Welcome to the Rays long awaited homestand for the World Series, and also what twitter says is the 33rd Sports Equinox in US History (meaning MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL games will all happen simultaneously).
There has been a flood of great articles on the Rays and this World Series over the last week, so here’s a round-up of my favorite pieces thus far.
How the Rays fixed Freddy Peralta after Mets mess: ‘Everything changed’
New York Post · October 20
How Tampa Bay’s pitching-development system helped Peralta
rediscover his form through mechanical adjustments, a different delivery, and greater use of his changeup.
Junior’s major moment: Caminero savors 1st playoff homer AND strikes familiar pose
MLB.com · October 20
A terrific character piece about Caminero’s first postseason homer, his long home-run trot, the tribute to Randy Arozarena, and the emotion of finally delivering on the biggest stage.
World Series opponents Brewers, Rays more different than you think
ESPN · October 21
A broader analytical story that looked past the obvious small-market similarities to examine how the two organizations differ.
Why the Rays loved Junior Caminero’s World Series dugout outburstUSA Today / Yahoo Sports · October 25
&
Why the Rays’ World Series hopes rest on Junior Caminero’s bat — and his voice
ESPN · October 26
Multiple sources ran a character story about Caminero trying to energize his teammates after a difficult defensive stretch in Game 2, and why his teammates interpreted his outburst as encouragement rather than blame.
Ever wonder what a Chandler Simpson homer would look like? We’ll show youMLB.com · October 23
A fun, unusual profile of Simpson, the speedster who reached the World Series without an official MLB home run. It gets at the contrast between his skill set and the modern power-heavy game.
Neander, Arnold put 19-year friendship aside as teams square off for title
MLB.com · October 22
A relationship-driven feature about Tampa Bay’s Erik Neander and Milwaukee’s Matt Arnold, whose professional relationship offers a personal lens on the two organizations’ shared baseball philosophies.
Team dinner makes Rays’ World Series experience feel more normal ($)Tampa Bay Times · October 23
How a Wednesday night team dinner at an upscale steakhouse helped make everything that’s different for first-timers on the biggest stage feel normal.
Here’s the Rays. Here’s Erik Neander. ($)Tampa Bay Times · October 24
John Romano provides his perspective on what makes the Rays successful, and it all starts with the man at the top.
Stu Sternberg spent two decades trying to win with the Rays. Now they chase a title without him ($)The Athletic · October 25
Sam Blum provides a deep dive into Sternberg’s relationship to the team amid their continued success.
Brewers, Rays prove there’s still room for old-school scoutingMLB.com · October 25
A particularly relevant organizational story: both pennant winners combine analytical infrastructure with traditional in-person scouting. It offers a fresh angle on how the Rays build competitive teams.
Rays trail in World Series, but maybe DJ Kitty can help them claw back ($)
The Athletic · October 26
DJ Kitty has been a Tampa Bay fan favorite for over 15 years, but her rise to stardom began with a rescued cat, a Walmart turntable and an 80-second video, and the world needs to know the origin story.
Inside the ‘organized chaos’ behind baseball WAGs’ custom World Series fits ($)The Athletic · October 26
There were matching denim jackets and pants for players’ wives, girlfriends and fiancées to wear to the World Series, and if that’s interesting to you, here’s the inside scoop.
