The Tampa Bay Rays have made the most of their temporary digs, winning seven of their first 12 games at Steinbrenner Field, their minor league waystation after hurricanes damaged their Tropicana Field home.
The Tampa location has made it convenient for a large segment of their fan base, who have enjoyed a bay area rarity: Outdoor major league baseball. Yet the next week will test the ticket-buying resolve of area fans given who's coming to Dale Mabry Highway: The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
Both enjoyed partisan support at Tropicana Field and it was the Yankees who magnanimously enabled the Rays to use Steinbrenner Field, their spring training base, for this year only. And at this early stage of the season, the entire AL East is within 2 ½ games of each other.
The Rays are hanging on in the middle of USA TODAY Sports' MLB power rankings, with the Yankees and Red Sox both slipping from earlier, loftier positions. This week, in a sense, kicks off what should be a very tight division race - starting off with split loyalties in a cozy, 10,000-seat park.
A look at our updated rankings:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
- Tommy Tanks still leading the team in home runs.
2. San Diego Padres (+2)
- At 13-3, their record's almost better than the Chargers' ever was.
3. Philadelphia Phillies (-1)
- In a 2-for-33 hole, Alec Bohm's opening-day heroics seem a long time ago.
4. New York Mets (+2)
- Jose Siri ...
