Just practice, so why does it feel so good?

August 17, 2019 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. It was just a practice game in the rain. Why, then, does it feel like a promise? It was just a back-and-forth between the backups of two mediocre teams? Why, then, does it feel like hope? It was just another preseason game, fake sweat in the names of upcoming decisions. Why, then, […]

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For the Rays, Home is for Horrors

August 17, 2019 general

Saturday, 3 a.m. They’re home again. And maybe, just maybe, those beds are too comfortable. There is something about playing at home that makes most teams a little better. Not so with the Tampa Bay Rays, who continued to struggle at Tropicana Field with a 2-0 loss to Detroit. Content beyond this point is for […]

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A checklist for the Bucs’ game against Miami

August 16, 2019 general

Friday, 4 a.m. If they can just catch a few breaks … If they can somehow remain healthy … If they can cut down on the turnovers and the penalties and the blown plays … If they get production from their rookies … If their quarterback is just a bit better … And then, maybe […]

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Arians would like fewer penalties this week

August 15, 2019 general

Thursday, 3 a.m. In his second look, Bucs’ coach Bruce Arians would like a clearer picture. Arians, whose team faces the Dolphins on Friday night, would like his team be a bit sharper in week two of the preseason. “Better execution out of our young players,” Arians said when asked what he wants to see. […]

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Rays’ rotation finally catches up to them

August 15, 2019 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. Winning nine road games in a row ins’t easy. As beaten up as the Rays’ starting rotation is, it’s even more rare. The rotation — missing Blake Snell, missing Tyer Glasnow, missing Yonny Chirinos — finally caught up with the Rays Wednesday in San Diego as Jalen Beeks struggled in a 7-2 […]

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Rays come back to beat Padres again

August 14, 2019 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. Uh-oh. He’s baa-aack. Jose Alvarado, the pitcher who has perfected nervous watching for the Tampa Bay Rays, returned to the mound Tuesday night. And it was time to chew your fingernails all over again. Oh, the Rays won … again. They won their fifth straight game, and their sixth of seven games, […]

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Barber joins Bucs’ Ring of Honor

August 14, 2019 general

  Wednesday, 3 a.m. Ronde Barber ran again Tuesday afteroon. Once more, the stadium fell silent. Once more, the yard stripes flast past him. Once more, he made perhaps the single-greatest play in the history of a franchise, and he led the Tampa Bay Bucs to the Super Bowl. Barber, the last great Buc player, […]

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Streaking Rays approaching record wins

August 13, 2019 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. When they are on a streak such as this one, your imagination runs away with you. They are 20 games over .500. They are on an eight-game road winning streak. They had 14 hits Monday night. And so you ask: Could this be the best Rays’ team ever? I know, I know. […]

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Assistant coaches like their players

August 13, 2019 general

Tuesday, 3 a.m. By now, we know that Bruce Arians is a positive old cuss. We know that too many mistakes irritate him. We know he believes in his quarterback, whether he should or not. We know he sees the running backs as a positive. But how about the men who work for him? How […]

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Yarbrough nearly flawless in win over Seattle

August 12, 2019 general

Monday, 4 a.m. For Ryan Yarbrough, it could have been better. He could have gone one more out. He could have given up less than three hits. He could have struck out more than eight batters. All in all, however, the Rays will take it. Yarbrough, who has now won as many games in the […]

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