Lethargic Rays shut out by Marlins

July 5, 2018 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. Say this for  Carlos  Gomez.  The guy gets the most from his swings. He was strong. He was aggressive. He attacked like a man intent on doing some damage. If only the Miami Marlins were throwing water coolers over the plate, the Rays would have been fine. Except for Gomez’ second-inning assault […]

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Rays win strange game in 16 innings

July 4, 2018 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. Aliens did not land on the infield. Chunks of the sky did not fall to earth. Baseballs did not complain about being hit by bats. Pretty much, everything else strange happened in Tuesday night’s game between the Rays and the Miami Marlins. The Rays outlasted Miami, 9-6, in a 16-inning game that […]

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Rays lose to Miami in another one-run game

July 3, 2018 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Perhaps you thought, that with a great homestand behind them, the Tampa Bay Rays were cured. They are not. The Rays dropped a 3-2 game to the Miami Marlins in 10 innings Monday night, slipping back to .500 and seeing their record against National League teams fall to 2-8 on the season. […]

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Winners at last! Rays finish hot home stand

July 1, 2018 general

Monday, 4 a.m. From way up here, you can see hope. The air is clearer here, and the clouds are closer. The blueprint makes sense. Blake Snell looks like an all-star. From up here, at 42-41, the Rays can imagine possibilities. Continuing streaks and getting into the playoff chase. Reinventing the wheel when it comes […]

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Random Thoughts: Winston’s statement took a team

July 1, 2018 general

Remember the control room in Apollo 13? That’s what I imagined it looked like when all the lawyers were writing Jameis Winston’s apology-for-nothing at all statement. — I mean, Jameis is very, very, very, sincerely sorry that King Kong died, that  Fredo was shot in Godfather Two and that men died saving Private Ryan. Uber? […]

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Can you believe it? Rays reach .500 once again

July 1, 2018 general

Sunday, 3 a.m. In baseball, sometimes seeing is believing. And sometimes, you just want to rub your eyes. For instance, did you see Adeiny Hechavarria make an error? Really. For the first time in 94 games and 319 chances, Hechavarria booted one in the sixth inning on a grounder by George Springer. For instance, did […]

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Ask Gary: Should Bucs keep Winston or cut him?

June 30, 2018 general

Each week, the readers take over GarySheltonsports.com and play Ask Gary. They send in a question, or a couple, on Thursday night or Friday morning and we all talk about the world of sports. Think of it as a radio show where you don’t have to be on hold. Join us and ask a question, […]

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Rays win the game, but lose another pitcher

June 30, 2018 general

Saturday, 3 a.m. At the time he was finally arriving as a major league pitcher, Wilmer Font will evidently say farewell to the Rays for a while. Font, on the heels of his finest outing, a one-hitter against the Houston Astros, had to leave Friday night’s game after the fifth inning with a strained lat […]

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Rays lose another close game, this time 1-0

June 29, 2018 general

Friday, 4 a.m. The Tampa Bay Rays know all about close losses. They know how to break down the frustration, too. And so, after the team’s 20th one-run loss of the season (of 41 losses), a 1-0 disappointment, Matt Duffy stood at his locker and tried to dissect where this one got away. No, he […]

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Ranking the state’s Hall of Famers

June 28, 2018 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. Eventually, the body goes. The speed fades and the power ebbs and the biceps shrink. Eventually, even the best of athletes becomes mortal again. Ah, but for a select few, greatness lasts forever. Martin St. Louis will always be the stubborn cuss that drove opponents crazy. Lee Roy Selmon will always have […]

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