Armed and Dangerous: Tampa Bay Rays Are Wreaking Havoc in the AL

Insurance claims agents stand by. Baltimore, Boston, and Chicago are in need of disaster relief.

A tornado known as the Tampa Bay Rays has just laid waste to three stadiums in three different cities. Like a huge wrecking ball, the Rays have been demolishing anything in their path.

It doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon.

After a team-record 9-1 road trip, the Rays return home to face the Toronto Blue Jays. Matt Garza, looking like a early Cy Young contender, is seeking his AL-leading fourth win. Garza leads a rotation that boasts the best ERA in baseball.

Garza and company are backed by one of the most dynamic lineups in the game—speed at the top, power in the middle, and no easy out at the bottom. Carl Crawford is gunning for his first Gold Glove. Evan Longoria was a preseason pick by many as a potential MVP candidate. 

In the name of Joe Maddon's hoodie, even Pat Burrell is on pace for 97 RBI.

Andrew Friedman, the Rays' general manager, is also playing at an All-Star level, locking up one of the Rays' building blocks, the versatile Ben Zobrist, to a deal that keeps him in Tampa Bay through the 2015 season.

B.J. Upton is looking fully recovered from his shoulder problems. Wade Davis looks like a front runner for AL Rookie of the Year. Rafael Soriano, who converted two saves in one day against Boston, appears to be worth every penny.

This mixture has added up to a dynamic demolition crew.

Very quickly the Rays have identified themselves as the clear No. 2 team in baseball and have their sights set on New York. The AL East is going to be exciting again. It's going to be a two-team race again. 

But the second team wasn't the one identified by many before the year began.

The Tampa Bay Rays demolition crew—coming to a city near you.