Major League Baseball

Rays miss out chance to play for AL pennant

Published Oct. 13, 2010 6:03 a.m. ET

foxsports

Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg doesn't feel his team had a disappointing season, even after it lost in the AL division series to the Texas Rangers.

''It was an opportunity,'' Sternberg said after the Rays' 5-1 loss in Game 5 on Tuesday night. ''That's why we play the game. I think if we had fallen short during the season it would have felt different. Certainly, we had a couple champagne celebrations. Not many teams have a chance to do that.''

The AL East champion Rays lost the first two games at home, getting outscored 11-1. After rebounding with two road wins, Tampa Bay's bat were silenced for the second time by Texas ace Cliff Lee, who threw his second career playoff complete game Tuesday night.

''We had Game 5 in our own building. Not many teams get a chance to do that,'' Sternberg said. ''We were a couple breaks away from playing the Yankees to go to the World Series, so it's not a disappointment.''

Tampa Bay now faces an uncertain offseason where free agents, including Carl Crawford, Rafael Soriano and Carlos Pena, could all depart.

The pending free agency was one subject Sternberg was not yet ready to address in-depth moments after the Rays' season ended.

''It was a great group of guys,'' Sternberg said. ''You certainly like to have it continue. Seasons end and teams change in the offseason. We probably had half the guys this year that we had in 2008, give or take one or two.''

Sensing that Crawford, a key member of the Rays' 2008 AL pennant-winning team was likely making his final at-bat with the team in the ninth, the announced crowd of 41,845 gave the All-Star left fielder a standing ovation.

''I knew the situation coming into it,'' Crawford said. ''I didn't want it to be my last at-bat, but unfortunately it might be.''

Tampa Bay was outhit 30-14 in the three home games, and struck out 55 times during the series, including 23 looking.

''Right now I'm just trying to enjoy what we accomplished and leave here in a positive light,'' Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria said. ''Nobody's happy, but I'm trying to keep it as positive as I can. We did a lot of good things this year and it's something to be proud of.''

Tampa Bay finished with the AL's best record during the regular season, going 96-66. The division title was the second in three years.

Rays senior adviser Don Zimmer, who has been part of 17 major-league playoff teams over his 62 years in the game, said anytime you're eliminated from the postseason, it's disappointing.

''It's a sad, sad day,'' he said.