For the first time in a long time I can say, hand on heart, I like the things the Devil Rays are doing. I know that Spring Training is barely upon us, exhibition games haven't begun, rosters finalized, etc. but there is an optimism that is running right through the Rays organization, and is rubbing off on me.

Maybe I just hope against hope that this season will be better, this will be the year it finally clicks into place after years of underachieving, disappointment and down right embarrassment. This will be the year when the nation finally begins to acknowledge the Rays (yes I'm talking to you ESPN) aren't a joke anymore.

Or will it?

I am attributing this new found optimism to the new manager, Joe Maddon. I like the fact that he is stressing fundamentals above all else, I like the fact that a .500 season is simply not a good enough goal, I like the fact his aim is post season play, heck; I even like the thick rimmed glasses he wears.

Joe Maddon is a breath of fresh air for this organization. There seems a connection with his players that had been lost under the Piniella regime. An improved, energized work ethic. The Rays had gone stale.

Maddon will freshen them up. I know talk is talk, actions speak louder than words etc. and until we see some improvement on the field it's just another sound bite, but it seems genuine, realistic optimism.

Maddon likes the group of players he has and has the belief in his and his coaches' abilities to turn them into a winning team. We all know they are capable of winning, the second half of last season proved that to us all, now is the time for some consistency.

Maddon approached Spring Training in a sensible way, you cannot just make everyone hit and pitch better overnight. Fundamentals of doing the job correctly, however, can be improved.

These improvements may not make a team a contender but it will bring a more professional approach to each and every game. No more missing the cutoff man, not covering a bag, not scoring the runner from third with less than two outs, not hustling down the line.

We all no what I am talking about, we have all been witness to all of these things. These things make a team look good and a team not doing them look very bad.

As for predictions of .500 baseball or 70 wins, why should he, as the manager, us the fans and the players settle for this? It is good to overreach sometimes.

Why bother playing if we already have conceded to defeat? Playoff baseball may seem a long way off, but who predicted the White Sox winning the World Series?

And for that matter the Astros' being their opponents after their disastrous start. Who predicted the Mariners winning 116 games?

This is the beauty of baseball, 162 games is a long time to make predictions over. Lets not restrict ourselves to a past failures.

And as for the glasses, well let's face it they add a certain cool that the Rays have been lacking ever since their inception.