Joe Maddon thinks you should still believe in the Rays

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon is known for many things. First and foremost he is regarded as one of the best managers in baseball. The Rays have made numerous unexpected playoff runs under his leadership.

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Maddon is a hero to hardcore baseball guys, also known as “baseball nerds” or “stat guys” if you’re talking to grumpy national columnists. His high regard with this group is the result of the fact that he embraces advanced statistics. Among the many examples you might find in terms of this philosophy would be the way that the Rays aggressively employed infield shifts before that was a common practice.

Finally Maddon is known for being fun. The Rays have themed road trips that often involve costumes. Maddon enthusiastically participates. He is also fun because he maintains a significant presence on social media.

It is on said social media that we find the newest thing Maddon might be known for: delusions of about his team’s chances this season.

The Rays are currently 23-38 and have lost 10 straight games. You could say it’s too early to rule them out. Then again, it’s not really that early anymore. And it’s not as if the Rays have peripherals to back up Maddon’s hopefulness: their overall run differential sits at a woeful -47, better than only the Phillies and the Diamondbacks in all of baseball.

Even in a down season, which this unquestionably is, the Rays are lucky to have Maddon, regardless of his current state of denial.