One of the things true baseball fans love about our sport is that it can surprise you. As much as we love statistics and trying to predict what will happen, it is those unexpected moments that really give us a charge.

So it is fitting that on the second day of the young season, the most exciting contest to be played thus far in 2003 was not what I expected-- that is, played by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. As Jerry Trupiano remarked during the play by play in the 12th inning, "These are not your grandfather's Devil Rays. Lou Piniella has them playing with an edge."

Yesterday Pedro Martinez was on the mound against the Rays. He left the game ahead 4-1. But the Rays won the game in the bottom of the ninth, on two home runs, as Boston's "closer by committee"--so highly touted during the offseason--blew their first save. Tonight, the committee blew another save, but the pitching was coughing up the lead all throughout the game. The Red Sox lineup, so muscular, so dangerous, kept pulling ahead, only to see the pesky Devil Rays pull even again. The most "amazin'" was probably the two run home run by Rey Ordonez, who only hit one homer all last season for the Mets. And it was only a two-run job because a runner had reached on a strikeout-wild pitch off Tim Wakefield's knuckleball!

The Rays would have already won the game in the ninth tonight, except for a baserunning mistake which eliminated a runner--so maybe that proves they are the Devil Rays after all. But what exciting ball they are playing! Each team tonight has had a runner cut down at the plate in extra innings. It doesn't get much more exciting than that.

As I write this, the valiant Rays are probably about to finally succumb. Kevin Millar, who came into the game in the thirteenth inning, finally smacked a home run in the sixteenth inning to put the Sox up 9-8... ah, there it goes, the third out. The Sox have finally won. But I would say that for once you can say that someone has won a "pyrrhic victory." If Piniella can keep his club playing with that kind of tenacity and verve all season, then who knows? Maybe we'll see the Rays turn it around. I'm not saying they'll come close to the Red Sox or Yankees in the division, but could it generate some excitement, some fans in the seats? Could it translate into 80 wins?

I can't believe I'm getting so excited about the Devil Rays, but I call 'em like I see 'em! Two nights in a row the most exciting action in the majors was at Tropicana Field. How about that.