How did the worst-to-first Tampa Bay Rays pull off the spectacular turnaround that’s landed them in this year’s World Series?

Talent, hard work, a shrewd front office and solid generalship by field manager Joe Maddon are among the explanations being bandied about.

Here’s another possibility, courtesy of Associated Press: Tampa is being rewarded from above for its decision this season to purge the demonic component from its fiendish original name, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Daily Blog readers are entitled to be skeptical, of course, but consider this:

In the 10 years of the ballclub’s existence as the Devil Rays, it never came close to a winning record. And in 2007, the team’s dismal 66-96 won-loss record was the worst in the majors.

But playing this year as the Rays, the team forged an AL East division-winning 97-65 record — the sixth-best single-season improvement in MLB history — then knocked off the defending world champion Boston Red Sox in a dramatic seven-game American League Championship Series.

Commented Red Sox shortstop Alex Cora, “You take the ‘Devil’ out of the Devil Rays, and Jesus helps them out.”

So, if Tampa Bay’s presence in the World Series really is a divine reward for exorcising its “Devils,” do the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies have even a “ray” of hope in this year’s fall classic?

Tune in to the World Series games, starting tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time in Tampa Bay, for the answer.

— Tom McFeely