You would expect the team with the best record in baseball to run a superstar out there at most every position. The best team is supposed to have players who are household names, players with lordly status. ...more

July 1, 2008

Closer Troy Percival hadn't pitched since the first day of the Rays' six-game road trip, so he had plenty of time to prepare himself for Sunday's save situation. ...more

June 30, 2008

The Rays reached the halfway point in a season that has exceeded all expectations Sunday with a game that encapsulated how they have come so far so quickly - and how they might be able to carry it even farther. ...more

June 30, 2008

Tuesday night marked the third time in about five weeks a Rays trainer has come to the mound to check on closer Troy Percival in the middle of a save situation. ...more

June 26, 2008

The moniker seemed appropriate at the time. J.P. Howell had just done it again last week, pitching a couple of spotless innings in relief of Andy Sonnanstine to maintain a Rays lead before handing it off to the late-inning relievers, when his manager referred to him as a "bridge" in Tampa Bay's bullpen. ...more

June 24, 2008

Two games into their showdown against the team with the best record in baseball, the Rays have collected a pair of hard-fought wins. ...more

June 19, 2008

The conclusion of Tuesday night's Rays-Cubs game was about as hair-raising as it gets, and Troy Percival deservedly racked up his 340th career save for closing the door. ...more

June 19, 2008

"Where's the rays tank at?" So asked Louis Victor Piniella shortly after emerging from the tunnel into the visitors dugout at the new Tropicana Field. He brought a winner with him - the Chicago Cubs, of all teams - for his first time back in three years, to play another winner - the Rays, of all teams, and Lou's old team. ...more

June 18, 2008

One professional-looking banner unfurled near the Rays' dugout during batting practice proclaimed the three-game set that began Tuesday night a World Series preview. ...more

June 18, 2008