Our $142 million dollar superhero.

by TheLoneDavid on Jun 15, 2011 1:48 AM EDT

In case anyone here has not looked over the amazing world of NotGraphs, I feel like I should share with you one of their most recent "articles." The article, located here, shows the first five episodes of a YouTube series called "Defenders of the Game."

"Defenders of the Game" is a series of short cartoons featuring some ex-Rays players, as well as Joe Maddon and Don Zimmer. In these cartoons, the players, Rocco Baldelli, Scott Kazmir, and yes, Carl Crawford, are turned into superheroes by Zimmer to defend Tropicana field from the evil Umperor.

The series is deeply flawed, Crawford and his former teammates are to voice acting what Stephen Hawking is to playing shortstop. Add in some major issues with realism, (Tropicana field actually has people in it for most of the series, and is descibed by Zimmer as a "beloved stadium") and blatant Rays homerism, and you end up with a cartoon that is rather painful to watch. Still, it's a rather amusing skeleton in our underperforming outfielder's closet. Maybe now that he's on the Sox, Maddon's stopped letting him use his superpowers. Sure looks that way for Baldelli and Kazmir.

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Stephen Hawking is to playing shortstop.

Well, at least he has more range than Derek Jeter.

by frozendesert on Jun 15, 2011 2:08 AM EDT reply actions

BURN!

by superdaveyboy on Jun 15, 2011 7:55 AM EDT up reply actions

and Jed Lowrie

by cds7c on Jun 15, 2011 8:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Jed kind of concerns me

because, offensive slump aside, I remember in the past and last year, he looked like a serviceable but unexceptional defensive shortstop. This year, he just looks messy there, very little range and unsure hands. Slumps will happen, but I think that the defense is more concerning.

by wolf9309 on Jun 15, 2011 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

+1

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Jun 15, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I have to concede that Sandy started calling him a butcher weeks ago...

… and his defensive play has done nothing to negate that label. I figure Sandy sees more games than I do, and has seen enough to be correct on that one. The more I watch, the less serviceable Jed looks at SS, which is disappointing.

by AlohaSox on Jun 15, 2011 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm new here.

Who’s Sandy?

Screw the MCAT. F*** you, AAMC.

-Me

by frozendesert on Jun 15, 2011 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

The concerning thing is that

Before this year, he wasn’t a butcher out there. He wasn’t great, but he was a lot better than this, probably as good as if not better than Scutaro at the position. This year he’s been bad. Batting goes through slumps, but defense should hold steady until the fitness level isn’t there anymore. Jed’s in his prime years, I don’t think he’s a headcase (there have been plenty of times in his career for that to show up), the answer that keeps coming to me is that there is an injury.

"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.

by Rogue Nine on Jun 15, 2011 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

That does make the most sense

Especially with his injury history, I’m sure Lowrie is terrified of another potentially lengthy DL stint, and would hide his injury no matter what at this point.

by Sologub on Jun 15, 2011 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed.

Even if the label is unfair, he must be aware of it and the last thing he’d want to do after finally getting the starting SS job is admit that he’s injured again.

Hopefully, the time off will bring back the Jedi that started the season for us again (or even the one that finished up 2010 for us).

by AlohaSox on Jun 18, 2011 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions