general

Leafs clobber Bolts in opening game

May 3, 2022 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. They entered the game talking about history. They exited knowing that if they don’t play better — loads better — they would soon be history. The Toronto Maple Leafs, a team known for its post-season failures, slapped the two-time defending Stanlely Cup champions silly in Monday night’s playoff opener. The Leafs won […]

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Rays jump A’s early in comfortable win

May 3, 2022 general

Tuesday, 3 a.m. When you start fast, sometimes no one notices how you finish. Take the Tampa Bay Rays, who did all of their heavy lifting early in a 6-1 victory over the Oakland A’s. The Rays got out of the box fast and then cruised to win in Oakland, a site that has been […]

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Twins repeat their bashing of Rays

May 2, 2022 general

Monday, 4 a.m. It was a ditto kind of day. So allow the Tampa Bay Rays to say ouch all over again. For the second straight day, the Rays could barely slow down the Minnesota Twins. The Twins crushed the Rays, 9-3, behind a five-run first and an unheralded pitcher. In the last two games, […]

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Temper expectations of Bucs’ rookies

May 1, 2022 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. It was not a push-them-over-the-top draft. It was not a highlight reel draft. It was not a draft designed to put the Hall of Fame on notice. For the Tampa Bay Bucs, that’s okay. Over the years, the most common mistakes of all for the Bucs have been these: 1) They have […]

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Twins pull away from hitless Rays

May 1, 2022 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. At the oddest of times, against the unlikeliest pitchers, the bats of the Tampa Bay Rays turn invisible. They are not a great hitting team as it is. But there are times when their offense completely disappears. Like Saturday, for instance. The Rays managed just four hits in a 9-1 drubbing by […]

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Do you trust the choices of Bucs’ Licht?

April 30, 2022 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. It gets down to trust really. It gets down to a man’s resume. In other words, you can believe in Jason Licht’s decisions this year because they were good in previous years. It gets down to that. Oh, it’s an opinion sport, and even now, there are those who would debate Licht’s […]

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Stammer’s hat trick leads Bolts’ comeback

April 30, 2022 general

Saturday, 3 a.m. How impressive was the comeback by the Tampa Bay Lightning Friday night? Was it enough to erase your doubts? Was it enough to restore your faith? Was it enough allow you to dream of a third straight Stanley Cup championship? The Bolts, who play Toronto in the first round of the post-season, […]

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Cash’s advice leads to Lowe’s big moment

April 30, 2022 general

Saturday. 2 a.m. It was a simple request, really. Even in the early stages of a baseball game, it wasn’t a lot to ask of Josh Lowe “Just don’t make me look stupid for batting you fourth,” Cash asked. Lowe might have suggested that was beyond his power. After all, Lowe was hitting .170 with […]

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Bucs trade out of first round of draft

April 29, 2022 general

Friday, 4 a.m. When it comes to the NFL draft, the Tampa Bay Bucs evidently weren’t in a hurry. The Bucs traded out of the first round Thursday night, sliding back to the 33rd pick, the first pick of today’s second round. They also picked up a fourth-rounder (No. 106) and a sixth-rounder (No. 133). […]

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Bolts’ effort questioned in loss to Jackets

April 29, 2022 general

Friday, 3 a.m. The trouble with a regular season is this. An observer often isn’t quite sure how to feel. Take the Tampa Bay Lightning, for instance. Most of April was a swoon, a declaration that this team was tired. The Bolts lost, and looked ordinary doing it. Then, in the last week or so, […]

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