Give Metallica credit. When 1991's eponymous "black album" landed the band squarely in the mainstream, it didn't milk the formula. It forged ahead with "Load" (1996) and "Reload" (1997), tweaking things here, trying new approaches there. ...more

September 12, 2008

At 7:58 p.m. today, we're exactly three days away from the second new moon of August. This Saturday provides the excellent fishing conditions, with the midday heat to contend with the only serious challenge. ...more

August 27, 2008

It appeared to be here-we-go-again time for LHP Scott Kazmir after two innings Saturday. ...more

August 24, 2008

President Hamid Karzai on Saturday strongly condemned a coalition airstrike that he said killed up to 95 Afghan civilians - including 50 children - in a village in western Afghanistan on Friday, and said his government would be announcing initiatives to prevent such heavy losses of civilian life. ...more

August 24, 2008

Most of the time you wouldn't want to read lips too closely when Grant Balfour is on the mound. By his own admission, he can be guilty of "saying stuff I shouldn't say out there" but it's just his way of getting fully into the moment. Relief pitchers tend to be a little nutty anyway, and Balfour definitely fits the profile. ...more

July 19, 2008

Tyrone Perry's sweet swing connected on Liberty County's ace Hunter Jacobs' curveball for a beautiful solo home run in the first inning on Tuesday, but that's where the cheers ended for Avon Park. ...more

July 17, 2008

Even before the Rays suffered another loss Thursday night, James Shields was eager to step back into the stopper's role he has filled in the past. ...more

July 11, 2008

CLOSE, BUT NO NO-NO Complete-game one-hitters in Rays history: JOE ...more

June 27, 2008

AVON PARK — Christian Crews may have been fatigued from a two-day rest, but he still hurled five solid innings and smacked a game-changing three-run home run in the third to lift the Okeechobee All-Stars to an 11-4 victory over the Avon Park All-Stars during the Dixie Youth Majors District 8 tournament at Durrah Martin Recreational Complex on Sunday morning. "I was a little tired but I just came out and tried to throw strikes," Crews said. "My fastball was working, and on the home run, I was just able to take advantage of a pitch up in the strike zone." Okeechobee assistant coach Neal Crawford has seen Crews put up performances such as this all season long and had all the trust in the world for his hurler. "Christian is deadly with his fastball," Crawford said. "He had one bad pitch when he hung one up there and [Fauthree] made him pay with the homer. I'm just really proud of these kids. I wouldn't have cared if we had won by one run. We're just happy with a win." ...more

June 22, 2008

Scott Kazmir started to get upset in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday, when home-plate umpire Derryl Cousins called a ball on a pitch the Rays' starter was certain was a strike to give Reggie Willits a walk. ...more

June 12, 2008