The 2017 season has been anything but easy to digest for the Tampa Bay Rays. The season began as one without muted hope. The team was fresh off a 94-loss season that was their highest loss total since their “Devil Days.” However, the percentage of the fanbase that subscribes to the analytics of the sport — which seems to be a higher percent among Rays fans than just about any other team — knew the team was incredibly unlucky.
First-order winning percentage had the Rays as a 77-win club; second-order winning percentage had them as a 79-win side; third-order winning percentage had them at 81 wins.