Rays’ slide continues in loss to Toronto

July 1, 2022 general

Friday, 4 a.m. They didn’t hit. They didn’t stop throwing gopher balls. They didn’t win. And so the midsummer swoon of the Tampa Bay Rays continues. The Rays’ losing streak reached three games Thursday night in a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, a defeat that left the Rays 15 games out of first […]

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Brewers’ homers too much for Rays

June 30, 2022 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. Perhaps the Tampa Bay Rays made a tactical error in Wednesday afternoon’s game. Perhaps they should have played their outfielders on the other side of the fence. After all, that’s where the opposing Milwaukee Brewers kept hitting the ball. The Brewers homered four times — and twice more the night before — […]

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Wisler’s 8-pitch nightmare costs Rays

June 29, 2022 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. He was tired, okay. He had thrown 95 pitches. He was done. But as Shane Baz walked slowly toward the dugout, perhaps Kevin Cash should have channeled the movie Shane and yelled after him. “Shane….come back.” Knowing the way the Rays treat their starters, it is no surprise that Cash pulled Baz […]

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No matter the team, winning never lasts

June 28, 2022 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. The inherent problem with success is that it never lasts long enough. One moment, you are dancing in confetti, and the next, the rest of the league is trying to take bites out of your hindquarters. One minute, you are top of the world, and the next, you’re at the same starting […]

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Bolts lose Stanley Cup; season is over

June 27, 2022 general

Monday, 4 a.m. The wrong team was dancing. A championship had been won, and the wrong team was rushing across the ice. The players of the Tampa Bay Lightning looked on glass-jawed, in disbelief, as the celebration by the Colorado Avalanche went on. The players watched, stunned. They thought they would win — heck, they […]

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Nifty slide by Arozarena leads to Rays’ win

June 27, 2022 general

Monday, 3 a.m. Shane McClanahan continued to rule the major leagues. Isaac Paredes continued to own the week. For the Tampa Bay Rays, however, a baseball game came down to a man sliding in the dirt. It’s odd for a slide on a stolen base to be the key part of a game, but Randy […]

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Rays take Pirates to Paredes City

June 26, 2022 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. Isaac Paredes gives. More importantly, Isaac Paredes forgives. Parades gave a pardon to the rest of the Tampa Bay Rays’ organization Saturday. He allowed the team to erase a blow up by reliever Jalen Beeks. He forgave a baserunner blunder by Randy Arozarena. And he further erased any lingering criticism for the […]

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Lightning stay alive on Palat’s winner

June 25, 2022 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. The best part about being down to your last heartbeat is this: Sometimes, that heart belongs to Ondrej Palat. One more time, the Tampa Bay Lightning fought off elimination. One more time, they skated into an opposing ice rink and won. One more time, they wore down a skilled, fleet team to […]

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Ramirez delivers late in Tampa Bay win

June 25, 2022 general

Saturday, 3 a.m. The kid with the blue hair kept shaking the popcorn out of it. For the most part, Harold Ramirez was a success at that, too. Ramirez was hopping around first base, popcorn and gum in the air. A teammate placed an empty gum bucket on his head. And the Tampa Bay Rays […]

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Bolts can blame bad call, or blame themselves

June 24, 2022 general

Friday, 4 a.m. Today, outrage has replaced out play. Today, the Tampa Bay Lightning is not just beaten. They are cheated. And so the howls continue over the final goal of the Avs’ 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Avs had too many men on the ice (and not enough referees to call […]

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