A golf driver is what determines the success of your tee shots. Without the right driver, you will not be doing yourself any favor. There is therefore the need to ensure that you are walking into the course with the right driver if you are looking forward to some good time. Your driver should be able to deliver in terms of control, distance and so much more.
You should take time and effort as well when it comes to choosing a well-rounded driver. It is type of club that starters can count on if they do not want their confidence to be shattered on the course. For others like drivers for mid handicappers, you can check out online reviews on the same for more information. Choosing the right driver depends on what you want to achieve on the course and for that reason you should take as much time as possible. So how do you go about choosing the right golf driver?
Choosing the right golf driver
Here are some guiding factors to help you next time you are purchasing a golf driver;
The Weight; the lighter the driver, the more efficient to use it becomes. A light driver increases the speed of the clubhead therefore creating great chances of producing great off the distance tee. You will find light drivers in the market since manufacturers are doing their best in ensuring there are a variety of them to choose from.
The size and material; the driver is usually designed with a large hitting area and there are available different sizes that you can go with depending on what distance you want to accomplish. Starters are advised to go with the largest size because it offers more forgiveness compared to the other sizes. The skilled or more accomplished players will go for the smallest size. Golf drivers are mainly made from composite materials or titanium. A titanium driver is strong and therefore long-lasting. It is also light which facilitates long distance swings. Composite materials are several materials being combined to make a driver and at times this may contribute to its heaviness.
The Length; the golf driver is usually the longest club which makes it common with taller people especially the men. The length of a golf driver should be considered when buying because you need to be in total control of your club without swaying about.
The shaft; the shaft can be made of graphite or steel. These materials have a lot to contribute to when it comes to the weight of the club altogether. If you want high club speed, you should go for a graphite shaft because it is lighter. Graphite shafts are however more expensive because of the strength. Steel shafts are heavier but less expensive.
How adjustable it is; adjustable drivers will allow you to customize features like the hosel and center of gravity to your liking. That way you are in more control of how you would like your golf driver to behave.
Bill Belichick looks like he’s coaching for at least five more seasons
What a difference a year makes. This time last year there was speculation that Belichick was on his way out after Josh McDaniels came back as offensive coordinator. It seemed like Belichick was grooming him to be the next head coach sooner rather than later. However, things changed once the season started. The Patriots finished 11-5 and won the Super Bowl. Now a year later people have the total opposite mindset. Belichick is going nowhere. I even wrote that Belichick could be on his way out when they traded everyone in the off-season to let McDaniels have somewhat of a new team. Boy, was I wrong.
Brady will retire before Belichick retires
Brady has said repeatedly he’s playing until 45. Belichick, however, has only said he doesn’t want to coach into his 70s. Could it be possible he does coach into his 70s? I do think he will out last Brady and coach into his early 70s because he loves the game so much. Even at the owners meetings he’s always looking at ways to improve the game. He’s so passionate about the game that I really don’t see him retiring anytime soon. When he’s had enough he will hang it up. But I do believe he’d want to coach a season or two without Tom Brady.
Belichick will have to find the next quarterback after Brady retires. Which means he’ll have to either draft or trade for a decent back up soon. He drafted Jimmy Garoppolo but then traded him because Brady isn’t even close to falling off a cliff. Belichick seems to be going into this season just like he does every other season. He does what’s best for the team at that time and people can question all they want but he knows what he’s doing. Belichick isn’t retiring anytime soon.
Whether it’s a friend, family member, or partner, buying a present for someone you love can be difficult. This is likely your one opportunity in the year to express how much this person means to you through what you decide to get them, so there is no room for error. When giving gifts, you’d always want the recipient to feel appreciated and happy, not become stressed the moment they start opening the gift you gave them.
For someone who loves sports, there are a huge number of options out there for you to choose from–in fact, too many that you’ll be clueless on what to pick and give. There is literally something for everyone from cricket betting to swag from log throwing. This is especially true if you never gave a gift to the sportsman in your life.
Fortunately, this handy guide has narrowed it down to a top four choices to make your life that little bit easier. Choosing a gift from this guide will ensure whoever you are buying for is going to be happy and have a great time.
Seeing the action up close
One of the strongest ideas for a gift is to get someone an experience. This hands-on gift will give the person you care about precious memories that they can look back on and treasure forever.
A good place to start with this idea is on www.ticketsales.com, which is one of the premium sites for concert and sports tickets. Here you will be able to find a broad range of events your loved one would love to go to and give them a meaningful surprise for their birthday this year.
Depending on your budget, you can also buy a ticket for yourself and see the action up close with the recipient. If you want to take it up a notch, you can also invite some of their friends and watch the game or concert together.
Help them put fitness first
If they love watching sports, then the chances are they love participating in them as well. With a quick look online, you can source some of the best gym membership deals on the market and give them the gift of sport in their lives.
With a gym membership, the sportsman in your life will be able to dive into a big selection of classes and training programs all year long. This will be a practical present, helping them to train and explore new sports as often as they want.
If you want to make sure that the recipient regularly goes to the gym and participate in their fitness classes, you can also choose to enroll in the gym with them. Aside from being an excellent way to improve the recipient’s health and fitness, going to the gym with them can also strengthen your relationship with them.
Something special to keep
The third option for their special gift is memorabilia. There are plenty of places to buy great sports memorabilia online that offer both affordable and unique gift ideas.
This idea is best for someone who follows a particular sporting team or is always reading the news about their favorite athletes’ career. A signed piece of memorabilia and limited-edition item from the club they support will be a gift they will love and display for the rest of their lives.
For example, if you’re going to give a gift to someone who loves to play and watch baseball, you can look at Boston red sox gifts or others from their favorite teams. You can also choose to buy them any item signed by their favorite athlete, like a mug, batting helmet, baseball cap, sliding shorts, or even a uniform.
Look the part
This final gift idea is fantastic for those who like to play their sport as well as watch it. With some simple research, you can find out the top sportswear pieces they need to have to perform like a pro.
When you look good, you feel more confident, and this is how they will feel when you get them some premium sportswear as a present. There are many quality brands to choose from that help people preserve their style and identity when they workout.
You can choose to give your recipient a piece of clothing or complete the ensemble by giving them sportswear from head to toe. Either way, the recipient will surely thank you for your efforts in making sure that they’ll look the part.
Compare Options
Every option in this guide is a strong choice for the sports enthusiast you love and will mean the world to them. If you’re clueless about what gift to give to the sportsman in your life, start doing some research on the options presented in this article. This will allow you to weigh the pros and cons, allowing you to end up giving a gift that’ll surely make your recipient happy!
Every option in this guide is a strong choice for the sports enthusiast you love and will mean the world to them.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that almost all residents of Boston are mad about sports. Many outstanding teams of all US professional sports leagues are based in Boston. It is one of the greatest sports cities in the US, and the passion of its citizens for sports is overwhelming — it is manifested in its every nook and cranny.
Bright billboards on huge stadiums are advertising sports events. In many shops, you can see a wide variety of sports equipment with emblems of local professional sports clubs and names of famous players.
The most beloved sports in the US are baseball, ice hockey, basketball, and football (not soccer). Those four sports are presented by the four world-famous Boston sports clubs, and you can read about them in this article. Also, you can use a professional writer service to order a paper on this topic.
BOSTON CELTICS
Being the best NBA club, Boston Celtics is the most titled basketball team of Massachusetts that has eighteen (!) NBA championship titles. Its history began in 1948 when the Club had to survive in the first and most difficult years of the US National Basketball Association. From the very beginning, the Celtics have been dedicated to winning, so it’s not surprising that the team has been dominating in the Eastern States for almost all the years since the foundation, with a few exceptions.
The success of the team is associated with Arnold Auerbach (Red), who was not only a coach but also a team agent and manager. The Celtics were awarded their first title in the 1957–1958 season by winning the final series of matches with the St. Louis Hawkes. Red’s brother, Zach Auerbach, a cartoon artist, has created a logo for the Club — a leprechaun with a cane. It was his personal present to the team to mark their first victory.
In 1978, Larry Bird, one of the most reputable players of the team, joined the Celtics. At the same time, Red Auerbach constantly disputed with the new team owner, John Brown, who used to interfere with the training process, making wrong decisions. Sports fans who adored the team creator protested against the new president’s policy. And, as a result, Brown could not stand such pressure and sold the club.
New success to the Celtics came in 1983. During four seasons, the Club participated in the NBA final matches. The team won the championships in 1984 and 1986, and Larry Bird was nominated as the best NBA professional player. However, on a par with the outstanding achievements, the Club also had fizzling years. In 1995, the Club moved from the legendary Boston Garden to the Fleet Center. Regardless, it did not bring new victories. During the years 1996 and 1997, the Celtics managed to win only 15 times during the championship.
In 2002, the team entered playoffs for the 1st time in 7 years. The Celtics defeated both Detroit and Philadelphia teams but lost to New Jersey Nets. The 2006–2007 season began with a tragedy — the legend, Red Auerbach, passed away. The whole team played with distinctive patches on their uniforms in memory of their deceased coach. During that season, the team was defeated 19 times in a row.
Incredibly enough, but in the next season, Boston Celtics conquered Los Angeles Lakers by the results of six matches in the finals and became the champions for the seventeenth time. Now, the team is undergoing a process of “rejuvenation,” and the club may well count on the highest ranks in championships.
2. BOSTON RED SOX
It is hardly possible to find a state resident who could not call themselves a fan of this Club. If the Boston Celtics team is the most award-winning in the state, then the Red Sox baseball team, which won in seven finals of MBL, can be called the most famous team in Massachusetts. Boston Red Sox is a club of professional baseball players, founded in 1901 along with other eight teams that formed the US Major League Baseball. The Club participated in 12 World Series and won 8 of them.
The enthusiasts of this team can be found all across the USA: from Maine, whose residents always considered the Red Sox their favorite team and every weekend fill the stands of Fenway Park, where the Red Sox games usually take place, to the West Coast, where Boston Red Sox fans have long united in sports societies. Also, the Red Sox brand is known in every country where baseball is popular.
Red Sox won the match with Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903 in the first World Series and came out victorious during the following four championships up to 1918. But then, the team was affected by one of the most extended series of consecutive failures in baseball history, also called “The Curse of Bambino.” Red Sox were not able to win the World Series for 86 years, well until 2004. However, the team was not forsaken by their fans in this period.
During that time, this Sports Club used to get to the finals of World Series 4 times, and the notorious losing streak of the team players became known as “Mad Dash” of Enos Slaughter in 1946, a home run of Carlton Fisk in 1975, and an error of Bill Buckner in 1986. The “curse” has been broken in 2004 by the team’s victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, the Red Sox Club was the first in the World Series in the years 2007 and 2013.
Boston Red Sox is owned by the Fenway Sports Group, which also possesses Liverpool, the British Football Club that plays in the Premier League.
3. BOSTON BRUINS
This famous ice hockey team was established in 1924. Among American clubs of this sport, this professional team with six Stanley Cups is second after Detroit Red Wings according to the number of the most valued trophies. Today, it is considered one of the most consistent teams of the East Coast, and it is regularly entering the playoffs during championships.
Success came to the Bruins in 1929. Thanks to the fantastic game of their goalkeeper Tiny Thompson, the team got the Stanley Cup for the first time, having defeated New York Rangers in the final match. Then, the team was victorious in the American division five times in nine years.
The Bruins got the second Stanley Cup in 1939, also thanks to their goalkeeper. That time, Frank Brimsek (or “Mr. Zero”) brought the team to the victory. The striker Mel Hill, who was nicknamed “Sudden Death,” also demonstrated brilliant skills. In 1941, the Club took its third Stanley Cup by a shutout victory over the Detroit team. In the 1950s, the Bruins took places in the middle of tournament tables. In the 1960s, they didn’t even reach the playoffs once and finished last six times in the regular championships.
After that, thanks to the efforts of the team’s coach, Harry Sinden, and great players like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, the Boston Bruins won their fourth Stanley Cup, having conquered the St. Louis team in 1970. When The World Hockey Association was created in 1972, this event crossed out the plans of the club managers — several leading players abandoned the Club and switched to a new league. Also, the injury of Esposito had robbed the team of its main sniper.
However, Boston Bruins did not lose its position among the NHL leaders, and the team repeatedly got to the Stanley Cup finals in the next years. The team’s coach, Don Cherry, made a significant contribution to the team’s success at that time. He managed to create an efficient team without in-game super players.
After that, the coaches changed quite often, but the team’s purpose remained the same — to win the Stanley Cup again.
In the 2008–2009 season, the Bruins were superior in 17 out of 20 matches and heralding the revival of the famous “Big Bad Bruins” of the past. So, in the years 2010–2011, Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup for the first time after the year 1972. It also happened in the Fenway Park, the home place of Boston Red Sox.
4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The New England Patriots Club presents one of the most known national teams playing American football. Formerly, it was called the Boston Patriots. It was organized in 1959, and it has not been able to reach the top positions for many years in a row. Only when its current owner, Robert Kraft, bought the team in 1994, the Patriots unleashed their true potential — the team won three Super Bowls in just 4 years.
Thanks to Tom Brady, their quarterback, Patriots became the 2nd team in the NFL history after Dallas Cowboys, having taken three Super Bowls in 4 years, and the eighth team, having won the two biggest prizes between years 2000 and 2005. Also, the Patriots made the longest winning series in the history of the NFL with 21 victories in the years 2004—2005. With all those achievements, the team was just getting started. They were awarded the Super Bowl again 10 years later.
In 2017, the team was ranked first in the Super Bowl Tournament in Houston. The Club became the champion of the National Football League for the fifth time. Their quarterback, Tom Brady, was recognized as the most valuable player — he was awarded the fifth NFL champion ring.
In 2018, the team entered the Super Bowl for the 10th time in its history. This sports event took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and ended with the victory of Philadelphia Eagles. In February 2019, the Patriots played in the 4th Super Bowl in five seasons. The match has finished with the team’s win and the sixth champion title. After that, Julian Edelman has been acknowledged as the best football player.
Other Boston Sports Teams
Well, several other sports teams playing in both major and premier leagues are actually based in Boston. Those include New England Revolution (soccer), Boston Breakers (women’s soccer), and three rugby clubs — Boston Irish Wolfhounds, Boston RFC, and Mystic River Rugby Club. Apart from professional teams, many student sports clubs successfully represent their institutions on the national arena and abroad.
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Alright, so things didn’t really go to plan. The Red Sox got behind the eight ball early in all four games. Every starter gave up five or more runs in Seattle, and the Sox offense couldn’t recover. However, this isn’t the end of the world. Not even close. Things didn’t start well for Boston, but heading to Oakland and then Arizona, I see this team getting themselves back on track.
Despite the nightmare-ish series in the Pacific Northwest, there was some good things I saw from the team.
The Bullpen
The strong suit was supposed to be the rotation, which was supposed to carry the bullpen. Through four games, Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi, Eduardo Rodriguez & Rick Porcello have combined to give up 22 earned runs on 28 hits. This is not good. However, in those four games, the bullpen was the one carrying the load. The bullpen had to pitch 18 innings against Seattle, with the relievers posting a combined 2.50 ERA.
We got what we expected in the lone appearances from Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier, both posting scoreless, solid innings. The lefty, Brian Johnson, made three separate appearances and did great work eating up innings while only giving up a single run.
Tyler Thornburg wasn’t a complete disaster in his second appearance, tossing two strikeouts in a shutout inning. Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman were both fringe guys coming into the year, but both came out firing with scoreless outings of their own. The biggest surprise, might be Colten Brewer. The only addition to the Sox pen this offseason, Brewer pitched way better than expected in his two games. He posted four strikeouts and gave up just one hit while allowing zero runs, and his stuff looked good.
Obviously the sample size is extremely small for the bullpen, but with how everything else went in Seattle, this bullpen could’ve really blown up. There was an immense amount of pressure in all four games. They were charged with the task of keeping a game close that was blown open early, and they did just that.
Again, the sample size is certainly small for Rafael, but early returns on Devers are looking good. He looks slimmer, his swing looks much more crisp and his eye looks to be improving. While his weight was never an issue, he is noticeably thinner this spring. Devers looks to have realized that losing a few pounds will make playing third a little easier on himself, and it also looks to be helping with his approach at the plate.
Through four games, Devers has six hits in 17 at-bats (.353) including two walks for an OPS of .892. That OPS is slightly unattainable for Devers, but he absolutely can keep a pace similar to this up. There is no reason to believe Devers can’t hit close to .300 and OPS close to .850. He only has three strikeouts to his two walks in 19 plate appearances, looking to have added some restraint to his plate approach.
While he doesn’t have any old fashioned stats (0 home runs, 0 runs batted in), he certainly has provided us with something to be excited about. He appears ready to take the next step in his career, and may be on his way to hitting 40 doubles this year. Devers doesn’t seem as eager to swing, which is a good thing for how he is pitched. He has waited for a pitch he likes, and he’s driven it.
The defense does need to improve still, it appears there are still some holes there, but Devers will come around defensively. Until then, he seems to be putting it together offensively. The adjustments he made to his approach this offseason should continue to pay huge dividends for him and the team.
The Resiliency
Unfortunately, things haven’t started off like 2018 for the Red Sox. They lost three out of four and gave up a ton of runs in all four games. It was great though, to see the fight in this team. . Even in the worst of starts, the Red Sox lineup still had the heart to go out there and try and get the job done.
Obviously, they did only get the job done in the second game, but in both the third and fourth game the Sox mounted sizeable comebacks to put the pressure on the Mariners.
It started Friday night, in the second game. Nathan Eovadi’s first start of 2019 didn’t end well, and the Sox trailed 6-1 in the fifth inning. The team battled all the way back to win 7-6. If it weren’t for home runs J.D. Martinez, Christian Vazquez AND Mitch Moreland, the Sox are getting swept. Luckily, that’s not the case. The lineup was persistent, battled back, and rewarded the bullpen for their effort by posting a six run comeback. In the words of Brock Holt‘s mom, “Way to go Mitchy!”.
Now they didn’t win the third or fourth games, but they did show some resiliency in those games as well. They trailed 6-2 in the third game, but rallied in the ninth against the Mariners bullpen for three runs to put the pressure on Seattle. Then again yesterday, Rick Porcello put the team in a tough spot down 9-3 after the third inning. After the weekend the team had, the lineup and bullpen easily could’ve rolled over and died. They did not though. They fought and rallied and brought the game all the way back to a two run game, and had a chance to tie it with JBJ at the plate.
I’m not one for moral victories by any means, but seeing the fight in this Red Sox lineup to not give up on games this early in this season is impressive. For a team coming off a World Series championship they easily could have folded on all four games, not made any effort to come back and just slowly worked there way into the season. However, even though they lost three of four, they at least have some building blocks to begin to get this season in track.
The Celtics will snap their four-game losing streak tonight in Cleveland because if they don’t, then their postseason won’t last much longer than a cup of coffee against Philadelphia (or Indiana) in the first round. The oddsmakers over at one of the best online sportsbooks in the industry, 5Dimes, is dealingBoston as a5 ½ point road favorite over one of the worst teams in the league, and the same one that prevented them from advancing to the NBA Finals last season. Of course, that was then, and this is now, with LeBron taking his talents to LA while the Celtics are looking more and more like a group of guys out to get theirs, with little regard of the endgame which is winning a title.
Are you getting a bit tuckered out of this all too predictable Celtics’ soap opera? This rollercoaster of a season has featured glimpses of greatness but far too often, months of malaise mired in mediocrity. Don’t ever get your hopes to high with this team because they will break your heart quicker than you can say, “Kyrie is leaving Boston.” And Kyrie will leave because he now realizes that his one wish, to dribble out of LeBron’s shadow and bask in the glow of a white-hot spotlight all his own, isn’t as easy as he once thought. In retrospect, he had a pretty good gig being Scottie Pippen to LeBron’s Michael Jordan, and winning a world title in Cleveland. He didn’t have to be the man because he wasn’t the man, he was just a damn good sidekick. Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it, is a phrase Kyrie Irving knows all to well.
But perhaps the irony and absurdity of this entire season is the Celtics players somehow concocting this alternate reality that things will all come together the moment the postseason commences. Just read a few of these quotes and try not to arch your eyebrows or scratch your head.
Marcus Smart: “We got a lot of guys back, and we’re all trying to figure out exactly what everybody’s favorite things to do and what spots that everybody excels at and make sure we get everybody in the right position. We’re still fooling with it. But I see great progress, and I’m excited, I’m ecstatic, and I’m happy with what we’re doing.
Kyrie Irving: “You can’t worry about the standings now. It’s too late in the season. I mean, obviously the four or five spot, but one and two is pretty much locked up, 1-2-3. So, as long we get there. I can’t wait for all this other B.S. about the regular season and keep getting better and talking over and over and over again about what we can do to keep getting better in the regular season. I just want to be at the highest level playing. I mean, that’s what I’m here for.”
In the C’s first game in the month of March, a 107-96 win over the Wizards, Marcus Smart lauded the defensive efforts of Jaylen Brown and said, “Ridiculous. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Jaylen play defense like that. He looked like me out there, diving for balls and things like that. We need Jaylen to do that every day. He has the athletic ability to do it. He has the potential to be a great two-way player so, once he finally gets that down it will be hard for anybody to keep him off the court.”
Unfortunately for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown is not fond of routinely getting floors burns on his knees, and a flash here, and a sparkle there, of hustle isn’t enough. Over the last four games the Celtics have lost to three very good teams in Denver, Philadelphia, and San Antonio with a setback to the less than stellar Charlotte Hornets sandwiched in between for good measure. But we know the script by now, Boston will bully a bad team tonight and thump the Cavaliers which will woo those who bleed Green back on the bandwagon. But the rest of us are not only leery, but weary as well, of a team that seems to care less about winning than we do.
After a mixed opening to the season in Seattle, the Red Sox head to Oakland to continue an 11 game road trip. Here is what to watch out for in this second of three opening road series.
PITCHING MATCHUPS/SCHEDULE (TV)
4/1 David Price vs Aaron Brooks (R) 10:07pm NESN
4/2 Chris Sale vs Mike Fiers (R) 10:07pm NESN
4/3 Nathan Eovaldi vs Marco Estrada (R) 10:07pm NESN
4/4 Eduardo Rodriguez vs Brett Anderson (L) 3:07pm NESN
NOTABLE NUMBERS
The biggest question mark in this series is going to be Chris Sale’s velocity. Thomas touched on it in his preview last week and his fears were somewhat realized. Sale’s fastball averaged 92.8 mph in Seattle on Opening Day. Last season he averaged below that just twice, the fourth game of the season (90.9) and the last (90.1). Last season on Opening Day his velocity was up at 94.9. If Sale’s velocity is low again in Oakland then serious question marks will start to be raised.
Due to the Opening Series in Japan, Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada will be making their third starts of the season. Fiers has struggled with a 5.00 ERA and a 5.71 FIP across nine innings. Estrada has fared better with a 2.45 ERA in his 11 innings. However, Estrada has managed just four strikeouts, compared to two home runs and has an alarming 5.49 FIP.
After a home run loaded Opening Series in Seattle, the Red Sox will not be pleased to see Khris Davis, who has already hit three home runs this season.
Eduardo Rodriguez will not be pleased to see a right-handed heavy Athletics lineup. He struck out just 24% of right-handed hitters he faced last season, and surrendered a 4.15 xFIP against them.
Expect to see J.D. Martinez have a strong series with three right-handed pitchers on the mound. In 2018, he had a 174 wRC+ against righties. Unusually for right-handed hitters, Martinez was stronger last season against righties than lefties.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The Rotation: With the bullpen likely to remain a question mark until it has completely proven otherwise, a lot of pressure will fall on the rotation. Sale is obviously the biggest question mark but there are also questions surrounding Eovaldi and Rodriguez after their first starts.
Hitting Depth: There are no major worries around the hitters at this early stage. However, Nunez, Holt and Swihart had registered just one hit between them in the Sox first three games. With Dustin Pedroia on the injured list the Red Sox need their hitting depth to help them get off to a strong start.
EXPECTATIONS
Many people saw the Opening Series as a disadvantage to the Athletics and Mariners, due to the amount of travel. However, at this stage of the season it is actually an advantage. Those two teams had to ramp up their season preparation a week earlier than everyone else and are therefore slightly ahead of the rest of the league. Travelling to both of those teams in the first eight days of the season is a tough assignment for the Red Sox. The Sox also come into this game having gone 1-2 on the road in Oakland, and 2-4 overall against them last season.
A three series road trip to start the season is really tough for any team. The pros of it are that it gets some of the travelling out of the way early. However, the Red Sox would ideally want to come out of these first eight games around .500, meaning they will need to at least split this four game series in Oakland.
New to Overwatch? Get caught up on everything Overwatch League by reading our introduction.
Finally, the Overwatch League resumes after a week long break between stages. We saw the Vancouver Titans complete their Stage 1 undefeated streak and win the stage title. Will anyone be able to dethrone the seemingly unbeatable expansion team?
To answer that, we have to look at how Overwatch will be played in Stage 2. We saw in Stage 1 a dominance of the meta by the 3-3 composition (known as GOATs). Players, fans, and casters all seemingly disliked this high health, teamwork, and ultimate focused gameplay. Fortunately, Blizzard’s latest patch is an all-out assault on the GOATs meta. Handing out buffs and nerfs like candy on Halloween, predicting the meta going forward is challenging given the plethora of changes. Additionally, the introduction of the new support character, Baptiste, will contribute to a new meta for Stage 2.
Could a drastic meta change shakeup the league? Yes and no. While we may see some changes in the middle and lower tiers, let’s not fool ourselves about how the league is stacked. Last season we saw little change at the top tier when Mercy was nerfed and the dive meta became prominent. It’s unlikely we’ll see top tier teams (NYXL, Vancouver, SF) dramatically drop in the standings. But that’s not to say that any other team’s strengths/weaknesses won’t be exposed. What can we expect for the Boston Uprising?
The Good
After a tumultuous offseason and start of the year, Boston’s roster seems to have settled down. Gamsu’s last minute trade to Shanghai may have seemed earthshattering (no pun intended) – but Boston’s main tank position seems secure. Fusions has broken into the Overwatch League and garnered universal acclaim. Between him and off-tank veteran Note, Boston has every reason to feel confident about their tank line.
Fusion’s contract fiasco (and Boston’s subsequent loss to Shanghai) notwithstanding, Boston’s management has proven adept at plugging holes in the roster. Though they’ve been doubted at the start of each season, Boston consistently finds undervalued and capable players. We may not know how the meta will play out in Stage 2 and beyond. What we do know is if Boston finds itself unequipped for a new meta, the management knows where to look. Huk, President of Gaming for the Uprising, is an unmatched scout. Time and time again he’s been able to find the right player for this team. There’s no legitimate reason to doubt him now.
The Bad
A reasonable take going into Stage 2 is there are a lot of unknowns. We haven’t seen Blase or Colourhex play DPS. They’ve been stuck on Birgitte and Zarya, respectively, during Stage 1. We can look at their past performances to get a hint. Blase, at least on Twitter, has professed his love for Doomfist and other twitch centered heroes. Colourhex is known as a projectile focused DPS with a hero pool centered on Genji and Pharah. Without a clear hitscan gifted DPS, it is possible Boston could find themselves without a central cog of the new meta. There are already plenty of rumors that Boston is addressing this. Expect this to be the main storyline of Stage 2 for the team.
The Uprising
Landing in the Stage 1 playoffs was a notable achievement for a team seemingly scrutinized by everyone. But let’s not get complacent. A new meta is a new opportunity for teams to reinvent themselves. Teams that did poorly Stage 1 (London, LA Gladiators) will be hungry to upset a Stage 1 playoff team like Boston. Conversely, Boston gets an opportunity for revenge against Toronto and Vancouver this stage. Plenty of reasons to tune in week-to-week.
Another reason to be excited by Stage 2 is the schedule. Of the 7 teams Boston plays, only 3 were in the Stage 1 playoffs. Only 1 team over .500 didn’t make the playoffs last stage (sorry not sorry Dallas). If Boston can take care of business against the likes of Hangzhou, London, LAG, and Washington, they will be comfortably in the running for Stage 2 playoffs. They’ll have an opportunity to prove their gusto with matches against Atlanta, Toronto, and a redemption shot with Vancouver. Any win against one of those three will go a long way towards moving Uprising into the upper tier of the league.
Week 1’s matchup will be interesting. With Atlanta’s fan-favorite Dafran announcing his retirement, the Reign may be ripe for the feasting. Hopefully Atlanta feeds and Boston can start Stage 2 with a strong rebound from their loss to Vancouver.
We also should hope to see a bit of the Uprising’s bench players – Alemao and Axxiom. Both players are known in the community as more than capable in their roles (Lucio and Winston, respectively). If we see Boston want to changeup their team comps and strategy, hopefully both players will receive an opportunity to shine.
New meta. New teams to play against. A clean slate to work towards a Stage 2 title. Season standings still up in the air. Questions at the DPS position. There is plenty going on for the Uprising. Which is to say they still have that opportunity to PROVE. THEM. WRONG.
Well that was a dud. Chris Sale was bad, the bullpen was bad, the bats only managed 4 runs in a 12-4 loss. But this isn’t about injury, and it’s not about punching holes in the teams’ talent. This was a wake up call for a team coming off arguably the most historic season in it’s 117 year history.
Chris Sale
Yesterday we pointed to Chris Sale’s velocity to see if he was on board with the plan to take it easy. Thanks to Brooks Baseball we can see that his average four seam fastball traveled at 92.9 MPH. That is exactly where he needs to be in order to both last the season without breaking down, and be effective. Tony Massarotti points out that Sale averaged 94 MPH on his four seamer last April, and he went 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA then.
This is a new world for Sale. His whole life he has given 100% all the time. The Red Sox are asking him to dial it back so he’s in peak form for the playoffs. He’s being asked to be the Ace of the Boston Red Sox. He has a new contract. There is a lot on his shoulders. We know he gets it, he’s accountable, he’s passionate.
The Bullpen
The bullpen went 5 innings and gave up 4 earned runs. That’s not good. They’re not world beaters, but they’re also not a wheel of gutless bums. Coming into a Chris Sale game in the fourth inning down 7-2 is not normal.
Tyler Thornburg has a long way to go to receive Red Sox fans’ confidence, but despite what Dave Dombrowski says, he’s not being depended on to be a lock down guy. Alex Cora has sung Hector Velazquez’s praises, but he’s a mop up guy. He gave up 2 or more earned runs 10 times last year.
The only guy who was looked at as dependable in any way last year that pitched last night was Heath Hembree. He threw 17 pitches and got 2 outs, with a strike out and walk thrown in there. That’s an acceptable 7th inning guy, which is what he is being asked to be in the long run.
The Lineup
These guys can fall out of bed and score four runs against the Mariners’ pitching staff. That’s exactly what they did. They tested out a double steal, neat. Mookie went 3-4 and J.D. went 2-5, fabulous.
But where were the grind out at bats? The offense was listless.
The Outfield Defense
Good execution on throwing out Haniger at home by the team. But that was more routine and execution by Vazquez at home, that anything amazing on Mookie’s part.
And then there was the Mookie – Jackie almost debacle. Mookie called for the ball, and Jackie almost knocked it out of his glove by bumping into him in the outfield.
Wake Up Calls
This was all a lack of focus.
Chris Sale is human. His location was off. That falls into execution. Last season he decided to dial it up in June and July. He’s going to need to find that 2018 April for the full season.
It’s the major leagues. Batters can’t just roll out of bed and show up to win games. They need to focus on every pitch.
We haven’t seen the real bullpen weapons yet. We’ll have to wait and see how Barnes and Brasier and Brewer do. If they perform like Thorburg and Velazquez it will be a problem.
Outfielders need to be engaged. That means in every way, including communication. What happened with Bradley and Betts should not happen, no matter what stadium they’re in.
From here it feels like they all needed a wake up call to focus on the new season and leave 2018 behind. It’s a new world. They’re defending Champs coming off a historic season. A 12-4 lashing by the Seattle Mariners hopefully did the trick. Let’s see if Alex Cora and the team can come to the park with a renewed sense of the here and now tonight.
