Once again, Pagan saves the Rays’ victory

August 11, 2019 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. Don’t look now, but the Tampa Bay Rays may finally have found a closer. The Rays, who have struggled with their late-inning bullpen for most of the season, have finally found a reliable arm to turn to in that of Emilio Pagan, who has saves in five of his last eight appearances. […]

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Looking back on the Bucs loss to Pittsburgh

August 11, 2019 general

5 Observations 1. It was only one drive, which means it was only one step. But if Jameis Winston can be as efficient as he was in Friday night’s loss to Pittsburgh, he has a chance, and Bruce Arians would have done his best job of whispering. More evidence, please. 2. The Pittsburgh media made […]

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Bullpen bails out Rays in late victory

August 10, 2019 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. When last we could bear to look through our fingers, they were a national disaster. It was only a few games ago, and they were napalm in the morning. The bullpen of the Tampa Bay Rays kept going into games, and they kept throwing gas on the fire. They were the weakest […]

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Bucs fall just short to Steelers in preseason

August 10, 2019 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. They call him the quarterback whisperer. But, really, it is the rest of us that Bruce Arians is whispering too. “Hope,” he is whispering. “Believe.” “Have faith.” Other coaches have spoken the same words in their own hushed terms. But there is a wisdom to Arians that makes you want to believe […]

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In the NFL, turnarounds do happen

August 9, 2019 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Imagine the Bucs being good. More importantly, imagine them being good now. It’s hard, I know. You have to suspend a lot of disbelief that the franchise has built up over the years. You have to picture a lot of things going right. You have to envision Bruce Arians as a miracle […]

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This time, the Rays can’t catch the Blue Jays

August 8, 2019 general

Thursday, 3 a.m. This time, the comeback fell short. This time, the tying run died on base. This time, the Rays lost — again — to the Toronto Blue Jays. A day after a six-run rally beat the Jays, the Rays were unable to overcome a four-run deficit in a 4-3 defeat. They scored three […]

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View from the golf cart: Hoping to win

August 8, 2019 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. Bruce Arians isn’t asking for much. Just to win. Arians, who coaches his first Bucs’ game Friday night against Pittsburgh, would like to start out well. The Steelers were 9-6-1 last year and beat the Bucs in the regular season. “A win – that’s the only reason we play the game,” Arians […]

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Might Winston be an improved quarterback?

August 7, 2019 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. You squint to see something different, something wiser, something better. Jameis Winston stands in front of the room, speaking, and he looks much like the man who attempted to talk away another interception, another defeat, another disappointment. You hope for something different, for some special phrase he could say to convince you […]

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Kiermaier leads Rays to huge comeback

August 7, 2019 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. This is the image that you will remember of Kevin Kiermaier, exultant. His hands are raised over his head in triumph. The front of his uniform is covered in infield dirt. Gatorade — teammates finally got him after several moments — is dripping from his body. There is a smile on his […]

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View from the golf cart: Arians likes running backs

August 7, 2019 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. A year ago, there wasn’t much they could do most of the time. This year, Bucs’ coach Bruce Arians continues to like his running backs. “This is a very, very solid NFL group,” Arians said Wednesday night. “They each bring something different to the table. You can get everything done within the […]

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