In an alternate universe, Tampa Bay Rays fans are gearing up for the season opener at Tropicana Field on Thursday, March 26. Unfortunately, in our universe, we are stuck in line-drive limbo, in payoff pitch purgatory. What better time to review the origin of the Rays franchise by re-visiting the 1997 expansion draft.
In the winter of 1997, two new franchises were bursting out of Major League Baseball’s womb and breathing their first breaths of life. 1998 would mark the beginning of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Each team could protect 15 players in the entire organization.