Weenie and the Butt chopping up last nights Red Sox @ Rays game

Yay, new feature, yay. Kind of the illegitimate son of 'Chopping it up with Lorcan', 'Boston Irish' now brings you, 'Weenie and the Butt', where Hurricane's hero Lorcan Sherlock and I discuss sports, gambling and such. What's not to like?!

Obviously if you haven't seen 'Family Guy', like, ever, well this is probably going to really suck. Badly. Onwards and upwards.


Today's topic, last night's game one of the Red Sox @ Rays series! Lorcan is going to play Weenie while I play 'The Butt', which isn't an enormous surprise.


Background information - before the season started Lorcan backed The Tampa Bay Devil Rays (I refuse to drop the 'devil' part!) to win the World Series at about 4,567/1, roughly.

Naturally, he is feeling pretty smug about this right now. Let's get it on.


The Butt (Cormac):
Those Rays are annoying me now. They acted like annoying high school clowns in last night's game, I thought From the leadoff home run on, they talked trash, celebrated wildly, basically acted totally without class. They have obviously never heard the old adage ''act like you have been here before''

I am now openly opposing your Rays

Weenie (Lorcan):
Bad blood there. You are right, of course, but didn't it also seem that they wanted the game more than the Sox did? I thought so. Another old adage - every game counts!

The Butt (Cormac):
Did you watch it too? I am sleepy after the late finish! Here's the problem with that. The Rays desperately wanted a early July game. The Sox still played them hard, even though the Rays had home field, plus their ace on the mound.

The Sox countered with a rookie and nearly won.

The Sox have the patience of experience. I didn't like the Rays arrogance at all last night.

Weenie (Lorcan):
Yeah. I'm sleepy too. Kazmir is their ace, Shields is #2. Granted, you are right, the Sox nearly beat them with their # 5.

The Rays have not been in this situation before, so its really no surprise they don't know how to handle it. That being said, a game in early July is just as valuable as a game in September! Especially when the Rays are trying to prove they are for real (even to themselves). These games are hugely important for them from a morale standpoint. They would love to knock off the champs in a series.

This is where their veteran leaders need to step up. Who? Percival, for one. I don't think Crawford is a real leader. Guys like Hinske have certainly paid their dues though. A think a trade for a big name veteran who plays everyday would really help these guys....a good clubhouse guy.

By the way - what the hell is up with Manny?

The Butt (Cormac):
Oh right, Kazmir, I forgot

So, you still call a guy an ace even though he is a Gold solid lock to be on the DL at least two more times this season alone? Kazmir/Harden, are they twins?

They won’t be in this situation for long, if they continue to celebrate first pitch home runs like that. Imagine how they will react to adversity? I would have hoped their manager would possibly suggest they might ‘act like they have been here before’

Percival has to weigh more than me, right? Manny, oh Manny. What is there even to say at this stage?

Weenie (Lorcan):
Would not surprise me at all if the Rays get Sabathia, by the way. They can offer more than anyone else, and it would not hurt their farm system all that much. I'd get a bet in before this move happens. Add Sabathia to this team and they become very very interesting.

The Butt (Cormac):
Okay

I have to call you on this one. Who are they going to offer that they can afford to lose in terms of depth? A huge gap in their arsenal is their lack of depth. One or two players go down, season over. THE SOX ARE STILL WINNING (MOSTLY) WITHOUT DAVID ORTIZ!!

Carl Crawford/Kazmir go down, goodnight Irene

Weenie (Lorcan):

Davis
McGee
Hellickson
Price
Jennings
Brignac

All of these guys huge are prospects. Two of them would land Sabathia, I don't think the Rays would give up Price though. I don't think the Rays would have to give up any major league talent.

As for Crawford and Kazmir -- they already survived for a while without Kazmir. They'll call up Price in August, so he might be able to give more depth. He might struggle, he might be Joba-like, he has that pedigree. As for Crawford, I'm not sure who would replace him. Des Jennings looks good, but he is too raw. They'd probably have to go with Ruggiano, which would be a problem.



The Butt (Cormac):
The Tribe want THREE MLB READY parts. Tell me which of those THREE are MLB ready NOW.

You answered my question anyway

‘’ As for Crawford, I'm not sure who would replace him. Des Jennings looks good, but he is too raw. They'd probably have to go with Ruggiano, which would be a problem.’’

Bottom line, to me, they lose 1-2 key players, it’s game over

There is no depth to them, they are not used to playing under pressure and they will collapse eventually. It’s easy to ‘get up’ for a game against the Sox, not as easy to come back against the Rangers, White Sox or even Royals when 2-4 down in the ninth with 12,000 people asleep in the stands

Weenie (Lorcan):
I don't know if I buy that. It is not like Crawford is carrying the offense. They are balanced and they manufacture runs. Upton, Longoria and Pena are all big contributors. Role players have made big contributions too. The Sox will pass them, but the Yanks certainly won't.

Smells like Bartolo Colon all over again!

I think realistically the Indians know they are not getting three major league ready parts. One of the best deals in their history was Colon and cash (money, not the player) for Sizemore, Phillips, and Cliff Lee. None of those three were major league ready - what was that, five or six years ago? They are the same types of prospects though. Jennings is miles ahead of where Sizemore was, and the pitching prospects are more highly regarded than Lee was.

It was 2002!

Phillips was the 20th ranked prospect in baseball at the time - a future stud.

Lee was just coming into his own in Double A - a control pitcher prone to gopher balls. (Was Montreals 11th best prospect pre-season)

Sizemore was just coming of a season in A ball where he hit .256 with 2 HR - and had 0 HR through late June in the current season.

Nobody wants to be known for making deals like this nowadays, so I think the most that the Rays will give up is one or two premium prospects with a fringe prospect or two. The Indians will not get a better offer. What are the Yanks going to do, throw Kennedy's name out there again! With Melky?

The Butt (Cormac):
Okay maybe you are right, maybe Tampa have the parts, but if you were C.C, and you could ‘nudge’ a trade in a certain direction, which would you choose, Manhattan or Tampa?

‘’ The Sox will pass them, but the Yanks certainly won't.’’
And, did you just say the Sox will pass the Rays? I thought you just spent an hour arguing Tampa are legitimate?!

Weenie (Lorcan):
They are legit. I think they'll win the wild card! But the Sox have not hit full stride and they are still hanging around first place. You know a surge will happen sooner or later.



If I were CC - well, I'd want to win and get paid. So the answer....I don't know.





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Comments

Anonymous said…
Was about 10 rows behind home plate for this game. Rays wanted it more, Manny was unimpressive all series. And I think someone told Mikey Lowell to try to steal a base in Game 2. I hope that person is no longer with the organisation!