TAMPA, Fla. _ As the Rays looked at the original 2020 season, they very much liked the view.
They were coming off a season of great success and valuable experience. Had spent money and prospects to fortify their roster. Were positioned to reap the benefits of having rebuilt their farm system into the game's best.
"There's no question," principal owner Stuart Sternberg said during a March 8 spring training game. "It's as lined up as things could possibly get."
That window for grand success they worked so hard to create is still wide open.
But as they head into the abbreviated 60-game season, and the litany of things that will make it different and _ at least to some _ discounted, they acknowledge the framing has changed.
"There's no question," Sternberg said July 8. "There's definitely an asterisk."
But how big? How bold? How binding?
A season of 60 games is only 37% of a full 162-game schedule, which hardly seems representative of the marathon challenge a normal season presents, and thus could dilute the accomplishment.
"I don't think it devalues what gets accomplished this season, but at the same time it's certainly not a regular 162-game schedule," Rays infielder Joey Wendle said.
But with the significance of each game _ and every pitch, swing and play _ magnified close to a postseason level, roughly 2.7 times on the full-season scale, the intensity and level of competition could make each victory increasingly more rewarding.
"The World Series is the World Series," infielder Brandon Lowe said. "Some people are going to look at it that it was only a 60-game season. But it's only a 60-game season against the best players in the world. It's still going to hold its value to hopefully anyone who's in that situation."
The Rays still feel they can be in that situation. Barring losing a series of key players to injury (a usual caveat) or illness (a most unusual one), they have the quantity and quality of arms, depth and versatility of position players, and drive and determination, plus the flexibility of mind, to deal with all the coronavirus-related rules, restrictions and regulations that will make this season more challenging.
One increasingly popular line of thinking is that the Rays, because of their dazzling assortment of arms, roster depth and creativity, will benefit from the adjusted format and have a better chance to win the championship.
Internally, they see it the other way _ that their edge is diminished because the condensed schedule can increase the opportunity for teams that couldn't stay in the fight over a full season.
"Basically, you're starting Aug. 1 with every team tied for first," Sternberg said. "I don't think we're better off because of it; I think we're worse off. Because at the end of the day I thought we were better than most all other teams. In a shorter time span, that's against us."
