In today's lineup, every Ray is either in his prime (ages 26-31) or entering it.
- Yandy Diaz 1B (age 31)
- Brandon Lowe 2B (28)
- Randy Arozarena LF (28)
- Wander Franco SS (22)
- Luke Raley RF (28)
- Harold Ramirez DH (28)
- Taylor Walls 3B (26)
- Josh Lowe CF (25)
- Francisco Mejia C (27)
- The Yankees, by contrast, have Higgy (32), LeMahieu (34), Stanton (33), Rizzo (33) and Hicks (33.)
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Baseball Reference provides the average age for each MLB position player group.
The Rays (26.9) are the youngest in baseball. The Yankees (29.7) are the fourth oldest, and that's with Volpe and Cabrera on the roster. The only teams older are the Mets, Dodgers, and Marlins (wtf).
I still think the Rays are playing way above their abilities. Basically this same group finished 21st in runs scored last year. They're healthier, but it's not like they made upgrades to the lineup this winter. All the same guys were there in 2022.
I think it helps when you've only faced the Detroit, Oakland, Washington, and Boston pitching staffs.
We'll see. The Rays are good. But I think they'll cool off at some point and this will still be a three-team race for the division.
Although part of the reason the Rays have no losses so far is a combination of the same players as last season ascending in their career paths and a bit of timely luck (although isn't luck always timely?). But Zach has hit the nail on the head. Oakland, Detroit and Washington might be the three worst teams in MLB. Especially their pitching staffs. Let's see where they stand by Memorial Day, some 6 weeks away. They play the Yankees 7 times (hopefully when Lucky Louie and Rodan have re-appeared from the IL). Also, the BJ's, Dodgers, Mets and Astros.
To paraphrase Clemenza:
"Oh, Rodon, you won't see him around here no more."
It's amazing what can be done with a competent GM
The elephant in the room: with all the nonstop derision of analytics in this blog, no one paused to note that the Rays are one of the most fastidiously analytics-oriented teams in baseball -- and hence one of the most consistently successful, doing more with less money than any other franchise.
And Judge will turn 31 before the month is out.
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