Longoria

Rays’ bullpen blows a 3-1 lead against Jays

September 5, 2016 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Seventeen-game winner on the mound for this team. Seventeen-game loser on the mound for that. Sounds like an easy game to pick, doesn’t it. The Toronto Blue Jays, with J.A. Happ, had a distinct advantage over the Tampa Bay Rays and Chris Archer. Still, this game will surprise you. Oh, Toronto won, […]

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Has there ever been a better Ray than Longo?

August 26, 2016 general

Friday, 6 a.m. Maybe it happened on a walk. Just a run-of-the-mill, take-your-base stroll down to first. Maybe no one noticed anything special. Maybe it happened on a tying home run in the eighth inning the night before. Maybe it happened as the crowds cheered the way they used to, as the batter grinned going […]

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For a night, Price is worth the price

August 23, 2016 general

Tuesday, 5:30 a.m. For much of the year, fans have debated whether Boston’s David Price was the worth his paycheck. After Tuesday night, they may give him a raise. Price tamed his former Tampa Bay Rays teammates, throwing eight innings of two-hit, shutout baseball. It was Price’s second straight win over the Rays, and stretched […]

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Is Tampa Bay’s Longoria deserving of being an all-star?

July 6, 2016 general

Wednesday, 6 a.m. Time was, he was an automatic. It was all-star time, and Evan Longoria would pack his bags. Other players might rest, but Longo always had somewhere to go. It was celebrity time, and Longoria always had some third base to play. It was that way in 2008. And 2009. And 2010. He […]

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Could the Rays be the worst team in baseball?

June 27, 2016 Baseball

Monday, 6 a.m. Cincinnati, they can catch. Maybe by the weekend. Atlanta may take a while, however. Maybe by the All-Star Break. Minnesota seems safe for the moment. It’ll take some doing in the stretch run to get the Twins. But if you’re asking if the Tampa Bay Rays are the worst team in baseball, […]

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Longoria continues to lead torrid Rays

June 15, 2016 general

Wednesday, 5:50 a.m. The rebirth of Evan Longoria continues. Longoria, at 30, hit his seventh home run in 10 games and 15 RBI over his last 20 to lead the Rays to an 8-7 comeback victory. His home run in the seventh tied the game at 7, setting up Corey Dickerson to knock in Logan […]

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Rays overpower Yankees in easy victory

May 29, 2016 general

5:45 a.m. Sunday Which one of these teams are the Bronx Bombers? Which one is the home of Murderer’s Row? If you said the New York Yankees, shame on you. The Tampa Bay Rays clobbered the Yankees Sunday, winning 9-5 after taking a 9-1 lead. They had nine extra base hits, and six of the […]

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Tampa Bay bats come to life in win over Indians

April 13, 2016 general

Wednesday, 6 a.m. You had seen this show before. You had lived it. It had made you grow old. It turned your hair gray and added wrinkle lines to your eyes. It was the Rays. And, once again, they weren’t hitting. Yeah, yeah. The season is early. It’s far too soon to declare the bats […]

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One game into the season, will you go back?

April 4, 2016 general

Monday, 6 a.m. Of all of the questions that remain after the opening disappointment by the Tampa Bays, this one is at the head of the list. Will you come back? They were good in spots, and they were bad in others. They finished second in a two-team competition. On the other hand, it was […]

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Like it or not, Longo is still the leader

February 25, 2016 Baseball

Thursday, 6 a.m. If the mantle of leadership has become too heavy for Evan Longoria to bear, I say he put it down. By all means. Someone else can call the clubhouse meetings. Someone else can talk to the rookie who isn’t going all out. Someone else can run the Kangaroo Court. If Longoria, the […]

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