The Devil Rays are in Boston anxiously awaiting to begin this three-game series. Due to Tuesday's rain out, the Red Sox will play its first double-header of the year on Thursday. I am happy about the delay. With the extra day off, it gave the team a little more time to calm down from the spectacular display last weekend in New York.

While Tampa Bay's record may not look that impressive, this is still a team of talented young players, led by Rhode Island's Rocco Baldelli, the speedy Carl Crawford and the versatile Aubrey Huff. If the Devil Rays have weaknesses, it is with the pitching staff and playing in the toughest division in baseball. The latter may be a blessing in disguise. While the Devil Rays may lose lots of games to its divisional rivals, the players are sure to learn a few things from the likes of the Red Sox and Yankees.

The major bonus for this young team lies in its manager. I have a lot of respect for Lou Piniella. He is an icon in the world of baseball. He's been around, having managed New York, Cincinnati, Seatttle, and now Tampa Bay. Looking at his numbers on Baseball-Reference.com, he was a pretty good player during his 10 years with the Yankees, but he excels as a manager (Piniella's managerial record from Baseball-Reference.com). He and his staff are sure to teach these kids how baseball should be played. He manages with his heart on his sleeve and expects his players to play with the same emotion. The St. Petersburg Times says "Piniella won't stand pat" and looks to tinker with his rotation and lineup. Although he is a more reserved since arriving in Tampa Bay, he has a reputation for getting a little upset. When he jumps out of the dugout, look out, a tirade is about to begin. Kicking dirt at an umpire, tossing his hat, or showering an ump with spittle isn't uncommon. He is old-school baseball. Love him or hate him, he's fun to watch.

Whether Piniella tinkers with his team or not, a key to its success rests with Rocco Baldelli. So far, he is batting .258 with one home run. According to Tampa Bay Online, Rocco Baldelli "has begun to show signs of snapping out of his early-season slump." I suspect he will not quite break out of this slump until after Wednesday's game against Curt Schilling. However, Baldelli may have more motivation than most opponents in Fenway where he will be cheered almost as much as the home team. It pays to play in Boston when you are from Rhode Island. I truly wish he could have been a Red Sox player, but until he dons a Boston jersey, he's the devil. I mean Devil Ray.

The Red Sox appear poised and ready for this series. One of the key reasons - Mark Bellhorn. Boston Globe's Bob Ryan writes about Bellhorn's contributions to the team in his column on Wednesday. I agree. When Bellhorn swings, it reminds me of another second baseman who stepped up big last year - Todd Walker. But Walker didn't draw as many walks as Bellhorn. I don't know how he does it. So far he has 19 walks, which leads the American League. (See ESPN's sortable major league statistics) Pitchers seem to just fall apart when facing him. I can see why, his .185 average can be very intimidating.

Another person the Devil Rays have to be mindful of is Manny Ramirez. He seems relaxed, happy and is on the verge of exploding. Not only tis he talking to the media again, but Boston.com reports he has his own website now, mannyramirez.com The site features a photo gallery, chat rooms, stats, bio info and more. I'll be sure to check this site out from time to time.

Manager Terry Francona is planning to start Byung-Hyun Kim Thursday as part of the double-header and using Tim Wakefield out of the pen if needed. This means Bronson Arroyo has essentially lost his spot in the rotation. I think Arroyo has earned the right to stay in the rotation with his recent success against the Yankees. He faced a tough offense and was matched up against Kevin Brown, one of the premiere pitchers in the game. The Red Sox won both games he started. Starting Kim may prove to be a mistake. I think Kim makes a great bullpen pitcher, but I'm not sold on his starting capabilities.

Even with all the success surrounding the Sox, I do not expect back-to-back sweeps. I know it sounds crazy but Tampa Bay can a spoiler.

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