The Series began on Wednesday, October 22, and concluded (after weather delays had postponed the end of Game 5) the following Wednesday, October 29. The AL's 4–3 win in the 2008 All-Star Game gave the Rays home field advantage for the series, meaning no more than three games would be played at Citizens Bank Park (the Phillies' home ballpark).[3] The Phillies won their second championship in their 126-year history to bring the city of Philadelphia its first championship in 25 years (since the 1983 NBA Finals).[4][5] This was the first postseason series lost by an MLB team based in the state of Florida; previously, the Rays and Florida Marlins were 8–0 in postseason series.[6][7] Additionally, both the Phillies' World Series wins have come against a team making their World Series debut (in 1980, they beat the Kansas City Royals).
Games 1 and 2 at Tropicana Field were the first World Series games played on artificial turf since the 1993 World Series matched two teams, the Toronto Blue Jays and Phillies, which each played their home games on artificial turf at the time. However, 2008 is the first World Series ever played on second generation artificial turf. Ironically, the Phillies were in both Series, but they no longer use artificial turf since the end of 2003.
Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels, pictured here during the 2010 regular season, won Game 1 and pitched six effective innings in Game 5, and was named the World Series MVP.
Philadelphia opened the season by posting a winning record in the opening month of April. The team scored 60runs over a five-game span in late May and went 14–4 into the beginning of June. The team lost 9 of 11games to end June, but came out of the All-Star break with a 9–6 record following the midseason hiatus.[8] The Phillies posted the best road record in the National League, at 44–37.[9] Philadelphia traded sweeps with the Los Angeles Dodgers in August and went 13–3 in their last 16games,[8] to win the National League East title for the second consecutive season.[10] The second-seeded Phillies defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in the Division Series, 3–1,[11] and the Dodgers in the Championship Series, 4–1, to book their place in the 2008 Fall Classic.[12][13] This was the Phillies' first World Series appearance in fifteen years.[12][13]
The Tampa Bay Rays also began the season (their first after dropping the "Devil" from their name) with a winning record in the opening month of April.[14] The Rays became the first team since 1903 to have the league's best record on Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) after finishing in last place the previous season.[15] The team went 16–10 in June, but lost seven consecutive games leading up to the All-Star break. In August, the Rays lost seven games to finish out the month with an overall record of 84–51.[14] The team concluded the season, albeit with a 13–14 record in September, by winning the American League East title for the first time in franchise history.[16] As the Devil Rays, they had never finished with a winning record, nor finished higher than fourth in their division. The second-seeded Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 3–1 in the American League Division Series.[17] In the American League Championship Series, Tampa Bay defeated the Boston Red Sox in 4–3, to advance to their first World Series in franchise history.[18] The Rays became the third MLB team in the post-1969 "Divisional Era" to make the World Series in their first trip to the playoffs, joining the 1969 New York Mets and the 1997 Florida Marlins.
The national anthem was performed by Backstreet Boys. The Phillies scored the first runs of the Series when Jayson Werth walked and Chase Utley followed with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. The Phillies loaded the bases off Tampa Bay starting pitcher Scott Kazmir with one out in the second, but Kazmir induced a fly ball from Jimmy Rollins, which was too shallow to score Shane Victorino, who was thrown out at home plate by B. J. Upton for a double play. The Rays loaded the bases off Phillies starter Cole Hamels with one out in the bottom of the third, but he also escaped this jam by getting Upton to ground into an inning-ending double play, and the score remained 2–0 in favor of Philadelphia. The Phillies extended their lead to 3–0 on Carlos Ruiz's RBI groundout in the fourth inning. In the bottom of the inning, Carl Crawford's solo home run pulled the Rays to within two runs. Tampa Bay added their second run the following inning on Akinori Iwamura's RBI double. Kazmir was removed after six innings; four Rays relievers combined to shut out the Phillies for the last three innings. Ryan Madson relieved Hamels in the eighth, pitching a single perfect inning. In the top of the ninth, Philadelphia left two men on base, but Brad Lidge remained perfect in saves as he delivered a one-two-three inning to seal the 3–2 win.[24]
Game 2
October 23, 2008 8:37pm (EDT) at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida 73°F (23°C), dome
The national anthem was performed by Los Lonely Boys. Tampa Bay took a quick 2–0 lead in the first inning when Akinori Iwamura and B. J. Upton reached base with nobody out and scored on back-to-back groundouts by Carlos Peña and Evan Longoria. The next inning, Upton's RBI single scored Dioner Navarro. Rocco Baldelli attempted to score from second base, but was thrown out at home by Jayson Werth, keeping the Rays' lead at 3–0. Cliff Floyd extended the lead to 4–0 after leading off the bottom of the fourth with a single, advancing to third base with assistance from Navarro and Baldelli, and scoring on a sacrifice bunt by Jason Bartlett. Tampa Bay starter James Shields shut out the Phillies through 5+2⁄3innings to earn the win, before being relieved by Dan Wheeler who pitched an additional scoreless inning. Philadelphia starter Brett Myers lasted seven innings, giving up four runs for the loss. The Phillies did not get on the board until the eighth when Eric Bruntlett hit a solo home run (his first since May 6) off David Price. The Phillies added another run off Price in the ninth when Carlos Ruiz hit a leadoff double, then scored with one out on an error by Longoria. Despite this, Price retired the next two batters to end the game, and the Rays' 4–2 win tied the Series at one game apiece.[25] For the rest of the Series, the Rays would not take the lead over the Phillies again.
Game 3
Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard, pictured during 2007 spring training, hit his first home run of the postseason in Game 3.
Steve Carlton threw out the Ceremonial First pitch while Taylor Swift sang the national anthem.[26] The third game of the Series was delayed for an hour and 31 minutes because of rain.[27] Country music star Tim McGraw, son of Phillies reliever Tug McGraw, spread his father's ashes on the pitching mound of Citizens Bank Park, prior to the game's start. The Phillies scored in the bottom of the first inning after Jimmy Rollins led off with a single and eventually scored on a Chase Utley groundout. In the top of the second, Carl Crawford doubled, stole third base and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gabe Gross to tie the game at 1–1. Carlos Ruiz gave the Phillies their second lead of the night when he hit a home run in the bottom half. Starting pitchers Matt Garza and Jamie Moyer pitched six and 6+1⁄3 innings, respectively. The score remained 2–1 in favor of Philadelphia until the sixth when Utley and Ryan Howard hit the 14th back-to-back home runs in World Series history, increasing their lead to 4–1.[28] The Rays rallied to cut their deficit back to one run in the seventh. Moyer surrendered back-to-back hits to Crawford and Dioner Navarro to start the inning, and Crawford scored on a groundout by Gross, prompting Charlie Manuel to go to his bullpen. Chad Durbin relieved Moyer and induced a groundout from Jason Bartlett, scoring Navarro and trimming the Phillies' lead to 4–3. In the top of the eighth, B.J. Upton led off with an infield single, stole second and third, and scored on a throwing error by Ruiz, tying the game at 4–4. Eric Bruntlett was hit by a pitch by J.P. Howell leading off the bottom of the ninth, moved to second on a wild pitch by Grant Balfour and to third on a throwing error by Navarro, putting the potential winning run on third with nobody out. Balfour intentionally walked the next two batters, Shane Victorino and pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs, to load the bases, creating a force play at the plate. Tampa Bay then brought the infield in (including right fielder Ben Zobrist who was brought in to be a fifth infielder), hoping to convert any ground ball into a forceout at home and prevent the winning run from scoring.[29] However, Ruiz's 45-foot infield single brought in Bruntlett for the win. The hit was fielded by third baseman Evan Longoria, who threw desperately to the plate in an attempt to keep the game going. However, any hope of an out vanished as Longoria's throw missed Navarro and Bruntlett scored (it would not be counted as an error). Ruiz's hit was the first walk-off infield single in World Series history, giving the Phillies a 5–4 victory and a 2–1 lead in the series.[30] Phillies reliever J. C. Romero earned the win and Howell took the loss.
Game 4
October 26, 2008 8:29pm (EDT) at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 55°F (13°C), clear
Robin Roberts threw out the Ceremonial First pitch while Patti LaBelle sang the national anthem. Philadelphia took a quick 1–0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Jimmy Rollins led off with a double and scored when Pat Burrell later walked with the bases loaded. The Phillies doubled their lead in the third when Chase Utley reached base on an error by Akinori Iwamura and scored on Pedro Feliz's RBI single. The Rays cut their deficit in half when Carl Crawford hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning, but Ryan Howard's three-run home run in the bottom half brought the score to 5–1. In the next inning, Eric Hinske hit a pinch-hit home run to bring the Rays within three runs, but Phillies starting pitcher Joe Blanton responded with a home run of his own to put his team back up by four. It was the first time a pitcher hit a home run in the World Series since Ken Holtzman in Game 4 of the 1974 World Series.[31] In addition to hitting his first career home run, Blanton pitched six innings, striking out seven batters while giving up two runs on four hits to acquire his first win of the Series. In the eighth, Jayson Werth and Howard each hit a two-run home run to cap off the scoring at 10–2. Philadelphia's four relief pitchers combined for three shutout innings.[32] Due to the late completion of the previous game, Games 3 and 4 each ended on the same calendar day.
Game 5
Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria, pictured during the 2008 regular season, got his first hit in Game 5.
October 27, 2008 (started) and October 29, 2008 (completed) 8:29pm (EDT) at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 45°F (7°C), light rain/43°F (6°C), partly cloudy
The national anthem was sung by John Oates. Philadelphia scored in the first inning for the third consecutive game, taking a 2–0 lead when they loaded the bases with two outs off Rays starter Scott Kazmir, who then gave up a two-run single to Shane Victorino. Tampa Bay cut the lead in half in the fourth; Carlos Peña doubled with one out and scored on Evan Longoria's RBI single, both players' first hits of the Series. The Rays then tied the game in the sixth when B. J. Upton singled, stole second, and scored on Peña's RBI single.[33]
The game was suspended after the top of the sixth because of rain, making it the first game in World Series history not to be played through to completion or declared a tie. Phillies starter Cole Hamels, making his fifth start, had pitched six innings when the umpires suspended play. The Phillies pinch-hit for Hamels in the bottom of the sixth inning. By retaking the lead in that half-inning, the Phillies put Hamels in line for the victory, which would have been his fifth win in the postseason, tying an MLB record. However, when Tampa Bay again tied the game in the seventh, Hamels was left with a no decision.[34]
After the game was suspended, umpiring crew chief Tim Tschida told reporters that he and his crew ordered the players off the field because the wind and rain threatened to make the game "comical."[35]Chase Utley agreed, saying that by the middle of the sixth, "the infield was basically under water."[35] Rain continued to fall in Philadelphia on Tuesday, further postponing the game to Wednesday, October 29.
The game resumed with the Phillies batting in the bottom of the sixth inning. Pinch-hitter Geoff Jenkins led off with a double and scored on Jayson Werth's single to retake the lead for the Phillies, 3–2. In the top of the seventh, Rocco Baldelli re-tied the game at three runs with a one-out solo home run. Jason Bartlett then followed with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by relief pitcher J. P. Howell. Bartlett then attempted to score the go-ahead run from second when Akinori Iwamura hit a ground ball to Utley, who faked a throw to first, then threw Bartlett out at home for the third out to keep the score tied. This play was later described as having saved the Series for the Phillies.[36] Because Bartlett was on second instead of third before he got thrown out at home, Iwamura was credited with an infield single, instead of Utley being credited with a fielder's choice out. In the bottom of the seventh, Pat Burrell led off with a double off Howell for his only hit of the Series. Eric Bruntlett, pinch-running for Burrell, scored on a single by Pedro Feliz to put the Phillies up by a run again, 4–3. This gave Howell his second relief loss in the Series. In the top of the ninth, Brad Lidge gave up a one-out single to Dioner Navarro and a stolen base to pinch-runner Fernando Perez, but was able to retire Ben Zobrist and Eric Hinske to complete his perfect season of save opportunities and secure the World Series for the Phillies.[4] Phillies reliever J. C. Romero got his second win of the Series.
The Phillies won the Series in five games despite committing at least one error in each game. This game also marked only the second time in MLB history that first-inning runs were scored in each of the first five games played in a World Series (it had previously occurred in 2003).[citation needed] Hamels was named the World Series MVP after winning one of his two starts with eight strikeouts, four earned runs off 10 hits, and a 2.77 ERA in 13 total innings pitched.
The grounds crew covers the field with a tarpaulin during the Game 5 rain delay.
Under normal conditions, games are considered to be official games after five innings, or four and a half if the home team is leading at that point. However, postseason games are operated by the Commissioner's Office, thus are subject to the Commissioner's discretion of how to handle the scheduling of the games.[34] So, with rain in the forecast for Philadelphia, Commissioner Bud Selig informed both the Rays and the Phillies management before the game began that a team would not be allowed to clinch the Series in a rain-shortened game.[34][37]
Because of the rainfall, Game 5 was suspended after the top of the sixth inning. Rain continued to fall in Philadelphia on Tuesday, October 28, and the game ultimately resumed on Wednesday, October 29, at Citizens Bank Park.[38] Official MLB records and statistics for a suspended game reflect the start date of the contest; October 27 for this game.
This was the first game in World Series history to be suspended.[39] There had been three tied games in the history of the World Series: 1907, 1912, and 1922, all of them called due to darkness. In general, no ties would be needed under modern rules, which provide for suspension of a tied game and resumption of it at the next possible date. Weather has caused numerous delays and postponements in Series history (notable postponements beforehand coming in 1911, 1962, 1975, 1986, 1996 and 2006), but never any suspended games before 2008. Although not officially a suspended game, the longest postponement for a World Series was during the 1989 edition in which the start of Game 3 was delayed 10 days, due to the Loma Prieta earthquake striking the San Francisco Bay Area.
Several Nevada sports betting agencies treated the suspended game as a completed game and a win for the Phillies on Monday, October 27. Under Nevada house rules, the final score of a baseball game is determined by reverting to the last completed full inning, and the Phillies led 2–1 at the end of the fifth inning. Game 5 side bets on Philadelphia were paid off while bets on totals and run-line bets were refunded.[40]
During the following offseason, Selig's interpretation of the rules became codified, as the 30 MLB club owners approved a rule change stipulating that all "postseason games and games added to the regular season to determine qualifiers for the postseason" become suspended games if they are called before nine innings are played, regardless of whether the game would otherwise qualify as an official game, or the score at the time the game is called. The game is resumed when conditions permit at the same location from the point of suspension.[41] The first usage of that policy occurred during Game 1 of the 2011 ALDS, which was suspended after two innings because of rain and was resumed the following day.
Games 3 and 5 of the World Series were delayed by rain storms in Philadelphia, with the start of Game 3 on Saturday, October 25 being delayed an hour and 31 minutes (with that game ending at 1:47 am EDT on Sunday, October 26). Game 5, which began on Monday, October 27, was suspended after the top of the 6th inning and resumed Wednesday, October 29.[43] Wet weather which affected Game 5 continued into Tuesday in the Philadelphia area, as Major League Baseball officials studied radar data to determine when Game 5 of the World Series would continue under conditions deemed "appropriate."[43] Up to this point, there had never been a rain-shortened game in Series history, and this was the first suspension.[43] As a result, had it been necessary to play them, Games 6 and 7 in St. Petersburg, originally scheduled for October 29 and 30, were postponed until a later date.[43]
With temperatures plummeting towards 40°F (4°C) and with a cold rain falling at Citizens Bank Park, some of the Phillies and Rays players opted for an Elmer Fudd look, wearing specially made caps with built-in ear flaps.[44] The caps, manufactured by New Era, were introduced during this year's spring training but were not used on the field until Game 5.[44] New Era also supplied regular ball caps to both teams, which some players continued to wear despite the cold weather.[44]
Broadcasting
Harry Kalas, pictured at the World Series parade, called the series for Phillies radio and got to call a World Series win for the team, something he couldn't do in 1980.
On radio, the Series was broadcast nationally by ESPN Radio with Jon Miller and Joe Morgan announcing, and a Spanish broadcast on ESPN Deportes Radio. Locally, Dave Wills, Andy Freed, Dewayne Staats and Joe Magrane called the Series in English for the Rays on WHNZ-AM in Tampa, with Ricardo Tavaras and Enrique Oliu working the Spanish broadcast on St. Petersburg's WGES-AM. Harry Kalas, Scott Franzke, Larry Andersen, and Chris Wheeler called the Phillies' English broadcasts on WPHT-AM in Philadelphia, with Spanish announcers Danny Martinez, Bill Kulik and Juan Ramos on WUBA. Following their contractual obligations, the non-flagship stations on the teams' radio networks carried the ESPN Radio broadcasts. MLB.com also carried the local radio broadcasts for online streaming, while XM Satellite Radio aired the local and national feeds to its subscribers. For Harry Kalas, this series brought together a father and son calling the series for different teams; his son Todd worked as a pregame announcer for the Rays, and joined his father in the WPHT booth for an inning of Game 1.[47][48]
For international viewers, MLB International televised the game with commentators Rick Sutcliffe and Dave O'Brien. This feed was also carried to U.S. service personnel stationed around the globe via the American Forces Network.
This World Series win had significance for McCarver and Harry Kalas. Both had been Phillies broadcasters in 1980, but neither had gotten to call that year's World Series.[49] McCarver was a backup commentator for Game of the Week on NBC, but he was not part of the network's Series announcing team.[49] For Kalas, MLB radio-broadcasting regulations forbade local stations from producing live coverage of World Series games, instead forcing them to air the national CBS Radio feed of the games.[48] Philadelphia fans were so outraged about this afterward that they started a letter-writing campaign to the Commissioner's Office, demanding a change to the rule. The following year, MLB amended its broadcasting contracts to allow World Series teams' flagship radio stations to air the games with local announcers, due at least in part to this outcry from Philadelphia fans.[49] In 2008, both called the Phillies' World Series win.
Ratings
In both Nielsen ratings and total viewership, the 2008 edition of the Fall Classic set record lows for a televised World Series. The 8.4 average Nielsen rating sank below the 10.1 record set two years earlier in 2006. 2008 bears the distinction of being the first World Series to draw lower than a 10.0. Game three's 6.1 rating also set a record, since surpassed, for the lowest rated individual game.
The low numbers may have been affected by factors beyond MLB's control. Game 3 was delayed one hour thirty-one minutes for weather and, consequently, ended at 1:47 am ET. Game 5 was also suspended after 5.5 innings and resumed two days later. These factors likely brought the ratings down.
In recent years, several World Series have surpassed 2008's ratings lows, forming a long-term trend of declining World Series ratings. The 2010 World Series also generated an 8.4, before the 2012 World Series set a fresh record low with 7.6 (though this was a sweep, which usually draws lower ratings). The 2014 World Series, 2018 World Series, and 2019 World Series finished with 8.2, 8.3, and 8.1 Nielsen averages respectively, all lower than 2008. The 2020 World Series, coming after a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, set the new record for lowest World Series ratings with a 5.2. The 2021 World Series received a 6.5 to hold the current spot for 2nd lowest ratings, with 2008's 8.4 now tied with 2010 for 7th lowest.
In total viewership, 2008 is now the fourth least watched World Series, with 2021, 2020, and 2012 all posting lower viewership numbers.
In Game 2, home plate umpire Kerwin Danley appealed a call to the first base umpire after calling strike three; the first base umpire called ball four to award the Rays' Rocco Baldelli a walk. Baldelli indicated that the calls did not come up in the locker room, and he did not believe they had an effect on the results.[50]
In Game 3, Phillies' pitcher Jamie Moyer threw the ball to Ryan Howard to force out the Rays' Carl Crawford at first base, despite umpire Tom Hallion calling Crawford safe in the game.[51] In Game 4, Evan Longoria tagged Rollins at third base, though umpire Tim Welke had ruled Rollins safe. The league admitted these errors between Games 4 and 5.[51]
The Phillies' second World Series championship brought about a series of firsts, not just for them, but for Philadelphia.[4] In winning their first championship since 1980, the Phillies brought the city of Philadelphia its first major professional sports championship since the 76ers swept the 1983 NBA Finals,[4] breaking the alleged Curse of Billy Penn.
In summing up the firsts and given how long the city's sports fans have waited, Phillies President David Montgomery said that "our first name is Philadelphia", and he and manager Charlie Manuel dedicated the championship to the city of Philadelphia and the fans.[4][52] Manuel also dedicated the championship to his mother, who died on the day of Game 2 of the NLCS.[53] Phil Sheridan of The Philadelphia Inquirer said that the 25 years without a championship "helped define this city as a sports town for way too long. It was long enough to turn passion too often to anger. Maybe this championship will turn the vinegar back into wine,"[5] and said that the fans "waited forever and a day."[5]
On Halloween, October 31, approximately two million fans lined Broad Street for a ticker-tape parade,[54] making it the largest gathering for a championship parade in Philadelphia since the Flyers won the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals.[55] This parade had significance for Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer and Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas, as they both were at the 1980 parade.[49][56][57] Moyer grew up in the Philadelphia area as a Phillies fan and whose childhood hero was Steve Carlton, a member of the 1980 team, and whom he won against in his first Major League start.[56][58] He was at both of the Phillies' World Series parades, skipping school to attend in 1980, and as a pitcher in 2008.[5][56] Kalas was at both parades, as a broadcaster for the Phillies.[49][57] When comparing the parade to the one in 1980, he told WCAU-TV that "this is bigger...the biggest I've ever seen."[57]
In 2010, Philadelphia sports fans picked both of the Phillies' World Series wins as the two greatest moments in Philadelphia sports, picking the 2008 championship as the greatest moment.[59]
The Phillies returned to the World Series in 2009, the first defending champion to return to the Series since the 2001 New York Yankees. During that season they finished first in the National League East with a 93–69 mark, and eliminated the Rockies and the Dodgers in the NL playoffs. They would lose to the Yankees in six games.
Subsequent regular season meetings between the Rays and the Phillies would be relatively uncommon. The Rays only visited Philadelphia twice within the next seven years (in 2012 and 2015).
For the Rays, at the same time the ticker-tape parade went down Broad Street in Philadelphia, thousands of Rays' fans attended a rally at Straub Park in St. Petersburg, celebrating their 2008 season.[60]
Mayor Rick Baker said that the rally "really needed to be done. There was so much demand in the community. They didn't win the World Series but they won the AL. And we want to celebrate that and thank them."[60] He and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio addressed the fans during the rally.[60]
Though the Rays missed the playoffs in 2009, they earned a winning record of 84–78, placing them third behind the Red Sox and eventual champion Yankees. From 2010-2013, the Rays won at least 90 games each season, a remarkable feat for a team with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball. The 2008 Rays were covered in depth in the book The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First by Jonah Keri.[61]
The Rays returned to the World Series in 2020, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.
Patrick Brian Burrell, nicknamed "Pat the Bat", is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and San Francisco Giants. Burrell won two World Series championships. During his playing days, he stood 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall, weighing 235 pounds (107 kg). He batted and threw right-handed.
Evan Michael Longoria, nicknamed "Longo", is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants, and Arizona Diamondbacks.
In the sport of baseball, a doubleheader is a set of two games played between the same two teams on the same day. Historically, doubleheaders have been played in immediate succession, in front of the same crowd. Contemporarily, the term is also used to refer to two games played between two teams in a single day in front of different crowds and not in immediate succession.
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008, in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the Minnesota Twins in a one-game playoff to win the AL Central. The Civil Rights Game, an exhibition, in Memphis, Tennessee, took place March 29 when the New York Mets beat the Chicago White Sox, 3–2.
The 2008 Tampa Bay Rays season was the 11th season in franchise history, and the first season in which they were known as the Tampa Bay Rays, formerly being known as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This was the third season with Joe Maddon managing the club. After being plagued by futility as the Devil Rays, amassing just a .398 winning percentage over their first 10 years as a franchise and finishing in last place nine times, the team finished their first season as the Rays with a 97–65 record to win their first American League East division title. In the postseason, they beat the Chicago White Sox three games to one in the ALDS, and beat the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox in seven games in the ALCS to advance to their first World Series in franchise history. They would go on to lose to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games.
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2008 season was the 126th in the history of the franchise. The team finished with a regular season record of 92–70, first in the National League East. In the postseason, the Phillies won the World Series; this was the first major sports championship for Philadelphia since the 76ers swept the 1983 NBA Finals. During the season, they were managed by Charlie Manuel. To date, this is the most recent season the Phillies won the World Series.
The 2008 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 2008 American League playoffs, was a best-of-seven series matching the two winners of the American League Division Series. The AL East Division champion Tampa Bay Rays, who had defeated the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS, were paired with the wild-card and defending world champion Boston Red Sox, who had defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, in the ALDS. Tampa Bay held the home field advantage.
The 2008 American League Division Series (ALDS), the first round of the 2008 American League playoffs, consisted of two best-of-five series to determine the two participants in the 2008 American League Championship Series. They were:
The Tampa Bay Rays' 2009 season was their 12th season of baseball on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The team attempted to defend their American League Championship they won in the previous season. Although they missed the playoffs, they still finished with a winning record (84–78) – only the second in franchise history.
The 2010 American League Division Series (ALDS) were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 American League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth "Wild Card" team played in two series from October 6 to 12. TBS televised all games in the United States.
The 2011 American League Division Series were two best-of-five playoffs comprising the opening round of the Major League Baseball postseason, played to determine the participating teams in the 2011 American League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a fourth team—a wild card—played in two series. TBS televised all games but the Game 2's of both series in the United States. The Game 2's of both series were aired on TNT due to schedule conflicts with other ALDS games or the NLDS. The regular season finished on September 28, with the ALDS beginning September 30. Game 5 of the Yankees–Tigers series was played on October 6.
The 2013 American League Wild Card tie-breaker game was a one-game extension to Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2013 regular season, played between the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays to determine the second participant in the 2013 American League (AL) Wild Card Game. It was played at the Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 30, 2013. The Rays defeated the Rangers, 5–2, and advanced to the AL Wild Card Game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, which they won 4–0; the Rangers failed to qualify for the postseason.
The 2019 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven series between the two winners of the 2019 American League Division Series, the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, for the American League (AL) pennant and the right to play in the 2019 World Series. The Astros defeated the Yankees in six games, advancing to face the 2019 National League champions, the Washington Nationals, whom they lost to in seven games.
The 2020 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's 2020 season. The 116th World Series was a best-of-seven-playoff between the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays and the National League (NL) champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers defeated the Rays to win the series in six games for their first championship since 1988.
The 2020 American League Division Series were two best-of-five-games series in Major League Baseball (MLB) to determine participating teams in the 2020 American League Championship Series. Those matchups were:
The 2020 American League Championship Series was the best-of-seven series between the two American League Division Series winners, the defending American League Champion Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays, for the American League (AL) pennant and the right to play in the 2020 World Series. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all games for the series were held behind closed doors at a neutral site at Petco Park in San Diego. The games were televised nationally by TBS.
The 2021 American League Division Series were the two best-of-five-games series in Major League Baseball (MLB) that determined the participating teams of the 2021 American League Championship Series. The three divisional winners, seeded first through third, and a fourth team—determined by the AL Wild Card Game—played in two series. These matchups were:
The 2008 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 2008 season. The winners of the Division Series would move on to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series.
The 2011 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 2011 season. The winners of the Division Series would move on to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series. This was the last postseason to feature the 8-team format, as next season a new League Wild Card Game was introduced as the new opening round of the postseason, as well as the last time that two teams from the same division could not face each other in the opening round.
The 2011 Major League Baseball wild card chase was a playoff chase involving the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays in the American League and the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals in the National League.
↑ Nunnally, Derrick (November 1, 2008). "A party for, oh, 2 million of their closest friends". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p.F2. Some in the news media guessed two million, about the same number long tied to Flyers parades in '74 and '75, and more than the current population of Philly.
↑ Lin, Jennifer; Steele, Allison; Dwight Ott (October 31, 2008). "Parade for the Champs; Noon High: Million-plus expected at celebration". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p.A1. In the annals of Philadelphia sports parades, the biggest crowd turned out for the 1974 celebration of the Flyers' Stanley Cup. More than two million fans flocked to Broad Street.
↑ Antonen, Mel (July 16, 2007). "Phillies are No. 1 in loss column". USA Today. Retrieved January 25, 2011. Current Phillies starter Jamie Moyer grew up in [Philadelphia]...In 1986, as a member of the Cubs, Moyer beat the Phillies and his boyhood hero, Steve Carlton...for his first big-league win.
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