OPINION

By Gerry Fraley

updated 4:35 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2009

Yes, the Tampa Bay Rays are well aware of the New York Yankees' drunken-sailor spending spree this offseason.

It's impossible not to notice when a division rival spends $423.5 million to sign three free agents: starting pitchers A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia and first baseman Mark Teixeira.

"Of course, we monitor closely what the Yankees do," said Andrew Friedman, Tampa Bay's executive vice president of baseball operations. "With a 20-game winner retiring and losing a number of free agents, it's no surprise that they've reloaded.

"In the AL East, we would expect nothing less."

The East is different now. The Rays are the defending champion, and the Yankees can hand out nearly half a billion dollars and not be much better than the distressed team that finished third in the division last season.

As Friedman referred to, the Yankees lost a 20-game winner when Mike Mussina retired. Sabathia and Burnett, the most questionable of all signings in the offseason, will do well to equal what Andy Pettitte and Mussina did for the rotation last season.

Mussina and Pettitte were battle-tested by life in the Bronx. Sabathia and Burnett must go through the first-year hazing process.

Teixeira is a big upgrade, but the Yankees have significant questions at catcher and in center.

As the Yankees scramble to plug holes, the Rays stay the course. Last season's success and the developments of the offseason have not changed the club's development-first-and-always philosophy, Friedman said.

"Our goal from the beginning has been to achieve success that we can sustain for many years, and the heart of that will continue to be scouting and development," Friedman said. "When it makes sense for us, we won't shy away from short-term additions to supplement our core, but we will always build from within."

The Rays are a young and talented team that is only going to get better. That said, the Rays have not clung to the status quo. They have churned the roster since the World Series and would like to do more before spring training opens.

The No. 1 need, manager Joe Maddon said, is to help the offense, and they reportedly made a move to do that by signing Pat Burrell to a two-year, $16 million deal. Burrell will play DH.

Tampa Bay finished 11th in RBIs from DHs last season with 78, but that was better than right field. It placed 13th with 74 RBIs.

If Burrell does not work out, the Rays gave themselves an option by obtaining outfielder Matt Joyce from Detroit. Not considered a prospect going into last season, Joyce reached the majors and had 12 homers with a .492 slugging percentage in 242 at-bats with the Tigers. He also had 65 strikeouts in 242 at-bats.

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"You break us down from last year, and it was primarily done through pitching and defense," Maddon said. "I would like us to remain that constant forever and ever. But you could also see areas where you can improve offensively."

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