Jim Rome Just Discovered the Rays

I'm not sure why I would ever watch Jim Rome is Burning, but I did today. I'm not sure why. Anyway, Rome had this to say about the Rays.

The Rays are who we thought they were,

Nice. A joke that hasn't gotten old, but incorrect in this case if you keep reading.

not the guys who were trying to knock over the monster in Fenway.

No, Jim. That's exactly who they were. They were the team who finished fourth in the American League in home runs hit. In a pitchers' park. Doesn't that sound like a team that hits a lot of home runs?

They hit almost as many home runs as the Texas Rangers. I don't think anyone is confusing the Rangers with a small ball team.

That's not where these guys live, they were built to do it with pitching, speed and defense,

And power and patient hitting.

and it was all on Game 2 of the World Series.

But not the power.

They don't wait for someone to pop a three runner, they play small ball, not long ball.

They were fourth in home runs and 13th in batting average. So a relatively large number of their hits left the park (in a pitchers' park) and they had a relatively low number of other hits. They were, however, sixth in on base percentage. Does this or does it not paint a picture of a patient team that scores a lot of rums on homeruns? Sort've like an Earl Weaver team.

Guess what team was LAST in the league in sacrifice hits. That's right: the Rays. If the fact that they scored three runs on outs last night is an idication of small ball, every team is small ball! Including patient, power-hitting teams like the Rays.

Beyond all that, the Rays are a renowned progressive front office and anyone who follows sports FOR A LIVING should be aware of this. As in: not a team that embraces small ball.


The Rays have a lot of talents, they can win even when they're not hitting home runs because they have speed and a great defense and pitching. That doesn't make them a small ball team.

The fact that a major member of the sports media is so unfamiliar with a team playing in the World Series that he makes things up that are flat-out and obviously wrong should be an embarassment.