If the Rays end up completing what would be one of the most significant free-agent signings in their history sometime in the next two months, they likely will point to the winter meetings as the venue that got the ball rolling in that direction. ...more

December 11, 2008

It happened in Rome, on the way to Florence. Joe Maddon had said for months that he hoped to run into just one person wearing Rays gear on his honeymoon in Europe in November as a sign that his team had truly arrived. Enter Ryan Atwood of New Tampa, spotted wearing a Rays cap in the train station as Maddon and his bride Jaye waited to head off to Italy for the second stop on a tour that also took them to Prague and London. ...more

December 9, 2008

Marc Lancaster, Tampa Bay Rays beat writer for The Tampa Tribune, is at the Major League Baseball winter meetings, being held at the Bellagio hotel and casino. Here are highlights from his Monday blog. Follow Marc's "Hot Stove League" updates live at http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/related/C142/. ...more

December 8, 2008

If the Rays are to swing a significant trade during this week's winter meetings or later this offseason, chances are they'll be parting with a starting pitcher to make it happen. ...more

December 8, 2008

If the Rays could emerge from next week's winter meetings with one item on their wish list, it would be a big bat to slot into the middle of their lineup. ...more

December 5, 2008

The Rays lagged well behind their peers in establishing a serious presence in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, but they hope to serve as trendsetters when it comes to developing baseball talent in Brazil. ...more

December 5, 2008

With baseball's winter meetings set to begin Monday in Las Vegas, Tampa Bay Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman met with reporters today at Tropicana Field to offer up a preview of what we might see his team do in the coming weeks. ...more

December 4, 2008

In determining how best to replenish the roster over the winter, the current Rays front office has generally favored trades and low-risk free-agent signings in the past. ...more

December 2, 2008

Troy Percival will undergo surgery on his back in an attempt to resolve a problem that dogged him throughout much of the 2008 season. ...more

December 2, 2008

Rays center fielder B.J. Upton should be healthy by the start of next season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder Tuesday, team executive vice president Andrew Friedman said Wednesday. ...more

November 13, 2008