According to Forbes’ Mike Dowling, Chris Sale is on the verge of signing a $35 Million per year extension for 7 years. ***Update – He’s getting a 5 Year $150 Million contract*** The gut reaction of some fans is ‘Woah woah woah, he’s got a 5+ ERA in the playoffs!’. While that is true, he’s also on the road to a Hall Of Fame career. Here are some reasons why, despite the risk, he’s worth it.
All Time Leader
This guy is historically great. Baseball Reference is a beautiful collection of any baseball stat you can imagine. Chris Sale’s page has two rare commodities: gold stats. They might as well make them platinum, because they annotate an All Time Career Record.
Chris Sale is a poetry of power, finesse, and efficiency. We thought we would never see the likes of Pedro Martinez pitching for the Red Sox ever again. We were wrong. Chris Sale currently holds the All Time Record in K/9, or strike outs per 9 innings. His 10.9 is higher than Pedro, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, Nolan Ryan, and any other great you can think of.
Not only that, but his 5.31 K/BB, or strike outs per walk, blows away the competition of any other control artist. Greg Maddux is 3.37, Schilling is 4.38. These are Buggs Bunny numbers.
He is bar none the best strike out machine, and control artist, ever. Sale is changing the game. We’re talking Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling. That piece of art vaulted the Renaissance into the Baroque. Chris Sale is baseball’s Michelangelo, or Warren Buffett, or Bill Belichick.
Career Highs
In 2018 Chris Sale set a number of incredible career highs. His 2.11 ERA, .861 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), 6.97 K/BB, and 13.5 K/9 last year were all career highs.
And 2018 continued a 6 year streak of finishing in the top 5 of the Cy Young voting.
He Gets It
Chris Sale is not a self promoter, but no one gets it like this guy. Here is what he said in mid February when talking about his contract situation:
“It’s not about buying anything. It’s about playing for Championships.”
When he got injured in August of last year:
“I’m not going to sit around and pout, I’ve got to keep my chin up. I’m on the best team that’s ever walked the planet.
He’s team first, he doesn’t make excuses. And he’s a team leader too. Take yourself back to Game 4 of the World Series. The Sox were down 4-0 to the Dodgers heading into the 7th inning, after only scoring 2 in 18 innings the night before. Nobody revealed exactly was said, but here’s some reactions:
“It scared me a little bit because I had never seen him yell like that and the words that he was saying.”
Rafael Devers
“Oh my God, he was mad at us. I think that lit a fire under everyone. We didn’t want to see him mad anymore. So we decided to to start swinging the bats a little bit.”
Brock Holt
The Sox ended up scoring 3 in the top of the 7th, and ultimately winning the game 9-6.
The Rub
Many point out that Sale has a history of fading in the second half of seasons. While true, his career greatness means that in the first half he’s generally in greatest season of All Time territory, while his second halfs are more top 5 in the game at that time. Very high standards.
But it doesn’t change the fact that his limited postseasons haven’t been great, and he did miss significant time last year. The details have been hard to come by, but last year there was some sort of shoulder problem. It was commonly referred to as shoulder weakness, and anything else has been speculation. But it was enough to knock him out for the majority of the second half last year.
Worth It
Chris Sale’s dominance and virtuosity make him worthy of a mind numbing contract like $35 Million for 7 years. Alex Cora is a genius, and maybe he and his team have figured out the Chris Sale health riddle.
The Boston Celtics were hailed as one of the most deserving contenders in the Eastern Conference, but inconsistencies dominated the air in the regular season.
The Celtics ended up losing four consecutive games following the All-Star break. Even sharp gamblers who know how to read basketball betting lines were caught off-guard by the team’s losing streak.
Recently, Kyrie Irving, the star guard, gave insight on the team’s problems and conceded that he can’t afford the prospect of the team not playing in the top league until the regular season is over.
“I can’t wait for all this to be over. I keep talking about what we can do to play better in the regular season. We just need to play at the highest level.”, Irving said.
To make a case for the Celtics, he gives the example of the Cleveland Cavaliers team of 2017, which advanced to the NBA Finals, though struggling at times.
Irving explains, “We have lost a few games consecutively before sweeping the entire Eastern Conference. When we’re playing at our highest level, nobody can really beat us in the Eastern Conference.”
Is the losing streak over?
Though Celtics’ won against Wizards following a 4-game losing streak, it dropped one against Rockets.They did, however, score another win against the Sacramento Kings afterward.
Last year, it was interesting to watch how resourceful Boston’s roster was when the Celtics advanced just a game short of the NBA Finals even though Irving and Gordon Hayward were not available at all throughout the postseason. Players such as Jayson Tatum, Terry Rozier, and Jaylen Brown showed immense capability and carried on with the offensive that Irving and Hayward are usually supposed to bring to the game.
Boston is currently placed fifth in the Eastern Conference, but it is only three games away from reaching the 3rd standing. If the Celtics manage to go up in the standings, it is more likely that they will get to play easier teams in the initial stages of the playoffs.
Can this team really make a turnaround?
There is some substance to this notion; the refresh button on April 9 can really aid Boston. Regardless, its accomplishments in the regular season would not make a difference to how it is eventually going to be judged.
If Boston is able to turn things in its favor in the postseason, its inconsistencies will be remembered as part of the journey.
However, what is apparent is that the team must get its act together in dealing with adversity if they are serious about staging a comeback from a tough loss or in-game run.
In the postseason, Irving is expected to be particularly motivated and Boston has a reputation of pushing the elite competition. Maybe, Irving’s narrative this week changed due to this. The regular season is surely mentally exhausting and he recognizes the need to get past the ordinariness of the regular season. He seems to be suggesting that the team is going to play perfectly in the playoffs, thanks to his presence.
The good news is the Celtics have stayed at the top of the ESPN’s Basketball index.
There’s plenty of hard work ahead for the team before it recovers from the recent losses. But they must know, the reward will be that much sweeter.
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Saturday, March 16th @ 6 P.M. – Boston Uprising vs. Dallas Fuel
We’ve reached the final week of Stage 1 of the 2019 Overwatch League season. For some teams, this weekend’s game is nothing more than an exhibition and opportunity to retool before Stage 2. Those teams are on the outside looking in. For other teams, this is an opportunity to sharpen their swords as they prepare to capture the Stage 1 title. Then, there are 5 teams whose fate is undecided.
Boston Uprising are one of those teams.
With two days of matches left, and 5 teams on the bubble (Guangzhou, Houston, London, Boston, and Seoul), there is plenty to watch for this weekend. Boston has a complicated set of hypotheticals that boils down to this:
They have to beat Dallas on Saturday
God forbid Guangzhou wins against Vancouver, they have to be +1 on map differential to get a play-in match
If Seoul wins they have to at least tie the map differential of the Seoul/London match
Conversely, if London wins, they just need a +2 map differential
Those are the basics of the weekend’s hypotheticals. With that as background, let’s get the background on this week’s opponent, the Dallas Fuel.
It’s High Noon
At 4-2, Dallas has their spot in the Stage 1 playoffs locked in already. Their +1 map differential is the lowest of any team poised for playoffs at this moment, suggesting their record is a bit deceiving. They’ve got two wins against Shanghai, one against Seoul, and one against Philadelphia. Not exactly a gauntlet of opponents. Additionally, they were swept 4-0 by both Guangzhou and San Francisco in their only two losses. Take from that record what you will.
Looking at their typical team comps, Dallas has ran the 3-3 consistently throughout the season. Interestingly, they haven’t been afraid to bring in the Sombra or Winston, with rCk on Sombra and OGe on the Winston. It’s likely we’ll see some Sombra as many teams have tried to use that against Boston since their collapse against Shanghai in week 2. What will be most interesting is who Dallas puts on Zarya.
Akm and Effect have switched off and on the Zarya all season, with many considering akm the better off-tank. In fact, Effect didn’t see playing time the last two matches. Therefore Boston should be preparing for the Colourhex and akm matchup on Zarya. While Colourhex’s performance on Zarya has fluctuated all season, he’s more than capable of stepping up in big spots. Saturday will be a perfect opportunity to show how far he’s come this season.
Justice Rains from Above
A new part of these weekly previews will be looking at the map pools and win-rates. Taking a look at the map pool gives an interesting forecast for the matchup:
Map
Boston
Dallas
Ilios
76% (13-0-4)
29% (4-0-10)
King’s Row
42% (5-0-7)
38% (5-0-8)
Volskaya Industries
92% (11-1-1)
25% (2-3-6)
Dorado
46% (6-0-7)
31% (4-1-9)
First, Volskaya Industries has been unofficially labeled “Uprising Industries” from all the way back last season. Their 92% win rate makes it hard to believe Dallas could upset them on that map. Both Dorado and King’s Row seem like a toss up. Likely the biggest surprise will be whether or not Note puts on the Reaper again on King’s Row, and if he can land the Death Blossom without getting booped off the map this time. Lastly, I also would love to see Boston pull out the Hammond on Ilios, as I think Fusions is begging for a chance to unleash what he has on the hero.
Predicton
I don’t see Boston letting the opportunity to crash the Stage 1 playoffs slip through their hands. Dallas appears to me to be a team that’s just barely squeaked by thanks to a soft schedule and has lost against any reasonable degree of competition. As a result, Boston needs to step up and take control early. Not only do they need to win, but map differential is going to be critical in securing their spot in the playoffs. They cannot afford to let any map go as it could unseat them from their spot by the end of the weekend.
Boston needs to stick to what has gotten them this far in Stage 1. Aggressive, vocal-cord killing shot calling from Fusion, timely pick offs by Note, Kellex and Aimgod coordinating to counter any EMPs, and Colourhex playing at worse a mediocre Zarya. Oh and Blase can just do Blase things. He seems to be desperate to play Doomfist (judging by his Twitter and his post-game interview last week). Hopefully the new patch will give him the chance. In the meantime, Boston has to stay focused, listen to their coaching, and believe in what’s gotten them through this far. Prove. Them. Wrong.
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The Baseball season is now just around the corner. We are starting to see pitchers throw more innings, and hitters see more time at the plate in Spring Training. The Red Sox season kicks off in a fraction over two weeks time (15 days) on the road in Seattle. Therefore, let’s carry on our series projecting how the Red Sox hitters will do at the plate. In the last couple of weeks we have looked at J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts. Today we look at Andrew Benintendi.
Mr. Consistent
Unlike Martinez and Betts, Benintendi is not the type of hitter who will make headlines with his hitting. However, what he offers is consistent hitting across the board, with just enough of everything to keep everyone happy. In fact the last two years have looked extremely similar for Benintendi, right down to the number of plate appearances.
2018 did see Benintendi take a slight dip in his power numbers compared to 2017, from 20 home runs to 16. Interestingly, last season he actually increased his average exit velocity and barrel % over 2017. The likely reason his power numbers dipped is due to slight decrease in his launch angle. Usually, you would like to see those numbers come back up, but the results of that launch angle change were seen elsewhere.
Getting on Base
Last season saw Benintendi increase his batting average from .271 to .290. That is an increase that is absolutely worth losing a handful of home runs. The really good news is that the increase was not a fluke. Benintendi’s expected batting average was .282 last season, slightly lower than the final output, but not a number which suggests major regression. A report from the Boston Herald suggested that Benintendi may focus on batting average even more this year, even if it comes at the expense of power.
In addition, Benintendi backed up his solid 10.6% walk rate in 2017 with a 10.7% number in 2018. While it only puts him 34th among qualified hitters, it combines really nicely with that batting average. In 2018, Benintendi ranked 29th in on base percentage, one of three Red Sox hitters in the top 30. His ability to get on base consistently is why many project him to hit leadoff.
Leadoff Hitter?
Hitting in the number one spot is not for everyone. We have seen some hitters struggle with the pressure of being the first man up for their team. However, when Benintendi was asked to hit leadoff in 2018 he thrived. In a small sample size of 97 plate appearances, Benintendi had a .322 batting average a .381 OBP. His walk rate was down slightly, but that was replaced and by getting on base more consistently with his bat.
Interestingly, despite having less than sixth of his plate appearances in the leadoff spot, Benintendi actually hit nearly a third of his home runs last season there. The Herald report suggests that is not a trend we will see continuing this season, but it is worth noting.
One reason that Benintendi may be changing his approach to become a leadoff hitter is because of his record hitting with the bases empty. Last season, Benintendi returned a .243 batting average when at the plate with no one on base. That is in contrast to a .350 batting average with men on base, and a .338 return with men in scoring position. If Benintendi is to hold down the leadoff spot, he will need to improve on that split in 2019.
Running Wild?
Another element of Benintendi’s game which has been consistent the last two years has been his base stealing. Benintendi has attempted 25 and 24 steals respectively over the last two seasons. He has been successful on 20 and 21. His over 80% conversion rate on stolen bases comes despite ranking 212th in the majors in sprint speed last season. For context, that placed him in the 68th percentile of major league players. Above average, but not by much.
How Benintendi, and the Red Sox, approach base stealing will be interesting now that he is in the leadoff spot. On one hand you have a player who has had success on the base paths. On the other hand, his relative lack of speed comparatively could be a reason we see him running less. There is also the case of whether it is worth the risk of running Benintendi into potential outs when he is hitting in front of two of the most productive hitters in baseball. How incredibly stupid would everyone look if Benintendi was thrown out at second, only for Betts or Martinez to crush the next ball out of the park?
Given the success rate from the last two years you would expect to see Benintendi given the opportunity to steal bases this season. If he has issues then maybe the Red Sox rethink that, either mid season or for 2020. If the Red Sox do allow Benintendi to run at similar rate, then the extra plate appearances from leading off could mean that he has a shot to steal 25 bases. If they let him run a little more from the leadoff position, which they did last year, then 30 stolen bases could legitimately be on the cards for Benintendi.
Overall Production
Hitting largely first or second in the order last year, Benintendi returned 103 runs and 87 RBI. The switch to leadoff is likely to see those numbers slant even further to the runs side in 2019. A rough projection on his return would still be a combined 190, but more in the region of 115 runs compared to 75 RBI. Usually we can see leadoff hitters struggle for RBI, but the bottom of the Red Sox order has enough talent that Benintendi should still see plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.
Therefore, a final projection for Benintendi is likely to be somewhere in the region of 12-15 home runs, 115 runs, 75 RBI, a .290-.300 batting average and 25-30 stolen bases. Again, not the headline numbers of his two superstar teams mates, but an extremely good return from a player who seems to be willing to put team goals above personal glory.
After releasing star players Neko and Striker in the offseason, the Boston Uprising came into the 2019 Overwatch League season with several question marks. Surprisingly, unofficial team captain and main tank Gamsu was traded to the Shanghai Dragon just days before opening night. With no time to spare, Boston called up main tank Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth from their Contenders team to fill in. Critics and observers were shocked when the Uprising nearly defeated expected champion NYXL. What followed has been an up and down Stage 1 that has many believing Boston can be a playoffs team and a force to be reckoned with in the league.
Fusions first came onto the scene with London Spitfire’s Contenders team the British Hurricane. They won the 2018 Contenders Season 1: Europe Championship in his first season with the team. From there, he was selected to be a part of the UK’s Overwatch World Cup team as their main tank. His standout performance on Reinhardt caught everyone’s eyes, and many anticipated a future Overwatch League debut.
We were fortunate enough to get to speak to Fusions about what it was like as he prepared for the 2019 season. As part of the Uprising Academy, he was set to play in Contenders until the Gamsu trade. We talk to him about how it all went down, what being a part of the Uprising has been like, and how far he thinks the team will go.
Boston Sports Extra’s LoadScr33n: Fusions – just a few weeks ago you’re on the Uprising Academy and I imagine you’re preparing for the new season of Contenders. Where were you and how did you find out you were getting called up to the main roster?
Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth: I was busy preparing for the upcoming contenders season with Uprising Academy when Huk called me when I was at home to tell me that I would be called up to the main team in order to play. It was about a week and a half before the first match so I had to prepare fast to make sure I was ready to move.
LoadScr33n: What was that moment like? What were your first thoughts and who was the first person you told?
Fusions: When I was told I was really excited. It came as quite a shock since I really had no idea I would be brought up. I told my family that same night and my closest friends a little after.
Fusions was playing the same type of aggressive Reinhardt all the way back in Contenders
LoadScr33n: Could you walk me through those few days between when you got the call and touching down in LA? What was that like for you and your family and what was the biggest hurdle to get to the states?
Fusions: To be honest there wasn’t really any big hurdles into leaving for or getting to the US. I was prepared with my visa already for about a month before that so all I really had to do was pack and be ready to go. My family was upset to see me go, especially my mum, but they were expecting that I would have to move at short notice for a while before that so they understood.
LoadScr33n: You land in LA and you have a day or two to prepare to play against the NYXL – currently the top team in the standings and widely expected to win the championship this year. Can you give me an idea of what those days were like?
Fusions: I just did my best to fit in and help out the team. Realistically we couldn’t make any other huge changes right before the game, so I went in giving 100% and we put on a pretty good performance.
LoadScr33n: We know what the expectations for the Uprising were from outside the team (not good). What was the feeling from the players and management about how you stacked up against the rest of the league before the start of the season?
Fusions: Obviously we had an idea of who the stronger and weaker competition was going into the season but to be honest everyone knows not to focus on what people think of us on the outside. They don’t see our scrims or how we perform and hadn’t seen a large majority of our players play at this level, so we knew we could easily beat their expectations, the challenge is how much we could beat those expectations by.
2019-03-10 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
LoadScr33n: The team sent out a video at the start of the season with the theme “Prove. Them. Wrong.” What are the expectations within the team and what goals have you set for yourself this stage and the year overall?
Fusions: The general goal of the team is to polish ourselves as the season goes on and become a team that can compete at the top level and with any team. The potential in our roster is huge so we want to keep focusing and improving the more the season progresses. My personal goal is to by the end of the year be talked about as one of the top tank players in the game. It’s a tall order but I think with the help and resources I have, I can reach that goal, and I really want to push myself to be the best I can be.
LoadScr33n: Now that things may be settling down into a routine a bit, how are you finding life in the states, playing on the team, the daily scrim and vod grind, and just a complete change to your life than where you were just two weeks ago?
Fusions: I’ve gotten used to the routine by now, everything we need is prepared in advance so all I have to focus on is how to push myself in my free time. I really enjoy this lifestyle and living with the team because it really makes me feel like I’m competing at the top level and can invest every bit of time I have into being the best player I can be.
LoadScr33n: You didn’t get to come to Boston in the preseason visit with the rest of the team. Assuming you make it to Boston by the end of the season, anything specific you want to see in the city? Anything the other guys have talked about that gets you hyped for a trip down the line?
Fusions: My parents have visited Boston before and they really enjoyed it so I really want to visit at some point. My teammates talked a lot about stuff they did there and the things that really stood out was they mentioned an Escape Room they did in Boston that was a lot of fun and also how the sports culture in the city makes it a great place to be during matches across different sports.
2019-02-28 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
We want to thank Fusions for taking the time to speak to us. At 3-3, the Uprising have a great chance of making the Stage 1 playoffs if they can defeat the Dallas Fuel this Saturday (although there are some complicated scenarios at play). Tune into Twitch this Saturday at 6pm to see how the Uprising do!
All photos are by Robert Paul and courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
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Over the last two months the Boston Bruins have been on a historic run. They had earned at least a point in nineteen straight games before falling to Pittsburgh Sunday night. The last team to have a streak like that was the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2013-2014 season, when they won the Stanley Cup. During the Bruins impressive stretch many different players have stepped up. Their head coach Bruce Cassidy, however, has again proved why he is one of the best. In a season filled with adversity, he has guided the Bruins to second place in the Eastern Confrence.
While the Bruins entered the season with high expectations, it has been anything but easy. They have missed just about every key player for an extended time due to injuries . They have dealt with sophomore slumps and at times struggled offensively. Through it all, Cassidy has gotten the best out of his players.
For the past three weeks, Cassidy has been without his top goal scorer David Pastrnak, and for the past week Jake DeBrusk. As a result, Cassidy has had to be creative with his lines. Against Ottawa, he placed Chris Wagner on the Bruins top line midway through the game. Wagner rewarded his coach’s trust by scoring the tying goal. This is just one example of Cassidy showing his ability to make in-game adjustments to put this team in the best position to win.
"It just seems like every game is close, could go either way, but we're finding a way to win. Give credit to the guys for doing that. It's not lucky when you find ways to win over and over again."
Bruce Cassidy shares his thoughts on the team's current 19-game point streak: pic.twitter.com/Q2vXOmWYyM
Additionally, he has been patient with his young players as they battled Sophomore slumps. He has received a lot of criticism for his line pairings, but the Bruins offense has improved lately. The secondary scoring that was absent has shown up, as Heinen and DeBrusk have finally resembled the players they were last season. They have rewarded their coaches faith by performing well in top six roles.
Bruins Continue To Excel
Despite the shuffling lineups, the Bruins still have the ninth-best penalty kill, and second best power play unit. They have used 37 different players and improved as the season has progressed. That would cause most teams to fall of a cliff, but not this Bruins team. Cassidy has gotten his team to buy into the Bruins system, and as a result they have excelled.
For all these reasons Cassidy should be in the Jack Adams conversation. The award is given to coach who has contributed the most to his team’s success. Cassidy is more than deserving, as he has rarely had a healthy roster, forcing him to work with a depleted lineup. Regardless of the changing pieces this team continues to win.
Winning the award will not be easy, as Cassidy has steep competition. The other finalists will most likely be Bill Peters, Barry Trotz, and John Cooper. While Cassidy will again be in the conversation, Trotz Is the current favorite due to the Islanders success. Regardless of the results, what Cassidy has done this year has been truly impressive.
Free agency started in the NFL today, and the Patriots subtracted instead of adding. They did trade for defensive lineman Michael Bennett on Friday from the Eagles, but lost Trent Brown and Trey Flowers yesterday. On the first day, it was the Lions making moves, while the Patriots lost some defensive playmakers. However, because of their success, they can add and subtract all they want, because as long as Belichick and Brady are on the team they make the Super Bowl year after year.
The Patriots seem to still make Super Bowl’s with average talent and make them great
The Patriots for some reason bring in average talent and turn them into elite players. It must be the winning style and how Belichick coaches. Also with the way Brady prepares and takes the game seriously. Even though they finished the regular season 11-5, they still went on to win the Super Bowl. Proving Belichick can be on a island during free agency, while other teams are singing players, and the Patriots will still make the Super Bowl. It does sound arrogant, but it’s a known fact when nobody can stop them in the playoffs.
Everything Belichick does is part of what is best for the team. From trading players, to benching Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl, Belichick because of his success can do no wrong. When we look back at a year ago there was no talk of the Patriots ever making a Super Bowl again in the Brady Belichick era. Once again with no good receivers, and Edelman coming back from an injury and suspension. The defense was questionable, and there was a lot of Rob Gronkowski drama.
They’ve earned everything they have. Belichick makes sure the players put in the work day in and day out. Belichick isn’t known for giving raises, he only cares about winning championships. Trey Flowers, Trent Brown, Danny Amendola, they can go get their payday on other teams. But when it comes to playoff time they’ll be on the couch watching their old team the Patriots making a run at another Super Bowl title.
In the World Series run of 2018, the Red Sox got away with using three catchers on their active roster. With only 25 spots, carrying a third catcher is a rarity in today’s game. Despite the team’s success, this roster style is unlikely to carry over into 2019. Alex Cora already said it’s likely that Boston trades one of the three before the season starts. This is a team that could really use that extra roster spot for an extra arm in the bullpen, so one of the catchers has to go. But who?
All three catchers have both pros and cons, it’s just about finding the right balance between the two that stay. Between Blake Swihart, Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez, there is a mixture of power, contact and defense. Keeping two that can work cohesively is crucial for Dombrowski and the Red Sox, and it’s going to be very interesting to see what path they choose to go down.
Blake Swihart
The most promising of the three options is Blake Swihart. Blake is a former first rounder who has been thrown at various positions throughout the field, but has yet to stick. Now, he finds himself with a chance to become an everyday catcher again. Being the youngest of the three certainly works in the favor of Swihart, however, his time is running out. If he can’t carry his hot spring into the regular season or stay healthy, and improve on his .678 career OPS, he could see himself traded.
If the team really wants the most value from a trade of a catcher, this may be their best bet. Teams like the Royals and Athletics are still in need of a starting catcher, and could be tempted by the upside of the former top prospect.
Verdict: To me, I’m keeping Swihart and riding with him as my starter. He showed flashes of a solid bat down the stretch in 2018, and I’d at least want to take the chance on him as one of the two catchers on my team.
Christian Vazquez
Certainly the most perplexing of the three options. Vazquez seemed to take strides by hitting .290 in 2017, which is excellent for a major league catcher. He’s always been a good defensive catcher, with a fantastic knack for throwing out runners. However, in 2018 he regressed heavily. He signed a contract heading into the year with an average annual value of around 4.5 million, so expectations were raised after his successful 2017. The expectations weren’t met, as his average fell to .207 and his OPS fell almost 200 points.
At times his focus appeared to be elsewhere, and staying in shape was brought into question. As someone who loved Vazquez as a prospect, I think he can get past these things. I do believe he has a solid .270-.280 perennial average in him, and he could be a solid starter or a reliable backup.
Verdict: He has been ice cold in the spring, but Vazquez still offers plenty of upside for a Boston team yet to settle on a starting catcher. Being locked in with him through 2022 gives the Red Sox some incentive to be persistent with Vazquez. I think that earns him the second catcher spot on this team, at least to start the season.
Sandy Leon
One time a folk hero for Red Sox fans, Sandy Leon’s fall from grace has been quick and hard. In 2016 he hit .310 with an OPS over .840. These numbers came out of absolutely nowhere, as he hit .184 and .156 the two seasons prior. Everyone knew he wouldn’t replicate his 2016 again, as those numbers are just absurd for a catcher. Especially one who was always known as a defence-first backstop. The average fell to .225 in 2017, then under .180 last season.
I was very much an advocate to cut Sandy at many points throughout the season. However, the Sox’ front office felt differently. They felt him being the strongest defensive catcher of the three was worth holding onto, despite a miserable OPS slightly over .500. Leon is sneaky young, as he turns 30 later this week. He still holds upside strictly because of his defense. There is a glimmer of hope that stretch in the second half of 2016 wasn’t an anomaly.
Verdict: He doesn’t hold a ton of trade value due to his historically poor offense. He will appeal to many teams who are in search of a backup catcher. Or any team who may need to fill a hole that is left by injury. To me, you find a trade somewhere for Leon, likely K.C., and you take whatever you can get back for him.
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With two matches left in Stage 1, Boston has to take advantage of each map if they want to keep their Stage 1 playoffs dream alive. With several teams hovering at or above the .500 mark, the 2-3 Uprising can’t afford to give a map. Remember, after wins/losses, rank is determined by head-to-head, then map differential. With that pressure surround them, Boston faced off this week against the 1-4 Florida Mayhem. Fans of the Boston Uprising have reason to feel confident. Let’s take a look at how the match played out.
Busan
On control, Florida sent out BQB on the Sombra. Considering how well Aimgod and Kellex did against Seoul last week when they played Sombra – no reason to be afraid, right? Boston starts off by getting wiped off the point, but quickly rebound with Fusions scoring a triple kill to recap the point. BQB certainly lived up to his reputation as an upper tier Sombra, hitting a 6 person EMP on two separate occasions. However, Boston manages their ult economy better, and without a DVa, Colourhex has free reign to patiently aim his graviton surge without impunity. Boston smoothly cruises to a 100% – 63% stage win.
EMPs continue to plague Boston on stage two – the whole team gets hit on another two separate occasions. Unfortunately for Florida, they weren’t able to capitalize on them like NYXL or Shanghai did. Boston continued to play well behind Fusions. This stage was never close as Boston swept the map 100% – 47%.
Numbani
Boston started in hybrid mode on offense and faced little resistance until trying to round the final corner towards the final point. Through their first two pushes, the corner seemed to be an impenetrable wall. That is, until Note decided to do what he’d been doing since the start of the match – pop some self-destructs. He and Colourhex worked a Graviton/Self-Destruct combo for a double kill that snowballed the point with over 2 minutes left.
The theme of the game thus far. #OWL2019@NotEvenBleu is the definition of CONSISTENCY!
In an act of either outrageous courage or complete ignorance, Florida starts with a Wrecking Ball and is stomped. Getting demolished with the hamster hampered them throughout the attack. Behind in ultimates, out of position, and seemingly headed toward a full hold.
Then, with 40 seconds left, Xepher hits a self destruct that followed up a big earth shatter. Two of the Uprising go down to keep the map going. But father time remains undefeated, and the Mayhem fails to get the final point. Boston wins 3-2.
Coming out of halftime, Boston seemed as dominant as many expected them to be. It seemed like a full sweep was inevitable. Starting on offense, the Uprising forced their way onto A and dominate it. An attempt at a snowball fails. Fusions lands a great shatter on the team’s second push for Point B, but Florida responded in kind with their own ults. With 4 minutes left in the time bank.
Florida’s turn on offense starts with them putting BQB back on the Sombra to scout and pester the backline. In fact, BQB hacks Aimgod and takes him out which snowballs to an easy point A cap. Yikes. BQB has the EMP ready as they look for the quick snowball and he hits it on all but the supports. Unfortunately, that small victory is a hollow one as they lack the ults to counter it. Mayhem finally take advantage and roll Boston for the quick Point B cap and 6 – 4 minute advantage in the time bank.
Back on offense, the Uprising get pushed back in their first capture attempt. Several poke battles and ult exchanges drain their time but the Uprising capture Point A with just over a minute left. Fortunately, they snowball straight into a Point B capture with just over a minute left in the time bank. The math starts looking pretty bad for Boston and the need for a strong defensive hold is critical.
Florida takes their turn on offense, again putting BQB on Sombra. He tries to split the Uprising in half by back capping and gets a tick before Note engages. The Mayhem take point A with minimal resistence. BQB hits a big EMP on Point B but Kellex is there with the Sound Barrier – finally! Great team fights erupt on Point B that Boston keeps winning. Scrappy fights that see tanks go down early on both sides, and the Uprising somehow able to squeak out coordinated fights to win. Notably, Fusions goes super aggressive and pushes through the choke point to buy some time. Though Boston eventually succumbs as Florida caps Point B – boy did they suck up some time. Florida’s time advantage disappears as both teams get just over a minute for their next attack.
Boston caps point A with their turn on offense after winning a drawn out, pick-for-pick fight. Surprisingly, Fusions is one of the first to go down, but is able to make it back to the point as Wrecking Ball. His flexibility pays off as he pile drives enough of the Mayhem to help cap the point. With nearly no time or ults, Boston makes a weak push onto Point B that Florida repels.
Having to get through Point A and earn a tick on Point B to keep the match alive, Florida rolls out BQB on Sombra again. This time, Note’s directionless pray and spray pays off as he nicks Sombra in the room below the staircase. Pinning him there, the entire Uprising are able to coordinate against Florida’s push. After a quick brawl the Uprising repel the attack and win the map!
Dorado
Though the match is won, Boston clearly have their eye on their overall map differential and its role in securing them a Stage 1 playoffs spot. No time to take their foot off the pedal. BQB takes the Sombra role on defense and holds his EMP for what seems like forever. Which was appropriate as the Mayhem seemingly were having their way with Boston. Once BQB hits it, the EMP lands on both supports to cause a team wipe. Boston takes forever to finally get a good push on the payload that starts with Fusion landing a triple kill. Another double kill by Fusions on the top platform by Point B helps propel them through. Boston is unable to get the payload through to the end, and suddenly the brooms have to go back into the closet for the moment.
BQB comes out on offense on Sombra. Boston seems better prepared for it this time, as Kellex and Aimgod nervously play the backline to avoid the EMP. Poor time management by Florida happens when they traverse the long way around on Point B. Florida starts cruising though and it looks like they may play the spoiler role. However, Aimgod gets a big pick on BQB as time runs low right after point B. As overtime starts and BQB hits a big 5 player EMP – Aimgod swoops in with the transcend just like the coach drew it up. A few gravs, shatters, and every other ult gets thrown in, and Boston wins the map, match, and earns the 4-0 sweep!
Analysis
A 4-0 sweep is what most pundits and fans were expecting, and none left disappointed. Florida’s chaotic season continued as Boston showed their coordination, leadership, and strategy can guide them through a match. There’s a lot here to like as an Uprising fan:
Fusions playing aggressive as ever continues to be the centerpiece of the team. I’m thinking specifically of his push on defense towards the end of Horizon Lunar Colony. Down on ults, Florida with plenty of time, and what does he do? Meets the Mayhem at the choke off the point.
Note was handing out double kills with self-destructs like candy on halloween. I’ve been a bit critical throughout the season on this point, so this is me eating my hat and giving credit where it’s due.
We see you Kellex – dropping the beat emote before Numbani started, getting boops to ruin the Mayhem’s positioning (especially the one when they went around for high ground on Horizon), and hiding from the Sombra with Sound Barrier ready to go. Unheralded performance.
I think Blase wants to fast forward to the next patch – him on Doomfist before a Dorado started (and on Jayne’s Pro PUGS) clearly indicates he wants back in on the DPS bandwagon.
This was a small little detail – but did anyone notice the Uprising going through the high ground on Point A of Numbani? They have faked the high ground and gone low every time this season. I like that they’re not afraid to switch things up and ruin any VOD studying the other team may be doing.
Your match MVP
Things weren’t all sun and rainbows, though. Here are some things to think about as we look towards our last matchup next week of stage 1:
I thought our counters against the Sombra were okay. Yes, by the end of the nigh,t by the time we hit Dorado and Horizon Lunar Colony, we did fine. But if you weren’t nervous after Busan you weren’t watching. Good on the Uprising’s coaching to rally Kellex and Aimgod during halftime and turn them around.
Horizon Lunar colony got too tight for my liking. Getting snowballed on defense and having wave after wave held back was not what anyone wanted to see. While it was impressive to see Boston turn the tide through a long map like that – it never should have gotten that far.
Overall the night went Boston’s way and put the Uprising in position to sneak into the Stage 1 playoffs. They need to take care of business against Dallas and may need help from some other teams. Fans will be biting their nails all weekend as we work through the scenarios and probabilities through each match. Strap yourself in fans, we’re just about hitting the final climb as we brace for the big drop to hit!
We see you Stage 1 playoffs….
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It’s no secret that the Patriots have a plethora of key free agents that will likely seek greener pastures. Trey Flowers is the big name that comes to mind, along with a majority of the receiving corps. The other large, pun intended, free agent set to cash in is offensive tackle Trent Brown.
The Patriots acquired Brown during the 2018 draft, and only swapped third and fifth round picks with the 49ers to do so. That 5th round pick ended up yielding Ja’Whaun Bentley, which could turn out to be a steal.
At the time, no one thought too much of the Brown trade, other than the Patriots got an enormous human being. With the loss of Nate Solder, Brown looked to be the new left tackle, but there was also the new first round pick to consider.
New England drafted Isaiah Wynn with the 23rd overall pick out of Georgia. The Patriots initially saw him as the potential heir to Brady’s blindside, but then Bill Belichick stole Brown from San Francisco. Wynn isn’t considered a traditional tackle, as he only stands 6’2″, which is a lower height than average. He moved around the entire line at Georgia, but definitely possesses the talent to play the tackle position well.
It looked to be a position battle going into camp, with both Brown and Wynn vying for the starting role. Brown was the more obvious choice, as he had the experience and measurements over Wynn. However, Wynn came out of college highly touted, and Belichick gave him a shot in the preseason. That shot lasted exactly one quarter.
Wynn went down playing right tackle when newly acquired Michael Bennett put too much weight on Wynn’s Achilles. He hobbled off the field and didn’t see it again for the rest of 2018, ending up on Injured Reserve. This was the case for most of New England’s rookie class, but Wynn is all set to go for 2019.
With Brown more than likely leaving unless New England breaks character and signs him to a massive deal, can Wynn fill his predecessor’s humongous shoes?
Assuming Brown does depart, the job is absolutely Wynn’s to lose. There aren’t many solid offensive tackle options on the market or in the draft (in the Pats range), so Wynn looks to be the next man up. Belichick didn’t acquire Brown until day 2, so he drafted Wynn with the starting job in mind.
There is definitely a lot to like about Wynn. He is a great lineman all round, excelling at moving around and creating holes for the running back. He was dominant in the 2018 Rose Bowl, keeping Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm protected the entire night. There shouldn’t be much worry about Wynn’s athleticism. He will do extremely well with open field blocks and leading the charge downfield.
If there is one area of concern however, it would be his ability to stand up to NFL caliber linemen. He will be dealing with players that far exceed his height and weight, which was the knock on Wynn coming out of college. The left tackle is arguably one of the most important positions, and protecting Tom Brady’s blindside is crucial at this point in his career. A 42 year old man doesn’t need to be taking hits from his backside throughout a season.
There is a lot of hope for Wynn, especially on the Patriots staff. He was the top pick for New England a year ago, and needs to live up to that in 2019. To answer the question of, “Can he replace Trent Brown?”, I believe he can. Brown was a solid player in the 2018 season, but did seem lazy at times. He wasn’t the best at keeping guys off Brady’s back, and that’s the area Wynn needs to prove himself at.
At this point, there should be no excuses for the sophomore, as he will have arguably the NFL’s best offensive line coach, the legendary Dante Scarnecchia, guiding him along the way. It will be interesting to see if they capitalize on Wynn’s athleticism in ways they couldn’t with Brown. If all goes according to plan, the Patriots will have their left tackle of the future in Isaiah Wynn.
