[PLAYOFFS?!?] Tampa Bay Rays Magic Number Now 19
Playoffs?, Rays are magiliscious August 31st. 2008, 6:59pm
With the win today and the Red Sox loss, the Rays magic number to win the division is now 22. But more importantly, with the Twins 8 games back (9 in the loss column), the magic number to clinch at least a Wild Card spot is 19. With the Red Sox leading the Wild Card race, all three teams, the Red Sox, White Sox and Twins, would have to pass the Rays in the standings in order for the Rays to miss the playoffs.
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We have a 3 game series against the Yankees.
If we don’t take at least two of three… then it’s probably not going to be a fun September.
The Red Sox get to play the Orioles, who we just beat on… and they will probably sweep them.
getting caught by the Red Sox is still a very real possibility…but the chances of all 3 teams making up that much ground in 1 month is not very likely. The Rays could lose 10 straight and they would still be leading the wild card race.
if the Rays play a game under .500 in last 27 (13-14), they still win 97 games. The Twins would have to go 21-5 just to tie. Not going to happen.
AND the White Sox would have to go 20-6.
that is 11 losses combined between the two teams and they play each other 3 more times. So that is 3 guaranteed losses.
That means if the Rays go only 13-14, those two teams would have to go 38-8 combined in all their other games.
i can see one team possibly going on a tear. but not both teams.
so basically the only way the Rays miss the playoffs is if the Rays completely collapse. Have a September where they go 8-19 or something like that. The pitching is too good for the Rays to fall apart like that.
Let me just say that today proves even though it has already been proven many a time just how good of not only an organization but an ownership we have. Today the Rays acquired Jorge Velandia and Michel Hernandez for cash from the Indians and Pirates respectively. Now granted, neither will be helping the big league team let alone be added to the 40-man roster. But the Rays knew they were going to promote a catcher from Durham as a safety valve for the playoffs. So instead of screwing over the minor league team, they got them 2 solid players for Durham’s own playoff run. Name me another organization when having to promote a player for the playoffs willing to spend money for 2 players for there minor league clubs stretch run. What a great ownership and organization.