Raining on parades: first Hamilton, now TB Rays

I hate to keep doing it (not really, it's actually kind of fun), but all these end of May "this [team, player, trend] is the real deal!" features are getting to me.

This time, it's John Donovan of SI.com and the Tampa Bay Rays - the exciting, young, "playing the game the right way" team that is the sexy pick for a wild card spot. On May 15, with like 161 more games to play.

The offending portion is this:

There are a lot of reasons to believe in the Rays. To name just a few:

• A rotation with Shields, ace Scott Kazmir, Edwin Jackson, Andy Sonnanstine and offseason acquisition Matt Garza. Tampa Bay starters have a 3.98 ERA, fifth in the league. They have a 1.27 ERA over the last seven games.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Don't two of those pitchers stink, one (two if you're counting Shields) of them unproven and the last super-injury prone?" And yes, you'd be right. But come on, it's mid-May! Get excited about the Rays and Andy "Cy Young" Sonnanstine!

Jackson: 34K/21BB, 1.30 WHIP

The Sonnanster: 26K/11BB, 1.33 WHIP, 5 HR allowed, 5.07 ERA

Kazmir: 10 IP, 11K/6BB, 1.50 WHIP

Garza: 14K/14BB (!), 1.38 WHIP, 32 IP in 6 starts

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the definition of a questionable staff. Yes, Shields is good. But beyond that, who on that staff is a lock to throw 200+ non-Andy Sonnanstine-like innings?

Up next: Florida Marlins: greatest team ever?