Unproductive drafts, questionable trades leave Rays in the AL East cellar

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Despite their shoestring budget, only one team won more games than the Tampa Bay Rays from 2008-13. The Rays won 550 games those years, 14 fewer than the New York Yankees but at least 12 more than any other team. Against all odds, the Rays were a perennial contender.

The last three seasons have been a much different story, however. The Rays won only 77 games in 2014, their fewest since the then-Devil Rays won 66 in 2007. Last year they improved to 80 wins, which still wasn't enough to get back to the postseason.

This season the Rays are 60-83 and on pace for 94 losses, which would be their most since that 2007 team went 66-96. Tampa Bay has gone 29-51 in…