Rays of hope: Overhaul of talent, attitude has team thinking big

Rays: Five things to know

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The future of the increasingly bright Rays of Tampa Bay is over there by his locker, chewing on a breakfast cereal bar, and as slick center fielder B.J. Upton is saying ...

Manager Joe Maddon convinced Troy Percival to join the Rays. (AP)

No! Wait! The future of the Rays is sitting in the middle of the spring clubhouse in front of an Apple iBook, munching on a piece of pizza, and as phenom third baseman Evan Longoria is saying ...

Nuh-uh! The future of the Rays is over there, near the trainer's room, caring for his prized left shoulder, and according to No. 1 draft pick David Price ... ah, hell. At this point, identifying a single piece of the future here is like trying to choose your favorite flavor at Baskin-Robbins.

Rays of light? Increasingly, they're in every direction.

"One of the biggest challenges we've had the last couple of years is to change the mindset of the organization, get these guys to believe they can win in the American League East," general manager Andrew Friedman says. "We've made great strides on that front.

"We still have work to do but, this spring, the guys believe they can win. I think it's the first time in franchise history that's the case. And it's an important part of actual winning."

Tampa Bay exorcised the "Devil" last fall. The club then exorcised the bad influences from the clubhouse over the winter.

All that's left now for the Tampa Bay Rays is to complete the process of exorcising a decade of horrendous judgments, ill-fated personnel decisions and lackluster front-office performances.

And judging by what's going on here, the Rays might be closer to the end of that process than you probably realize.

They hosed out the clubhouse over the winter. They traded Elijah Dukes to Washington because he was both nuts and trouble. They traded Delmon Young to Minnesota because he was narcissistic and uncoachable.

For Young, they acquired from Minnesota pitcher Matt Garza and shortstop Jason Bartlett, both of whom figure prominently into the Rays plans.

"They've made some really good trades," Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi says warily. "They've got some good, young arms. They're getting better."

Believe it or not, the Rays are starting to get some love. Baseball America ranks the quality of talent in Tampa Bay's farm system first in the majors for a second consecutive year. In BA's list of the game's 100 best prospects, the Rays chart seven -- tied with Boston for most in the majors.