Several teams inquired about Julio Lugo during the off-season and the Devil Rays elected to hold onto the shortstop, an indication that they are building, instead of re-building. "I had heard about this man's spirit and how much he enjoys playing the game, and that's obvious when you're around him," new manager Joe Maddon said. "I think he has great leadership qualities. He has the respect of his teammates. He made a great first impression on me." We know that none of those things have actually mattered that much in the past around this team. His $4.95 million contract would have been reason enough for the previous owner to trade Lugo, no matter what the Rays got back in return. New ownership sees Lugo as one of the pieces of the puzzle, even if it means keeping prized prospect B.J. Upton on the farm for a while longer.