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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View from the golf cart: Here come the Dolphins

August 12, 2019 general

Monday, 3 a.m. Most of the time, he is thinking about the Bucs. This week, Bruce Arians may be thinking about the Dolphins, too. Arians’ Bucs team will share practices with Miami on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. It should be the Bucs’ starters a chance to go against the Dolphins’ starters. “It’s a great […]

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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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