general

d’Arnaud delivers again for the Tampa Bay Rays

July 22, 2019 general

Monday, 3 a.m. The Tampa Bay Rays are still struggling as they go along. The Travis Bay Rays, however, are cooking. Travis d’Arnaud, a desperation pickup for the Rays earlier this summer, was performing heroics again Sunday. His second-inning grand slam was one of only three hits the Rays managed, but they were still able […]

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Rays lose another extra-inning game in Tropicana

July 21, 2019 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. Perhaps their bats are superfluous. Perhaps they are just fashion for the photographers. These days, the sticks of the Tampa Bay Rays are fairly useless otherwise. The Rays lost once again Saturday, their fifth straight, in a 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox. They are now 1-7 in extra inning […]

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White Sox humble Rays for fourth straight loss

July 20, 2019 general

Friday, 3 a.m. Suddenly, the Tampa Bay Rays are relentless in their task. They are focused, and they are driven, and they are hurtling through the standings. Alas, they are headed in the wrong direction. Just like that, there is no stopping them … or their fall. They are on their worst streak of the […]

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Yankees continue dominance of Tampa Bay Rays

July 19, 2019 general

Friday, 3 a.m. They were bombed in the Bronx. For the fading Tampa Bay Rays, there is no other way to say it. The New York Yankees, once again, have flexed their muscles and disposed of the pesky Rays, this time sweeping a double header by scores of 6-2 and 5-1. In 17 games this […]

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Can Jones change minds in his second season?

July 18, 2019 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. I believe in Mike Evans. True, he’s going to drop some passes. True, he lacks the burner speed you’d like. True, some balls will bounce off of his hands for interceptions. But by and large, I believe in Evans. I think he’ll turn third downs in first downs. I believe he will […]

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New York’s late home runs knock out the Rays

July 17, 2019 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. By now, it is well established that the bullpen of the Tampa Bay Rays is little more than a series of brushfires. All that changes is the guy holding the match. It happened again Tuesday night. The Rays were rolling along, playing in a tight game against the New York Yankees, and […]

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d’Arnaud has a night for the ages to lead Rays

July 16, 2019 general

Tuesday, 3 a.m. When nights like this happen, they happen at Yankee Stadium, the joint where, in its various incarnations, has led the big leagues in lore. And so a guy has the night of his life, jacking three home runs out of a stadium, including the game winner. Why, the Babe used to have […]

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Rays nearly perfect in victory over Baltimore

July 15, 2019 general

Monday, 3 a.m. You could call it splendid. You could call it terrific. You could call it dominating. You could almost call it perfect. The Tampa Bay Rays came within three outs of throwing baseball’s first-ever combined perfect game Sunday, beating the Orioles 4-1 on a day when Ryne Stanek and Ryan Yarbrough were magnificent. […]

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Rays show different personalities in split

July 14, 2019 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. Okay, you figure them out. Can they hit? Can their relievers pitch? Can they score? Well sometimes. The Tampa Bay Rays had a head-scratching day Saturday, splitting a doubleheader with the woeful Baltimore Orioles. They were pretty good (in game two), and they were pretty bad (in game one), and they left […]

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Random thoughts: Bouton changed how we watch

July 14, 2019 general

Jim Bouton was cool. Jim Bouton was funny. Jim Bouton was a rebel. To me, Bouton was all of those things. He was a party hat in a world of baseball caps, and he made the sticks-in-the-mud nervous, and he shed light in all the secret corners where baseball didn’t want us to look. He […]

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