The guys in The Game ran through the Buccaneer’s schedule and gave their predictions on how the team may fare.

The guys in The Game run through the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, check out their picks.

The guys in The Game project how the NFC South could play out… Here is how they see it as training camps in the NFL open this week.

The 2009 NBA Draft is Thursday June 25th, and here is the latest Mock Draft from Steve Kyler

I was in the middle of typing a blog entry Tuesday night with Gabe Kapler at the plate, blogging that he needed to take a permanent seat on the bench–Durham’s bench–when he blasts his first RBI of the season. It was only a SAC fly to left, but it was good wood and almost warning track depth, so I hesitated at the keyboard. Then in the following inning, he guns down the runner at home plate with a great throw! So much for that rant. Wait a minute, Troy Percival almost lost a 8-2 lead last night. Check some dated blogs and you’ll see, this guy has not been “closer” potential for some time and Joe Maddon better make the executive decision to close by committe before he gives up more games. J.P. Howell saved the potential disaster in this case, but if you go back in the stats, Percival gives up more home runs per batter than anyone I’ve ever seen (OK, I didn’t check the stats, but it may be a record). And while I’m on it, I said early on that B.J. Upton cannot be the lead-off hitter on this club. His attitude and style just don’t create what a team like the Rays need at the top of their lineup. Joe, everything fell into place last year with great bullpen work and timely hitting, and you took home the trophy for Manager of the Year, but this year you may need to up your game even more to get them to overachieve again.

The 2008 rendition of the Tampa Bay Rays (American League Champs) were a lean, mean fighting machine. The scratched and clawed wins from behind on a regular basis. Their bullpen held many times from early innings on multiple occasions to get tough wins. They seemed more interested and excited when they won. That always happens as you begin to expect to win instead of just being happy to win.

Martin Gramatica started out kicking for the Buccaneers and he was jumping and running all over the field after every extra point early in his career, but settled down considerably as he realized he was supposed to make all of his extra points. With the Rays though, I think some of their excitement loss is due to the top of the lineup. B.J. Upton is this year’s lead-off hitter and I think it is hurting them. Some are making excuses for him because he is coming back from shoulder surgery. I would argue that his strikeout habits and general lack of enthusiasm creates an atmosphere of ho-hum baseball. His on-base percentage isn’t terrible, but his batting average is. That creates a feeling for the team in the first inning, an expectation of low results.

On the defensive side of the ball, they are still one of the best and fastest units in baseball. But, the bullpen has already struggled quite a bit. DAn Wheeler hasn’t gotten off to a great start and he was strong last year on many occasions. J.P. Howell is still rocking, thank goodness, and thankfully they haven’t been in that many save opportunities for Troy Percival to screw things up in the ninth. That situation will be the undoing of this solid club in 2009, unless Joe Maddon finds a suitable alternative.