During the franchise’s “Devil Rays” era, the team normally had an entire staff of guys unqualified to pitch at the back end of any team’s rotation. Oh how things can change over time. Now the Rays have four guys competing for the No. 5 spot that would fit nicely in any team’s rotation — and likely in slots higher than No. 5.

The crowd began to form at a group of black leather couches around veteran Michael Cuddyer in the Rockies’ clubhouse.

The Mariners know exactly what they have in 31-year-old lefty Oliver Perez, who turned into one of baseball’s best comeback stories in 2012, when he resurrected his career as a bullpen specialist after being promoted to Seattle midway through the season.

Ned Yost says that for Jarrod Dyson to become an everyday outfielder, he must learn to work the count, take walks and keep the ball low.

The Baltimore Orioles really don’t care that you think they’re going to fall flat on their face this season. Just so you know.

When Vernon Wells’ seven-year, $126 million contract comes to an end in two years, so will his baseball career. The Angels outfielder, owed $42 million over the next two seasons, plans to retire at the end of 2014, even though he’ll be only 35.

In an offseason that many assume would have been highlighted by the financial security gained in signing a multi-year deal, Cardinals closer Jason Motte prepares for the 2013 season shouldering responsibilities that have nothing to do with preserving ninth-inning leads.

Two-time Super Bowl champion and soon-to-be Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells attended the Astros-Cardinals game in Jupiter, Fla., where he lives seven months out of the year, on Monday watching batting practice and talking to Astros manager Bo Porter and his players.

Chase Headley will be the first to tell you he had no idea what to expect from teammate Carlos Quentin last season, especially after Quentin missed the first 49 games of the season while recovering from knee surgery in March.

Here we are, preparing to see last year’s young phenoms take the field, no longer as rookies, wondering: What do they have in store for us as an encore?

Spring is in full swing. The big question for the coming week: Will some of our favorite players make it back to the diamond for the beginning of March?

Victor Martinez has a nine-year-old son who epitomizes the joy of simply being on a Major League ballfield, bounding around the outfield during pregame batting practice to shag fly balls, hanging around the clubhouse while players tease him, even calling manager Jim Leyland, ‘Skip.’

Gordon Beckham stands in front of his locker at Camelback Ranch and tries to put into words the small changes he has made in his batting stance.

Vernon Wells keeps track of everything that goes on in baseball. So on Sunday afternoon, shortly after checking out of his first spring game, he had already found out that Curtis Granderson would miss 10 weeks with a broken forearm, that the Yankees may be looking for another outfielder and that, naturally, his name would be thrown around.

The Dodgers got their first game looks Sunday at their $200 million pitching purchases. Zack Greinke looked like Zack Greinke with two scoreless innings and two strikeouts, and he was followed with one scoreless inning from Korean lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Pablo Sandoval informed Giants manager Bruce Bochy of his desire to play every day, since that would supplement his physical conditioning. Bochy responded with a challenge to Sandoval, whose weight has remained a perennial issue: Shed pounds, and you’ll play.

To gauge the direction the Washington Nationals are headed, look no further than the Denard Span trade. Of course, the team that won 98 games last season made numerous other improvements as well.