To the American East fans, do the Rays have a chance at winning the division or is it too early still?

Question

Well only reason I ask is that the Yankees and Red Sox fans said it was too early to tell in late July.

Answer 1

How would it still be too early? It's over 110 games into the season. Yes they have a chance to win the division.

Answer 2

they do have a chance and i hope they win.i'm sick of the yankees and red sox.Go rangers !!

Answer 3

Yes they do

Answer 4

Unless they hit a bad stretch of games, they'll win the division and Boston is gonna take the AL Wild Card

Answer 5

Can't speculate on the Yankee fans. But the Red Sox fans,(me being one of them) who are saying it's too early to tell, are just hoping we catch up.

Answering honestly though, yes, the Rays have a chance of winning the division. (that hurt)

Answer 6

I think they have a chance but they'll have to keep playing well on the road.  For most of the season, the Rays have been a pretty bad road team and something like 2/3 of their remaining games are on the road.  Boston,however, has a good numer of home games (they're really hard to beat at Fenway) and get to finish the season with 7 games at home.  If the Rays don't keep winning when they aren't in Tampa, then Boston could definitely catch them and take the lead in the division.

Answer 7

I think they have a chance, but is it the best chance? I don't think so.

I don't know the exact numbers but both the Rays and the Yankees have a lot of road games while the Red Sox don't. Now this is particularly problematic for the Rays because they are really a bad road team (and who aren't these days?) whereas the Yankees are borderline .500, so that is serviceable.

Also, this Rays team is extremely young and you could see the fatigue factor settle into this club. Scott Kazmir has been mediocre at best and while James Shields has carried the load, his career high in IP in only 185 (last year) and that will almost certainly hit 220.

The Yankees suffer from over experience and age. Pudge got hurt so now they got Jose Molina handling mostly every game and you don't want his bat in what is really a offensive club. Mussina has carried that staff but you have to believe his body is going to give and his performance will suffer as well. Same goes for Pettitte, who got LIT UP I believe in back to back starts. Losing Joba is critical. I don't think that rotation can give the hitting a chance (which is not as good-no Matsui, Posada and Jeter doing nothing except hitting into DPs). Plus that bullpen has been doing well above expectations. Mariano is Mariano but who is their number 2 guy? Marte? He was brought in as a situational lefty last night. Veras? Do Yankee fans really trust Jose Veras to set up Mariano Rivera? Let's be realistic. I don't think the aging pitching staff can give enough support for a weaker Yankee hitting team.

I still think the Red Sox have the best shot (call me biased...oh yea you probably already did) to win this division. They have some easy road games, only with the upcoming White Sox series and the crucial NYY and TB series that seem troublesome. But these guys are seasoned veterans that know what it is like to win down the stretch. And remember, the Red Sox had been missing David Ortiz for 40 some odd games. Plus Beckett has been less than spectacular and they are still only 3 games back. I think this team is really finally healthy and on track and with the veterans on this team, I really have to give this division to the Red Sox.  

Answer 8

Do they have a chance?

sure.

With their killer schedule, mostly n the road? Not a good one

with 6 left against Boston and 6 with New York, then we'll know.