Friday Four-Pack 2.0 3.20.26
Thanks to Big Cat, Dave, and the Iowa Hawkeyes, we are back!
Note from Owner of MutStack.com, Dave Portnoy:
I am very disappointed in Mut. Kirk Minihane has said he is 100% positive that Mut called my gift to him goofy. Mut said he didn’t, but also won’t say Kirk is wrong or a liar. I can no longer welcome him into my world. Also, the jumpsuit isn’t even baggy on him. Mut will not be allowed to keep the jumpsuit, which was a gift from my heart.
Note from Publisher of MutStack.com, Mut:
I didn’t say it. I said baggy. Which, again, doesn't let me off the hook for even wondering if the plan was to wear the Go Go Greys jumpsuits on Friday in Las Vegas. I can’t pull the clip now, but as we talked about on Kirk’s show Wednesday, and I believe he agreed, I said baggy. No goofy.
It was an amazing weekend, which I’m writing about tomorrow on the Barstool blog.
I am going to ask Dave to keep the jumpsuit once I publish tonight. I’ll report back next week.
Trending on X.com today. Why can’t it say MutStack?
Blind Mike gives me shit for this not really being a Friday Four-Pack. Usually, I’d push back. But on this one, he’s going to have a point.
It’s been a long day, and we’re getting right into it. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
All ahead in Friday Four-Pack #164. The streak rolls on.
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On a whirlwind trip to Chicago…
Maybe you guys can relate. Also, I had a mustache in the 7th or 8th grade, not at 7 or 8 years old. It’s been a long day. But seriously, thank you guys. And gals. Without your unreal response this morning, this would never have happened. #thankyou #mutsluts
I mean, come on.
It’s getting more and more obvious that A.J. Brown will be a Patriot. The Eagles can save millions of dollars by waiting until AFTER June 1st to make the trade. But between this clip…the whispers I’m getting from Philly that Brown will “100% be traded”…it feels like a lock.
I’ll be okay if it’s a first-round pick going to Philly as part of the trade. I hope it’s a 2027 1st-round pick, if possible.
I see people trying to grade the Pats’ offseason. It’s impossible until we see which No. 1 receiver they get. Brown, Jennings, Aiyuk. No matter what else they do, they do not get a passing grade for the offseason without a No. 1 WR for Drake Maye.
On the wild reaction to my Red Sox blog on Thursday…
I have never gotten such a negative reaction to something I’ve written on the Barstool blog. Go read it while you’re here. And feel free to agree with these people.
Just these over and over again. For hours. A barrage.
The Red Sox are clearly manipulating the service time of both Connelly Early and Payton Tolle. Both guys have pitched well enough to break camp with the Sox. But because the team can gain an extra year of an affordable contract if they keep them in AAA for six weeks, they’re going to do it.
People seem angry that I’m pointing this out.
If the Sox were trying to build the best team, I think both guys would be on the roster. But the team traded for Johan Oviedo, and they want to get him some run - he also has options, by the way.
The AL East is the most competitive division in baseball. There’s a chance a playoff spot comes down to a couple of games. If they struggle in April and we point to Oviedo as the reason, you’re allowed to rip Breslow. I know I will.
I would have Connelly Early in the rotation to start the season. And Ovideo would be at AAA.
The Red Sox are doing it a different way, it sounds like. If it were based on how they pitched this spring, I think they’d be doing it my way.
On your weekly MutStack Notes…
⚾ A very WBC-heavy Dirty Water Podcast this week. But we did get to some big Red Sox issues, including the plan with the 5th starter, where it sure looks like the Sox are manipulating the service time on a few young studs. Watch and sub on YouTube, and then listen and sub wherever you get your podcasts. Opening Day is next week, let’s go.
⚾ NESN will carry 145 Red Sox games this season. They announced this week that Lou Merloni will call about 120 of those. It’s about effing time. Lou is excellent in the booth, and after years of rotating guys, I’m glad they finally realized he’s better than the rest. I also remain a huge Dave O’Brien fan and think he and Lou can be one of the better booths in baseball now that they get some real extended games together.
➡️ Having a full Kirk Minihane Show on Wednesday was…well, awesome. If you have any extra Laconia tickets, please DM me. I have a diehard KMS fan looking for maybe up to four.
➡️ This is now three straight weeks of writing about the financial issues of 98.5 The Sports Hub’s parent company, Beasley Media. This is not good - as BRW points out, this was the Audacy bankruptcy plan from three years ago. More on this next week.
🎙️ Not much in the way of WEEI/Hub gossip. Heard The Greg Hill Show is looking at some … interesting names to fill in while Courtney Cox takes maternity leave. They’re not good names, and I’ll be curious if it comes to fruition.
🎙️ I’d just have Mego in every day - she is good with those guys.
⚾ The WBC was great. I’d consider moving it to the All-Star break and taking two weeks off every three years if it got more MLB players involved.
🏀 Really need UConn to beat Furman tonight.
That feels like enough Stack for today. Back on the Barstool Blog to recap Vegas and talk a pair of Derby Preps in the regular Kentucky Derby Prepping with Mut. Hopefully around noon Saturday. Much to discuss.
Seriously. Thank you, guys. Thank you, Dave. Thank you, Dan. Thank you, Kirk.
Good luck with all your bets this weekend. Thanks for reading. And watching.
Mike...I can ATTEST to the fact that you INDEED had a MOUSTACHE in 7/8th grade !!! You were a HAIRY Kid ! LOL Also, Don't let DAVE Bully you with his rhetoric...stick to your guns... The sweatsuit is a little BAGGY and coming from a PE Teacher who wore sweatsuits for 33 years , I can also ATTEST to that as well . Hang in there you are doing a great job
I’d agree on Early if Oviedo wasn’t great this spring. He was arguably their best pitcher. I think it’s a smart business decision to keep Early at AAA for I think it’s only like 35 days or something. That’s only 5-6 times through the rotation at most. Tolle started off shaky but has been good of late. Promising young arms for the first time in a while for the Sox. Missed ya Mut!