Manager Joe Maddon gets it.  So does the Rays front office.  What am I talking about?  Being a winner. 

      Recently, Joe and I talked about the state of the team after the Matt Joyce trade.  I brought up the Yankees spending spree that defied logic.  You know what Maddon told me.   He said, " I'm not concerned with what the Yankees are doing, I'm focused in on what we need to do."  That is a winner's statement.  A statement carried with confidence in making right decisions, while sending a message to the Yankees, and the rest of the AL EAST - WE ARE DEFENDING DIVISION CHAMPIONS. 

      It's like any other business, when your on top, others react to catch up, and usually out- think themselves.  That's what NY is trying to do, and so will the rest of the AL EAST.  The Rays sent shock waves through their division, leaving NY, BOS and even TOR scrambling to keep pace.

      While the Yankees added mega millions to their payroll recently, the Rays added a power hitter by the name of Pat Burrell to the tuned of 16M over two years.  The Rays hope Burrell is the added DH "power" they're looking for in the lineup.  Hopefully that will happen, but you can be rest assured they are getting one of the class guys in baseball.  A clubhouse plus.  A vet who exhibits leadership.  This 16M spent on Burrell is a chunk of change for this franchise to swallow.  But the taste of this move is far sweeter than the bitter pill NY and BOS had to swallow in '08.  I ask NY and BOS - You sure you've done enough to get back on top? 

      Tom Korun