how do the rays stand a chance?

[Suzukicrash]

I am a rays fan and hope they may get to the playoffs (I put $10 with 25-1 oddsof winning division), then I looked at their salaries and was amazed. With a payroll nearly 10x less than the Yankees I'm surprised the rays can even win 50 games. Why would pena even re-sign... could he get more elsewhere? If they make the playoffs won't the whole team pretty much disband next year from richer teams willing to pay more for the players? It seems like as soon as the rays finally get a good team together it will be impossible to maintain.

am I looking at this wrong or if as long as the owners are unwilling to raise the payroll, it won't matter how many times our team changes its name we will pretty much never be successful?

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Money isn't always a main factor. The Rays have a team with a lot of young and good guys. Young guys that do not have big contracts yet. That may explain the low payrol. But as soon as pay day comes, the Rays must be willing to keep those talented players.

[bigtime39]

Most of your guys are young, and in the "underpaid" portions of their careers. Now is the time when you have them over a barrel...a situation that will change after their sixth year of MLB service time.
Teams like the Rays may be able to make the playoffs occasionally (although being in the AL BEast makes it much harder). The question is: can they ever hope to have sustained success?

[Eddiey]

Yes I think they can sustain success. Most teams are locking up their young
stars to long term deals so the big money teams can no longer swoop in and
scoop them up. I think that the Yankees and the Red Sox among others,
know that the days of simply out spending the smaller markets for young
stars is over. In the last couple of years the free agent lists have, with a few
exceptions, been pretty poor. When I look at the Yanks and the Sox it appears
to me that they are now building up their minor league systems, just as the
Rays have done. So, if the Rays can lock up their core players, Upton, Kazmir,
along with Pena, Crawford and Shields who they have already signed, they can
be successful. The key is keeping the minor league pipeline fruitful.

[zengator]

So, if the Rays can lock up their core players, Upton, Kazmir,along with Pena, Crawford and Shields who they have already signed, they can be successful. The key is keeping the minor league pipeline fruitful.

There you go.

I don't know why I keep hearing the "they're all gonna leave!" angle on the Rays. Did you know - even under the old ownership, they've NEVER lost a high-price free agent. You can look it up.

They have traded away some guys who wanted bigger money, but we're talking Julio Lugo and Aubrey Huff. Are they worth the $$$ they're getting right now? I don't think so.

Of course, they won't always be able to resign everybody, but they're doing a good job so far. The key is to target your core guys and fill in the holes through consistent players development. With the robust minor league system they've got going, the Rays look very capable of fielding consistently competitive squads for the next several years at least.

[Eddiey]

There you go.

I don't know why I keep hearing the "they're all gonna leave!" angle on the Rays. Did you know - even under the old ownership, they've NEVER lost a high-price free agent. You can look it up.

They have traded away some guys who wanted bigger money, but we're talking Julio Lugo and Aubrey Huff. Are they worth the $$$ they're getting right now? I don't think so.

Of course, they won't always be able to resign everybody, but they're doing a good job so far. The key is to target your core guys and fill in the holes through consistent players development. With the robust minor league system they've got going, the Rays look very capable of fielding consistently competitive squads for the next several years at least.

I wasn't suggesting the Rays had no chance to sign these guys. I was only
pointing out who I viewed as our core players and hopefully will be signed.
There is no doubt in my mind the Rays will do all they can to get these
guys signed long term. Heck, they already have Pena, Shields and Crawford
on the dotted line so so there is no doubt they will try to do the same
with Kaz and Upton.

[zengator]

I wasn't suggesting the Rays had no chance to sign these guys. I was only
pointing out who I viewed as our core players and hopefully will be signed.
There is no doubt in my mind the Rays will do all they can to get these
guys signed long term. Heck, they already have Pena, Shields and Crawford
on the dotted line so so there is no doubt they will try to do the same
with Kaz and Upton.

I was agreeing with you on that. It's the 1st few posters that suggested otherwise.