[Times photo: James Borchuck] Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp cools off during a morning practice at training camp Wednesday.

Rays
Growing pains persist
ORIOLES 12, RAYS 2: A team kept intact has rough game in midst of a solid run.

Pitching fines don't make McRae happy
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays had been waiting to find out whether Esteban Yan will be suspended for hitting Boston's Manny Ramirez in the ninth inning July 18.

Right deal never emerges
Offers for Randy Winn don't include the talent Chuck LaMar seeks as Rays stay quiet at trade deadline.

John Romano
Rays buoyed by trades that didn't happen
ST. PETERSBURG -- You are a fan of the worst team in baseball.

Lightning
Arbitration is not fun in NHL
Hearings, which start today, can be a bitter battle of words between a player and his team.

College football
Spurrier's shadow over Zook
New Gators coach freely discusses the man he replaces, and welcomes the pressure.

QBs get center stage
HOOVER, Ala. -- The lectern generally is reserved for coaches, but Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning and Florida quarterback Rex Grossman garnered so much media attention that each got to take front stage Wednesday at SEC media days.

College football notebook
Florida State freshmen get started on workouts

Baseball
Timing of contraction ruling iffy
NEW YORK -- An arbitrator's decision on whether owners can fold franchises may be known today, according to a management lawyer, but a top union official thought it might be delayed again.

Deadline deals lack big names
Pitchers Bobby Howry, Steve Reed and John Thomson moved Wednesday as playoff contenders tinkered with their rosters before the nonwaiver trading deadline.

Horse racing
Baffert stays on the run
Think you have a busy weekend planned?

Preps/youth
Tampa Bay captures Junior softball title
The one run scored by Tampa Bay proved to be enough as pitcher Annie Pilger overmatched Naples to lead her team to the state Junior softball title Wednesday with a 1-0 win.

Hosack to retire after school year
The county's activities director for the past 18 years leaves just before school choice begins.

Club team ends season with AAU/PAL crown
TAMPA -- Behind gold-medal performances by Vincent Governor and Renicka Handsome, the Christian Cruisers Youth Track and Field Ministry team completed its summer season with a title in the 2002 National AAU/PAL Youth Club Championships at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

Coaches to attend NFL clinic
Chamberlain's Billy Turner and Largo's Rick Rodriguez are among 150 high school and youth coaches selected to attend the NFL's inaugural Youth Football Summit, a two-day event held at Canton, Ohio, coinciding with the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this weekend.

NFL
Heat keeps Stringer in minds of Vikings
MANKATO, Minn. -- The Vikings went through practice Wednesday in high heat and humidity -- conditions eerily similar to those in which Korey Stringer collapsed exactly a year ago.

Golf
Big names give boost to 'Bighorn'
An exhibition, yes. Meaningless? Far from it.

Distance control
Satellite technology is making old-fashioned yardage markers obsolete.

Outdoors
Daily fishing report
The early morning trout fishing is much better than it was just two weeks ago. I have been leaving my dock about 6:30 a.m. to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and calm seas that have been common. Fish until about 10 a.m. to avoid heatstroke and midday thunderstorms.