Exclusive Rays coverage by Gary Shelton Sports

Dodgers shell Tampa Bay in front of familiar faces

May 4, 2016 general

Wednesday, 6 a.m. Ever gone to an old home to see that, really, it wasn’t in very good shape. Tropicana Field, and the Tampa Bay Rays, probably looked that way to the familiar faces of the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night. Scott Kazmir, J.P. Howell, Carl Crawford and Andrew Friedman probably wondered what had happened […]

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Bullpen falters in Rays’ loss to Toronto

May 1, 2016 general

Sunday 8:15 p.m. The wrong pitchers were backed by the wrong defense. That led to the wrong result for the Tampa Bay Rays Sunday. A game got away, sudden and completely, from the Rays in the ninth inning. The Rays and Toronto Blue Jays were tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth ining. But […]

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Rays take rare walkoff win against Toronto

May 1, 2016 general

Sunday, 5:30 a.m. There is nothing like a walkoff victory by a baseball team. It is athletes unbridled. It is sheer joy. It is a victory that cannot get away. Around here, it is rare. When Curt Casali, he of the .146 batting average, drove in Brad Miller, he of the .185 average, it was […]

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Ask Gary: Which league has evolved the most?

April 30, 2016 general

(Each week, the readers take over GarySheltonsports.com and play Ask Gary. They send in a question, or a couple, on Thursday night or Friday morning and we all talk about the world of sports.  Think of it as a radio show where you don’t have to be on hold. Join us and ask a question, make a comment […]

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Rays defense, bullpen lead to victory over Orioles

April 26, 2016 general

Tuesday, 11:12 p.m. Are the Tampa Bay Rays still supposed to be able to play defense like this? The Rays bailed themselves out of trouble repeatedly Tuesday night, moving to .500 with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The Rays have surrendered only one run in two games against Baltimore. It helps when a […]

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Hello again; Archer looks sharp in beating Baltimore

April 25, 2016 general

Tuesday, 6 a.m. Confident guy, Chris Archer. Even in the middle of a losing streak, he held onto his swagger. Even when people gasping that his fastball was a whole mile an hour slower than last year, even when the search parties were out for his missing slider, even when the critics started taking swipes […]

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Random thoughts: Should Redskins feel uneasy?

April 24, 2016 NFL

Sunday, 6 a.m. Hi, I’m O.J. Simpson, and when I get out, I want a date with Kris Jenner. Because the only thing more messed up than I am are those pesky Kardashians. – If I were the Washington Redskins, I’d celebrate signing Josh Norman. And then I’d try to force those Albert Haynesworth memories […]

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Ask Gary: Has Archer put extra pressure on himself?

April 23, 2016 general

(Each week, the readers take over GarySheltonsports.com and play Ask Gary. They send in a question, or a couple, on Thursday night or Friday morning and we all talk about the world of sports.  Think of it as a radio show where you don’t have to be on hold. Join us and ask a question, make a comment […]

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Moore, Guyer lead Rays to their first series win

April 18, 2016 Tampa Bay Rays

Monday, 5:30 a.m. For the Rays, winning is coming by the numbers. Four. As in Brandon Guyer’s hit total Sunday. Five. As in innings Alex Colome had to pitch to earn his first save, Ten. As in the number of batters struck out by Matt Moore. One. As in series won by the Tampa Bay […]

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Ramirez leads the Rays as they finally erupt

April 17, 2016 Baseball

Sunday, 5:30 a.m. Okay. Who had Erasmo Ramirez in the pool? Heck, Ramirez wasn’t even in the starting rotation until Saturday. Whoever could have seen the smiling pitcher becoming the first starter to win a game this season? Ramirez shut out Chicago for 5 2/3 innings Saturday night, allowing only <h5><em>Content beyond this point is […]

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