Tampa Bay Rays are Slipping in the American League East

The New York Yankees have caught and past the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the American League East it was seemed like a flash. Tampa started the season as the 3rd favorite to win the division behind the Yankees and Red Sox, but came out of the gates looking like the team to beat.

The wheels started to fall off after being swept by the Boston Red Sox in a 3 game series at the end of May. Prior to that series, the Rays were 20 games over .500 as they began the year 32-12. Many baseball predictions had the Red Sox written off as they had fallen way back in the East. Injuries and a slow start offensively were the primary reasons for Boston’s lack of success early on, but they have fought back and are now just 1.5 games behind the Yankees for first place as of July 1st.

Tampa is filled with talent on offense and pitching wise. The problem for this team is their lack of experience, and youthful demeanor. The frustration has clearly set in as Tampa Bay is quickly falling behind the perennial powerhouse Yankees and Boston. Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton recently got into a verbal confrontation due to Upton’s lack of hustle in the field. This isn’t the first time Upton has been called out for not running for a fly ball, and it won’t be the last.

The baseball season is a grind, and requires mental toughness. The Yankees always seem to be calm regardless of the situation. They spend a ton of money to bring in highly rated and productive free agents, but the one thing they all have in common is a professional approach to playing baseball. Newly acquired Curtis Granderson, and Javier Vasquez both have that mentality, and fit right in to the Yankees style of baseball. Players like Francisco Cervelli, Robinson Cano, and Brett Gardner have been taught that approach to the game as they came up through the farm system. This team has chemistry due to everyone’s focus on the main goal.

Boston may be known as a team that is comprised of a bunch of misfits, but they too have a professional style of play. Justin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz may be loose in the dugout, but on the field they mean business.

The American League East is still very much up for grabs, but by the look of things it seems as though it may be the same old situation with the Yankees and Red Sox fighting for the division and a wild card spot.

Related posts:

1. Yankees vs. Rays: American League East Showdown
2. American League East is Up for Grabs
3. Tampa Bay Looks to close the gap in the A.L. East
4. Yankees looking for American League East Title
5. Tampa Bay will need to make some moves to hang in the A.L. East

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