Not too many blanks left to fill in for Rays

They are 'not the defending American League champions. Nor are the Rays opening a new facility this spring.

You will not hear one word about a prized prospect and how he deserves to be on the Opening Day roster. You won't hear anything about the World Baseball Classic and how it is messing with spring training.

It appears as if the Rays are days away from the beginning of a spring training camp that is, well, bland.

Oh sure, there are questions.

What's going to happen in right field?

What's going to happen at second base?

What's going to happen behind the plate?

But the Rays have the answers. They just need to sort through the possibilities before deciding on the plan.

You could argue this will be the most normal spring training in the team's history.

There were years when they had a new manager. Years when the roster was overhauled during the winter and no one knew what it would look like come Opening Day.

There were years when the story was the top draft pick - Josh Hamilton, Rocco Baldelli, Dewon Brazelton, B.J. Upton, Delmon Young, Evan Longoria or David Price. Were they ready? Or was it back to Durham for more work?

This year's prized prospects, Desmond Jennings and Jeremy Hellickson, will return to Durham for more work.

In 2008, the Rays closed Al Lang Field and sent Longoria back to Durham.

Last year, it was all the bells and whistles of a new spring training park, a new spring training town, a championship flag fluttering in the wind behind left field, the disruptive WBC and what to do with Price.

This year? Get ready for the season.

We know who the Opening Day starter will be: James Shields. We know who the closer will be: Rafael Soriano.

Aside from finding the right combination to platoon in right field and at second base, and divvying the playing time between Dioner Navarro and Kelly Shoppach behind the plate, and watching to see if Pat Burrell has recaptured his home run swing, what is there to be concerned about?

The Rays are still a talented club that should contend for a playoff spot. They addressed their two biggest needs during the offseason by signing a closer and adding Shoppach.

Things still have to break right for the Rays to reach the playoffs. They'll need more wins from the rotation and more production at the plate from Upton, Burrell and Navarro. They'll need the bullpen to return to its 2008 form.

But those are questions faced by all the contenders.

And some contenders have real questions.

The Rays? It's simply a matter of getting in game shape, staying healthy and starting the season strong.

Normal, boring stuff.

When was the last time we could say that about a Rays spring training camp?