Ten years ago the Rays were coming off a 96-loss season and predicted by most to finish last again the American League East.
It didn’t turn out that way, as starter James Shields pointed out at the start of White Sox spring training.
“In 2008 we were in the World Series with the Phillies,” Shields said of his former team. “So I don’t really look at that stuff too much.”
Shields now is the opening day starter for the White Sox, who begin Year 2 of the rebuild on Thursday in Kansas City with virtually no chance of hanging with the Indians in the AL Central and only a remote chance of contending for the second wild-card-spot.