Brady and Gronk-Both Back at Full Strength

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Good News In New England on Thursday

The Patriots had a good practice yesterday, as Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were both removed from the injury report.  Tom Brady has been dealing with a knee injury, and has been limited at practice.

Rob Gronkowski has been fighting through ankle(s), and a a very concerning back injury. The future HOF Tight End has had back issues dating back to his college days, involving multiple surgeries.

Patriots Superstars Not Held Back In Thursdays Practice

Full participants

Via USA Today

The two Biggest Game-changers on the Patriots have been practicing, but both have been limited and listed on injury reports.  Thursday was a nice change of pace for the team and the fans, as both superstars were Full Participants.

Tom Brady’s participation has always been important, although Patriot fans have always known nothing would stop him from playing that week.

The Patriots can always count on Brady, but today’s news that he is completely off the injury report as a Full Participant is great to see.

Getting Healthy at The Perfect Time

Rob Gronkowski has been fighting through injuries his entire football career, this season in particular has been frustrating for him.

Unlike his quarterback, whenever Gronks name shows up on the injury report, the Patriots need to prepare as if he may not play that week.

Gronkowski’s back-Not holding him back this week

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The news that both players were full participants today is noteworthy, as New England is looking to clinch the division Sunday.

New England’s track record against Miami away from home has not been great during the Tom Brady era.  The Dolphins always play them tough, the Patriots can’t afford to drop a game in Miami as they often have.  New England is currently the number 2 seed behind KC, with the tiebreaker on their side.  So a win Sunday is very important if the Pats want home field throughout the playoffs.

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 26-30

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The uniform numbers 26-30 bring two more Hall of Famers and retired numbers.  On top of that, we have a hero from the 2004 team that broke the curse.  Who are they and who joins them on this list?

Number 26 – Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs is a Hall of Famer and has his number 26 retired by the Red Sox. He built his Hall of Fame career with the Sox as the best hitter of the 1980’s, and is a top five third baseman of All-Time.  He led the league in batting average in five out of the first six seasons he was eligible, and would have won in 1982 had he accumulated enough at-bats. Boggs also led the league in on-base percentage in six of his first seven eligible seasons.

Boggs joined the Red Sox in 1982 and batted .349 over 104 games.  He then went on to eclipse 200 base hits in seven consecutive seasons, a Major League record.  From 1983-88, Boggs batted .356/.448/.489/.937.  He hit over .360 four times and .357 during his other batting title.  Between 1983 and 1991 he had over 40 doubles in eight of nine seasons, leading the league twice.

Boggs’ .338 average with the team is second best in franchise history to Ted Williams.  His on-base percentage is third and if you are a fan of WAR, he is third in that as well.  He is far and away the greatest number 26, no one else even gets a mention.

Number 27 – Carlton Fisk

Carlton Fisk also has his number retired by the team.  The Hall of Fame catcher hit one of the most memorable home runs in the history of baseball to win game six of the 1975 World Series.  He is the best catcher in team history and a true Red Sox legend.

Fisk joined the Red Sox full-time in 1972.  That season he made the All-Star Game, won Rookie of the Year, the Gold Glove, and placed fourth in the MVP vote.  Surprisingly, he led the American League with nine triples that season.

After hitting 48 home runs over his first two seasons, Fisk missed a lot of time in 1974 and 1975, but when he played, he was great.  Over 131 games and 450 at-bats those two seasons, Fisk hit .318 with 21 home runs and a .928 OPS.  He of course then hit that legendary home run.

Perhaps his best offensive season came in 1977.  That year, Fisk batted .315 with 26 home runs and drove in 102 runners.  His .922 OPS was his best for a full season of work.  One could still argue his rookie season was better.

Fisk was with the Red Sox for roughly a decade before the front office royally screwed up his contract, allowing him to sign elsewhere.  He batted .284 and hit 162 regular season home runs during that time. He was a seven-time All-Star before leaving for the south side of Chicago.

Honorable Mentions: Greg Harris, Bill Monbouquette

Number 28 – Sparky Lyle

This one might not stay Sparky Lyle for long, as J.D. Martinez just had a monster first season with the Red Sox.  In fact, I would suspect I will change this by the end of 2019.  But for now, I have to give the nod to five good seasons over one great one.

Lyle should have been a Red Sox pitcher longer than he was.  Traded for Danny Cater after the 1971 season in an ill-advised move, the trade has gone down in history as one of the franchise’s worst.  Before being dealt, Lyle had put together five good seasons as the Red Sox best relief pitcher.  Lyle was 22-17 with a 2.85 ERA and 69 saves during that time in Boston.  His ERA was only higher than 2.75 once.

After being traded for over-the-hill Danny Cater (and quite frankly the never very good Danny Cater), Lyle unfortunately went on to a stellar career with the Yankees.  He won a Cy Young Award, and placed third in the Cy Young vote his first season in New York.  He saved 141 games and pitched to a 2.41 ERA while with the Yankees.  Meanwhile, Danny Cater had a .685 OPS over three seasons as a part-time player for the Red Sox.

Honorable Mentions: JD Martinez, Doug Mirabelli, Adrian Gonzalez

Sparky Lyle #28 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a picture circa 1967-1971. (Photo by Louis Requena/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Number 29 – Keith Foulke

Keith Foulke is a Red Sox legend; a hero from the 2004 curse breaking team who should never have to pay for another beer in New England.  What Foulke did in 2004 is nothing short of remarkable.  Foulke pitched very well in the regular season, but it was during the ALCS and World Series that his name went down in history.

Signed to a contract in the offseason to become the Red Sox new closer, Foulke had an ERA under 2.00 for most of the season, finishing the year at 2.17 with 32 saves in 83 innings pitched.  Foulke would tack on 14 more innings in the Postseason, with many of them coming in consecutive games.

Foulke pitched three shutout innings against the Angels in the ALDS.  After appearing in Games 1 and 2, Foulke pitched 2.2 shutout innings in the 14-inning Game 4 against the Yankees.  His pitching prolonged the game and allowed the Red Sox the chance to keep their season alive.  Without that effort, his longest outing of the season, the Red Sox couldn’t have done what they did.  After throwing 50 pitches, Foulke came back the next day to get four outs in another extra-innings game.  He came back the very next day to close out the Yankees in game 6, despite having thrown over 70 pitches the previous two days.

After getting Game 7 to rest, Foulke pitched in all four games of the World Series, going more than an inning again in Game 1. In total he allowed one run in 14 innings of work, and the innings could not be higher leverage situations than they were.

Keith Foulke likely gave his career to those pitching performances, as he was never the same after. I’m guessing he would do it all again.

Honorable Mentions: Roger Moret, Adrian Beltre, Daniel Nava

Keith Foulke #29 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 to win game four of the World Series. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Number 30 – Jose Santiago

The number 30 certainly doesn’t offer some of the names these other numbers do.  Santiago had three good seasons with the Red Sox, before battling injuries and being forced out of the league.

Santiago joined the Red Sox in 1966, winning 12 games and posting a solid 3.66 ERA.  The next season, he was a key member of the bullpen while also making 11 starts for the “Impossible Dream” team.  He was 12-4 with a 3.59 ERA over 145.1 innings pitched.  He did not fare so well in the World Series, losing two of the games to the Cardinals.

1968 was his final effective season, and he made the All-Star Game. Over 18 starts before his injury to his elbow, Santiago was 9-4 with a stellar 2.25 ERA.  He threw seven complete games, two of them shutouts. He did battle back the next season and pitched reasonably well over 10 relief appearances, but he could no longer throw his signature pitch.  Santiago did not last long in 1970 and was out of baseball.  He did not wear the number 30 that final season though, going 33-21 with a 3.25 ERA while wearing this number with the Red Sox.

Honorable Mentions: John Tudor, Andrew Miller

Jose Santiago poses for a headshot.
(Photo by Boston Red Sox)

 

 

Featured picture taken from MLB.com

Josh McDaniels Rumored in Head Coaching Circles…Again

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Despite his protestations to the contrary, the rumor mill continues to swirl with possible destinations for the Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels at season’s end. As we all know, McDaniels ripped a chapter out of the Bill Belichick playbook last season when he accepted the Indy head coaching job but before the Colts’ brass had time to say, “Welcome to Indianapolis”, McDaniels had rescinded his acceptance and came back into the lovin’ arms of New England with a five-year deal intact.

McDaniels has already had an unsuccessful run as a head coach in Denver but his uninterrupted success with the New England offense has given him street cred throughout the league and most teams would love to land him. All but the Indianapolis Colts that is, yet, McDaniels continues to insist his loyalty lies with the Patriots. Even the oddsmakers at the well reviewed online sportsbook  5Dimes have McDaniels as the favorite to replace the recently fired Mike McCarthy in Green Bay. Other online sportsbooks, all of which can be seen in one convenient location at Sportsbook Review, have a variety of destinations and accompanying odds for McDaniels next season.

In the here and now, McDaniels is once again propped atop designing one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL led by the greatest quarterback to ever hurl the leather, Tom Brady. In typical Patriot fashion, McDaniels is steering clear of any controversy but not flatly denying an eventual move to the big chair.

“I don’t really worry about the future, and honestly, each week is a tremendous challenge. We try to stay in the moment and focus about the task at hand which this week is considerable considering we haven’t had a lot of success down (in Miami),” said McDaniels.

 

Patriots in Hunt for AFC Supremacy

New England’s 24-10 win over the Vikings cemented their hold on the AFC East and sent a clear shot across the league that they are once again for real. The defense, a bone of contention earlier in the year, has allowed a paltry 11.5 points per game over their last four victories. Sandwiched between those wins was a stunning 34-10 loss to the Titans but that game was the exception rather than the rule and the Patriots may get a redo if Tennessee secures a playoff berth.

The Patriots will be playing three of their four remaining regular season games against divisional rivals which means a 12-4 season is pretty much a foregone conclusion. However, the lone test left will be a visit to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in what could be a precursor to an AFC title tilt, assuming Kansas City falls flat. But defeating New England in December is a daunting task to say the least. When the weather gets cold the Patriots get hot as evidenced by their 65-13 straight up mark in December since TB12 and The Hoodie teamed up way back in 2000. Brady has been a part of all but six of those wins, four as a rookie and two when he was shelved in ’08 with a season-ending knee injury in the opening game of the season.

Now that the Chiefs are without a ground attack, thanks to Kareem Hunt and his complete lack of self-control in striking a woman back in February, the Pats are now the hunter and not the hunted. New England claims divisional titles like UPS picks up packages so another AFC East crown renders only polite applause from Patriots’ fans. What we really want to see is Big Ben in a body bag come December 16th and another evisceration of Pittsburgh’s hopes and dreams of winning an AFC crown. The Patriots look to make it six straight over the Steelers, with Pittsburgh last defeating New England more than seven years ago. May the streak continue.

Get Noah Syndergaard On The Red Sox

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The Mets are a little off their rocker, the Winter Meetings are coming up, and the Cardinals have stolen some National League thunder with the Paul Goldschmidt trade.  Nathan Eovaldi is back!  Now is the time for the Red Sox to strike.  Bring Noah Syndergaard to Boston.  A quick reminder:

The Mets

The Mets are in win-now mode with their strange reliance on 36 year old, recently PED suspended, Robinson Cano.  They also got Edwin Diaz in the deal.  He’s a young closer who’s only done it in the relative obscurity of the Pacific Northwest.  Those guys are often inconsistent.  They’re also reportedly looking into trading for Corey Kluber, which is kind of nuts.  Kluber has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the last few years.  But the reason he’s available from the Indians is because he is 33 and on the verge of a big payday.  His contract escalates, from $10 million to $17.5 million and beyond, the next few years.

When news of a Syndergaard trade first surfaced, the Mets were said to be looking to upgrade their farm system with a trade.  And why wouldn’t they?  Syndergaard will be the best bargain Ace in the game the next few years.  His injuries are overblown and his September was one to remember.

But something happened on the road to a competitive team and stacked farm system.  Potential trades aren’t bearing the kind of fruit the Mets thought they would get.  Let’s take a deep dive on some rumored deals.

The Padres

The most recent rumor from the MLB Network was a package of Manny Margot, Austin Hedges, and Mackenzie Gore.

Margot, whom the Red Sox gave to the Padres in the Craig Kimbrel trade, has been a classic good defense, no-so-good offense, center fielder.  In 2017 he hit .263 with a .721 OPS.  In 2018, after the league had a look at him, he hit .245 with a .675 OPS.  Think Jackie Bradley Jr without the hot streaks and superior defense.

Austin Hedges is a catcher with slightly above average power, and little else.  In 2017 he hit .214 with a .660 OPS, 2018 it was .231/.711.

Mackenzie Gore is a highly rated young pitcher who gets a lot of strikeouts.  He also walks a lot of people.  Because of this, he had a middling 4.45 ERA in single A ball last year.

The Rockies

The Rockies have a lot of young pitching.  It may be just for show, but Assistant GM Zack Rosenthal told the MLB Network on Tuesday 12/4 that the Rockies are built on that young pitching and defense.  This is a team that hits missile after missile into the glorious Rocky Mountain air.  The team is also about to spend a record amount in arbitration on MVP candidate Nolan Arenado.  Arenado is not making that kind of money for his gold glove defense at third base.  He hit .297 with 36 Home Runs last year.

So what does this mean?  The Rockies may be deluding themselves into thinking their MVP candidates don’t matter and it’s all about the pitching.  More likely, they’re negotiating in the media to reduce their arbitration cases with their hitters.  But because of the money going to their hitters, they’re likely to keep the young starters they have.  The Red Sox don’t have that kind of young pitching.

The Red Sox

Rafael Devers is better than anyone the Padres or Rockies can or will throw at the Mets.

Margot is 24, Hedges is 26.  Devers is still the tender age of 22.  This precious youngster hit .284 with 10 home runs and a .819 OPS in part time play as a 20 year old in 2017, then .240 with 21 home runs and a .731 OPS last year.  Furthermore, Devers  hit .311 in the Postseason over his first 2 years, including 3 home runs and a .884 OPS in 45 at bats.

That’s special.  But he’s no Tony Conigliaro.  The beloved Tony C hit .290 with 24 home runs and an .883 OPS as a 19 year old, then .269 with 32 home runs and an .850 OPS as a 20 year old, then .265 with 28 home runs and an .817 OPS as a 21 year old.

Devers will be worth holding on to, but not transcendent.  That is why he’s worth giving up for the rare young, cost controlled monster, like Noah Syndergaard, who becomes available.

What’s more, the Mets need a catcher.  The Red Sox have a plethora.  Putting Christian Vazquez, whose Postseason success means his value may never be higher, in a trade would be ideal.  But the Sox could throw in Blake Swihart instead.  A combo of either Swihart or Vazquez, with Sandy Leon as backup, would be more than fine for the 2019 Red Sox.

If the Mets wants minor leaguers, give them some.  The Red Sox have a weak system, but Devers is younger than most of the highly touted minor leaguers in the game.  It would take less top young talent than some other teams.

Eovaldi Frees Things Up

And now that Nathan Eovaldi is back, the Sox are freed up to include Eduardo Rodriguez in the deal if they need to.  This gives the Red Sox more options.  They don’t need to give the Mets everything, but widens the possibilities of how a trade could look.

Syndergaard Solves The Contract Crunch

At the end of 2019 the Sox will have some choices to make.  Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, and Xander Bogaerts become free agents at that time.  Nathan Eovaldi’s contract is reported to be in the $17 million a year range.  All three of those other guys will cost more than that.

Then there is JD Martinez’s opt out.  He’s currently being paid $23.75 Million.   With his performance he will definitely be looking for a raise starting in 2020.

Noah Syndergaard is in arbitration.  He made $2.975 Million last year and, his projected earnings in 2019 are $5.9 Million.  If he becomes a top 10 starting pitcher in 2019, watch out.  Thor has three years of control left in arbitration.  He won’t approach $20 million in salary until 2021 at the earliest.

If Syndergaard is in Boston, there’s a lot more money for the rest of the team.

Time To Act

There are reports of the Mets talking with the Marlins about JT Realmuto.  They are itching to trade.  The competition for Syndergaard is falling away.  The Red Sox can solve the Mets catching problems.  Fire up the Knights of Cydonia and let’s rock this trade Dave Dombrowski.

The Number one seed is wide open in the AFC

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The Number one seed

December is a great time of year in the NFL.  The Patriots could possibly get the number one seed in the NFL even though their star players aren’t playing at 100 percent.  The Kansas City Chiefs have a bit of a distraction with the release of running back Kareem Hunt.  The Chargers came back in the fourth quarter to beat the Steelers and the Patriots can waltz to the number one seed with no problems.  It’s amazing how a team like the Patriots can have an average season and still get the number one seed in the Conference.

The Patriots could still get the number one seed

The Patriots play in Miami Sunday, then it’s the Steelers, Jets, and Bills.  They don’t play well in Miami but the Dolphins will find a way to lose the game.  Then the Steelers, they seem to lose games for themselves lately too.  Pittsburgh completely choked last Sunday night against the Chargers and history will repeat when the Pats play them in two weeks.  The Jets and Bills should be layups and easy wins.  It’s a no-brainer the Patriots have the easiest path to the number one seed.

The Chiefs have a difficult schedule for the next two weeks.  They play the Ravens on Sunday which should be a win for them but then have a quick turnaround and play the following Thursday night against the Chargers.  Those Sunday then Thursday games are tough for obvious reasons, it’s hard playing two games in a week with little or no practice.  Then it gets easier with the Chiefs playing the Seahawks and Raiders to close the season.

The Chargers last four games are the Bengals this Sunday, then Thursday against the Chiefs, and the last two are against the Ravens and the Broncos.  The game of the season for the Chargers and the Chiefs is next Thursday.  Both teams will be tired but it’s a win for the Patriots.  Teams, in general, find ways to lose games to give the Patriots the perfect opportunity for the number one seed.  The Chiefs could lose one more game and the Patriots could get the number one seed which is huge for the potential AFC Championship game be in New England.

CRISTIANO RONALDO: The greatest the game has ever seen.

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Photo courtesy: Bleacher Report

Major trophies and awards won by Ronaldo for club and country.

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most decorated stars to ever play futebol, both individually and at club level as well as for his country.  They have the saying “the numbers don’t lie” and with his stats, he proves to be the best.

He has won the Ballon d’Or award 5 times and won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2008.  EFA Best Player is another award he won 4 times.

In England

Ronaldo won the Premier League three times as a player for Manchester United, he also won the FA Cup and the Champions League once.  Also as a player there, he won the League Cup twice, the Community Shield and the FIFA World Cup.

His time in Spain

As a player for Real Madrid, Ronaldo added to his awards and won La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercopa twice.

Playing in the Champions League he won it three consecutive years and added another to make it five all time Champions League trophies.  In the 2018 tournament, he was also the top scorer with 15 goals.

Ronaldo is the leading all time goal scorer for Real Madrid with 450 goals.

Italy the latest destination

Cristiano decided it was time to move on and conquer another obstacle.  He currently has 9 goals in his first 13 games in Serie A.

Representing Portugal 

At this years World Cup he became the first European player to score in eight consecutive major tournaments.  He also became Portugal’s all time leading goal scorer when he scored his 85th goal.  In 2016 he helped them lift the European Trophy, the first for Portugal.

All Time statistics 

He has scored 658 goals in his professional career for both club and country and is the leading goalscorer for both Real Madrid and Portugal.  No European player has scored more international goals than Ronaldo.

Photo courtesy: CR7 Museum

Follow on Twitter: @RonaldoSource

Bruins Fall to Florida 5-0

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Cracks are starting to expose themselves when it comes to the Bruins as evident in the recent shutout loss to Florida. In a listless game against the Panthers, Boston had struggles early on and by the 2nd, the wheels fell off.  But if there’s anything positive that can be said about this team; they know how to make comebacks. Much like last season amidst all the injuries, the Bruins found their stride and went on a tear. They were the team that did it when they weren’t expected to do it. Last night Coach Bruce Cassidy had this to say:

I didn’t like the first at all, to be with honest with you. Our goaltender kept us in. Our goaltending has been very good all year, so we’ve been able to bounce back from it…some of our younger players had their hand full.

(Photo Credit: NHL Bruins Twitter)

Florida’s goaltender Roberto Luongo had missed the last five games and recorded his 77th shutout win last night in the 5-0 win against the B’s.  Luongo is now ninth on the list for the NHL all-time career shutouts.  After a stalemate in the first period with neither team scoring, the Panthers pulled the trigger and controlled the second period, scoring four goals.  Mike Hoffman scored first at 4:21 in the second after knocking in a loose puck past Jaroslav Halak.  Mike Matheson made it 2-0 at the 13:13 mark.  Jonathan Huberdeau added another goal giving Florida a cushioned-lead over the Bruins, making it 3-0. Hoffman once again scored during a power-play off a one-time with seconds left in the period making the score 4-0.  Evgeni Dadonov hit another nail in the coffin when he scored a power-play goal in the third period at 14:36, making the final score 5-0.  Bruins goaltender Jaroslav Halak made 39 saves while Luongo made 33 saves in net.

NEXT UP

The loss marks the fifth shutout for the Bruins this season as Florida out shot Boston 44-33. The team will be looking for another bounce back this Thursday when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning, who currently lead the Atlantic Division with a 21-7-1 record.  Boston currently remain (by a thread) in the 1st wildcard position with a 14-9-4 record.  David Backes spoke with the media after the game:

Coach Bruce Cassidy also spoke with the media after the game to express the same sentiment that has been shared by many: lack of defense:

“Our team defense wasn’t good enough.  Poor gaps all night.  Didn’t move the puck on the back-end nearly crisp enough…We do have some young guys learning their way.  Can’t use that as en excuse.  Once you’re up here, you have to be able to make the plays that are expected of you and we didn’t do that tonight”

The Bruins face the Tampa Bay Lightning this Thursday night with puck drop at 7:30 pm at the Amalie Arena.

 

Follow me on Twitter @pastagrl88

2019 Red Sox Free Agency: Get Cody Allen

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The Red Sox bullpen is in flux for 2019.  Craig Kimbrel is out there asking for a 6-year deal, which the Red Sox will never give him.  Joe Kelly is also a free agent, and his performance doesn’t exactly inspire.  Because an already bloated Red Sox payroll, it’s looking like a budget bullpen piece is the answer.  The place to go is Cody Allen.

Cody Allen Performance

Between the years of 2014 and 2017, Cody Allen was one of the best closers in the game.  He averaged 32 saves a year as the anchor of a star-studded bullpen that included Andrew Miller.  The Cleveland Indians rode that bullpen to a lot of postseason success, including a run to the 2016 World Series.

In the regular season, he averaged an ERA under 3 during that time, but he stepped it up in the Postseason.  His career Postseason ERA was 0.47 in 19 innings.  That’s positively vintage Mariano Rivera territory.

But then 2018 happened.  He had a 4.70 ERA, lost his closer position, and got blown up in the Postseason.  So what gives?

The information may be behind a paywall, but pitch usage points to a few things – specifically his curveball.  The curve got less swing and misses in 2018, and he had some trouble throwing it for strikes.  Furthermore, he lost a MPH on his fastball, which dipped below 94 MPH.  The fastball/curve mix is what made him so deadly.

Maybe being in a free agent year got to him.  Maybe he was simply tired and in this era of quick hooks and little patience he crumbled.  But he wouldn’t be available if he had remained elite last year.

Contract Possibilities

A quick google search of Cody Allen shows a distinct lack of contract demands.  There are not even stories out there like this one, saying Joe Kelly is being looked at by multiple teams as a closer.  Because of this, it appears clear that Allen would come cheap.  Maybe even on a one year deal.  Now that’s more like it.

Cody Allen isn’t necessarily a sure thing, but he looks pretty good from here.  He’s one year removed from being untouchable in the Postseason for many years.  He’s only 30 years old, he’s cheap, and he would be an excellent gamble to pair with the remaining relievers on the staff, such as Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes, in the late innings.

Furthermore, he is right-handed.  This is essential.  The Red Sox biggest competition, the Astros and Yankees, have a plethora of right-handed, middle of the order bats in their lineups.  To me, that excludes left-handed possibilities for essential bullpen roles like Andrew Miller and Zach Britton.  Kelvin Herrera is also cheap, right-handed, and recently successful, but arm troubles on top of foot troubles make him too risky.

That leaves Cody Allen.  Sign him.

 

 

David Backes

David Backes Stepping Up When Needed Most

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The David Backes era has not gone as many expected in Boston. Backes has provided veteran leadership during his Bruins tenure but failed to live up to his contract. Earlier this season, as the Bruins offense struggled, Backes did as well. Through the Bruins first seventeen games, the veteran winger registered just one point. Lately, his play has improved. In the Bruins last four games, he has two goals. Despite his struggles, Backes can still contribute to this team and has started to round into form.

David Backes Improving After Slow Start

This season the veteran winger has been a staple on the Bruins third and fourth line. That is not what the Bruins envisioned when they signed him three years ago, however, that is where he has been the most productive. His improved play is due to the fact that he has been more aggressive. Over the Bruins last five games, he has fourteen shots on net. That, however, is not the only reason for the veterans recent offensive contributions.

During his tenure in Boston, Backes has battled injuries and this year has been no different. He dealt with a concussion earlier this season that sidelined him for the second half of October. Because of the injury, Backes played with a more passive approach. Keeping him healthy will be key as the Bruins have already had many players miss significant time. Even when healthy this season Backes play has been affected by the younger Bruins trying to find their way.

David Backes

Photo Credit: Inside Hockey

Changing Style

Backes began the season on skating on a line with Anders Bjork and Danton Heinen. Due to their struggles defensively Backes put more emphasis on his defense. This was reflected in his statistics as he failed to register a point through the Bruins first eleven games. The choice to hang back made him appear tentative and prevented him from battling in front of the net. His recent aggressive play is starting to yield results and has earned him time on the powerplay. On the man advantage, he is helping the Bruins win faceoffs and keep the puck in the offensive zone. He will never match Bergeron’s production. However he has made the Bruins powerplay productive without one of its best weapons.

David Backes

Photo Credit: Claus Anderson/ Getty Images

Through the Bruins first, twenty-six-game Backes has not been an offensive force. With injuries mounting, the Bruins need veteran leadership more than ever. Backes has answered the challenge and is stepping up when his team needs him the most.

Follow Me On Twitter @JamieGatlin1217

 

Paul Goldschmidt – Future Red Sox player?

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The winter is in full swing in the baseball world. We’ve seen blockbusters already happening. From James Paxton, to Jean Segura to Robinson Cano, big names have already been on the move everywhere. The Red Sox more than likely won’t make an acquisition of that proportion, but let’s dream for a bit shall we? Paul Goldschmidt is going to be huge splash, wherever he lands. He’s an MVP caliber player, who’s on a benchwarmers salary next season. Seeing as it would only be a one year rental for Goldschmidt, the Sox may shy away from wanting to move multiple young pieces. However, as far as need and fit are concerned, this would be a great move for Boston to make while the championship window is still open.

With Arizona likely on its way towards a rebuild, many of their big names may be finding other homes. Patrick Corbin will leave via free agency, as the Diamondbacks just don’t have the payroll to keep him. Another aspect hurting the payroll, is Zack Grienke’s contract. They will also look to move him this winter. Which brings us to Goldschmidt. Possibly the most intriguing trade chip in all of baseball. Even Giancarlo Stanton on the market last season, reigning MVP, didn’t offer the pure hitting approach which Goldschmidt does. A career .300 hitter, with an OPS of .930, Goldschmidt is a guy who brings instant pop the lineup, and leadership the locker room.

So if Goldschmidt is on his way out of the desert, could the Red Sox make a viable run at his services for the next year? It’s definitely possible. Even with first base platooned by Steve Pearce and Mitch Moreland, this team clearly has a need for first baseman. Both Pearce and Moreland are solid players, who both played a big role in this year’s World Series. It’s hard not to get caught up in the lore of those two, and want to keep them in the lineup. The wise decision, would be to try and upgrade one position where they are subpar.

A Potential Package for Goldschmidt

Obviously, Goldschmidt would require a hefty haul to acquire. The Sox farm system is fairly depleted. However, with Goldschmidt essentially only coming over for one year, the return is worth parting with for Boston. It would have to start with Boston’s top hitting prospect Michael Chavis, and go from there. He is the most valuable asset the Red Sox have outside the major league club. He is also seen as a guy who could come up and hit .300 next season in the show. It would likely take Chavis and a couple other mid-level prospects to make the deal happen. A 14 million dollar tag on the incoming Goldschmidt still makes it possible for the Sox to function under the luxury tax.

Obviously, with a player of Paul’s caliber, there are many bidders. The Phillies, Astros, and Cardinals are just a handful of the teams that are in on Goldschmidt. All these teams are in positions to compete, and have deeper farm systems than Boston. This doesn’t make the deal impossible, it just means Dombrowski would have to act quick.

Do I see this deal happening? Probably not. Is it something that I would like to have happen? Yes, because frankly it should happen. It’s a low risk move that immediately improves the team, while still leaving money for other free agents like Joe Kelly or Nathan Eovaldi. He’s a power hitting first baseman, who is still athletic as ever and has pretty good wheels as far as people his size go. This would be a huge move that let’s the whole league know the Red Sox are still at the top.