After the “Moneyball” Oakland A’s, the Rays became the next model for small market teams looking to compete against the larger market teams. Following a decade of mediocrity and frustration, the Rays made what was an unexpected run to the World Series in 2008, before falling to the Phillies in five games. Yet, the ride did not end with one magical season, as the Rays have been a contending ballclub virtually every season since, winning at least 84 games each year. Now, the Rays are the bright beacon of hope for those franchises with limited resources that appear to be trapped in a continued cycle of losing.

The Rays practice of signing players to long-term extensions prior to reaching arbitration has also caught on. At the time, the signing of Evan Longoria after a few days in the majors was seen as a tremendous risk, yet that type of signing has become much more common. In fact, the Royals took that same approach with Salvador Perez, and are hoping to reap similar rewards to what the Rays have gotten with Longoria and Matt Moore.

There are differences. The Rays roster was almost entirely homegrown, or had at least come up through the minors, while the Royals imported virtually their entire rotation. Yet, both teams have embraced building through the farm system, although it has seemingly worked out differently. The Rays have a plethora of starting pitching options with the occasional hitter, while the Royals have seemingly been able to crank out nothing but top hitting prospects over the past couple of years.

Are the Royals really on the verge of taking that gargantuan step that the Rays took back in 2008? The odds may be long and their future is very much up in the air. But after watching the way they have started the season, they may be well on their way to joining the Rays as a team that proves to other small market clubs that they, too, can compete.

The game started off well for the Rays, as Matthew Joyce and Ben Zobrist hit back to back home runs in the top of the first to give the Rays an early 2-0 lead. Those home runs also set a new team record for consecutive games with a homer, as the Rays have now hit at least one in sixteen straight contests. The offense continued to cruise along in the second inning, as the Rays were battering Royals starter Luis Mendoza, scoring two more runs in the frame. In the third, Evan Longoria lined a hit just out of the reach of a diving Alex Gordon for a triple, and scored on James Loney‘s single for an early 5-0 lead. With Jeremy Hellickson on the mound and the typically strong Rays bullpen behind him, it would have seemed as though the Rays would be set up for a relatively comfortable win.

However, Hellickson never really seemed to be in complete control of the game. Elliot Johnson led off the bottom of the third with his first home run of the season, and the Royals loaded the bases with one out. Hellickson managed to escape the jam by getting Lorenzo Cain to ground into an inning ending double play.

The momentum had appeared to have shifted back in the Rays direction, particularly when Luke Scott led off the top of the fourth with a home run, putting the Rays ahead 6-1. Overall, in Mendoza’s four innings of work, he gave up six runs on seven hits and a walk, while recording three strikeouts. Once again, the Rays appeared to be in a good position.

But the Royals kept coming back, scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth before getting two more off Hellickson in the fifth. Cain hit an RBI triple, and scored on a sacrifice fly. After ending the inning with a strikeout, that would be all for Hellickson, who went five innings, giving up four runs on nine hits and a walk, while striking out five.

Everything fell apart for the Rays in the sixth. In the top of the inning, they had runners on second and third with one out, but Bruce Chen escaped any damage by striking out Kelly Johnson and Desmond Jennings to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning, Jake McGee came in, and loaded the bases with one out. Billy Butler hit a hard shot to the mound that McGee managed to knock down, but instead of taking the force out at home, he went to first for the out. With two down, Eric Hosmer hit a ball to short that appeared as though it would end the inning. However, Yunel Escobar booted the ball twice, allowing the tying run to score. Cain had an RBI single, giving the Royals their first lead of the game. After a walk to load the bases, Kyle Farnsworth came on in relief of McGee, and gave up a two run single to Jeff Francoeur. McGee, in his .2 innings, gave up five runs, although only one was earned, on four hits and a walk.

Tampa closed the gap in the seventh. With runners on second and third again, Loney had an RBI infield hit to close the lead to 9-7. After a groundout, Scott singled to cut the lead to one. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Rays would get, as the Royals bullpen closed out the game and the 9-8 defeat. Longoria finished a home run short of the cycle, going 3-5 with  two runs scored, a double and a triple. Scott was 3-3 with a walk, two runs scored, two RBIs and a home run.

Even more disheartening than the loss may be the performance of the Rays bullpen. At this point, Joel Peralta and Jamey Wright may be the only two relievers that can be trusted in a close game right now. McGee has seemingly gone away from anything but his fastball, and the opposition is sitting on it. The bullpen has been a mess lately, and the Rays likely need to figure that out soon.

Robbie Knopf: Last year, the Royals went 6-15 in April and everyone knew they were dead in the water from the start. This year, Kansas City is 13-q-, down in the AL Central by just half a game, and has certainly looked formidable so far. How exciting has it been to watch the Royals start like this and do you think this team is good enough to push for a postseason berth?

Mike Vamosi: As a life long Royals fan I’ve been tried to remain cautiously optimistic with this start and who they’ve beat. But you’re right compared to previous starts to the season. Being above .500 after this month is encouraging for sure especially given how much this fan base wants to win.

If the first month is any indication I think that Kansas City can push Detroit for the AL Central title which hopefully means the record is good enough to be in the wildcard conversation. The Royals have the pitching, it’s just can the offense come around to support that staff during the course of the season. Something that should help the team is that near midseason, Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy will be back from the DL which will only help. And if they are still in the race I’d hope the front office will address the offense if it’s still scuffling along.

RK: James Shields has come into Kansas City and certainly been ace-caliber so far, managing a 3.09 ERA and a 21-9 strikeout to walk ratio in 35 IP, but he’s from alone is the Royals’ top four starters all have ERAs 3.20 or below. What are your thoughts on that? Is Shields a real ace? Has Ervin Santana returned to form? Can Davis continue to be effective in his return to the rotation?

MV: Shields has been an ace both on and off the field which I think has changed the clubhouse so far this season. Seeing the comments from Royals players and fans it’s been worth it so far. Other guys in the rotation have been equally as good which has resulted in the team’s record so far in 2013. Santana has been a pleasant surprise as he’s piling up the innings while not allowing opponents to hit the long ball on him. One of the local radio guys in KC has called Davis “Wildcard” but for the most part I think most fans have liked what they’ve especially the gem in Atlanta. Jeremy Guthrie also needs to be given credit as he’s been beyond surprising since coming over last summer.

RK: Much has been made of the development of Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas as a major reason why the Royals were going to improve significantly this season. But to begin the year, the two still have not hit a home run. How worried are you about them moving forward? Do you think they will right themselves by the time the season is through?

MV: I’d be lying if I told you the two are disappointing right now on offense in terms of power and production, but for the most part they continue to play good defense to keep them on the field. If the next few weeks and months they are at the same point, something has to be done even if that’s sending them to Omaha like the organization did for Alex Gordon and even Billy Butler. Long-term both should be good to go but in the present both are HUGE cogs for where this team wants to go.

RK: Plenty of people laughed when the Royals decided to tender Luke Hochevar a contract, but he’s been excellent to begin the season out of the bullpen, managing a 1.23 ERA and a 10-3 K-BB in 7.1 IP. Bruce Chen is another starter-turned-reliever who has been money, not allowing a run in 7.2 innings, striking out 8 while walking none. Hochevar and Chen won’t keep this up, but do you think they can be effective parts of the Royals bullpen?

MV: With Dayton Moore going out and revamping the rotation having Chen and Hoch in the ‘pen has worked out so far. I think both have deceiving stats given how little they’ve been needed with the starters being so good so far this year. I’ve got more trust in Chen during the season as he has been better statistically when he enters at the start of an inning over coming in with inheriting runners. We’ll see but the team is no doubt better with each coming in out of the bullpen.

RK: Jeff Francoeur is struggling again, managing just a .247/.282/.333 line (70 OPS+) in 85 PA’s to begin the year. Is it time to cut him? How much do you miss Wil Myers?

MV: Frenchy moves around the outfield like he’s got a piano on his back if the ball isn’t hit to him. Any other team would’ve got rid of him but GMDM (Dayton Moore) signed him out of high school in Atlanta so I think it’s sentimental. Yost also seems to love penciling him in over putting Jarrod Dyson in center and Lorenzo Cain in right to see if that work. But yes, each mistake brings up Wil Myers name but if he’s in the OF the rotation takes a hit as you’d still have Shields so yeah…

Thanks to Mike for answering my questions. Should be an exciting series between the Rays and Royals and we’ll have to see who will come out on top.