Sports Day Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Times
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Your daily home for Tampa Bay sports. Award-winning Tampa Bay Times journalist Rick Stroud teams up with Steve Versnick every weekday to break down the biggest stories across the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, USF, and beyond. From locker room insight to trade rumors, injury updates, and the moves shaping each franchise, Rick and Steve go beyond the headlines with reporting you won't find anywhere else — plus regular mailbag segments answering listener questions. New episodes drop every weekday morning, making it the ultimate insider's guide to sports in the Bay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 3h ago

    Bucs Host Michael Penix and the Falcons, Looking Back on Rays' Run & Florida vs. Georgia

    It's Football Friday, Halloween is Saturday, and the clocks fall back, but first Rick and Steve put a bow on the Rays' season. Rick still thinks the team overachieved in every way, Steve says they probably reached the World Series a year or two early, and both worry about a likely lockout and what it does to the roster. They talk about the chemistry that carried the team (team dinners on the road, Nick Martinez's arrival, and a contrast with a talented Mets team where Lindor and Soto reportedly don't get along), whether the Rays can afford to re-sign Freddy Peralta and Martinez, how the CBA could change things with a salary floor, a cap, and shorter maximum contracts, and which prospects (Xavier Isaac, Brody Hopkins, and catcher Caden Bodine, who played at four levels this year) might help. Rick says Chandler Simpson showed "ice in his veins" in the playoffs and relays John Smoltz's view that Simpson will become a leadoff man, while Steve explains the analytics behind Yandy Diaz leading off and says the Rays' approach is to not give young players more than they can handle. They debate Junior Caminero's postseason (he hit the ball but not for home runs, and needs protection in the lineup), and Rick tells the Tom Brady story about being "brothers as champions" to show why losing a final is so tough when you don't know if the group will ever get back. Both then remember how far this franchise has come in a year, from playing at Steinbrenner Field with the roof off the Trop to being the best team in the American League. After a sponsor break, they turn to a big weekend in football, starting with Florida vs. Georgia in Atlanta (next year's game will be at Raymond James Stadium). They look at how first-year coach Jon Sumrall has handled a season that wobbled, the Gators' road win at Texas without their starting quarterback, a tough finish that includes Oklahoma, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Florida State, USF's game with UAB, Florida State hosting Clemson amid talk of a coaching change, and a Belichick-coached North Carolina team that could trap No. 1 Miami. Rick, who's lost his voice, then previews the Bucs' home game against the Falcons: Atlanta's strong run defense, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Michael Penix Jr. (the NFC Player of the Week, playing in his hometown for the first time), a defense that Rick says is playing as well as any Bucs team since the Super Bowl era, takeaways (12, second in the league, and eight in the last three games), the 79 percent win rate of teams that win the turnover battle, the third-and-28 grudge, and Baker Mayfield's Kevin Stefanski chip. They end with the stat the Bucs would like to retire: the last Tampa Bay team to win at Raymond James Stadium was the Lightning. SegmentsFootball Friday: Halloween and daylight saving timeThe Rays' season in hindsight: overachieving and arriving earlyThe lockout, team chemistry, and the Mets' clubhouseRe-signing Peralta and Martinez, and the CBAProspects: Isaac, Hopkins, and Caden BodineChandler Simpson, the leadoff debate, and Caminero's postseasonTom Brady's "brothers as champions" speechFrom Steinbrenner Field to the AL's best teamSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaCollege football: Florida vs. Georgia in AtlantaJon Sumrall's first season and the Gators' remaining scheduleUSF-UAB, Florida State-Clemson, and Miami at Belichick's North CarolinaBucs vs. Falcons: Penix, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Atlanta's run defenseThe Bucs' defense and the turnover battleThe remaining schedule, the NFC South race, and the last team to win at Raymond James Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. 1d ago

    The Rays' Season Ends in Five: A Series That Slipped Away, a Market That Gets Misjudged, and the Bucs Turn Focus to Atlanta

    The Rays' World Series run is over. They lost to the Milwaukee Brewers in five games, and Rick and Steve look at it from both sides. Nobody expected this team to be here: Rick notes they weren't even picked to win the AL East, let alone win it by a lot and sweep the Yankees. But it's the third World Series the Rays have lost, and a loss like that doesn't go away. They credit Milwaukee (the best team in baseball, with a lineup Drew Rasmussen called relentless) and also point to what the Rays didn't do: score 12 runs in five games, hit .182, go 8 for 39 with runners in scoring position, and get what they needed from Junior Caminero, Jonathan Aranda, and Yandy Diaz. Chandler Simpson, who tied Randy Arozarena's franchise record with eight hits in a World Series, drew praise as the one player who did everything he could. Steve offers a stat about the Brewers' bottom of the order, where Cooper Pratt had six straight at-bats with a hit, while the Rays' seventh, eighth, and ninth hitters had six hits all series. They defend Kevin Cash ("When you don't hit, what do you want the manager to do?"), talk about whether Rasmussen's Game 5 start on short rest was a good call, and look at how Milwaukee learned from last year's NLCS sweep and finished the job. Rick and Steve look at a franchise that was displaced to a minor league park a year ago and is now going to the World Series, what needs to happen with the offseason pitching staff (Peralta and Martinez are likely gone, with Shane McClanahan and Ryan Pepiot possibly returning), and why a lockout could keep baseball away longer than anyone wants. Rick reflects on why they feel like they're coming back down a mountain, and Steve says it may have been the most fun Rays season he's seen (Rick says the 2008 team still edges it). The back half returns to the Tampa Bay sports market. Brewers fans took over the Trop for Games 4 and 5, and Rick makes the case that Tampa Bay is a young market built on newcomers: Steve estimates fewer than a third of residents are natives, the franchises date to 1976 at the earliest, and it's a tourism and healthcare economy. Steve compares it to Atlanta and points out how many former players still live here. They also note the six championship rounds in six years. Along the way they celebrate Joe Davis borrowing Bob Uecker's home run call for the Brewers' Cooper Pratt homer and the Williamson walk-off, with a Jack Buck/Joe Buck/Vin Scully history lesson, and applaud Taylor Walls for pushing back on a question after Game 4. After a sponsor break, the Bucs get their turn: Baker Mayfield's glove, strength against strength with Atlanta's run defense, the Bucs' second-in-the-league 12 takeaways, 13 sacks in three games, Michael Penix Jr.'s first game at Raymond James, Baker's chip against Kevin Stefanski, and the Bucs' search for their first home win. SegmentsThe Rays lose the World Series in five: a season nobody expectedDisappointment and credit for MilwaukeeCaminero, Aranda, Yandy, and the offensive strugglesChandler Simpson's World SeriesCooper Pratt, the Brewers' bottom of the order, and the MVP12 runs in five games: why the Rays lostDefending Kevin CashLooking ahead: Neander, the pitching staff, and the lockoutThe mountain after the season: why it's so hard to get backBrewers fans take over the Trop and Tampa Bay's market identityTampa Bay's run of championship roundsJoe Davis, Bob Uecker, and baseball broadcasting historyTaylor Walls pushes back on a postgame questionSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaBucs preview: Baker Mayfield, takeaways, and the Falcons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. 2d ago

    Rays Stay Alive: Williamson's Walk-Off in 12, Caminero's Leg, and Who's Left To Pitch Tonight?

    The Tampa Bay Rays finally have a World Series moment. Ben Williamson's Baltimore chop over the first baseman ended a 12-inning Game 4 and cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-1, and Rick and Steve (who was at the Trop) take it from the top. Brewers rookie Cooper Pratt led off the 12th with a home run, the first rookie ever to hit an extra-inning homer in a World Series, and Ian Seymour was the one who gave it up. But Milwaukee, sending out pitchers who hadn't thrown in 12 days, let the Rays back in: Joey Ortiz committed an error to start the inning, Junior Caminero reached and limped from first to third, Cedric Mullins pinch ran, Johnny DeLuca delivered a bases-loaded tying single up the middle, and Williamson (who had been waiting with a helmet for five innings) ended it. The hosts break down the pinch-running choices, the Brewers fans who looked ready to party and ended up stunned, and why a game like this might loosen up a Rays team that looked tight. They look ahead to tonight's Game 5, with Jacob Misiorowski on the mound for Milwaukee and the Rays deciding between an opener and a bullpen game (Steve guesses Steven Matz). They talk about Caminero's leg, Kevin Cash saying he's fine, the importance of putting the "three aircraft carriers" back at the top of the order, and a run-scoring drought in which the Rays have scored in just seven of 39 innings and had a crooked number in only two of them. They credit Tyler Wells and Griffin Jacks (who might have been left in one batter too long), the diving catches from DeLuca and Chandler Simpson, and Rick and Steve discuss Richie Palacios' throws from second base. Rick says nothing like this has been done before, which Steve points out was true until Boston did it in 2004, and both agree the pressure would shift squarely onto the Brewers if the Rays win one more at home. The second half takes a turn into Tampa Bay itself: Milwaukee fans filled the Trop (a thousand cases of Miller and Coors Light went through Ferg's in a single day), and the hosts respond to national critics who rip the market. Steve notes that roughly 60,000 Wisconsin transplants live in the Tampa metro, that the Rays, Lightning, and Bucs are young franchises in a young market, and that the real problem is transit and traffic (he spent an hour getting to the Trop and an hour and a half getting home). After a sponsor break, they praise the former Rays who turned up for Game 4 (Evan Longoria threw out the first pitch, with Chris Archer, Zach Eflin, Taj Bradley, and Tyler Glasnow in the stands), predict a big contract for Freddy Peralta, and then switch to the Bucs: Baker Mayfield's glove, the Colts' fire sale (Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner are gone, and Jonathan Taylor may be next), the Panthers' trip to Green Bay on Thursday night, a must-win game against Atlanta, and a Sunday night date in Chicago. SegmentsRays win Game 4 in 12 innings: the walk-off and how it happenedCooper Pratt's home run, Ian Seymour, and Milwaukee's miscuesCaminero's injury, pinch-running decisions, and Cash's benchMilwaukee fans in the Trop and the rally-towel mix-upResilience: why this Rays team can still believeGame 5 outlook: Misiorowski, who starts for the Rays, and Rasmussen's restThe run drought and defense behind the pitchersPalacios' throwing and a mental-block storyBrewers fans take over: Ferg's, Wisconsin transplants, and Tampa Bay's fan reputationTraffic, I-275, and getting out of the TropBoston 2004 and a first for everythingWorld Series ratings and the game within the gameSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaFormer Rays in attendance and Freddy Peralta's coming paydayBucs back at practice: Baker's glove, the Colts' fire sale, and the road ahead Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. 3d ago

    Rays' Bats Go Quiet, Cash's Lineup Draws Fire as Rays Lose 10-1, on Brink of Elimination

    The Rays are down 3-0 in the World Series, and Rick opens with the hard truth that no team has ever come back from that. Steve was at the Trop and walks Rick through a Game 3 loss in which the Brewers faced the minimum through eight innings, the Rays managed three hits (Yandy Diaz's leadoff single in the first and Cedric Mullins' and Diaz's hits in the ninth to avoid the shutout), and the lone highlight for the crowd was Chandler Simpson's wall-crashing catch. Rick points out that the offense hasn't hit since the first inning of Game 2, and the hosts spend plenty of time on the mistakes: Simpson sliding well past second base on a steal, Jonathan Aranda's absence from the lineup against a lefty, Ben Williamson batting fifth, Richie Palacios barely playing, a lazy throw to second by Junior Caminero that kept an inning alive, and Victor Mesa Jr. and Taylor Walls misplaying balls. Milwaukee scored all 10 of its runs with two outs, including eight in one inning (which Steve says is a World Series record). They debate whether Kevin Cash and the analytics overthought it, from the lineup to the rotation. Rick says he'd rather manage from the gut and play his best hitters, Steve says "If I'm going down, I want to go down with my best," and both note that Freddy Peralta didn't lose the game and that Cam Boozer, who had been good, couldn't get out of the jam. They also cover the bigger picture: a Milwaukee bullpen that has been fully rested, Rays starters Rasmussen, Peralta, and Martinez combining for a 6.77 ERA, Jackson Chourio as the likely series MVP, how much of the crowd Brewers fans took over, and the cost of a night out ($1,000 tickets, $100 parking, and $21 beers). Rick calls this one of the greatest seasons in Rays history even as he laments a third World Series loss, and they look at the coming lockout and when baseball might return and note that the Rays' new owners "won big." They turn to the Bucs, who are coming off a 43-13 rout of the Panthers and 258 rushing yards. Rick praises Bucky Irving, whose 5 a.m. workouts began with Tom Moore and who has bounced back from an injury-plagued year, and says the run game, the offensive line, and Baker Mayfield's 11 passes (including a back-shoulder throw on third-and-10 and a touchdown off a scramble) are the new identity. Steve shows that the seven teams the Bucs have faced are a combined 14 games above .500, so their 2-5 record is better than it looks. They walk through the schedule ahead (the Falcons at home, then Sunday night at Chicago), the injured players who could return (Emeka Egbuka, Winfield, Luke Goedeke), two straight five-sack games, and what the Bucs need to do to get back in the NFC South race. The show closes with a congratulations to Coach John Cooper on the ninth annual Coop's Catch for Kids fishing tournament, which raised another half million dollars for pediatric cancer research, a look at Lightning-Jets on Thursday, and a preview of tonight's Game 4 with Griffin Jacks on the mound. SegmentsRays down 3-0: no team has ever come backGame 3 recap: three hits, the minimum faced through eight, and Simpson's catchSimpson's baserunning and the Rays' mistakes in the fieldThe lineup controversy: Aranda on the bench, Williamson fifth, and PalaciosEight two-out runs, Caminero's throw, and Mesa Jr.'s misplayCash overthinking it: lineups and the rotationMilwaukee's bullpen, Chourio, and a Brewers-heavy crowdRays pitching, ticket prices, and what a great season meansThe CBA, the lockout, and when baseball returnsBucs crush the Panthers with 258 rushing yardsBaker Mayfield's two big plays and the run-first identityBucky Irving's work ethic and Tom MooreSchedule strength, the NFC South math, and the road aheadInjury return outlook and back-to-back five-sack gamesCoop's Catch for Kids, the Lightning on Thursday, and Game 4 tonight Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. 4d ago

    Down 0-2 Headed Home, the Rays Need the Trop, While Bucs Demolish Carolina 43-13

    All three Tampa Bay teams had early leads over the weekend, and two of them blew it. Rick, who watched from Carolina, says none was bigger than the Rays' in World Series Game 2 in Milwaukee, where they jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning (including a Liam Hicks blast) with Drew Rasmussen on the mound, and still lost by one run. Rick and Steve go through what went wrong: Rasmussen was behind in counts and not himself, Chandler Simpson couldn't hold onto a diving catch, Jonathan Aranda let a ball through his legs and missed a foul pop-up, and Ian Seymour gave up a game-tying solo homer to the bottom of the order. Steve also takes issue with the decision to send Hicks home on a play that wasn't close, while the Rays were looking for any extra run. With the Rays down 0-2 and both losses by one run, they weigh whether Kevin Cash's decision to push Rasmussen back to Game 2 backfired, why Milwaukee's bullpen is the difference, and why they're counting on Freddy Peralta and the atmosphere at Tropicana Field in Game 3 tonight. After a sponsor break, the show turns to a Bucs win that Rick says was every bit as dominant as it was unlikely. Tampa Bay beat the division-leading Panthers 43-13 in Carolina, and when Rick asked Todd Bowles afterward "Where has this been?", they got to the highlights: a second quarter with a pass touchdown, a rushing touchdown, a field goal, a defensive touchdown, and a special teams touchdown (only the second time in NFL history, after Bowles' 2018 Jets); Yaya Diaby's three-sack hat trick; Al-Quadin Muhammad's strip-sack that Calijah Kancey ran back for a touchdown; a blocked extra point returned for two points by Zyon McCollum; and 258 rushing yards, including 102 from Bucky Irving, 88 from Kenneth Gainwell, and a 46-yard touchdown run from Sean Tucker. Bryce Young, who started the day with MVP chants, finished 14 of 27 for 163 yards with two interceptions, and he was sacked five times. They also discuss how the Bucs ran the ball 30 times in 40 first-half plays, the division math with Atlanta coming to town and the Panthers at Green Bay on Thursday night, and the one thing that stings: if the Bucs hadn't blown the Steelers game, they could be playing for first place. Baker Mayfield returned with the glove designed with help from the Rays, went 7 for 11 for 64 yards, and didn't have to do much, though Steve and Rick weren't thrilled that he called his own number at the goal line and tried to block on a run play. The Lightning get a rundown, too: Nikita Kucherov passed Steven Stamkos to become the franchise's all-time leading scorer on Saturday night, the team went 1-1-1 on a road trip through Vegas, Colorado, and Utah, and they now have some rest, with Victor Hedman and Zemgus Girgensons both day-to-day. The show closes with a look at tonight's Game 3, the first World Series game in Tampa Bay in 18 years. SegmentsThree Tampa Bay teams, three early leads, two blownRays blow a 4-0 lead in World Series Game 2The defensive misplays, the Hicks send, and Ian Seymour's homerDown 0-2: Cash's Rasmussen decision, Milwaukee's bullpen, and the Trop advantageFreddy Peralta and the must-win Game 3Sponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaBucs crush the Panthers 43-13: Where has this been?Yaya Diaby's hat trick, Muhammad's strip-sack, and Calijah Kancey's touchdown258 rushing yards and the blocked extra pointBryce Young's rough day and the NFC South mathNext up: the Falcons and the Steelers what-ifsBaker Mayfield's return, the glove, and staying healthyLightning: Kucherov passes Stamkos and the road tripHedman, Girgensons, and Lightning special teamsWorld Series Game 3 tonight at the Trop Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Oct 23

    Nick Martinez Gets the World Series Opener, the Rays Built Baker Mayfield a Glove, and Bucs Head to Carolina

    Kevin Cash has decided that Nick Martinez, not Drew Rasmussen, will start Game 1 of the World Series, and Rick and Steve walk through why. Rasmussen has already thrown 43 more innings than ever before, according to pitching coach Kyle Snyder, and an extra day of rest will help him. Freddy Peralta's command slipped late in his last start, and he gets Game 3 at the Trop. As Cash put it, "Nick Martinez just wins." The hosts also look at the downside: in a five-game series, Rasmussen and Peralta would each pitch only once. Rasmussen is disappointed, and Steve assumes he'll go in Games 2 and 6. From there, they size up a matchup in which the Rays aren't favored (The Athletic's writers polled roughly 85 percent for Milwaukee). Rick predicts six or seven games between two teams that mirror each other, while Steve thinks the Brewers were the best team all year and that the National League was tougher. It's the first meeting of the two best records in baseball since 2020. They debate the bullpen: Rick thinks middle relief is the weak spot, Steve says the group has been good with only Ian Seymour struggling, and both agree Martinez can't be allowed to go through the lineup a third time. With one of these teams about to win a first title, they talk about the Rays' third World Series in roughly 28 seasons, the Brewers' 44-year wait, the Game 3 atmosphere at the Trop, and secondary-market tickets near $1,000. "Four wins from immortality." After a sponsor break, the show turns to the Bucs. Baker Mayfield returns to practice with a glove on his throwing hand that was invented by the Rays' home clubhouse attendant Nick Bond, a receiver's glove with the thumb ripped off and a support inserted (there are two versions, hard plastic and soft cast), and Marc Topkin got the story from a clubhouse attendant in Milwaukee. That's "Team Tampa Bay" in action. Rick and Steve then preview Sunday's game at Carolina, where the Bucs give themselves a small chance but can't afford to fall 3.5 games back. The Panthers have a strong offense (Bryce Young with MVP chants, John Izzo calling plays, Tetairoa McMillan) and a bottom-third defense, so Rick expects a shootout. They also discuss Graham Barton on how hard the quarterback's operation is, Emeka Egbuka's concussion protocol and foot injury, the Lightning's trip to Denver and Utah (and the need for two TVs Friday and Saturday), an off weekend for Florida, Florida State, and USF, and why Steve says to "savor it" as the Rays reach the World Series on the heels of last year's Steinbrenner Field season. SegmentsNick Martinez to start World Series Game 1Cash's reasoning, Rasmussen's workload, and Peralta in Game 3The risk of starting Martinez: Rasmussen and Peralta only pitch onceRays vs. Brewers: who is favored and the bullpen debateA first title for one team: the Rays' third World Series and the Brewers' 44-year waitGame 3 at the Trop and ticket pricesSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International PlazaBaker Mayfield's return and the glove invented by Nick BondBucs at Carolina: Bryce Young, the Panthers' offense, and the division mathGraham Barton on the quarterback's operation and the Shanahan/Purdy headset storyEmeka Egbuka's concussion and foot injuryLightning in Denver, college football's off weekend, and savoring the Rays' run Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Oct 22

    Rays' Pitching Plan vs. the Brewers, Yandy Diaz's Number, Kucherov Ties Stamkos & Baker Mayfield Practicing

    The Rays have landed in Milwaukee for the World Series, which begins Friday, and Rick and Steve start by sizing up a matchup between two teams that have never won it all. They revisit how the Rays went 1-2 against every NL Central opponent early in the season, why Tampa Bay isn't favored, and a stat from Hard Rock Bet that Tampa Bay has had six championship-round appearances since 2020, more than any other city. Rick reflects on how far the franchise has come from displacement at Steinbrenner Field and a rebuilt Trop to the sport's biggest stage, and the hosts debate whether the Brewers' eight days off will cause rust. They also wonder if Junior Caminero's long-awaited homer will be the start of one of his streaks. The pitching plan is a big topic. Jacob Misiorowski (16-5 with 252 strikeouts) is expected to open for Milwaukee, and Rick wants Drew Rasmussen to match him. Steve makes the case for starting Nick Martinez in Game 1, giving Rasmussen an extra day of rest in Game 2, and saving Freddy Peralta for Game 3 at the Trop, where he has been spectacular. Rick says he has plenty of faith in Martinez. They also point out how rested the bullpen is, with Brody Hopkins, Griffin Jax, Steven Matz, and Cole Sulser all needing work, and remind everyone that winning one of the first two games on the road would put the Rays in great shape for three at home. They remember the loudest moments at the Trop, from the Kiermaier-Adames-d'Arnaud relay against Houston to the crowd pop on the final out of the ALCS, and Rick explains why this series should be a treat for fans who love the strategy of baseball. In a mailbag question from Craig in Vegas, the guys discuss whether Yandy Diaz's number should be retired. Steve rattles off the numbers (second in team history in on-base percentage, tied for second in batting average at .291, third in hits, fifth in runs, doubles, and home runs) and they debate the difference between the Rays Hall of Fame and retiring a number, with Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, and Ben Zobrist as points of comparison, and compare it to which Lightning players will get numbers retired. After a note on $881 average secondary-market ticket prices, they turn to the Bucs: Baker Mayfield practiced with a glove on his throwing hand and looked accurate, though the velocity wasn't there, Emeka Egbuka is in concussion protocol with a foot injury, and about 20 players are on the injury report (five with illness). They also react to the viral stat that the Lightning are the last Tampa Bay pro team to win at Raymond James Stadium, the Lightning's 6-2 win in Vegas behind Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nikita Kucherov's tying Stamkos for the franchise points record (1,137 in 194 fewer games), the case that Kucherov is the greatest Lightning player ever, Mike Evans' injury, and the Chris Godwin question: Rick looks at his lack of targets and wonders whether the Bucs should consider trading him before next week's deadline. SegmentsRays arrive in Milwaukee for the World SeriesThe Rays' history against the NL Central and the Brewers' rest"Champa Bay": six championship rounds since 2020Caminero's homer and whether he stays hotMisiorowski vs. Rasmussen and the Game 1 starter debateBullpen rest and the 2-3-2 formatThe Trop's loudest momentsWhy this World Series is a strategy lover's dreamMailbag: should the Rays retire Yandy Diaz's number?Ticket prices and World Series revenueBaker Mayfield returns to practice with a gloveBucs injury report and the Carolina gameLightning's last-win-at-Raymond-James statLightning beat Vegas 6-2; Kucherov ties Stamkos and the greatest-Lightning-player debateMike Evans and the Chris Godwin trade questionSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Oct 21

    The Rays' Road to the World Series: Eric Neander's Trades, Junior Caminero's Trot, and the Brewers Ahead

    The Rays are headed to the World Series for the third time in franchise history, and Rick is joined by Tampa Bay Times Rays beat writer Marc Topkin to explain how a team that most people (including Rick) pegged for around .500 got here. Marc describes the scene at Tropicana Field after the ALCS clincher, and then walks through the season: a roster coming off back-to-back losing years, the camaraderie that built through spring training, Nick Martinez as the team's unifier (and the guy who picks up the dinner checks), Eric Neander's pre-opening-day speech before a game they lost after blowing a 7-0 lead, the early sweep of the Yankees, a four-game sweep in Boston after the All-Star break followed by a sweep of Toronto, and the AL East clincher and postseason celebrations at Yankee Stadium. They revisit Yandy Diaz's "we're going to win tomorrow" quote before Game 6. The pitching staff gets plenty of time. Marc talks about Drew Rasmussen, who has come back from three elbow surgeries and hasn't lost a game he started since before the All-Star break, and about lining up Rasmussen for World Series Game 1 and Freddy Peralta for Game 2 so both former Brewers can pitch in Milwaukee. He breaks down the trade for Peralta, why Neander passed on a package with top prospect Theo Gillen, and the small adjustments (a quicker delivery without the windup, a new spot on the rubber, more changeups, a higher release point) that turned him into the ALCS MVP, then covers Brian Baker's rise from middle reliever to a streak of 30-plus straight saves, and Liam Hicks, the Arkansas State product and former hockey goalie from Canada who caught seven pitchers on his first night with the team and homered in Colorado. From there, they get to the personalities: Junior Caminero's 38-second home run trot and the Randy Arozarena pose at home plate, his four-strikeout slump before the rainout, and Chandler Simpson's "cause chaos, create havoc" approach, which warps defenses more than any hitter in baseball. Marc describes Yandy Diaz's growth as a quiet leader (he's the only Rays player remaining from the 2020 World Series) and tells a story about a lineup-card typo that had him at first base. Then he compares this team to the 2008 Rays based on conversations with Joe Maddon, Evan Longoria, BJ Upton, Carlos Pena, and others, and previews the Brewers: the best team in baseball, led by young star Jackson Chourio and flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, with a front office headed by former Rays executive Matt Arnold. The recorded intro and outro also cover the Bucs preparing for Carolina and the status of Baker Mayfield's thumb, the Lightning's trip west, and the perfect idea for a boat parade from St. Petersburg to Tampa. SegmentsThe scene at the Trop and why the Rays surpassed expectationsCamaraderie, Nick Martinez, and Eric Neander's opening-day speechHow the season unfolded: Yankees sweeps, Boston, Toronto, and the clinchersYandy Diaz's guarantee and the volume at the TropDrew Rasmussen's postseason dominance and the World Series rotationFreddy Peralta: the trade, the fixes, and the ALCS MVPBrian Baker's emergence as closerLiam Hicks, the catcher the Rays stole at the deadlineJunior Caminero's trot and star powerChandler Simpson's chaosYandy Diaz: the longest-tenured Ray and a quiet leaderParallels to the 2008 RaysPreviewing the BrewersIntro and outro: Bucs prepare for Carolina, Baker Mayfield's status, Lightning, and a boat paradeSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hosts & Guests

4.6
out of 5
327 Ratings

About

Your daily home for Tampa Bay sports. Award-winning Tampa Bay Times journalist Rick Stroud teams up with Steve Versnick every weekday to break down the biggest stories across the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, USF, and beyond. From locker room insight to trade rumors, injury updates, and the moves shaping each franchise, Rick and Steve go beyond the headlines with reporting you won't find anywhere else — plus regular mailbag segments answering listener questions. New episodes drop every weekday morning, making it the ultimate insider's guide to sports in the Bay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Tampa Bay Times
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Tampa Bay Times All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Sports Day Tampa Bay

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