general

Lowe’s triple gives Rays their first victory of year

July 26, 2020 general

Monday, 4 a.m. In the land of quiet bats, there is Brandon Lowe. Finally, someone from the Tampa Bay Rays made a little noise on offense. Perhaps you have forgotten about Lowe, who made the All-Star team as a reserve last year, who was a bright enough prospect to get a six-year contract extension from […]

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Rays’ offense scuffles in Opening Day loss

July 25, 2020 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. There were even fewer fans in the stands than normal. The manager (and everyone else on the bench) wore a mask. Charlie Morton was mortal. And so the Tampa Bay Rays entered the oddest season in baseball history Friday night, losing a 6-4 decision to the Toronto Blue Jays. Granted, an Opening […]

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Rays search for answers as season begins

July 24, 2020 general

Friday, 4 a.m. It’s the latest Opening Day ever. It will be the quickest season ever. There will be more playoff teams than ever. And as the players play, they will attempt to ignore the fact that disease is in the air. And off we go, into the strangest baseball season of them all. Baseball […]

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Debating a heroes’ hall for sports

July 19, 2020 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. The game was a simple one, a driving game to gnaw away at the traffic in front of us. You know the sort: A idle subject to pass the miles. We were talking about heroes, my wife and I. We were talking about the proposal to form an American Hall of Heroes. […]

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Bucs pay the price for a top four tackle

April 24, 2020 general

Friday, 4 a.m. It’s premature to suggest that the Bucs have filled the biggest hole on their offense. It is fair, however, to notice that they have thrown 322 pounds at it. The Bucs added Iowa big, agile offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs to their off-season bounty Thursday night, moving up one slot to pick him […]

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What is the Bucs’ backup plan in the draft?

April 23, 2020 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. If you are like most of us, you have no idea of whether Jedrick Willis is better than Andrew Thomas, or if either of them is better than Tristan Wirfs, or if any of them will be a better professional offensive tackle than Mekhi Becton. Who is the strongest? The most agile? […]

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Bucs add another interesting weapon in Gronk

April 22, 2020 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. Let it roll off your tongue. Savor the sound. Let it flow. And get ready to use the word “Gronk” as a verb. You know; “The Bucs’ really Gronked the Panthers on that play.” Or, “When you’re in the red zone, you have to Gronk it up.” Or this: The Bucs really […]

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What if baseball’s cheaters ended up winning?

April 19, 2020 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. What if the world begged your pardon. Better question: What if baseball accepted it. We live in the days where a lot of former great players are looking in through the window, their reputations sullied, their character in question. We have been surrounded by cheaters and villains, by short-cutters and varlets. But […]

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Bucs set to tackle a weakness in the draft

April 17, 2020 general

Friday, 4 a.m. The guy the Bucs need is large. He is agile. He has a streak of mean to him. Ah, but which guy is that? Let’s agree on this: The Bucs need an offensive tackle. They haven’t had a great one since Paul Gruber wandered offto that big Ring of Honor in the […]

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When do sports face the point of no return?

April 14, 2020 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Deep down, in the places they do not let cameras in, in voices they do not allow to be loud enough for others to hear, there is an ominous date. It is the crucial date for all sports. Adam Silver knows it. Gary Bettman thinks about it. Rob Manfred has considered it. […]

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