The Buccaneers have won it all.

The Lightning have won it all.

The Rays might just do the same.

The Devil Rays - thankfully, shortened to just the Rays - are winning at a record pace, planning for a pennant race, perhaps whispering about the playoffs, while their opponents are talking openly that they are that good.

The Rays are 79-50 and leading the toughest division in baseball, the Boston Red Sox/New York Yankee crowd, by nearly a half dozen games.

They are averaging about 25,000 a game at Tropicana Field and that average will increase in the days/nights ahead with the Red Sox and Yankees coming to this place of ours. The Rays of 2002 drew 1.06 million for the season. These Rays are on track to draw 1.8 million, and, yes, Rays officials were meeting yesterday at the Trop to prepare for the playoffs, Rick Vaughn confirmed. 

Vaughn is the Rays public relations boss. After he’d been here a year, he said he’d never leave as lousy as the team was then. He hasn’t. He won’t. He lives on a lake in Palm Harbor. He and wife sent a daughter to the University of Florida, another to Central Florida. He’s converted. He even talks a little crackery, but still sun burns easily.

When Vaughn took the job, the Rays were lousy, and had been for a while. Not any more. Boston slugger David Ortiz even says so. So do the other opponents being beaten up regularly, early and late. It is characteristic of teams with quality and depth in pitching, hitting and defense to do that. 

The Rays use a simple formula: beat ‘em every whichaway.

They had only one bump, one slowdown, but it was brief. The pitching has been steady and stalwart. A wonder was how the Rays have handled adversity… as in injuries. Studs few could afford to lose included Carl Crawford and slugger Evan Longoria. Those two went down and out prior to a recent road trip. The Rays won without them.

Carlos Pena has come on as of late to pick up the slack. He’s a clutch man. The kind you’d want batting in the pinch and, boy, can he hit the ball hard,

The pitching, overall, has been wonderful and well placed, starters and relievers, with Maddon the overall man in charge as manager. Manager Joe Maddon is an intellectual that directs with such calm and skill. He reminds many of the late John McKay, who was the first Buc head coach.  He could be a pain, but he would be so with big words and complete sentences.

McKay came here from the University of Southern California, proudly. He always read a book on plane flights - usually historical novels - and had a solid vocabulary. He was a compulsive reader and a man of great quotes.

Maddon has used The David of Florence and other art pieces in his references. He has a red face that can get even redder when making a point in the face of an umpire.

And, I suppose it is manager Maddon who is responsible for this team without letdowns, so far. They make so few mistakes. They make so many crisis plays at the plate, in the field, and on the bases, and even in the dugout, there is never any dismay, tantrums. You would never see Joe throwing a bat, but you’ll see this man stick out his chest and chin if that is called for.

Clearly, owner Stu Sternberg was right when he saw this team as a wise investment - plus a great adventure. He was wise when he picked Joe Maddon as his manager, and, this as the time to push for a new home of the Rays.

Although, the Trop is far less of a hassle when the Rays are winners.