Chris Archer Nearly Implodes and The Stadium Situation...

I found myself in some auto garage off 8th Avenue down in Ybor and Strawberry was out getting us some McDonalds. There has been a never ending sound in the Chevy and had to get it looked at. Aspirations told me it was time to get a new car but financially, I was economically challenged. It's amazing to think how much ballplayers make in comparison to blue collard types like me. Oh well, so it goes...
"It's going to be awhile, you might wanna chill out somewhere," says the mechanic.
So I did.
I went to some dark bar on 7th Avenue and cuddled up with a frosty beer.
"Meet me at the Dirty Shame," I messaged Strawberry.
"OK. XOXOXOXO," she responded.

In theory, Chris Archer is supposed to be our ace and at times has looked like it. Naturally since he's a smart guy, he tends to get into his head when things begin unraveling and plays on emotion. Tough luck bubba. The television screen played the game.
Reining Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello up against Chris Archer. When Archer's fastball's command is solid, his follow up slider sweeps away from righties and drops in on lefties. An act of brilliance. From the get-go, Porcello was not on his plus stuff. Pretty insane guy when thinking about it. Drafted out of high school and thrown into a thick Tigers rotation of Scherzer, Fister, Sanchez and Verlander then thrown into Boston at some point but DomBrom is a questionable character hence why he works for such a "great" organization like The Boston Red Sox. Actually, it's fun to watch Porcello, he's possibly the only Red Sock I've ever liked and ever will. He just pitches. Regardless, The Rays offense got to him early and of all people, LoMo knocked his first career grand slam into left field off him after debuting Shane Peterson hit a two run bomb off him in the 2nd. Glorious. Tim Beckham is awful. I said it. Then the fifth inning happened. Archer began falling apart. He loaded the bases and worked nearly every batter to full counts. He was cruising through the four innings before but somehow managed to get all in his head and nearly collapse under pressure. Somehow he got out of that jam and finished his night basically. Judging by his body language, he was at a loss of confidence still his numbers looked OK. He pitched 102-62 for strikes and finished his night with 5.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO and leaves his ERA at 2.21. Not bad really but he could have gone 7.0 IP if he didn't start freaking out. Jumbo Diaz came in and did the job THEN Austin Pruitt came in. Poor kid. My heart goes out to him. He gives up 8 hits, "hits" a batter and gives up 4 runs and all earned. Why Kevin Cash kept him out there to die like that again is beyond me. Tampa Bay was up 10-1 or 10-2 (couldn't remember because of the alcohol) when he went out there and it felt like we were going to lose that game until they called on Alex Colome. God he's great. Mows them down. Attacks the zone and keeps total composure while out there. Quote me on this, Pruitt will get sent down soon and perhaps bring up Shultz or Whitley. Still, they pulled it out and got a much needed win AND the first won Chris Archer has had since 2012 against this wonderful Boston organization!

This guy in the bar was hanging out and buying people shots.
"Hey buddy, want a shot?" he asked.
"Sure sucker,"
He was a business guy of some sort and Strawberry wanted nothing to do with the conversation. We got on the subject of the stadium situation.
"St. Pete is by far the best place for the stadium. People who don't believe in that are foolish," he explained.
"I guess I am foolish,"
"You got a boat? I do," he asked.
"No, I'm poor,"
Strawberry laughed.
"Hillsborough County is in no position to get it. It makes more sense to develop the area around Tropicana Field and have them stay put there," he says while glancing at his phone.
"The stadium has been there for nearly twenty years and it hasn't altered the attendance a bit. After a World Series run, winning years, stadium upgrades and people still don't go. It will be Marlins Park version two,"
"You just don't know enough into it and the numbers," he cried.
"I don't. It's an observation,"
He seemed annoyed by my conversation and took it as an insult when all I was trying to do is engage into dialogue. Intellectualism if you will...
"Trump backs Jeter," he chuckled.
"Jeter is retired,"
"He still is in ownership," he snapped back.
Silence.
"I hate The Red Sox,"
We clanked glasses, Strawberry joined in and sang really bad karaoke.
The phone buzzed.
"Yo, your car is ready," the voice muttered.
"I can't drive, I can't move my face."