Joe Smith covers the Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Bucs for the St. Petersburg Times. He joined the Times in 2006 after spending two years with the Modesto Bee in California, where he did everything from covering the Single-A Modesto Nuts minor league baseball team and high school football to tackling first-person stories on whitewater rafting and adventure racing. Smith, 26, grew up in the Detroit suburbs and attended the University of Michigan, where he covered the football, basketball and hockey teams for the Michigan Daily. He freelanced for the Associated Press and Detroit Free Press before securing internships at Crain's Detroit Business and the Raleigh News & Observer. An avid runner, Smith loves traveling, pizza and checking out local bands.

Phone: (813) 310 9024

Email: joesmith@tampabay.com

Blogs:

Bucs Beat

The Heater