hit 21 in 2005 and 20 in 2006. The 2005 season was Gomes’ single-season best OPS when it was .904. He slashed .282/.372/.534 for the year. Gomes totaled 66 home runs and 60 doubles in his 1,264 career at-bats with the Rays.
6. Matt Joyce, Right Field (2009-2014)
Matt Joyce played some of the best baseball of his major league career in his six seasons with Tampa Bay. He made the Mid-Summer Classic in 2011 in a season where he slashed .277/.347/.478. Joyce recorded 128 hits and 75 RBIs that year, both single-season bests. From that season in 2011 through the 2014 season, Matt Joyce played in at least 140 games three times while playing in 124 games the other year.
7. Kevin Kiermaier, Center Field (2013-?)
One of the most talented fielders in Rays history is Kevin Kiermaier. He has won three Gold Glove awards, and he was the American League Platinum Glove winner in 2015. Kiermaier finished 17 in the AL MVP voting that season as he hit a career high 12 triples, 25 doubles and 62 runs scored in 151 games on the year. In his first 680 games with Tampa Bay, Kiermaier has a slash line of .249/.306/.416.
8. Julio Lugo, Shortstop (2003-2006)
Julio Lugo spent four seasons as a shortstop for the Rays. He played in 157 games in 2004 and 158 games in 2005. In those two seasons, Lugo collected 77 two-baggers, 172 runs scored and 132 RBIs. He had multiple career highs in those seasons as well. Some of them include 41 doubles and 75 RBIs in 2004, and 182 hits and 61 base on balls in 2005. Lugo finished his time with the Rays with a slash line of .287/.350/.421.
9. Dioner Navarro, Catcher (2006-2010)
Catcher Dioner Navarro played in five seasons with Tampa Bay. He made one career All-Star game in 2008 when he was with the Rays. Navarro played in 120 games in the 2008 regular season, slashing .295/.349/.407 with 27 doubles and 54 RBIs. That was the same season that the Rays made the World Series. Navarro went 6-for-17 with a walk and a double in that series.
Starting Pitcher- David Price (2008-2014)
In David Price‘s seven seasons with the Rays, he finished as the runner-up for the AL Cy Young in 2010, then went on to win the award in 2012. In the year he won the award in 2012, the southpaw posted a 2.56 ERA with 205 strikeouts in 211 innings pitched. For his regular season career in Tampa Bay, Price had a 3.31 ERA and 1,065 strikeouts in 1,143 2/3 innings pitched.
Bullpen Pitcher- Jake McGee (2010-2015)
Jake McGee pitched on the Rays for six seasons. In his time there, he posted a 2.77 ERA with 319 punch outs in 259 2/3 innings pitched. In 2012, he pitched in 69 contests and posted a 1.95 ERA with 73 strikeouts and a 0.795 WHIP. Two seasons later in 2014, he pitched in a single-season high 73 games. In those games, he recorded a 1.89 ERA and allowed just two home runs for the season.
Feature Image Courtesy of foxsports.com
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