Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays

When the Rays gathered inside the visitors’ clubhouse at Busch Stadium for a meeting before their Opening Day matchup with the Cardinals, nobody seemed to be expecting much of them. Nobody, that is, except for themselves. Widely picked to finish last in the American League East after a pair of disappointing seasons and a typical Tampa Bay offseason, the Rays felt from the beginning that they were going to be more competitive than anticipated. They believed there was too much talent on their roster and too much chemistry inside their clubhouse to fade away like they did the previous two years. * Postseason FAQ: What's next for the Rays?