Random thoughts: McCoy wanted his number retired

June 23, 2019 general

Sunday, 4 p.m. For the record, I like Gerald McCoy. I thought he gave more than that he got while he was in Tampa. But McCoy is the latest in a series of athletes who wants to be honored for things that have nothing to do with his play. McCoy was miffed that the Bucs […]

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Castillo falters again in the late innings of a Rays’ loss

June 23, 2019 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. If there is really a race going on the AL East — and it’s debatable these days — it would appear that the Tampa Bay Rays are headed in the wrong direction. And can anyone stop this fall besides the rocks below? The Rays, who spent 44 days this year in the […]

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Bullpen, defense allow the Rays to snap a losing streak

June 21, 2019 general

Saturday, 3 a.m. Hey, there are more victories to be had out of the Tampa Bay roster. The way they were playing, who knew? The Rays snapped a four game losing streak, and a skid of 2-8 in their previous 10 games. Tampa Bay held off Oakland, 5-3, on Friday night behind solid pitching from the […]

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Here’s a perfectly ridiculous idea to save the Rays

June 21, 2019 general

Friday, 3 a.m. It’s a stupid idea in St. Petersburg. It’s a nutty idea in Montreal. It’s a laughable idea in Tampa. And it’s an absurd idea in the New York offices of Major League baseball. Yeah, you certainly have to hand it to Rob Manfred. This time, the stupidity has touched all the bases. […]

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Castillo’s 9th-inning meltdown dooms fading Rays

June 21, 2019 general

Friday, 3 a.m. It is a burning building. It is a mushroom cloud. It is a national disaster. It is the bullpen of the Tampa Bay Rays. And it is getting worse. The fading Rays blew another one late Thursday night, somehow losing a 5-4 decision after taking a 4-1 lead in the top of […]

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Snell clobbered once again as Yankees sweep

June 20, 2019 general

Thursday, 3 a.m. Hello, Blake. Cy Young is on the phone. He says he wants his trophy back. The rough-and-tumble season of Blake Snell continued Wednesday, when the vaunted New York Yankees kicked him about severely in a 12-1 thrashing that made you forget all about Snell’s Cy Young season of a year ago. Snell […]

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Kucherov, Vasilevskiy win major awards in NHL

June 20, 2019 general

Thursday, 3 a.m. During their longest, most bitter off-season, members of the Tampa Bay Lightning will have some polishing to do. It might feel empty, but when the  NHL announced their season winners  their major awards Wednesday night, there was plenty of Lightning representation.  It won’t make the season more memorable, but it is at […]

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Yankees dominate the Rays once again

June 19, 2019 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. Talk about your classic matchups. In this dugout, you had Murderer’s Row. In the other one, you had Chaz Roe. Ouch. The New York Yankees are suddenly threatening to run away with the American League East race. They beat up the Rays and Roe Tuesday night, getting five straight hits in the […]

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Tanaka tames the bats of the Tampa Bay Rays

June 18, 2019 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. It was such a big game. Why, then, did the Tampa Bay Rays have such little bats? The Rays barely offered any competition to the New York Yankees Monday night, losing their battle-for-first-place game to New York 3-0. Tampa Bay managed just two hits and a walk, offering little opposition to the […]

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Rays split series with Angels with close victory

June 17, 2019 general

Monday, 4 a.m. They won at home. They won by one run. They actually had a pitcher get a save. Whee. The Rays defied a lot of trends Sunday afternoon in a 6-5 victory over Anaheim, a win that allowed them to split the series and win their second game of the last eight. The […]

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