Rays Sweeps, Red Sox Sinks

The Tampa Bay Rays swept three games against The 2007 defending World Champion Boston Red Sox. The Rays, which had long been at the bottom of the Major League, now leads the American League.

Until the sixth inning, the Rays looked bleak down 1-4, with Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka showing good performance. However, it got six points in the seventh inning when Matsuzaka did not stand on the mound. Finally, it beat the Red Sox 7-6. The Rays beat the Red Sox for their second three-game sweep of the World Series champions this season.

Even though the Major League has a 120-year history, the Rays has participated in only 10 seasons since 1998. Until last year, the Rays had won 645 games but lost 972 ones, recording 0.399 of win-loss record. It was the only team with the record below 0.3. Also, it had been the tail ender for nine times in the American League East. In 2006 and 2007, it recorded the lowest win-loss record among 30 baseball teams. In comparison, the Arizona Diamondbacks, which was established in the same year, won the regional league three times and the World Series once.

After last season, the Rays changed its name from "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" to current "Tampa Bay Rays" and reshuffled the team. It signed a long-term contract with well-performing players and heavily invested even into new players. Heavy investment has resulted in good performance. Potential players have performed their own roles well and pitchers have thrown well. Also, players in the field have been good.

With the victory against the Red Sox yesterday, the Rays has recorded a win-loss record of 0.619 (52 wins and 32 losses). It is now 3.5 games ahead of the Red Sox, which ranks second in the American League East.

Tickets for only eight home games of the Rays have been sold out for the past decade. But, tickets for the recent four games of the Rays have been sold out this year. The Rays proves the functional relations among investment, good record and support from the audience in the professional baseball.

In the game against the Chicago White Sox, Choo Shin-soo of the Cleveland Indians appeared as the right fielder and fifth batter, but he made no hits in four at bat. Choo walked to the first base on four balls and stole into the second base. His hitting average fell from 0.278 to 0.265. The Indians lost in overtime to the White Sox 5-6 after allowing a homer.