Congrats to 100-Game Winner Tampa Bay Rays

Congratulations to the 2021 Tampa Bay Rays baseball team for not only winning the highly competitive American League East Division for the second straight year and qualifying for the postseason playoffs for the third straight, but also for amassing the very difficult milestone of winning 100 games in a season...they did this with today's 12-2 rout over the New York Yankees on the road.  The Yanks, Boston, Toronto, and Seattle are currently in an extremely tight finishing run to see which two of them will make the playoffs...looks like it will come down to tomorrow, the final day of the regular season.  Managed by Kevin Cash, this year's Rays feature strengths in every category: consistent hitting, power hitters, great fielding, and excellent pitching...both by starters and the bullpen.  And Tampa Bay has also been exceptionally well in the second half of the season in 2021 while establishing themselves as a clutch, come-from behind team in those late innings.  It's not a team of superstars, but I feel that some future greats will come from this outfit...keep your eyes open for Brandon Lowe (39 home runs, including 3 today), Randy Arozarena (team batting average leader), Austin Meadows (RBI leader), Mike 
Zunino (32 homers), Wander Franco (20-year-old rookie hitting sensation), Shane McClanahan (starting pitcher) and Andrew Kittredge (reliever).  The Rays, who made it to the World Series last year only to be bested by the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games, begin their playoff run at home this Thursday against the American League wildcard winner.  Unfortunately, since I'm returning to my afternoon/evening job this Monday, I won't be able to watch the baseball playoffs except for the weekend games...but the Tampa Bay Rays have certainly been entertaining for me thus far...