Sports Day Tampa Bay

We have a series. The Rays beat the Guardians 3-1 in ALCS Game 2 to even the best-of-seven at one game apiece, and Rick and Steve walk through a nervy night at Tropicana Field. Parker Messick, the Plant City native, kept the Rays in check and got a couple of double plays until a pair of Rays challenges overturned one, Chandler Simpson (back in the lineup) beat out a high chopper, Victor Mesa hustled to third when nobody covered it, and Jose Ramirez let a Ben Williamson grounder skip through his legs for a 1-0 lead. Liam Hicks then ripped a slider to center for a 3-0 advantage. Freddy Peralta did the rest, throwing the fastest pitches of his career with more than 70 percent fastballs, working out of traffic with a changeup he couldn't control, and extending a run in which he has won eight straight starts and allowed one run or none in every outing. Brian Baker earned his 34th consecutive save, and Steve has the stat of the night: the Rays are 89-0 when leading after eight innings this season, including the postseason, a mark only eight other teams since 1900 have matched.A big chunk of the show is Rick's defense of Kevin Cash against after-the-fact criticism of his lineup choices, from the Chandler Simpson-against-lefties debate to Taylor Walls' glove, plus whether the Game 1 decision to send Rasmussen out for the seventh had anything to do with Blake Snell (Steve and Rick both say no). They look ahead to Game 3 in Cleveland on Thursday at a 6 p.m. start, why the 2-3-2 format makes that game so important (the team that wins it takes the series about 70 percent of the time), the odd choice of Griffin Jacks over Nick Martinez to start it, and how much the Rays miss Shane McClanahan. They also trade views on who closes if Baker is unavailable (Kevin Kelly, Cam Boozer, a high-velocity Hopkins, or Ian Seymour), why the "big three" bats of Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda, and Junior Caminero still haven't broken out, a Mutombo-style finger wag, and the cost of postseason tickets and what that means for the crowd (and whether Game 6 on Monday could start at 5 p.m.).Then it's the Bucs. The President was set to attend Sunday's Steelers game and isn't now, which has Rick relieved about traffic and security, and Mike Alstott gets some love as one of the most popular athletes in the area after hyping the Trop crowd. The big question is Baker Mayfield: he'll try to throw this week, Todd Bowles says Jalon Daniels is the starter "right now," and Rick explains why a competitor like Baker doesn't want to watch someone else do his job, while also noting that Daniels got away with a near-disastrous throw in Dallas that would have been a pick-six had it not been dropped. The show closes with the Lightning's 4-1 loss at the Rangers (outscored 9-2 by New York in two games but undefeated against everyone else), their four-game win streak ending, and a schedule that's all Western Conference teams for the rest of October.Segments:Rays beat the Guardians 3-1 to even the ALCSHow the Rays scored: Messick's double plays, Simpson's infield hit, Ramirez's error, Hicks' two-run singleFreddy Peralta's fastball-heavy night and his streakDefending Kevin Cash: lineup decisions, second-guessing, and Rasmussen in Game 1Game 3 preview: Griffin Jacks, the 2-3-2 odds, and the absence of McClanahanThe Rays' pitching development and Brian Baker's 89-0 perfection after eight inningsWho closes if Baker is out, and where the big three bats standFan experience: ticket prices, attendance, and the Game 6 start timeBucs vs. Steelers preview: no presidential visit, Mike Alstott's popularity, Team Tampa BayBaker Mayfield's attempt to return and Jalon Daniels' near-mistake in DallasLightning fall 4-1 at the Rangers and look aheadSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you had Guardians in four, you're looking pretty good. Cleveland won its fourth straight postseason game with a 7-3 victory in ALCS Game 1 at Tropicana Field, and Rick and Steve go through what went wrong for the Rays: a first inning in which they scored twice but left the bases loaded, a stretch where 13 of 14 hitters went down, and Drew Rasmussen, who battled but wasn't dominant, giving up solo home runs to Chase DeLauter in the sixth and Patrick Bailey to start the seventh after Kevin Cash sent him back out. Former Ray Nate Lowe added big hits against a shaky bullpen (Cam Boozer was fine, Tyler Wells struggled after a long layoff). They also cover the scary top-of-the-ninth collision between Junior Caminero and Johnny DeLuca, Jonathan Aranda's perfect first-inning sacrifice bunt (his first of the year), Cash's platoon lineup that sat Chandler Simpson, Richie Palacios, and Liam Hicks, and why Rick says the Guardians, who rarely strike out and put constant pressure on a defense, play a lot like the Rays. Game 2 is tonight with Freddy Peralta against Plant City's Parker Messick, and the hosts remind everyone that this Cleveland team just won four straight after losing the first two to the White Sox, and the series isn't going to be easy.Then it's the Bucs, who were back at work with limited availability. Rick spoke with Alex Anzalone and Zyon McCollum and says Tampa Bay is starting to forge an identity: a defense that stops the run (second in the league), forces turnovers, and mixes man and zone coverage, plus a running game built around Bucky Irving and the offensive line. They dig into how Anzalone struggled early wearing the green dot helmet communicator after Lavonte David's retirement, how he's gotten faster and more comfortable, and how he sealed the Dallas win on a hustle interception after the Cowboys' 99-yard drive. Steve and Rick also talk about how much the Bucs miss Mike Evans after his big night in San Francisco, with the 49ers now 5-0 and looking like the best team in the NFC.Plus: the NFC South is wide open now that the Ravens rallied past the Falcons (no one in the division has more than two wins), what Todd Bowles is preaching about adversity, and how the Bucs might use the Steelers game to reach Carolina with a chance at the division lead. The Lightning, winners of four straight, play the Rangers tonight without Igor Shesterkin, and Nikita Kucherov is six points from passing Steven Stamkos for the franchise scoring lead, which sparks a debate over the greatest Lightning player of all time. The hosts close with the "low IQ" state of modern hockey and football, and a pitch for AI face shields in the NFL.Segments:Guardians beat the Rays 7-3 in ALCS Game 1Where it went wrong: bases loaded in the first, Rasmussen in the seventh, and a bullpen layoffCaminero-DeLuca collision, Aranda's sacrifice bunt, and Cash's platoon lineupGame 2 preview: Freddy Peralta vs. Parker MessickBucs' emerging identity: defense, the run game, and Alex Anzalone's growth with the green dotMissing Mike Evans, and the 49ers at 5-0Lightning at the Rangers, no Shesterkin, and Kucherov chasing StamkosLow-IQ hockey and football, AI face shields, and Washington's clock managementRavens beat the Falcons; the NFC South picture and the Steelers game aheadSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Rays open the American League Championship Series tonight at Tropicana Field against a Guardians team that came back from 0-2 to beat the White Sox, and Rick and Steve break down the matchup. Cleveland's payroll is lower than Tampa Bay's, the Rays went 5-1 against the Guardians this year (including three shutouts), and Drew Rasmussen takes the ball in Game 1 with the team having won his last 13 starts. They talk through the 2-3-2 format, Shane McClanahan being shut down for the rest of the season, whether Ian Seymour becomes the fourth starter or follows an opener, why Junior Caminero hasn't exploded in the playoffs yes, and Mark Topkin's story on how many Rays and Guardians have crossed between the two organizations, from Kevin Cash and Stephen Vogt to Yandy Diaz and Richie Palacios. Steve picks the Rays in six. They also check in on a Brewers-Dodgers NLCS Game 1 that was tight in the eighth, a Dodgers team chasing a third straight World Series, and the looming lockout and payroll debate, with Rick offering a "bucket list" reason to get to a postseason game.Then it's the Bucs' mini bye week. Rick and Steve revisit Todd Bowles owning the fourth-and-1 decision from Thursday (and the 99-yard Dallas drive that followed), then turn to a Sunday of head-scratching coaching decisions: the Eagles kicking off to the Jaguars' returner with 11 seconds left in London, and a Commanders-Giants 27-27 tie in which Washington let the clock expire in field goal range in overtime. At 1-4 the Bucs still sit in a winnable NFC South, with the Steelers coming to Tampa, Baker Mayfield trying to play through his thumb injury, and Bowles saying Jalen Daniels is the plan. Rick also gives them a "puncher's chance" against Aaron Rodgers.The hosts also celebrate Mike Evans' big night for the undefeated 49ers (seven catches, 114 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion at Seattle with a cracked rib) and what it says about the receivers the Bucs have now. In college football, Florida gets beaten badly by South Carolina, Texas and LSU both lose, and Georgia gets past Alabama. They close with the Lightning's 5-3 win over the Islanders behind Brandon Hagel's three goals, tonight's game against a Rangers team playing without Igor Shesterkin, and the week ahead.Segments:Weekend recap and ALCS Game 1 preview: Rays vs. GuardiansPayrolls, the Dodgers' third-straight World Series bid, and Cleveland's comeback on the White SoxGame 1 and the pitching plan: Rasmussen, McClanahan's absence, and Ian SeymourCaminero, Jose Ramirez, and the Rays-Guardians crossover storyBrewers-Dodgers NLCS Game 1, the lockout debate, and a "bucket list" postseason gameBucs mini bye week and Bowles' fourth-and-1 decisionSunday's coaching gaffes: Jaguars-Eagles in London and the Commanders-Giants tieThe Bucs at 1-4: the NFC South picture, Steelers preview, and Baker Mayfield's thumbMike Evans' big night with the 49ersCollege football: Florida, Texas, Georgia-Alabama, and LSULightning beat the Islanders 5-3 and host the RangersSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bucs are finally in the win column. Tampa Bay went into Dallas on a short week with an undrafted rookie quarterback and came away with its first road victory in 347 days, and Rick says it may have saved their season. Jalon Daniels was 19-of-25 for 189 yards and a touchdown (110.2 rating) and added 23 yards on the ground, but the star was Bucky Irving, who ran for a career-high 165 yards, including a 72-yard career long, as the Bucs rushed for about 240 as a team. The defense, playing without Antoine Winfield Jr., held the NFL's second-highest-scoring offense in check with three takeaways, constant pressure on Dak Prescott (no sacks, but 42 forced attempts), and just 50 rushing yards allowed by Dallas. Emeka Egbuka finally got involved, special teams didn't cost them a game, and Chase McLaughlin made all of his kicks. Rick and Steve also dig into the 14 penalties, Todd Bowles' controversial fourth-and-one call that nearly cost them, the Cowboys' shaky defense, and a surprising question: could Baker Mayfield be back when the Bucs host the Steelers after nearly 10 days off?They look at an NFC South where nobody has more than two wins and no one has played a division game yet, why Rick thinks Atlanta, New Orleans, and Carolina (with Bryce Young playing at an MVP level) are all beatable, and how the Bucs can claw back to .500. Then it's a busy sports night: the Lightning beat the Wild 3-2 to go 3-0 on their homestand as Dennis Hildeby makes his first start and John Carlson ends a 0-for-14 power play drought with two goals; USF falls at UTSA for a second straight loss under first-year coach Brian Hartline; and the Guardians force a Game 5 against the White Sox, with the Rays waiting for the winner on Monday. The hosts close with the story behind Jalen Daniels' mom joining his Prime interview, his foundation helping kids afford youth sports, and why the cost of youth sports has gotten out of hand.Segments:Bucs beat the Cowboys: why this might have saved their seasonJalen Daniels' second start and Bucky Irving's huge nightThe defense dominates without Antoine Winfield Jr.14 penalties, Todd Bowles' fourth-and-one decision, and the Steelers game aheadCould Baker Mayfield return? The NFC South picture without a division game playedUSF falls at UTSA; Brian Hartline's first-year growing painsLightning beat the Wild 3-2 and head to New YorkGuardians-White Sox Game 5 and the Rays' ALCS waitJalen Daniels' mom, his foundation, and the cost of youth sportsSponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the American League Championship Series after sweeping the Yankees with a 4-3 win in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, and Rick says the only downside is that they can't pop champagne in the Bronx a third time this year. The Yankees never led in the series. Rick and Steve break down the finish: a lineup tweak that sat Chandler Simpson but got Ryan Vilade's home run, Victor Mesa Jr.'s no-doubt two-run bomb off a lefty, a patchwork bullpen that held on (Griffin Jax, Cam Boozer, Kevin Kelly, Bryan Baker, and a calming visit from Kyle Snyder), and a Volpe "home run" that was overturned for fan interference. They also explain how a team picked to finish last in the AL East have won 101 games so far by bringing bunting back (a Wall Street Journal story says the Rays had more bunt attempts than any team in 10 years), playing the deepest outfield in baseball, and finding value on the margins. From there: Rays vs. the White Sox or Guardians on Monday at the Trop, a possible World Series against the Dodgers or Brewers, a 34-page MLB lockout memo (no Christmas cards to players after Dec. 2), and a comparison to Jeffrey Maier in 1996.The second half turns to the Bucs, who are 0-4 and headed to Dallas for Thursday Night Football with Jalon Daniels making his second start in four days. Baker Mayfield and Antoine Winfield Jr. are out, kicker Chase McLaughlin (9-for-9) is nursing a hip and leg injury but expected to play, and the Cowboys are averaging 30 points per game with CeeDee Lamb piling up targets. Rick and Steve discuss what Daniels needs to do better (reading blitzes and setting protection), why special teams can't cost them again, and why Rueben Bain Jr. could be the game-wrecker the Bucs need.Timestamps:0:35 – Rays sweep the Yankees; no more champagne at Yankee Stadium1:12 – Yankees never led the series; Rays clinch there for the second time in 15 days1:52 – ALCS opponent: White Sox or Guardians, with Game 1 Monday at the Trop2:11 – Third ALCS in franchise history: 2008 Red Sox, 2020 Astros3:16 – Chandler Simpson on the bench, Vilade's home run, Mesa's two-run blast4:04 – Yankees lineup change leaves Ben Rice out of the ninth4:31 – Rays bullpen: Griffin Jax, Boozer, Kelly, Baker, and Kyle Snyder's mound visits6:06 – Victor Mesa Jr.'s two-run bomb off a lefty7:21 – Bryan Baker's rise from "B bullpen" to leading the majors in saves9:01 – A team picked to finish fifth in the AL East9:41 – Rays bring fundamentals back to baseball: bunting, stealing, hit-and-run11:32 – Winning on the margins: pitching, defense, speed13:07 – The new ownership group and the Rays' AL East champion T-shirts14:20 – How the Rays' deep outfield positioning is changing baseball15:17 – Volpe's "home run" overturned: fan interference17:12 – Kevin Cash sticks with Jax for another inning18:21 – Lightning off to a decent start; three TVs needed for Thursday night19:12 – NLCS: Dodgers advance, Brewers up 3-1; salary cap talk looms19:58 – MLB's 34-page lockout memo: no Christmas cards after Dec. 221:05 – Fan interference and the 1996 Jeffrey Maier comparison22:49 – Rays' 101 wins; World Series would start on the road24:34 – White Sox, the Pope, and a Popemobile bullpen cart26:36 – Sponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza27:37 – Bucs at Cowboys preview: Chase McLaughlin's injury, Baker and Winfield out29:36 – Jalon Daniels handling the noise in his second start on a short week31:31 – A louder road environment; Cowboys' high-scoring offense and shaky defense32:40 – Reuben Bain Jr. as a game-wrecker34:48 – Special teams and a fair evaluation of Daniels' first start36:36 – How Green Bay saved its blitzes for the final drive38:05 – Rain in Tampa and the flight to Dallas38:49 – Contending with CeeDee Lamb, and what a Bucs win would change40:05 – Alabama-Georgia weather and wrap-up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.