They did it through injuries to Crawford and Longoria, going 21-7 in August as a different player seemed to drive in the winning run every game.
"Winning is just like losing," Floyd said. "When you lose, you can get comfortable. But when you win, like we are, you get comfortable with that, too."
Easy camaraderie dominates the clubhouse. Most of the players have gotten mohawks (in seemingly endless variety, from Longoria's neatly shaved 'do to the half-mullet monstrosity atop 6-foot-9 reliever Jeff Niemann). Before a recent doubleheader against the Orioles, one Ray asked why two jerseys hung in each locker.
"I think we're just that good," quipped starter Andy Sonnanstine.
Crawford noted: "It's pretty loose in here. We play music, play cards together. We don't hang up on one loss."
Maddon deserves much of the credit for the relaxed, confident vibe, Floyd said.
"He expects a few things every day," the veteran said. "You have to come on time and play hard. But other than that, he's very informal. He's convinced every guy in here that he believes in them when he puts them out there."
Maddon developed a credo for the season which he boiled down to the equation 9 = 8. It means that if nine Rays play hard for nine innings every day, Tampa Bay will be one of the eight teams in the postseason. It might sound corny, but the players bought into it.
"Last year, we had a good team," Crawford said, explaining why Maddon's message worked. "But we blew a bunch of games. We figured that if we could keep it together and win those, we'd be in it."
Floyd has played on many types of teams, and to his mind, the Rays' winning brand is easier to maintain than most because it's not dependent on a few star hitters or pitchers. For Maddon, it all comes down to the mound. "Pitching drives the machine," he said. "If you don't have that, you don't sustain."
The Rays have one of the best starting trios in the league in Scott Kazmir, James Shields and Garza. But their biggest improvement has come in the bullpen, where the ERA dropped from a league-worst 6.16 last season to 3.55 this year.
Asked whether he has any doubt that the Rays will rise to the playoff challenge, Floyd said: "I have none. It's amazing to go from where we've come from to feeling the way we feel. It's dangerous for other teams."
