Random thoughts from the week that was

Let’s make it two – The Yankees went out on Friday night in Boston and ended Brad Penny’s Boston Red Sox career. For the second time in back-to-back series (first in NYC) the Yankees have pounded one of the Sox off season acquisitions and sent him reeling to who knows where. On Friday the Yankees lit up Penny for 10 hits and 8 runs at Fenway Park – the Sox would have their revenge on Jeckle and Hyde Burnett on Saturday afternoon. Penny was relegated to the bullpen and ultimately released. It was not that long ago (August 6th to be precise) that the Bombers took a little BP at the expense of John Smoltz (9 hits, 4 walks and 8 runs in 3.1 IP) following which he was subsequently released. Of Note, if you want to see the last start for Dice-K or Wakefield in a Sox uniform, the Sox head to New York on the weekend of September 25th. U2 is apparently in town playing at Giants Stadium if Sox-Yankees does not entice you enough. Considering the Giants lack of Wide Receivers (well number one and number two quality ones…they do have a mitt full of them) and the Jets lack of pretty much everything other than a defence, this could be the most exciting event played in New Jersey this year.

Jim Rice – In case you were wondering why it took this man 14 years to get into the Hall of Fame after the career stats line he posted in Boston, enter Jim Rice speaking to Little Leaguers. Fashionista Rice took a rip at baggy uniforms, dread locks, PEDs and over paid ball players. He grouped arguably one of the classiest baseball players of all time in with A-rod and Manny (and Jimbo, if you are going to give fashion advice to A-rod, please instruct him not to care so much, have you not seen this pretty boy on GQ enough). My recollection of Rice and those wonderful years in the 70’s reek of Cocaine, the invention of Free Agency, Afro’s and plaid polyester. If I can offer you any advice whatsoever, its keep your mouth shut and let the kids play ball. If you want to wear your hair corn rowed and bash out hits, by all means, keep playing.

Texas – Sox – Wild card implications had Red Sox fans cheering for the Yankees (and on par with history the Yankees ended up hurting the play off chances by dropping two of three to the Rangers – Sox fans were cursing New York again this week). This race should come down to the end but fans are missing out on a great Sox-Rangers show down later in September as these two teams can only meet in a one game play off. The Rangers offer a line up that is almost never out of a game and with the new approach to pitching and defence, this team will be tough throughout September.

Roy Halladay – Toronto fans may disagree, but Roy Halladay’s bid for the Cy Young ended over his last two starts. A 9.00 ERA over 11 innings of inter-divisional play does not a Cy Young make. Halladay was roughed up by the Rays and the Sox and finished August with a 2-3 record and a 4.50 ERA (his other loss was to the Yankees). This Sunday Halladay takes the hill against the Sox, thus ending a six start month all against divisional rivals. Jon Lester has not lost in his last seven decisions, and while Halladay still sits a 13-7 with a solid ERA and oodles of K’s, this weekend can definitively remove Halladay from the Cy Young running. Personally I’ve written him off, but for argument sake, you can have one more kick at the can. As I watch with definitive interest, Cliff Lee ring up win after win after win for the Phillies, I have to question the sheer magnitude of JP Riccardi’s trade demands. Maybe the off season will bring something in return.

Tampa Bay Rays – I’m still on record as having the Rays as my wild card spot, and while they are not moving up quickly and making it easy on me, they are still in the hunt. Starting a tough weekend series with the Central leading Tigers tonight, the Rays sit 3.5 games down of the Sox. Matt Garza has come up big time and time again in these pressure situations and his next two starts could not be more meaningful. Tigers tonight, Sox on Wednesday; this team has played solid baseball but we are at a point in the season where they need to make a meaningful run. Two of three against the Tigers and Sox can kick start that. Carlos Pena is hitting home runs, Evan Longoria is a future MVP and Upton, Crawford and Bartlett just get on base and run. With a four man rotation of Shields, Garza, Kazmir and Price, there has to be a run in there some where. The Rays play the Tigers, Sox, Tigers, Yankees, Sox over the next fifteen games. We will know two things come September 14th when they roll into Baltimore. Are they a playoff team and how will they fair against the best teams in the AL. At this point in the season, you want to control your own destiny and with six games against Boston and three in Texas, the Rays have every opportunity to return to October baseball.

Baltimore Orioles – I’ve officially given up on my prediction that the O’s would catch the Jays. They’re 7.5 back and going no where fast. To be honest, if this team is not playing the Rays, Sox or Yankees I do not even check the box score to see what’s happening. Even Mark Weiters (.263, 5 HRs, 22 RBI’s) is not at the point I’d tune in regularly. My only question is what did Nick Markakis do in a previous life to deserve this penance?

Big Pappi – Ortiz is back crushing Home Runs and stroking key base hits for the Sox. His power numbers have been good the past three months. I’d insert a PED joke here but what’s the point. He’d show up hiding behind the biggest sunglasses on the planet, offer up a no comment and then hide from the press for 9 days before struggling with English for the first time in his career as he wonders how this all happened. So what’s the point really?

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