Tampa Bay Rays center fielder B.J. Upton, like many of the players on his low-end payroll team, are eyeing more than a World Series ring and the prestige that comes with it.

Many of them are playing to double their 2008 salaries.

Young players who make near the minimum baseball salary of $390,000 as about half these Rays do can almost double their paycheck because of baseball's playoff bonus payouts.

Last year, the World Series champion Boston Red Sox players split $18.89 million. That translates to at least $300,000 a player.

"That's a lot of money for four wins," Rays rookie pitcher David Price said. "Trust me, everyone in this locker room has thought about it."

"If [Alex Rodriguez] gets an extra $300,000, it probably doesn't affect him that much," Rays president Matt Silverman said. "But for a player making $400,000 who does not know what the future holds, the money can be big."

Game 3 of the World Series was being jeopardized last night by rain and gusty winds. Rain was falling and the tarp covered the infield about two hours before the scheduled first pitch at 8:35 p.m. Phillies players warmed up throwing to each other in right field.

The forecast called for a 90 percent chance of rain, according to the National Weather Service. The rain was to let up after midnight.

Rays manager Joe Maddon was happy the delay was in a ballpark that opened in 2004 and has modern facilities and space.

"If you're in Fenway, in that clubhouse, it gets kind of annoying," he said. "The clubhouse is, what, maybe half this size. And when you have all the amenities and you get yourself a nice cheesesteak while you're waiting or watch a game on the tube -- J.P. Howell is up there watching Texas vs. Oklahoma State right now -- this kind of facility ameliorates that situation a bit and permits you to get through the moment."

About his starting pitcher, Maddon said: "Matt Garza is a different story. I don't know what he's going to do. If there's a padded room around here, I'd really like to know about, so he can go there and bounce around for a bit."

At 45, Jamie Moyer will make his first World Series appearance in Game 3 against Tampa Bay. "It's kind of weird to think about it," he said. "But back when I played in Texas, I had two teammates, Nolan Ryan and Charlie Hough, that were in their 40s, and I really looked up to them and respected who they were and what they did in their careers. And now I've kind of come full circle with it."

Brad Lidge keeps a few teammates close by at all times. Right above his locker. Sitting on the shelf atop his cubicle, the All-Star closer has several figurines and bobbleheads of other Philadelphia Phillies players: Moyer, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino. "I just have nowhere better to put 'em," Lidge said.