MLB Baseball Interleague Matchup
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Florida Marlins |
Tampa Bay Rays |
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| Teams |
|
|
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| Florida Marlins |
9½ |
9½ |
9½ |
| Tampa Bay Rays |
-137 |
-140 |
-140 |
Odds subject to change |
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 Last year's season series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Florida Marlins featured teams that were struggling at or near the bottom of their respective divisions. But both have emerged as major contenders thus far in 2008.
The equally surprising Rays and Marlins meet for the first time this season on Friday when they open a three-game interleague set at Tropicana Field.
Neither Tampa Bay (38-28) nor Florida (36-30) was expected to challenge for the top spot in its division, but heading into this weekend's matchup, the Rays are just 2 1/2 games back of AL East-leading Boston and the Marlins are within three of Philadelphia in the NL East.
"We've never been in first place and this is the first time where we'll be almost in first," left fielder Carl Crawford told the Rays' official Web site. "They're doing well, so it will really mean something."
For the just the second time in 11 years, both clubs are beginning the season series at .500 or better. It previously occurred in 2004, when the Rays entered the six-game set at the break-even point while the Marlins were 39-33.
Not many expected this kind of success, considering each team traded away young talent in the offseason - the Rays dealing Delmon Young and Brendan Harris and the Marlins parting with Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera.
Additionally, the clubs boast the lowest payrolls in the majors.
"Everybody always measures a team based on how much money they spend, but you have two exciting young ball clubs with exciting players on it," Florida's Luis Gonzalez told the Rays' site. "And both teams are playing well, so it should be a fun series for both teams."
Florida holds a 34-21 advantage in the all-time series.
Friday's game also marks the return of Marlins slugger Jorge Cantu to Tropicana Field. The first baseman, who played for Tampa Bay from 2004-07, signed with Florida in January.
Cantu, batting .291 with 14 homers and 39 RBIs this season, has hit .425 (17-for-40) with six homers and 11 RBIs over his last 10 games, but went 0-for-4 in a 3-0 home loss to the Phillies on Thursday.
Tampa Bay is coming off a 3-6 road trip that included a bench-clearing brawl at Boston and a confrontation between batterymates in a game at Texas. The swing culminated with two losses to the Los Angeles Angels and the ejection of manager Joe Maddon during Wednesday's 4-2 defeat.
Crawford will miss this series since he is starting his four-game suspension for his role in the altercation in Boston.
Tampa Bay, though, is expected to activate closer Troy Percival from the 15-day disabled list, according to the team's site.
The Rays hope to turn their fortunes around behind Andy Sonnanstine (6-3, 4.88 ERA), who looks to win for the first time in five starts.
The right-hander hasn't received a decision in his last two outings, but the Rays won both appearances. On Saturday, he held Texas to two runs and six hits over five innings of a 5-4 victory.
In Sonnanstine's lone game against the Marlins, he allowed two runs - both homers - and seven hits, while striking out a career-high 10 in seven innings of a 9-4 win on June 10, 2007 for his first major league win.
Florida counters with Ryan Tucker (1-0, 1.80), who will try to build off a successful major league debut.
The right-hander allowed one run, two hits and walked five, but fanned six in five innings of a 9-2 home win over Cincinnati on Sunday.
Pick: Florida Marlins
Result: Lost
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