Rays reverse ways, go from worst to first

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Tampa Bay Rays have turned the American League upside down, rebounding from the worst record in the major leagues last year to the best mark so far this season and are dreaming of their first postseason action.

Tampa, 66-96 last year, fell to 55-34 after losing to the Yankees on Tuesday but still hold a three-game lead over World Series champions Boston in the AL East. The Yankees trail the perennial cellar-dwellers by eight games in the loss column.

"There are a few more reporters in our clubhouse than normal at this time," Rays manager Joe Maddon said before Tuesday's game against the Yankees.

"It has that October feeling about it, which I kind of dig."

Maddon, a former coach for the AL West's Angels, has experienced playoff thrills from the dugout including winning the 2002 World Series crown, but this is unchartered territory for most of his young club.

The emergence of a young starting rotation featuring Scott Kazmir (7- 4), James Shields (7-5), Matt Garza (7-4) and Andy Sonnanstine (10-3), coupled with a bullpen boosted by the addition of veteran closer Troy Percival, has lifted the Rays.

"I'm not surprised, if you look at the improvements they've made," said New York manager Joe Girardi.

"It's a club that's always been athletic, a club that always had offense. But the starting pitching has really taken shape, vastly improved, and the bullpen too. They are at the top of team pitching and that's why they are where they are."

Youthful talent, accumulated from high draft picks received for previous poor finishes, has come of age and a key trade with Minnesota brought Garza to round out the rotation, while shortstop Jason Bartlett has solidified the infield.

PRIZED PROSPECT

Rookie slugger Evan Longoria (16 homers, 53 RBIs) took over at third base, with Japan's Akinori Iwamura shifting to second to make room for the prized prospect.

"It started in spring training. We won some games and carried it over," said Iwamura, in his second season with Tampa. "We kept it up and carried a great momentum. In everybody's mind it grows and grows. Compared to the other teams, we were hungry for winning."

The last touch to the turnaround came with the blending in of veterans such as outfielder Cliff Floyd and closer Percival, to balance a youthful roster that boasts outfielders Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton and catcher Dioner Navarro.

Maddon said the veterans created balance on the team and offered support to the younger players.

"They'll lean on guys that have been there before and conversationally ask them about different aspects," he said.

"If they are just all young, you don't have that kind of veteranship to relay the old tales or stories. We have guys like that now. I love our mix."

The Rays are shining like never before.

Despite dropping their second game in a row, Tampa was 21 games over the .500 mark. In their 10-year history as a franchise, the Rays had never been more than four games over .500 at any point in any season.

Going into Tuesday's game Tampa was on a pace to win 101 games, which would be a 35-game improvement from 2007 and match the greatest turnaround in the major leagues.

"In regards to this organization and where it has come from, yeah it's tremendous. It's great, it's awesome," Maddon said about Tampa's start.

"But I don't want any flash-in-the-pan stuff. You have to pay attention to detail because you don't want it to go away.

"So far, so good. But we're far away from where you want to be."

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)