Typically it's hard to know the Rays are even in town when they play the Yankees. But not this time, as all the major papers have stories heralding the Rays arrival, some pointing out how well they've played and others questioning if they can keep it up. There's almost as much about them in the papers as Alex Rodriguez's divorce. Almost.

And the Rays are even getting a bit of attention in Boston today, as one the more popular fan web sites - bostondirtdogs.com - is encouraging Sox fans to vote for Evan Longoria in the competition for the final spot on the All-Star roster as a way of voting against Yankees 1B/DH Jason Giambi.

As for the game, Carl Crawford will be back in leftfield and B.J. Upton back in the lineup, and the Rays are trying to be as right-handed  as possible against Yankees lefty Andy Pettitte.

The lineups:
RAYS
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Navarro, c
Aybar, dh
Gomes, rf
Zobrist, ss
Kazmir, p

YANKEES
Cabrera, cf
Jeter. ss
Abreu, rf
Rodriguez, 3b
Posada, DH
Betemit, 1b
Cano, 2b
Molina, c
Gardner, lf
Pettitte, p

Back to the Big Apple ....

The New York Daily News refers to the Rays as the beasts of the AL East, though columnist Mike Lupica says the AL East race is far from over. And they reference the spring training fracas. All in one day's paper.

Then there's the New York Post, which also raves about the Rays in two pieces, one they sent a writer to St. Petersburg for.

And even the New York Times has two stories about the Rays, including one with a quote from principal owner Stuart Sternberg saying their roster is "at the point where teams would trade theirs for ours, regardless of payroll.” And another on how the Yankees see a future in what the Rays have done.