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Tampa Bay Rays Carlos Pena (R) jokes with manager Joe Maddon during his team's practice before the start of the MLB American League Championship Series in St. Petersburg, October 9, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Ranze

ST PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - The Tampa Bay Rays went from the worst record in the major leagues in 2007 to this season's American East Division title and Red Sox skipper Terry Francona said on Thursday he was not surprised.

"We saw first hand why they had so much success," the Boston manager told reporters on the eve of their league championship series opener against the division rival Rays.

Francona, whose defending World Series winners finished two games behind Tampa Bay and had to settle for a wild card spot, said an improved bullpen and an athletic defense combined to support strong starting pitching for the emerging Rays.

"For the past few years they were becoming very athletic, but at times we could get into the bullpen and maybe win some games where they were leading. That stopped this year," he said.

Tampa Bay, who turned around their 66-96 record last year to win 97 games and make the post-season for the first time in their 11 years of existence, added veteran closer Troy Percival and other relievers to preserve leads.

"They built their bullpen from the back with Percival kind of anchoring in and then you have (Dan) Wheeler, (J.P.) Howell, (Grant) Balfour doing what he's done, and their starters getting them deep into the game."

YOUNG PLAYERS

The perennial cellar-dwellers used high draft picks wisely, developing a crop of young players just now coming into their own, including slugging third baseman Evan Longoria and center-fielder B.J. Upton.

"Then their defense, they may be the best in baseball. They're athletic, they catch the ball," said Francona.

He added that those factors and an opportunistic offense "turns them into one of the premier teams in the league.

"You go around their infield -- Longoria, (shortstop Jason) Bartlett, (first baseman Carlos) Pena, they're Gold Glove caliber.

"Their outfielders, the ball doesn't hit the turf very much. They can run...they make the highlight reel plays, and they make the routine plays."

Francona likes everything about the Rays except the exposed catwalks up near the ceiling of indoor Tropicana Field that are in play on balls launched high off the bat.

"Hopefully, the catwalks don't come into play or, if they do, it's not a controversial play that can affect the outcome of the game," Francona said. "That's one of the concerns that I'm sure nobody wants to have happen.

"But, other than that, actually I don't mind playing here."

(Writing by Larry Fine in New York, editing by Ken Ferris)