The Rays are 6-0 when Francisco Mejia hits a home run and 11-2 when he drives in a run. Not bad for a backup catcher. Mejia, though, as the above numbers suggest, is not simply somebody who gives fellow catcher Mike Zunino a breather. Rather,…
Read More Francisco Mejia Has A Knack For Delivering Timely Hits
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. – Growing pains are to be expected and Rays wunderkind Wander Franco was experiencing them two weeks into his big league career. Following a scintillating debut at Tropicana Field on June 22, in which he hit a three-run homer and doubled against…
Read More Wander Franco Has Been Displaying The Gifts That Made Him A Top Prospect
TAMPA, FL. – The wind chill at Lambeau Field on December 28, 2008, was 10 degrees at kickoff and going nowhere but down as late afternoon turned into the early evening. It was the final Sunday of the NFL regular season and Detroit Lions linebacker…
Read More Former Florida State Standout Ernie Sims, A Valuable Addition To USF Coaching Staff
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. – True, the Rays have beaten up on a Baltimore pitching staff that left Tropicana Field on Thursday afternoon with an ERA of 5.83. However, no matter how you slice it, scoring at least eight runs in 10 of their last 13…
Read More Entire Lineup Fueling Rays’ Scoring Spree
TAMPA, FL. – To the victor belong the spoils. Might as well include the fans when it comes to the “spoils” part of the proverb, which dates to Andrew Jackson’s presidential victory nearly 200 years ago. While at least a few Tampa Bay Lightning players…
Read More ‘To The Victor Belong The Spoils’, Basking In The Glow Of Two Stanley Cups
TAMPA, FL. – Fans truly have needed a scorecard to identify who is in the Rays bullpen. Thanks largely to a rash of injuries, an incredible 26 pitchers have trotted out of the ‘pen this season. One would think that a relief corps decimated by…
Read More Tampa Bay Rays, Quite A Collection Of Bullpen Arms
On the wall to the entrance of the University of South Florida’s new football locker room is a quote from Bill Walsh. The message underscores how a team needs to act like a champion before it becomes a champion. To that extent, when coach Jeff…
Read More Building A Winning Culture At USF Goes Beyond New Locker Room