Archive for the 'Marc Lancaster' Category

Jul 06

The Hangover: Starring Joe Maddon As The Black Knight

Al Reyes, Carl Crawford, Dioner Navarro, Gary Glover, James Shields, Kenny Williams, Marc Lancaster, Mark Buerhle, Papa Joe Maddon, With Leather No Comments »


Red Sox 15, Devil Rays 4.

[They fight until Arthur cuts off Black Knight's left arm]
King Arthur: Now, stand aside, worthy adversary!
Black Knight: ‘Tis but a scratch!
King Arthur: A scratch? Your arm’s off!
Black Knight: No, it isn’t!
King Arthur: Well, what’s that then?
King Arthur: I’ve had worse.
King Arthur: You liar!
Black Knight: Come on, you pansy!
King Arthur: [after Arthur's cut off both of the Black Knight's arms] Look, you stupid Bastard. You’ve got no arms left.
Black Knight: Yes I have.
King Arthur: *Look*!
Black Knight: It’s just a flesh wound.
[the Black Knight continues to threaten Arthur despite getting both his arms and one of his legs cut off]
Black Knight: Right, I’ll do you for that!
King Arthur: You’ll what?
Black Knight: Come here!
King Arthur: What are you gonna do, bleed on me?
Black Knight: I’m invincible!
King Arthur: …You’re a loony.

We’re in one of those moments that is not good and there is no way to get around that. But while we are having this difficult moment, I’m looking to see where we are improving, because this is going to go away. And we’re going to be fine and we’re going to turn this around – Joe Maddon

We have long supported Joe Maddon here at RI, even if we have taken him behind the woodshed once or twice. Our feeling has always been that the team is not much worse than can be expected. For most of the first half, three of the Rays starting pitchers were among the worst in baseball. As we near the all-star break, with Al Reyes on the DL, the bullpen consists of five or six guys that would not even make any other team’s 25-man roster. It’s like taking a perfectly good team and smearing it with feces. With an arsenal like that, what could we possibly expect from a second-year manager? There isn’t a manager in baseball that could contend with this squad.

We believe in the baseball axiom that managers receive too much credit when the team is doing well and too much blame when the team is struggling. But now we are beginning to feel the same frustration of many in the Devil Rays Universe.

We understand the need to remain positive when times are bad. It can help when those that you report to, still believe in your abilities even when all the numbers suggest otherwise. But it is also OK to let them know every once and a while that you are disappointed in them. We are not asking Papa Joe to rip the team in the press. We are not asking Papa Joe to lay blame at certain players feet or even at his own. But when a team is in the midst of an 11-game losing streak…

STOP WAXING POETIC ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE FINE. WE ARE SICK OF IT.

All we need, as fans, is to know that this is just as painful for Joe Maddon and the 25 guys that put on the uniform. If it is not, than GET THE HELL OUT, and let Stuart Sternberg find somebody that will feel our pain.

I’m not going to grab any sharp objects…I’m not going to do any of that. This too shall pass – Joe Maddon

Don’t worry about grabbing “sharp objects” Joe. Rays fans everywhere already have a firm grip on them and we are beginning to wonder, that if like the Black Knight, you are a “loony”.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

  • We are big fans of With Leather. And while many try (often too hard) to come up with witty and catchy headlines, With Leather may have summed up the 2007 Devil Rays best with THIS HEADLINE. Excuse us, while we bang our heads on the desk.
  • Dioner Navarro was knocked unconscious after a collision with Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett. He was taken to a local hospital for x-rays on his jaw.
  • If the Devil Rays ever get a save opportunity while Al Reyes is on the DL, it will likely go to Gary Glover.
  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams confirmed rumors that the Devil Rays inquired about free agent-to-be Mark Buerhle. The reason that the Rays would be interested is that they would receive two compensatory draft picks at the end of the first round in next year’s draft when Buerhle signs with another club in the off-season. If the Rays can convince the White Sox to take something less valuable than those two picks, the Rays would make the deal. Not gonna happen.
  • Kevin Gengler believes that both Dioner Navarro and Joe Maddon are not the long-term answers for the Devil Rays. We still believe in Navarro but our thoughts on Maddon have gone from support to uncertain. However, there is one thing we do agree with…

Writing cohrerently [sic] during an 11-game losing streak is tough.

  • Jordi at The Serious Tip takes a look at the pattern of All-Star games and notes that in the next 7 years, Tampa Bay and Miami could become the only major league cities not to host an all-star game since 1977. With the Marlins likely to be elsewhere in the next 5-10 years and the Tropicana Field bias, there is little chance of that trend changing before the Rays move to a new ballpark.
  • James Shields threw just 15 fastballs his last time out and has only given up one walk in his previous 32.2 innings. Still, his 19 home runs allowed is second in the AL. The home runs are not that alarming. But early in the year, they were mostly of the solo variety. He needs to limit the dingers when men are on base.
  • ArmchairGM lists the Devil Rays as “sellers” and believe that the Rays will move Carl Crawford before the trading deadline.
  • Marc Lancaster has sold out and is now incorporating musical lyrics, a practice we hope you never see here. An occasional “Anchorman” quote? Sure, but never lyrics.


Men are on base. It’s so hot…Shawn Camp was a baaaaaad choice

Jun 08

The Hangover: Kyle Farnsworth To Close In 2008?

Akinori Iwamura, Al Reyes, Elijah Dukes, Marc Lancaster 8 Comments »

Devil Rays 5, Toronto 3.
We’re done trying to figure out this team. They do this all the time. Tuesday’s loss was the sort that can kill a team. It was the sort of game that can lead to a 6-game losing streak and a 7-28 stretch, and all of the sudden the season is over, and next thing you know the Rays have the #1 pick again next year. The Rays have had a few of these losses this season. And every time the team has bounced back big. On Tuesday night after that last runner stepped on home plate, did anybody think there was a chance in Hades that the Rays would win the series? Nobody would have been dumb enough to make that bet.

But there is a pattern here…

  • Apr. 22. James Shields strikes out 12 and allows only 2 hits and 1 walk in 8 innings. Brian Stokes gives up a 3-run home run in the 9th and the Rays lose 6-4 to the Indians.
  • May 4. Brian Stokes gives up a 3-run home run in the 9th inning of a 2-2 game. Rays lose 5-2 to the A’s.
  • June 5. Rays take a 11-6 lead into the 9th against the Jays. Four relief pitchers combine to walk 64 batters and can only record one out. Rays lose 12-11.

In each case, the Rays rebounded to win the next day. And on two of those occasions, the Rays won the next two games. So what was the common denominator in the three games? In each case, Al Reyes was not available to pitch.

Reyes will not be with the Devil Rays in August and September and that scares the hell out of us. Might be a good time to plan that trip to Fiji.

Speaking of which. For those of you that actually read our “AL East Roundup” in the past, know that we are no fans of Kyle Farnsworth. He throws real hard, but his fastball is straight as an arrow and he does not have a good complimentary pitch. The Yankees have finally soured on Farnsworth and will probably do anything they can to get him off the team. He has one more season on his contract and is set to earn $5.5 million in 2008. As long as the Yankees stay within ear shot of the wild card, they will look to improve their pen down the stretch. Does a Farnsworth-Reyes trade make sense? Let’s say the Yankees are willing to pay $4 million of Farnsworth’s contract for the rest of 2007 and 2008 and throw in a AA pitching prospect?

Reyes is going no matter what. The Rays do not have a closer for 2008. Any potential closer on the market will only be slightly better than Farnsworth and will cost a lot more. Don’t get us wrong here. There will be games next season when we would burn Farnsworth in effigy. We will curse his name. But the Rays may also catch lightning in a bottle. Farnsworth can be a good closer and getting him out of the glaring lights of New York could be good for him…Just a thought.

DEVIL RAYS WEBTOPIA…

  • Al Reyes is now comfortable working three straight games. He believes he is close to being able to work four straight, depending on pitch counts.
  • We are a little confused this morning. Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune gives us this title yesterday afternoon: “Rays Pick Price; How Much Will He Cost?” And then the first paragraph of the story is this:

Now that the Devil Rays have eliminated the suspense and chosen Vanderbilt LHP David Price with the first overall pick in the draft, two questions loom: How quickly can Price be signed? And, how soon will be be in the majors?

So…Is that two questions or three? Math was never our thing, but we did learn to count. Mr. Lancaster does address the question from the title, stating that the Rays are willing to sign Price in the $3-3.5 million range. He also addresses the first question from the first paragraph by stating that the team has until August 15 to get Price signed. But for some reason Mr. Lancaster never addresses the third question. So was the third question not a question at all? Or was the first question not a question even thought he answered? Our heads hurt.

  • These two wins are the first time the Rays have won two straight road games since June of last year.
  • 13 more strike outs last night and the Rays are now second in the majors with 462. Tonight’s opponent, the Marlins lead the majors with 516. Of course they have the advantage of having their pitchers hit 2-3 times a game. What is the common factor between these two teams? They are the two youngest teams in baseball. Ahhh. Growing pains.
  • Elijah Dukes is mired in an 0-21 stretch.
  • Akinori Iwamura will be in the lineup tonight against the Marlins. He will return to the leadoff spot.
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