Saturday, 3 a.m.

If you are looking for exhibit A in the argument that the Tampa Bay Rays are off to a dreadful beginning to the 2024 season, this is it.

The Rays embarrassed themselves Friday night. Playing agains a woeful Chicago White Sox team — one that had won only three games all season — the Rays were drubbed 9-4. Tampa Bay fell to 13-14 on the season and are in last place in the AL East.

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The White Sox had lost seven straight coming into the game. In 25 previous games, they had not scored nine times in a game.

Tampa Bay had an awful start — falling behind 5-0 through six innings and getting only two hits in the process.

The Rays did show some signs of life late, loading the bases in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Isaac Paredes grounded out. In the eighth, Randy Arozarena struck out.

Tampa Bay finished with nine hits — two of them by Curtis Mead.

However, starting pitcher Zach Eflin gave up nine runs and four earned runs in his six innings.

The Rays play at the White Sox tonight at 7:10 p.m. Aaron Civale will start for the Rays against Jonathan Cannon.

Friday, 4 a.m.

You remember things about a champion.

You remember the quarterback, the best there ever was. You remember the running back and the cool nickname. You remember the relentless pass rush.

And, perhaps, you remember a solid but effective offensive line.

The Tampa Bay Bucs took a step toward rebuilding that Thursday night when they drafted Graham Barton of

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Duke, who they immediately proclaimed as a center. It was a well-received pick, an accomplished player in an area of need.

"He's a very athletic guy,'' Bucs' general manager Jason Licht said. "He plays with great base. He plays with a nasty temperament. It's all the ingredients we look for in our offensive line."

In recent years, the Bucs’ line has been patched together. Think of the starting offensive line from the Super Bowl — center Ryan Jensen, guards Ali Marpet and Alex Kappa and tackles Donovan Smith and Tristan Wirfs.

But Marpet retired.

And Jensen got hurt.

And Kappa left as a free agent.

And Smith didn’t live up to his contract.

And Wirfs moved from right to left tackle.

Rebuilding that line hasn’t happened overnight. But if Barton can handle the middle, the team has a chance at its best line since that Super Bowl.

"I think part of this whole process has been m positional flexibility," Barton said. "I think center (or) guard is what works best for me."

Yeah, the Bucs need a better pass rush still. They could use another receiver, another corner, another tight end. But Barton seems like a safe spot to start.

The second round of the draft begins at 7 p.m. tonight.

Friday, 3 a.m.

From here, you can see the darkness.

From here, you can hear the silence of an empty arena. You can imagine the fans who may not have much left to cheer about. You can see the rocks below.

From here, the Tampa Bay Lightning can see the off-season.

The Bolts are down to their last breath after Thursday night’s 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. Playing at Amalie

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Arena didn’t make a difference — once again, the Panthers were quicker, crisper in their third straight victory.

This time, the Bolts were able to get a lead. They went ahead 2-1 early in the second period on goals by Steven Stamkos and Tyler Motte. But the Panthers regained the lead by the end of the period, then closed the Lightning out in the third.

Nicholas Paul also scored a goal for the Bolts.

“It was disappointing that second period down a goal,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I felt we deserved a better fate. Don’t get me wrong — two good players shooting pucks, but one of them was from 60-something feet, the other was through a screen.”

All of it puts the Lightning in a situation where they have to win the next game…and the next…and the one after that … and the next.

The Bolts play the Panthers Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. at Amalie Arena.