What separates the Tampa Bay Rays from nearly every other major league club is that no matter how little they spend or how many players they put on the injured list, they manage to be a threat almost every year.

Yesterday was Garrett Crochet’s final tune-up before the real games count, and he once again looked outstanding, striking out nine hitters, walking just two and shutting out the Pittsburgh Pirates for 5.1 innings. I’ll take that if he can do it again in Texas next week (though let’s try to finish the sixth).

For one moment, the future was the present along Florida’s Gulf coast. Roughly 90 minutes before first pitch of Thursday’s Spring Breakout opener between the Red Sox and Rays at Port Charlotte Sports Park,