BOSTON -- Wheels mean steals for Mallex Smith.
That's why the Rays speedster works to keep his wheels in working order by spending his offseason with the University of Florida's track team.
Smith has always been fast, swiping bases at every level of baseball -- including 32 steals in 158 career big league games. But growing up in Tallahassee, Fla., he never participated in track, even though the sport ranked high in his family since his two sisters and his mother were all track athletes. His mother, who coached track, used to show up during lunchtime at Smith's high school and take him through mini workouts to help his speed.