World Series preview: Rays can't be stopped now

October 22, 10:24 AMMLB ExaminerTony DeMarco

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The story lines emerging from the Tampa Bay Rays' improbable season barely are believable: 

Everything from Rocco Baldelli's comeback from a muscle disorder that almost ended his career, to David Price (pictured) saving the ALCS-clinching game with only five regular-season games under his belt, to the biggest one-year turnaround in history.

Until these 2008 Rays came along, no team ever had won a pennant with the lowest payroll in its league. Only one other team won a pennant after having the worst record in its league the previous season. And only two other teams won a pennant after 10 consecutive losing seaons.

What we are witnessing might not happen again in our baseball-watching lifetimes. And funny as it may sound, one of the biggest underdog stories in sports history has been established by Las Vegas oddsmakers as a solid favorite in this series. And that's in part because the Rays win the tried-and-true way -- with pitching, defense and speed. That plus an uncanny knack of coming up with whatever it takes to win, especially late in games.

Under manager Joe Maddon's effective if sometimes off-beat leadership, the sum is better than the parts here, as the Rays' offensive stats were sub-par for a pennant-winning team -- 10th in the AL in runs, 13th in batting average. But they can hit with power and manufacture runs with their speed. They also dominated at Tropicana Field, where they posted the game's best home record.

The Phillies easily disposed of the pitching-short Brewers in the division series, and caught a beneficial match-up situation against the Dodgers, who didn't handle Cole Hamels and had an abundance of right-handed starting pitchers going against the Phillies' left-handed-dominant lineup. Their shutdown bullpen also has been a key factor.

The Rays have only one left-handed starter -- Scott Kazmir -- but can bring three left-handers out of the bullpen, and it isn't hard to envision Price emerging as a pivotal figure in this series. Hamels will make two starts against a Rays lineup that has been weaker against left-handed pitching, but the struggling Jamie Moyer will be a heavy underdog in his start.

The Phillies also will have to battle against a long layoff, and the Rays' home-field advantage -- a tough double-whammy. The miracle story continues.

Prediction: Rays in seven games.

For more Examiner.com series coverage: http://www.examiner.com/category-World_Series.html

For a Rays slide show: http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/index.cfm?SlideshowID=1715