Passan: The Rays blame slow start on '08 hangover

"We probably didn’t take April as seriously as we should’ve," Rays outfifelder Carl Crawford said. "Coming off a World Series, all the stuff going on, we weren’t focused. We were still celebrating the things that happened. It didn’t register that these games would be as important as all the other ones."

"And," reliever J.P. Howell said, "a lot of guys were dragging and tired. I was. It was the first time for most of us with that quick an offseason. We just weren’t ready. We were physically there, but mentally? Not close."

"I talked about it a lot in spring training, and I tried to avoid it," said Joe Maddon, the Rays’ 55-year-old shaman. "It’s very difficult to not have it happen. Young team. World Series run. Shorter offseason. Longer spring training. It’s a setup for difficulties.

over 2 years ago RATW 11 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Maybe they read this

LINK

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Jul 20, 2009 11:07 AM EDT reply actions

Always promoting yourself!

Kidding!

by Suckerpunch on Jul 20, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought we already established that the braintrust that is Stewart Sternberg, Andrew Friedman, and Joe Maddon don't make any decisions at all for this team?

All they do is watch this site, look at what we’re saying, and say, ‘yeah, that sounds good.’

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Jul 20, 2009 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I am one of the men you just listed

can you guess which?

I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.

by Sandy Kazmir on Jul 20, 2009 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Is it fucked up I read this as

“Rays blame slow start on 08 Passover

Swav or Die
For the lulz

by SRQman on Jul 20, 2009 11:14 AM EDT reply actions

Always blame the Jews

by RATW on Jul 20, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Let the record show I did not start this train of commenting.

by Suttree on Jul 20, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

No, because I did the same thing.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Jul 20, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Passan + hangover = Passover

Or conspiracy.

by RATW on Jul 20, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

WHat werent they prepared for?

Did they forget they were in the same division as the Red Sox and Yankees?

by td32 on Jul 20, 2009 11:24 AM EDT reply actions

Does anyone notice that

these sorts of analyses are always after the fact? I know there were stories in spring training about the need to avoid any letdown, but did anyone say at the time that they were dragging or not taking the opening of the season seriously enough? Did any close observers of the team note some sort of letdown in effort during and just after spring training?

It could be true that in retrospect players realize they were fooling themselves earlier when they thought they were ready. But it seems a somewhat nebulous explanation for why the Rays did not start off well. And I am not sure if it still applies or applied through later months when they got swept in Texas and Cleveland by, in my view, inferior teams, or why they struggled this past week against KC.

by bobr on Jul 22, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions