We are 6 days away from the official start to NFL free agency, but that doesn’t mean the rumor mill stops turning. With a multitude of cuts and trades happening, or not happening (cough*Antonio Brown*cough), the Patriots were bound to get in on the action.
A plethora of sources are reporting that New England has traded for the Eagles’ DE Michael Bennett. The trade is reportedly only for draft pick compensation and no players are involved. It is rumored that the Patriots will swap their 2020 5th round pick for Philadelphia’s 2020 7th rounder. However, no trades can be processed until March 14th, so we will officially know then.
This is a bombshell of a report, as the Patriots are well documented in their search for veteran stars. Whether it be Odell Beckham Jr. or some mystery player, New England hasn’t been afraid to poke around. This still reigns true as Michael Bennett is one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL.
Setting aside his activities outside of football for now, Bennett is no doubt one of the better defensive players in the league. He finished last year with nine sacks and two forced fumbles, still proving he can get to the quarterback. Bennett was also the sole reason the Seahawks almost beat the Pats in Super Bowl 49, hammering Brady several times.
The first instinct that comes to mind when thinking of this trade is bye-bye Trey Flowers. While this does reinforce the fact that the Patriots might be preparing for Flowers’ departure, it doesn’t 100% guarantee it. Michael Bennett is owed around $7 million dollars for 2019, which is relatively cheap considering his productivity. He also won’t take a pay cut, so that’s off the table. On the other hand, Flowers is going to get paid anywhere from $15-17 million dollars annually.
With the Patriots current cap situation, Flowers and Bennett both can’t be on the team without compromising other depth areas. However, if the Patriots were to cut someone like Adrian Clayborn, it makes more fiscal sense. A Clayborn cut would free up nearly $6 million in cap space, which is only $1 million less than Bennett.
The addition of Bennett most likely means the Patriots are bracing for the departure of Trey Flowers. They probably still believe they can sign him, but players would now need to be cut for that to happen. Adrian Clayborn makes the most sense, but Bill Belichick has been known for his surprise cuts.
While this trade looks like a homerun on paper, there is still the elephant in the room to deal with. Michael Bennett is no stranger to controversy, as he was caught lying to police in Las Vegas before the 2017 season. He was attending the Floyd Mayweather-Connor McGregor fight, and had an altercation with police afterwards.
Long story short, Bennett attempted to play the race card and claim the police brutally attacked him based on this. This was proven to be absolutely untrue, but Bennett got off without major charges. However, he was indicted for another incident following Super Bowl 51, when he attacked an elderly paraplegic working the game.
These run-ins with the law are certainly not what you want when looking at potential players. New England has housed troubled players in the past, but Bennett is a new breed. Even still, Bill Belichick will not tolerate this behavior whatsoever, and Michael will get firsthand knowledge of this from his brother Martellus, 2 year Patriots veteran.
No matter what you think of Michael Bennett the person, the fact remains he is a good football player. He will upgrade the defensive line and could make a lethal 1-2 punch with Trey Flowers if the Pats resign him. It is safe to assume Belichick will be able to keep Bennett on the right side of the law, but the worry is there.
This reported trade will become official once NFL free agency starts on March 14th.
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Sunday, March 10th @ 6 P.M. – Boston Uprising vs. Florida Mayhem
Overwatch League’s 2019 season rolls on as the Boston Uprising continue to reach for the one thing that has alluded them all season – consistency. This roller coaster of a season has featured highs, like pushing the NYXL to the limit opening night, and lows like losing to the then-winless Shanghai Dragons. Last week was supposed to be different, though. It was at that moment that we had all our players (off of suspension, under an official contract) and none of the excuses. And the result was – mixed?
While Thursday’s match saw Boston take the Seoul Dynasty down 3-1, Sunday saw them lose to the Toronto Defiant, 1-3. To add to an already disappointing loss, Toronto premiered former Boston player Neko in their victory over the Uprising. Talk about salt on the wound. How will this week go? Enter the Florida Mayhem.
Sunday’s match will feature Busan, Numbani, Horizon Lunar Colony, and Dorado
Match Preview
At 1-4, the Florida Mayhem have a whole basket of issues. After dumping nearly their entire roster in the off-season (where have we heard that before?) Florida looked to rebound going into the 2019 season. What have they got going for them? BQB has been one of the better off-tanks that have flexed to Sombra throughout the 2019 season. While Boston showed they could competently counter the Sombra in their match against Seoul, they can’t become complacent. Look for the Aimgod/Zenyatta and BQB/Sombra cat and mouse between their ultimates throughout the match.
Florida has featured their new tank player McGravy after signing him to their roster just over a week ago. Signing/promoting a tank at the start of the season – where have we heard this before? Additionally, McGravy has lived up to the hype. Last week he played a prominent roll in taking down the Guangzhou Charge with his Grav-sucking Defense Matrixes. If Boston is to come out victorious, they’ll need to see continued growth and leadership from their new main tank, Fusions.
Lastly, Florida has also been willing to put out some unique team compositions. Apply popped off on Genji earlier this season, and TviQ effectively used Mei against the Charge. Boston will have to come prepared for the unconventional and unexpected. It’s likely that Florida will differ from the triple-tank, triple-support team comp that has dominated the current meta at some point. Multiple strats and counter strats will need to be prepared or the Uprising risk being caught sleeping on the job.
Match Prediction
It’s hard to be too confident about what this team can do – so far. We haven’t seen a consistent product put out on the field. Between the changing roster and the varying levels of competition, fans should still be trying to determine just exactly who the Uprising are. As are the players. Huk and the coaching staff will continue to determine what the future of this franchise is. Part of that will be what to do with new players like Alemao and Axxiom.
Despite all of that, it’s hard to see them faltering to the Florida Mayhem on Sunday. Florida’s sole win this season came against the Philadelphia Fusion, a seemingly major upset. Whether that was a flash in the plan or symbolic of the general parity across the league is anyone’s decision. But there’s no reason not to expect Boston to roll the Mayhem and put themselves in the conversation for Stage 1 playoffs. Given the bundle of teams on both sides of the playoff cutoffs, every map will count that much more going forward. I expect the Uprising squad to come out focused and play disciplined. Good luck to both squads.
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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 have lost four consecutive games in the wake of the All-Star break. 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.
As Boston tied the game late in the third and with six seconds left, Saint Patrice would score the winning goal as the Bruins beat the Panthers 4-3, extending their game-point streak to 18 games (the second-longest in Bruins history).
(Photo Credits: Joe Mariski)
FALLING BEHIND AND GETTING BACK UP
After a scoreless first, Florida got on board in the second when Alexander Barkov scored on a power play at 2:48 in the second, with Brandon Carlo being called on a tripping penalty. Boston was once again down a player as Captain Zdeno Chara received a delay of game penalty. Unfortunately, Florida took advantage as Jonathan Huberdeau scored, making it 2-0.
Boston would get on board when David Krejci scored off a feed from Danton Heinen at 10: 29, making it 2-1 in the second. With the third underway, the Bruins once again found themselves in the penalty box, however Patrice Bergeron would net a short-handed goal, tieing the game at 2-2.
(Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
MOOUNTING A COMEBACK
With a Bruins mounting a comeback, Florida would momentarily throw a wrench into their plans when Jonathan Buberdeau found his puck in the back of the net, making the score 3-2 Florida. As minutes started winding down in the third period, Florida would be down a player. Matt Grzelcyk would tie the game at 19:23 on the power-play. In stunning fashion, Patrice Bergeron would net the winning goal seconds later, making the final score 4-3 and handing Florida their sixth straight loss.
Tuukka Rask made 22 saves in net, while Roberto Luongo made 24 saves for Florida. The Bruins are now 41-17-9 and are still second in the Atlantic Divison and in the league. With the loss, Florida is now 28-27-12. Boston will face the Ottawa Senators this Saturday at the TD Garden.
"We're just playing hockey…confidence is high right now."
I had the pleasure of chatting with former Red Sox second baseman Jeff Frye. Frye played in the Major Leagues for eight seasons, three of which came in Boston. He was a career .290 hitter, .295 with the Red Sox. Nowadays, Frye works as a sports agent at Frye McCann Sports and does some pre and postgame work for the Texas Rangers.
BSE: You began your career as a 30th round draft pick; what was it like clawing your way up to the Majors?
Jeff Frye: I never even thought I really had a chance of making it to the Majors to be honest. Every Spring Training I would drive down from Oklahoma with my buddies and wonder if this was the year I was getting released. Obviously, everybody’s goal is to play in the Major Leagues, but when you’re a 30th round draft pick and you don’t even start really your first season, it’s not looking too promising.
BSE: I actually saw a video of you online talking about how you changed your stance and upped your offensive production. That was pretty neat to see.
Jeff Frye: It was kind of a fluke deal. I’d done really well in A-Ball, won the batting title in low A-Ball and hit like .270 in high A-Ball. Went to AA and the defense was so much better, and the pitching was so much better at AA and I was struggling for probably two months. Just goofing around one evening after a game in the hotel, and I was imitating a lot of the Rangers star players at the time, Ruben Sierra and Juan Gonzalez, they had big leg kicks. I was imitating those guys and the guy I was playing with, who was actually my roommate, Rick Wrona, he says why don’t you hit like that in a game? The next day I started hitting that way and man, it gave me a huge boost in confidence. I started hitting, I could drive the ball and had more leverage. I just kept doing that the rest of my career.
1992: Jeff Frye of the Texas Rangers with his high leg kick. (Photo by Robert Beck/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BSE: There’s been a lot of talk lately about the pay for Minor Leaguers, do you think they need to be doing something about that?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, I mean they should’ve done something about it a long time ago. My first year was 1988, and I started out at $700 a month. The Major League minimum was right around $100,000, or 109,000, something like that. Now the minimum’s over $500,000 and starting pay for a first year Minor Leaguer is $1,100 [a month]. It hasn’t progressed.
BSE: You made it to the Major Leagues in 1992 and played a decent amount. Your first Major League home run was actually leading off a game.
Jeff Frye: It’s actually funny, way back in 1992 there weren’t too many games on tv. I think it was a Saturday game, one of the few games that was actually televised. I actually led off the game off Arthur Rhodes with a home run. Our game actually wasn’t the one they were covering, but they clicked over and showed the start of our game. I actually became friends with Arthur Rhodes after that.
BSE: You missed all of ’93 right?
Jeff Frye: Yep, offseason basketball injury. I was playing basketball and tore my ACL, and I kind of lied about what happened to the Rangers. I didn’t have a guaranteed contract so I told them I was jogging.
BSE: In 1994 you came back and batted .327, you had a good season in ’95 and played in 90 games. How come you were in AAA in ’96 for Texas?
Jeff Frye: Well, the new manager they brought over, Johnny Oates from Baltimore, wasn’t a big fan of mine for some reason. He brought Mark McLemore over from Baltimore with him, who also played second base. He was trying to get his guy in there, the guy he felt comfortable with, and I felt like I had earned the spot with what I’d done the year before. Toward the end of the [’95] season I was so frustrated I went on a radio show and the guys were asking me what was going on. I told them how I felt and the Rangers got word of it; Johnny Oates got word of it, and I was pretty much banished after that.
BSE: You were released in June of 1996 and the Red Sox picked you up the very same day, so they must have seen something in you.
Jeff Frye: It was an arranged deal. Billy Martin Jr. is a longtime friend of mine, Billy Martin’s son, he was representing Kevin Kennedy. He called Kennedy up, the Red Sox were struggling, I think they had Wil Cordero and Jeff Manto playing second. Kennedy was looking for a second baseman and he was familiar with me. Billy Martin Jr. said, “well hey, the guy you need is in AAA.” So, they inquired about me, and the Rangers had the choice of either calling me up to the big leagues or letting me go, so they ended up letting me go.
BSE: Your Sox debut was the same day John Valentin hit for the cycle.
Jeff Frye: Funny thing is, Val and I played together in the Jayhawk League, a collegiate league back in the day. He came down to Fort Smith, Arkansas to play for our team. I grew up in Oklahoma so I was playing for that team and we became friends and then we were teammates in Boston….He taught me a lot, I was really raw. I hadn’t had much coaching to that point, I mean a routine grounder to second base was a bang-bang play at first, I didn’t know to charge the ball. Working with Val, he taught me a lot.
Jeff Frye from around the time he met John Valentin.
BSE: You mentioned how the Red Sox were struggling when they got you; they were 22-34. Went 63-43 afterwards and if I remember correctly had the best record in baseball after the All-Star Break.
Jeff Frye: Yeah, we had a great combination of me and Darren Bragg at the top of the lineup. I told Kevin Kennedy, I want to hit and run every single time there’s a runner on first base. I asked him if he’d allow me to put on my own hit and run with Darren Bragg, which doesn’t happen very often, you know? So, I developed a sign with Darren Bragg…because he was always hitting in front of me. I bet I had 30 base hits that year on hit and run, with Braggy running and me just hitting the ball in the hole.
BSE: I had Kevin Kennedy comment to me once about the rejuvenated team in the second half and he singled out you, Bragg and Reggie Jefferson for key contributors to that run.
Jeff Frye: Reggie was a hitting machine, we called him “the Hit Cat.” He was the one guy that I’ve ever seen…that actually worked on hitting the ball in batting practice to where it’d be a hit in the game. I’d never heard of that before, I was just trying to hit the ball hard. He was a great hitter.
BSE: What were some of the big changes coming from Texas to Boston?
Jeff Frye: Obviously the temperature was a big change. I think probably the biggest change was the pressure that you played under, and the excitement level. I never really had that in Texas, when I was there, we were never really in a pennant race. Coming to Boston we had the rivalry with the Yankees.
BSE: Speaking of the Yankees, I think you were the one on base in front of Trot Nixon when he homered off Clemens in that big Pedro vs Clemens game, right?
Jeff Frye: Oh yeah, there’s a great story to that if you want to hear it.
BSE: Oh, absolutely!
Jeff Frye: The at-bat that I got on base I got an infield hit, but earlier in that at-bat there was a pitch in on me that hit the knob of the bat and I acted like it hit my hand. I was jumping around and waving my hand, and Jimy Williams came out and argued with the umpire. Jimy called me over, and my nickname was Frito, and he goes, “Frito, did he get you?”
“No Jimy.”
“Alright, good try!”
I ended up hitting a one-hopper off Clemens’ glove that he probably should have fielded, and they gave me an infield hit. Trot hits the homer, so we go to the bottom of the ninth, I think we had a two-run lead and they scored a run. Then they had the tying run on third, groundball to me, and I’m getting ready to throw to first base, game over, and I look and Mike Stanley stepped on the base and slipped and was almost falling down. So, I double-clutched, and threw, and barely got, I think Paul O’Neill, by half a step. Joe Morgan was even commentating, I think it was an ESPN game or something, he commented about it. So the next day I talked to him about it and he said, “Oh, I didn’t realize that.” If I had thrown it, initially, it would have gone right by him.
Yankee Stadium– May 28 2000– Boston Red Sox second baseman Jeff Frye greets Trot Nixon at home after the right fielder slammed a two run homer in the ninth off NY Yankee pitcher Roger Clemens to win the game. Staff photo by Jim Mahoney
BSE: Any particular games from your playing career stand out?
Jeff Frye: The game where Darren Lewis and I hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth off Mike Trombley of the Twins in Fenway. He hit a home run to tie the game, then I hit a home run to walk-off the game. Two guys who aren’t known for hitting home runs. I remember the headline in the paper the next day; “Banjo Hitters Come Through for the Red Sox.”
In 2001 I hit for the cycle for the Blue Jays against the Rangers.
BSE: Second one in Toronto history.
Jeff Frye: Yeah, that was a little bit controversial because I could have had a double in my last at-bat but stopped at first. We were winning by nine runs in the eighth inning and I went up to Cito Gaston, who was our hitting coach, and said “what do I do here if I hit one into the corner, or the gap?” He said, “stop at first and tell them I told you to.” As I hit the ball I was so nervous. It was a really frustrating year for me, but to have the opportunity to hit for the cycle. I was always the guy who was unselfish, would move runners over and things like that. I finally had the chance in my career to do something a little bit selfish, instead of getting a double I stopped at first, man I got a lot of flak for it. The manager of the Rangers commented on it, and Tim Kurkjian.
BSE: I mean, it wasn’t a close game, what did they care?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, that’s kind of how I felt. Plus, I’d already asked Cito! Cito had already won four pennants as manager of the Blue Jays and two World Series, so.
BSE: I think the first base coach was yelling at you to stop too, right?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, Garth Iorg. I was screaming as I rounded first, “what do I do? What do I do?” And he goes, “stay here! Stay here!” So, I took a big turn and went back to first. Kelly Gruber walked onto the field, man it was a cool feeling.
Kelly Gruber, left, hugs Blue Jays’ Jeff Frye after he cycled with a single against the Texas Rangers in Toronto August 17, 2001. Gruber was the first Blue Jay to cycle twelve years ago. (Photo by Vince Talotta/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
BSE: Was that your proudest accomplishment?
Jeff Frye: Yeah. I mean, I do remember a couple games in Boston when I first went there. I made an error on a routine groundball when Clemens was pitching. Man, the crowd was all over me and were yelling to go back to Texas. Not too long after that I had a game where I was 4-4 and I’d lined out my fifth at-bat and I got a standing ovation. One time Jimy Williams pinch-hit me for Trot Nixon. I was like, “man Jimy, are you sure?” They announced me in Boston, “now batting for Trot Nixon, Jeff Frye,” and the whole stadium booed. So, I’m walking to home plate, and I’m not happy, so I take my helmet off and tip it to the crowd as I’m walking to home plate. I got a base hit and got to first base and I tipped my hat to the crowd. I ended up scoring a run, and then I came up later in the game and hit a two-RBI double off the wall and they loved me.
BSE: Nowadays you are an agent for some of the ballplayers?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, I’ve been an agent for 17 years.
BSE: Wow, that’s a long time. You think your playing days helped in this position?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, definitely. A lot of stuff I do is amateur recruiting, so if I go in and talk to the family about their son, I can basically tell them everything their son is going to experience, I’ve already experienced. Not many other agents can make that claim.
BSE: With the way free agency has gone the past couple years, what are your thoughts on that? Do you think it needs any fixing?
Jeff Frye: Absolutely, something’s going on. Now that Bryce [Harper] and Manny [Machado] have signed it’s like everything is back to normal, but we still have so many great players who haven’t signed. We have difference makers who don’t have jobs and spring training is already going on. This has been a couple years running now. I don’t want to say there’s collusion, but I saw a story about Mark Reynolds, he didn’t have any offers from anybody, then one day within like an hour he had a call from four different teams and the same offer from every team.
BSE: That’s pretty fishy.
Jeff Frye: Yeah, something’s going on. I’m kind of fearful of what we’re facing in a couple years with the player’s and the commissioner’s office.
BSE: Any thoughts on some of the new rules in the game? The change of pace?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, I’m not a fan of that at all. I don’t think the pace of play is why people aren’t watching baseball. I had a hard time watching the playoffs last year, it’s boring with everyone striking out, walking or swinging for the fences. They aren’t cutting down on their swings with two strikes. The Red Sox weren’t that way last year and look what happened; I think Cora did a great job. I don’t think we can look at all these stats, launch angle and exit velocity and things, and measure how valuable a player is. I would have never had a chance, my exit velocity and launch angle wouldn’t even register. I was told to hit the ball on the ground. Nowadays you’re not supposed to hit the ball on the ground….You know last year was the first year in the history of baseball where there were more strike outs than hits? And the shift; they’re talking about eliminating the shift or limiting shifts. Well, if you see four guys on the right side of the infield, hit the ball the other way! Why cater to the guys who can’t make adjustments? He can’t hit the ball the other way so let’s change the rules so it benefits him. Well, that’s not how it’s supposed to work.
BSE: So, you mentioned you’re not a fan of the stats, so called stats, they use nowadays.
Jeff Frye: No, not at all; that’s an understatement. I go round and round with Brian Kenny. I haven’t delved too deep into what stats are put into WAR, but I’m pretty sure if I’m up with a runner on second and move the runner over to third, I don’t get much credit for that. If the next guy hits a groundball to second and gets an RBI, that’s because I helped him get that RBI. I should be credited in some fashion, it’s all about winning.
BSE: Yeah, it was designed initially to just be a tool to help determine how good someone was, not be an and-all-be-all. The problem is, some guys now treat it like gospel, if one guy has a higher WAR than another it automatically means he’s a better player. That’s the big problem with it.
Jeff Frye: Yeah, I remember Tim Naehring said to me one time, way back in the day, the three most important stats are hits, runs and RBI, and the best players in the game average more than two per game. So, any combination of hits, runs or RBI over the course of the season, and if you look at the numbers at the end of the year, the guys who are the best players at the end of the year have the highest percentage.
BSE: I remember a few years ago I was watching MLB Network, and two of the guys were having a big conversation about WAR while John Smoltz just stood there quietly. Right before commercial Smoltz slides in, “Jason Heyward has a higher WAR than Giancarlo Stanton, that’s all you need to know about WAR.” It was perfect, just casually makes a short statement that exemplified a part of the problem.
Jeff Frye: I watch that all the time too, he’s my favorite; he and Billy Ripken, neither one buys into that. Look at the contract the WAR stat got Jason Heyward, and how has that paid off? Immediately it was bad.
BSE: I don’t know if it was the year before he was a free agent, but Heyward hit maybe .276 with 13 homers and was a top 10 player in all of baseball according to WAR. (He hit .293 with 13 HR in 2015).
Jeff Frye: Yeah, because his defensive stats were so great.
BSE: Yeah, which is important, but how does it make you better than someone hitting .310 with 35 homers or something?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, well obviously it doesn’t because look at what’s happened since he signed.
BSE: One last thing, you’re doing some pre and postgame work for the Rangers, correct?
Jeff Frye: Yeah, I started last year on Fox Sports Southwest and I did like 17 games I think last year. I’m scheduled to do, I don’t know how many this year, but that’s been a lot of fun.
BSE: Well, that’s all the questions I have for you, anything you’d like to add?
Jeff Frye: Still a Red Sox fan, happy they won they won the World Series. I’ve reached out to the Red Sox because I’d…like to do their fantasy camp, I thought that’d be cool to get to see some of my old buddies, so maybe down the road I’ll get to do that.
BSE: Well, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me today.
Jeff Frye: Yeah, no problem man.
Featured picture (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images)
Oh my, where do we start? First and foremost, we have the Can’t Miss Kid, Brad Stevens, a man who could do no wrong in this town since he was tapped to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics in July of 2013 (has it really been that long?). Last season Stevens was considered a front runner for NBA Coach of the Year but lost to Dwane Casey who was subsequently fired from the Raptors – if that gives you any indication how tenuous a head coaching job in the NBA is and how capricious the whims of ownership. But the Celtics have now lost five of six, and for those who like to bet a few bucks to make it interesting, the Green has failed to cover the number in four of those six contests. Speaking of covering, if you click over to Sportsbook Review, you can read a Bookmaker review detailing all the features of the industry’s leading sportsbook and what their customers are saying. Brad Stevens is dealing with more than X’s and O’s at this point which is unchartered territory for the 42-year-old Indiana native. If the Celtics were a soap opera, the leading man would be Kyrie Irving because he brings enough drama to fill an hour of programming each day. When Irving was wooed to Boston, he made a claim that he wanted to remain a Celtic for life and one day have his jersey retired to the rafters. In Cleveland, he was the Scottie Pippen to LeBron’s Michael Jordan and he wanted out of the shadows and into the spotlight all by himself. Be careful what you wish for Kyrie, because not everyone is cut out to fill that role and assume a leadership position, which allows you to bask in the afterglow of success but demands you answer to the rabid Boston media throng when things go south. Unfortunately for Kyrie, he was well-equipped for the former but grossly unprepared for the latter. Boston ain’t Cleveland when it comes to the fans’ passion for the Celtics, and for that matter the Patriots, Red Sox and Bruins. It is a fanatical base that demands every spoken word uttered by a superstar be evaluated, analyzed, and scrutinized by the local television, radio, and print media pundits who are all too willing to oblige. Despite the season’s rocky moments, of which there have been far more than anticipated, the focus was clearly on some of the young guns who performed so admirably in the postseason without Irving, and of course Gordon Hayward, last year. Jaylen Brown has been the object of much consternation as his effort has been questioned after going from a starring role last season to a role player this season. Terry Rozier seems to have his best games when he is replacing a sidelined Irving and can prove his worth as a full-time starter for any team willing to pony up the big bucks for his services next year. Gordon Hayward came back as a starter after suffering a Theismanesque leg snap in the first game of the 2017 season. He did not perform like the All-Star he was in Utah and has been primarily relegated to the bench. Unlike some of
his teammates, Gordon has not voiced any dissatisfaction with Steven’s move because to do so
would be to ignore the obvious – he’s just not that max contract guy the C’s signed two years
ago. Not yet anyway.
But the drama surrounding the potential blockbuster deal involving Anthony Davis in the
coming offseason has offended the senses of those who are rumored to be trade bait. Jayson
Tatum is one, as is Jaylen Brown amongst others. Apparently, the young guns never got the
memo that basketball at the professional level is a business, and loyalty is but a whimsical
notion that is abruptly dismissed once a GM realizes he can trade his flashy BMW in for a lusty
Lambo. But Kyrie Irving is the key to the deal because if he decides to take his talents elsewhere
after the season, then the devastating one-two punch of Davis and Irving would be no more.
Based on the reported disconnect that Irving has had with his teammates, outside of Tatum,
since early February when New York was mentioned as a possible landing spot for the superstar
next season, Boston may no longer have Kyrie to kick around anymore.
Over the past month, the Boston Bruins have been the hottest team in the NHL. They have earned at least a point in 17 straight games, as their last loss in regulation came on January 19th. During this stretch, many different players have stepped up, however none more than Tuukka Rask. After struggling mightily earlier this season, the Bruins number one goaltender has been on fire. He has not only silenced his critics, but made history during the Bruins impressive stretch.
After the Bruins victory over New Jersey last weekend Rask joined elite company. By extending his point streak to seventeen games, Rask became only the second goalie in NHL history to accomplish the feat twice in his career. Like last season Rask has carried this team for over a month as they now are tied for second in the NHL. As Rask has made history, he has also put himself in the Vezina conversation.
Through 36 games Rask is not leading the NHL in any categories. His goals against average rank is tied for tenth best, and his save percentage is tied for eleventh. That is due to how badly Rask began the season. While his numbers as a whole are not Vezina worthy, he has been playing at an elite level since late December.
Over the Bruins last sixteen games, Rask has thirteen wins and three loses, all of which came in overtime. In that span, he has an impressive goals against average of 1.99 and save percentage of .931. Rask also has two shutouts in that stretch, giving him three on the season. As the Bruins have been without their top goal scorer, Rask has shined in net. This streak has silenced his critics after a horrid start that had some questioning if he should still be the number one goalie in Boston.
Photo Credit: CLNS Media Network
Even though Jaroslav Halak has continued to play well, Rask has reclaimed his job with authority. This has allowed the Bruins to have one of the best goalie tandems in the league. Keeping Rask fresh down the stretch, however, will be key as this team looks to make a deep postseason run.
During Rask’s record run he ranks near the top of every statistical category for goaltenders. When this team needed him at his best he has stepped up. While a second Vezina would be rewarding, the main goal for Rask is a championship. If he can continue his recent level of play, then he could be taking home some hardware at the end of the season.
For more Bruins news follow Jamie Gatlin on Twitter @JamieGatlin1217
The 2018 season is now just a few weeks away, and expectations are mounting once again for the Boston Red Sox. As the defending World Series Champions, a lot is once again expected from a team which is used to playing under pressure. With the powerful New York Yankees once again expected to provide the main threat in the division, the Red Sox will need contributions from the entire roster. However, they need their star players to lead from the front. Last week we looked at what we might expect from J.D. Martinez. This week it is the turn of star center fielder Mookie Betts.
The 2017 or 2018 Version?
If you take a look at the last two years of Betts’ career then you may come away with mixed feelings. After a strong 2016, in which Betts hit 31 home runs with a .318 batting average, 2017 was somewhat underwhelming. In 712 plate appearances Betts managed just 24 home runs and a career low .264 batting average. However, 2018 took things to a new level entirely. Betts finished last season with 32 home runs and a .346 batting average in 614 plate appearances. If you look at the balance of his career, then 2017 is the outlier.
One thing that has been consistent has been his ability to steal bases. The last three years have seen Betts average 27.3 stolen bases. Getting to 30 again in 2019 might be a push, but somewhere between 25 & 30 feels like a safe bet.
The Change in Approach
There is no other way to phrase it that Betts hit the crap out of the ball in 2018. Having never had an average exit velocity above 90 mph, Betts averaged a whopping 92.3 in 2018. Part of that is down to just how cleanly he hit the ball. Prior to last season, Betts averaged a Barrel % of around 5%. Last season that was an incredible 14.1%, the 16th best mark in the majors. If we look at his barrels compared to plate appearances he ranks as high as joint 4th (9.9%). Combine that with a nearly four degree increase in launch angle and the career best HR/PA rate of 5.2% makes a lot of sense.
That increase in exit velocity also explains why we saw a career high batting average. When you hit the ball that hard and that cleanly you are always going to have a chance to have a good batting average. However, expecting another .340 performance might be a stretch. Last season Betts expected batting average was back down at .311. That was second best in the league, behind just Christian Yelich, but it is a long way from that .346 number. In fact Betts had the 20th biggest difference in the between his expected and actual batting average. That kind of separation is unlikely to be sustainable.
One Dimensional?
There is no denying that Betts is a great all around player. However, there is some fear that his hitting has become a little predictable. 2018 saw Betts hit the lowest percentage of balls in his career to the opposite field (18%). Correspondingly, it also saw him get shifted again the most times in his career. In 2018 Betts saw as many plate appearances against the shift as he had in the rest of his career combined. Additionally, nearly 75% of those came in the last three and a bit months of the season. It will be fascinating to see if that trend continues into 2019.
On the plus side, Betts hit the ball so well in 2018 that he actually had a .375 batting average against the shift. However, if some of that exit velocity drops off then Betts could be a victim of the shift next season. Hopefully, both Betts and the Red Sox are aware of the situation and can adjust accordingly if an issue starts to arise.
The Final Expectations
Taking a look at the various different projections available for Betts on Fangraphs a clear patter begins to emerge. The general expectations are around 30 home runs, 25-30 stolen bases, a .300-.310 batting average and at least a combined 200 runs and RBI. They may not be quite as good as 2018, but they are more than good enough from one of your two marquee hitters.
Featured photo courtesy ofDavid Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The combine has officially ended and now everyone can start to get a better sense on where each player will land in the draft. The value that a scout should hold in the combine is an age old debate that should be left for another time.
Not a good day for Mr. Jones
Dre’Mont Jones was on my mock draft and big board before the combine. Jones, the Ohio State product, dramatically underwhelmed scouts and evaluators. However, that could be a good thing for Patriots fans, as Dre’Mont could now slide further down draft boards.
Sliding down mock drafts
Before the combine, Dre’Mont had some saying that the Patriots would pick him with their 32nd selection. Now, it seems more likely that he will be available for one, if not both, of their second round selections.
Familiarity with Schiano
The idea of drafting Dre’Mont with a second round draft pick would certainly be worth the Patriots while. Dre’Mont was a dominant force at defensive tackle during his time at Ohio State. With Greg Schiano, one of his former coaches, becoming the defensive coordinator for the Patriots, trying to recreate some of the success he had with Schiano would make a lot of sense for the Patriots.
What makes Dre’Mont Jones so good?
Dre’Mont made a career at Ohio State for getting into the backfield quickly
Great physical traits that should translate well to the pro level
Good jump off the ball, quickly fires into gap
Disruptive interior force, can rush the inside of an offensive line well
Quickly gets into the chests of offensive lineman
Good athleticism
Good hands and footwork
Finds success by getting upfield quickly
Has worked with Greg Schiano before and the familiarity from both sides would benefit each other and the team
Strong pursuit
Head fakes and jab steps help him get into backfield
Has potential to be a strong three down starter in the three technique
Demonstrated good ability to turn corners with dropped shoulders
A difficult player to move off the ball
Displayed good run defense
The negatives in his game
Some of his negatives can be corrected but might take a bite into his game. Jones definitely has to improve on his size. He weighed in at 6’3, 295lbs at the combine.
Although that may sound like a lot to some, he could stand to benefit from a few more pounds. A couple fast food trips would not hurt Jones’ draft stock, but might hurt his quickness and pass rush abilities that really make him who he is.
Another problem for Dre’Mont can stem from his pad level at times. Some issues with winning battles against offensive lineman stemmed from his size and his pad level. This combo sometimes made Jones susceptible to losing one on one matchups against blockers. Which if a lineman could be quick enough to beat Jones and overpower him, Dre’Mont was virtually removed from the play.
Jones can still be a very good player
Dre’Mont Jones seems to be worth a second round pick and could provide a lot of value to a Greg Schiano defense. Although Dre’Mont does have some negatives, if he takes enough time to focus on himself and his craft, some of those problems can be minimized.
If it worked for Gerald McCoy, could it work for him?
The size versus speed debate on whether Jones should value one over the other will be a tough one that will probably follow Jones throughout his career. One of the better defensive tackles in the league, Gerald McCoy has faced similar struggles throughout his career. If Jones can duplicate the path that McCoy took and work on his craft in this very familiar system to him, Jones can be a very good Patriot for many years to come.
When the United States Supreme Court overturned the 1992 PASPA law in a landmark decision, it opened up all sorts of new betting opportunities for US residents in several states, most notably in New Jersey.
However, long before that, there had always been one place where sports bettors could go to bet on a wide range of sports, Las Vegas. The State of Nevada legalized sports betting back in 1949, and was the only place within the entire United States where one could make a legal bet on any sports match.
Las Vegas still leads the way in the US for sports betting turnover, and Nevada sports books average around $3 billion annually in sports betting revenue. Whether you choose to play at one of the many registered sports betting outlets, or at one of the big casino and resort hotels like the MGM, knowing how the Las Vegas odds work, and how to read them, is crucial to your chances of success.
Understanding How Vegas Odds Actually Work
We’ve all heard the word odds being thrown around in conversation from time to time, even when not used in a betting or gambling context. But what are odds really? The word is used in different contexts to mean different things. For instance, if you were talking about odds from a statistical point of view, you’d be referring to the probability of an event occurring, divided by the probability that the same event would not occur. This is usually represented in a simple formula: odds = p/p(1-p).
While the statistical use of odds may be a bit difficult to get your head around, the use of odds in the Las Vegas odds context, should make a bit more sense and be easier to digest. Las Vegas odds is a lot similar to how we would use the word odds in a more every day way. For instance, the odds of not getting stuck in traffic today could be around 3to1. This is essentially Las Vegas odds.
But what does that mean and how can you use it when playing the odds? The easiest way to understand odds that are expressed as 3-1 or 3:1, is that there are 3 chances to win, and one chance to lose. Another way to put it is as 3in4, meaning that there are 3 chances to win out of a total of 4 chances. When betting on sports, you may also see this expressed as .75 since 3/4 is equal to .75 when expressed as a decimal. If you were talking in statistical odds, you would say that the odds are 3 (odds = .75/(1-.75) = .75/.25 = 3).
But what about other Vegas odds? You may find odds in a given game offered as 3-2, which is equal to 1.5:1 when expressed as in decimal format. However, when it comes to Vegas odds, they are never expressed in the decimal format; you would more likely see that option with offshore betting sites and might find a few good options at https://top10bookie.com/w88/. So, in a nutshell, the odds of 3-2 lets you know that there are 3 chances of winning, and 2 chance so of losing. In other words, Vegas odds of 3-2 can also be read as a chance of 3 in 5, or 3 chances to win out of a total of 5 chances. It is quite straightforward when you get the hang of it.
Here’s a short table that clearly shows how Vegas odds work when related to chance, statistical odds and probability:
Vegas Odds
Chance
Statistical Odds
Probability
10-1
10in11
10.0000
0.9091
9-1
9in10
9.0000
0.9000
8-1
8in9
8.0000
0.8889
7-1
7in8
7.0000
0.8750
6-1
6in7
6.0000
0.8571
5-1
5in6
5.0000
0.8333
4-1
4in5
4.0000
0.8000
3-1
3in4
3.0000
0.7500
7-3
7in10
2.3333
0.7000
2-1
2in3
2.0000
0.6667
3-2
3in5
1.5000
0.6000
1-1
1in2
1.0000
0.5000
How to Bet on Different Sports Using Vegas Odds
Now that you have a better understanding of how Vegas odds work, you can begin to play the odds like a pro.
Firstly, you’ll need a site where you can find odds for your choice of game, whether that be NFL, NBA, college sports, or whatever it may be that you feel like betting on. Vegasodds.com, for example, have odds for most of the major US sports that you can bet on, and they even include guides and tips for each of the individual sports.
Understanding Betting Options and Types
All sports come with their own type of betting options and types. The main ones are Moneyline, Point Spread, and Totals. For the more advanced bettors looking to step up their wagering game, sportsbooks also offer more complex betting types, such as Parlays, Teasers, Props, and Futures. It’s important that you understand what each of these mean for the sport that you wish to bet on, because they are not always the same across the different sports.
For example, NBA and NFL offer such similar wager options that at first glance, most amateur bettors would assume they’re identical and therefore employ the same betting strategy. This is a big mistake and can easily get you burned.
Know Your Sport
Just as important as knowing the different types of wagers is knowing the teams and players of the sport you wish to bet on. Once again, using the NBA and NFL as examples, these two sports have very different game schedules. While the NFL teams play roughly once a week, NBA teams frequently plays 3-4 games per week.
So, how does this affect your betting? Well, since the games are farther apart for the NFL, this means you have more time to do all your research on the matchups, study the players’ recent performance and injuries. NBA, on the other hand, only gives bettors 1-2 days to carry out the same analysis, which typically results in more frequent impulsive bets.
In the end, it comes down to gathering as much information as possible in order to improve your chances of winning any sports bet.
Vegas odds can be applied to most sports and you will find plenty to choose from, giving you a diverse range of betting options, as well as an exciting number of high intensity sports to choose from.
