After years of mediocrity and a name change, the Rays have made the AL East a three-team division. They have qualified for the postseason in two out of the last three years, winning the AL East by a game over the Yankees last year and taking the division over the Red Sox in 2008.
Even though expectations for the Rays are probably a little higher now than they were five years ago, the Rays weren't favorites to win the AL East — that honor fell to the Red Sox, whom many expected to win the World Series. Prior to the season's start, ESPN asked 36 members of its staff for for their 2011 season picks. Only four of them had the Rays making the playoffs, via the wild card spot.
For a team that wasn't considered a playoff contender, thanks mostly to the Yankees and Red Sox, the Rays haven't been playing too shabbily. With just 12 games left in the season, the Rays are four games out of the wild card spot. The Rays have already taken four out of five games from the Sox this month, and play them twice more entering Saturday.
With the Rays closing in on Boston's heels in the final stretch of the season to pull off what could be one of the most historical comebacks in MLB history, we have to know — did you see the Rays contending this late into the season?
Did you expect the Rays to contend into September this year?
