Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman and manager Joe Maddon answered questions for a half hour today at the start of spring training and the primary theme were the raised expectations for their team this season.

In short, they embrace them, and they feel they are good enough to fulfill them.

This team. Maddon said, "is very capable of going back to the World Series.''

Here are a few quick points, with more to come later and in Tuesday's Times:

* Maddon on Brian Cashman's statement that his Yankees conceded the division title in 2010: "The banner's up there."

* Maddon on improved offense: "Biggest challenge is putting batting order together"

* Maddon: SS battle between Brignac + SRod will come down to "under the hood" type stuff

* RHP Brandon Gomes (back), DH Luke Scott (shoulder) should be only Rays on limited activity at start of camp

* Friedman on excess of starting pitchers: It's not like having three first basemen, depth is a good thing

* Friedman, on getting calls about starters: We like starting depth but we will be aggressive in trying to improve roster