Toronto dropped the "Blue" from "Blue Jays" and it didn't do them much good. Maybe if they had been the "Helljays".
Oh, right--you're in England. Sorry. Until this season, the Tampa Bay Rays were known as the "Devil Rays." A "devil ray" is a nickname for a Manta Ray (since they have those two flaps that they use to direct food into their mouths, and that look a little like horns if you are drunk and close one eye), which live nowhere near Tampa Bay. We do have sting rays, though--and sunshine rays. They elimanted the word "devil" and presto! They go from being the worst franchise in American professional sports to the World Series!
Yes! David Price is a monster. A rotation of Shields, Kazmir, Garza, Price, and Andy sounds amazing. I seriously can't see them winning less than 100 games next year, barring major injuries (even then...)
You never know. Cliff Floyd deserves a LOT of credit for bringing a winning attitude. This year, they DID experience a ton of injuries. Longoria (I think) broke his wrist. Carlos Pena hurt his hamstring at the beginning of the season, causing him to change his stance and lose the ability to hit the ball; when his hammy improved he broke his thumb and missed four weeks. Crawford was out for a while. I do really like Sonny, though. He is a poor man's Greg Maddux. And J.P. Howell is very underrated; he is nearly unhittable.