[Times photos: Michael Rondou] Tampa Bay enters its fourth season striving to erase past failures and become a winning franchise. To achieve this goal, it must improve from top to bottom. These are four of the Rays who face critical junctures in their careers.

Marc Topkin
Critical junctures
Disappointing performances, often from the unlikeliest of places, have held back the Rays during their first three years of on-field existence. To become a winner, Tampa Bay must stay healthy and improve from top to bottom. For some, careers may be at stake.

Gary Shelton
Closing time -- it's not for everyone
As job descriptions go, this one sounds easy enough. Baseball closer. Short hours, high pay, major recognition.

The Rays
Rays continue to build with success in mind
Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar sat down with a Times reporter recently to discuss the direction of the club, the decisions made in the past year and the level of community support in the Tampa Bay area. Some of LaMar's responses were edited for space reasons.

Magrane gets into the spirit
It wasn't as if Joe Magrane didn't appreciate the opportunity. After all, if he wanted merely to call a game involving an unheralded group of players, he could have stayed home.

10 hot dates at the Trop
Need a reason to get into the baseball season? Here are 10 matchups that might be worth bopping down to the Trop.

What's new at and around the ballpark

Meet the coaches

Player capsules

Rays milestones

Around the major leagues
American League teams at a glance

National League teams at a glance

Predictions

Major League Baseball on TV