They have more than a half-dozen new players to integrate into their way of doing things, and they have several key players coming off offseason surgery, including closer Troy Percival (back), center fielder B.J. Upton (shoulder) and first baseman Carlos Pena (abdominal muscle).

Their offseason plan was to improve their offense while maintaining their strong base of pitching and defense and to bolster their bullpen, and they appeared to do both.

The Rays still should win the old-fashioned way that worked last season, but they should have more margin with the upgrades to the offense.

The bullpen makeover stressed quantity over quality as the Rays added three experienced relievers -- in Joe Nelson, Lance Cormier and Brian Shouse -- but didn't acquire a proven closer.

With Percival's status unclear following offseason back surgery, that could leave the Rays dealing with another closer-by-committee situation.

The biggest decisions aren't really that big.

They have to pick a fifth starter, though the bigger question might be whether rookie left-hander David Price is deemed ready for the majors. If so, the job would be his. It not, there will be competition among Jason Hammel, Jeff Niemann and Mitch Talbot.

They have to decide how to split playing time in right field, with newly acquired Matt Joyce hoping to win the job full-time but veterans Gabe Kapler and Gabe Gross more likely to end up in a platoon.

And manager Joe Maddon has to decide how best to construct the middle of his batting order -- where to bat new acquisition Pat Burrell and whether to drop Akinori Iwamura or Carl Crawford lower in the order.

WHERE, WHEN: Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, Fla. First exhibition game is Feb. 25 against Cincinnati.

TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: OF Matt Joyce was acquired in a trade with Detroit (for RHP Edwin Jackson) with an eye toward the future as the Rays signed Gabe Kapler to platoon with Gabe Gross in right field. Joyce, who hit 12 homers in 92 games for Detroit last season, is coming to camp determined to prove at age 24 he is ready for everyday duty.

TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: RHP Grant Balfour was one of the Rays' biggest success stories last season. After being sent to Triple-A at the end of the spring, he carried that chip on his shoulder all season and became one of the Rays' most effective relievers. Now the Rays have to find out if he will pitch as effectively without that motivation.

AUTHORITY FIGURES: Joe Maddon, who was one vote short of being a unanimous winner of the AL Manager of the Year award, will find a new way to motivate the players, even if it's not as catchy as his 9=8 slogan from last season. Maddon has a 224-262 record in his three seasons with the Rays. Todd Greene joins the coaching staff as quality assurance coach, replacing Tim Bogar.