Is this the last season for Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in the NFL?

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Will this be Gronkowski’s last season?

We’ve reached December in the NFL season. The playoffs are right around the corner. For the Patriots, they’ve only lost four games in the month of December since 2001 that’s an insane stat. Tom Brady still performs at a high level even though he’s 41 and never misses any games. If there’s a chance he’ll play he’s going to. As for the tight end Rob Gronkowski that’s a different story. He’s been on and off the injury report this season with his ankle and back. An ESPN report on Sunday said he’s not happy with the Patriot way again. Could this be his last season?

Questions about Gronkowski’s future

Via Boston Globe

We heard this last year around the same time. The tight end was contemplating retirement and wanted to possibly be looking at an acting career after the Super Bowl. However, he announced he would be back after the motocross press conference in April talking about dirtbikes. Gronkowski got an incentive-based contract for 2018 and so far he’s not reaching it.

Injuries have always hindered him

Aug 11, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) during pregame warmups prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The guy is so big, he’s hard to bring down and it takes him a lot to prepare his body for games. Last season, he started going to TB12 for treatment which seemed to help, but he’s still injury prone. He’s had back issues since he’s been in the league, but one more big hit could be the end of his football career.

Rumors are swirling that he could be done at the end of the season. In my opinion, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did retire. He’s got two Super Bowls, played with the best quarterback of all time, and was a huge asset to the Patriots offense.

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 21-25

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There are no Hall of Famers in the numbers 21 through 25 for the Red Sox. However, that statement can be a bit misleading. Four of the five I have selected could be Hall of Famers if not for varying reasons. Two of them are borderline cases that have received varying support, while another clearly has the numbers to be there.

Number 21 – Roger Clemens

“The Rocket” would clearly be a Hall of Famer based purely upon his numbers and awards. During his time with the Red Sox, Clemens became “The Rocket” and was a Hall of Fame pitcher for roughly a decade. During that time, he won an MVP Award and had a third-place finish. Clemens also won three Cy Young Awards while also finishing in second and third during other seasons.

Clemens broke out in 1986 with his first Cy Young Award and his MVP Award. He had his first 20 strikeout game in April that season en route to striking out 238 batters for the season. He led the league in wins, ERA, and WHIP as he finished 24-4 for the pennant-winning club.

Clemens led the league in wins again in 1987 as he won the Cy Young Award. After two more very good seasons, Clemens was as dominant as ever between 1990 and 1992. He finished second in the Cy Young vote in 1990 due to Bob Welch’s 27 wins, but Clemens was the better pitcher. He led the league with a 1.93 ERA that season and finished 21-6. Clemens led the league in ERA again in both 1991 and 1992, giving him three straight ERA crowns to begin the nineties.

Clemens tailed off from there, but pitched very well for a bad team in 1994 and looked like vintage Rocket down the stretch in 1996 when he punched out 20 batters in a game for the second time. He went 192-111 with a 3.06 ERA and struck out 2590 batters during his time in Boston. From 1986-92 he averaged a season of 19-9 with a 2.66 ERA and 239 strikeouts. There is a strong argument for retiring his number.

Honorable Mentions: Tex Hughson, Ray Culp

Number 22 – Rick Porcello

At number 22, we get an active Red Sox. Porcello has had an up and down Red Sox career, but he did win a Cy Young Award and contribute to the 2018 World Series champions, so at a thin number he gets the edge.

Porcello came to the Red Sox in 2015 on a questionable contract given his mediocrity to date. The decision looked like a disaster that first season as he was 9-15 with an ERA approaching 5.00. Porcello bounced back to enjoy a career year in his second season in Boston. In 2016, he led the league in wins, finishing 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. His 189 strikeouts were far and away – a career high at the time.

Porcello regressed again in 2017, leading the American League with 17 losses despite playing for a division-winning ballclub. His strikeout numbers did stay up, however, but his home run rate skyrocketed. This past season Porcello found some middle ground, posting a 4.28 ERA while finishing with a 17-7 record. He set a career high in strikeouts with 190 over 191.1 innings. In the postseason, he made three starts and two key relief appearances, pitching to a 3.52 ERA. It’s been an interesting career in Boston for Porcello.

Honorable Mentions: Sammy White, Bill Campbell

Number 23 – Luis Tiant

Tiant is one of the most popular pitchers in franchise history. Tiant had some good seasons in Cleveland in the sixties but hadn’t been good since breaking a bone in his shoulder. He led the league with 20 losses in 1969, a season after winning 21 and posting a 1.60 ERA. He missed a lot of time in 1970 and the Red Sox were able to sign him during the 1971 season off the scrap heap.

Tiant was not immediately good for the Red Sox, struggling in that first season. However, by year two he was pitching like it was 1968 again. Pitching out of the pen for much of the year, Tiant made 19 starts that season in 42 appearances, going 15-6 with a league-leading 1.91 ERA. The next season he won 20 games for the first time in five seasons, eclipsed 200 strikeouts and led the league in WHIP.

Tiant finished fourth for the Cy Young in 1974, going 22-13 with a 2.92 ERA in over 300 innings pitched. After an 18 win 1975, Tiant went 3-0 in the postseason. He pitched a complete game versus the Athletics in the ALCS and won two games against the Reds in the World Series. Tiant then won 21 games in 1976, giving him three 20-win seasons over a four-year stretch. He finished fifth in the Cy Young vote and made the All-Star team.

From 1972 through 1978, his final season in Boston, Tiant was 121-74 with a 3.30 ERA, not too shabby for someone signed off the scrap heap. He has had varying levels of support for the Hall of Fame as he remains on the outside looking in.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Brunansky, Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, Brian Daubach

Number 24 – Dwight Evans

I would have loved to see Dwight Evans get his number 24 retired, but the chance for that probably ended with Manny Ramirez wearing the number. Dewey spent parts of 19 seasons with the Red Sox and played at a borderline Hall of Fame level. Had he hit earlier in his career as he did during the eighties, he likely would be in by now.

Evans was always a great fielder, winning eight Gold Gloves in right field. His first came in 1976 and he won three of them during the seventies. His hitting was solid, yet unspectacular until the strike-shortened season of 1981. Evans led the league in home runs and OPS that season, making the All-Star Game, finishing third in the MVP vote and winning the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards. Red hot before the strike took place, an argument can be made that the strike cost him the MVP Award. Had he won an MVP, maybe Dewey would be in the Hall.

Dewey hit a career-high 32 home runs in 1982, a number he matched in 1984 and eclipsed with 34 in 1987. He led the league in walks three times during the eighties and OPS twice. For the decade, Evans hit 256 home runs and drove in 900 runs while posting a .280/.385/.497/.882 batting line. That’s some Hall of Fame work when you throw into consideration his eight Gold Glove Awards.

Honorable Mentions: Manny Ramirez, David Price, Mike Stanley

Number 25 – Tony Conigliaro

When I say Tony Conigliaro could be a Hall of Famer, it’s not in the same way as the previous guys. Obviously, Conigliaro is not a Hall of Famer off what he achieved. However, if Jack Hamilton’s fastball hadn’t crushed his eye socket in 1967, Conigliaro may have become a Hall of Famer. Conigliaro was just 22 years old at the time and already had 104 home runs in his career, with some of the season still to play. He had a home run crown under his belt and seemed like he could be well on his way to joining the 500 home run club.

Even with the tragic events that took place in his life, Tony C is still the greatest Red Sox to ever don the number 25. On top of the previous statistics I stated, he did briefly return and even hit a career-high 36 home runs in 1970. Unfortunately, his eyesight rapidly deteriorated from there, quickly ending his playing career. In all, the local kid hit 162 home runs and drove in 501 runs for the Red Sox. Would the Red Sox have won the World Series in 1967 had Conigliaro not been injured?

Honorable Mentions: Mike Lowell, Troy O’Leary

 

Featured picture credit to “Boston Baseball History/Rich Pilling” and taken from Cooperstown Cred

Red Sox Offseason Lacking Fireworks…And That’s Okay

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I was making the rounds on the Red Sox news circuit yesterday when I came to a sudden realization. This is going to be a boring offseason.

Granted, it’s still incredibly early on. The non-tender deadline for arbitration-eligible players (the first major offseason date) is later tonight at 8 pm ET. The Winter Meetings don’t kick off until December 9th. MLB’s hot stove has been relatively cool thus far, outside of a handful of moves ranging from “Indifferent Shrug” to “Okay, That’s Interesting”. Both New York teams have led the charge by shopping at the Great Seattle Mariners Fire Sale of 2018. The Yankees acquired lefty James Paxton on November 20. Meanwhile, the Mets traded for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. The Red Sox, for their part, haven’t really been involved in much of the early action. There haven’t been any rumors of that changing any time soon.

That makes total sense for a 108-win champion coming off of the best season in franchise history. Boston will likely be returning most of the core group that led 2018’s title run. It has already brought back World Series MVP Steve Pearce on a team friendly 1-year deal and restructured/extended Alex Cora’s current deal through 2021. Both moves were no-brainers, and the Sox moved quickly to tie up those loose ends. The Red Sox also took a flyer on 25-year-old reliever Colten Brewer. Beyond that, the only real questions with this roster involve Craig Kimbrel, Nathan Eovaldi, and which of their homegrown core they can lock up long-term.

It’s a change of pace from last year’s eons-long pursuit of JD Martinez. It’s also a far cry from splashy offseasons like 2014 and 2015. I didn’t hear any reports of Dave Dombrowski sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner with Madison Bumgarner like Theo Epstein did with Curt Schilling in 2003. Trying to decide which sub-70 OPS+ catcher to move on isn’t a fun conversation to have on sports talk radio. The minutiae of sussing out a 6th or 7th reliever don’t really move the needle for many fans. There is some intrigue around second base and Dustin Pedroia’s status moving forward. And, while I personally think first base is an area to upgrade, the team seems happy with their Peace/Mitch Moreland platoon.

Winter can be fickle, and Dombrowski has never been shy about making blockbusters happen. Standing pat after a season where nearly everything went right can be risky, too. However, should the Sox choose to mostly shuffle some minor pieces around while keeping most of a championship roster intact, it will be hard to complain. This team doesn’t feel quite as one-hit-wonder-y as 2013, and doesn’t have as many players set to depart as 2004. The best comparison is 2007. That offseason, a strong mix of young, homegrown talent and veteran stars made it easy to roll things over to 2008.

Besides, next offseason looms large. Some key players that are up for extensions in 2019: Moreland, Martinez (player option) Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, and Xander Bogaerts. Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley become unrestricted free agents the following year. It may be best for Boston to keep its books as clean as possible, with that in mind. That is unless they plan on acquiring a player with the intent to replace one of those guys over the long term.

As is always the case, we’ll have no choice to wait and see what happens. But if push comes to shove, I’m fine if the only offseason addition the Red Sox make is another World Series trophy to their display case.

Are the Patriots Good…or Just Good Enough?

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The Patriots not only beat the Jets on their own turf but covered the number for all of you who like to make a wager or two on Belichick’s boys. Speaking of which, if you’re in search of a terrific online sportsbook, make sure to check out the Bovada review over at Sportsbook Review. They are the leaders in the sports betting industry for a reason with exemplary customer service, timely payouts, and plenty of wagering opportunities including props, in-action betting, and futures. But getting back to the Pats, it was a solid win, one that took them to 8-3 on the season and put a stranglehold on the AFC East title – again.

It all sounds like lollipops and sunshine but are you feelin’ it? I mean, do they look like the steamrollers of the past? The homer in me wants to say yes, but my eyes don’t lie and there’s something missing. Maybe those OTA’s that Brady missed months ago really are as important as he had ceaselessly preached in the past. Jackals like Max “Cliff” Kellerman, who have been attempting to vulture Brady’s carcass for several years, has himself turned into a punchline, hence the nickname Cliff – as in Brady’s about to fall off a cliff in performance. But it seems to me that although Father Time may not have caught up to Brady, he just might be gaining on the greatest quarterback to ever hurl the pigskin.

And what about Gronk? Is it true that Kansas City’s Travis Kelce is now the best receiving tight end in the business? Gronk hasn’t looked himself either but a litany of injuries has kept him on the shelf for stretches at a time and when he does take the field, he doesn’t have the same explosiveness. That said, Gronkowski at 80 percent is better than the rest at 100 percent but he’s still not Gronk this season. Maybe this is his final go ‘round and we better appreciate whatever he’s got left in the tank because it’s the last we’ll see of a tight end talent of his caliber in our lifetime, plying his trade at the Razor.

And let’s take a look at the Patriots’ defense. Amazingly enough, and for all of their shortcomings, New England is tied with the Steelers at 11th in the league in points allowed, averaging 22.6 points per game. However, in Belichick’s bend-but-don’t-break defensive schemes, they are a disappointing 25th defending the pass and 30th in sacks with only 17 on the season. Maybe what they need is an edge rusher like Arizona’s Chandler Jones? Why can’t we get guys like him?

The truth of the matter is that the Patriots are aging and bit by bit the wheels will fall off the wagon unless Belichick gets much better at trading, and drafting. “In Bill, We Trust” has been a mantra that we have echoed for almost two decades and it’s a run that will never be duplicated. But all the superlatives and accolades for what the Patriots have done mean nothing in the here and now. If you dig deep, do you really believe this edition of the New England Patriots can keep pace with Jared and the Juggernauts from LA or Drew Brees and the wrecking crew down on the bayou? Or how about KC’s sunshine kid, Patrick Mahomes? Sure, we beat him and his band of Chiefs earlier this season in Foxboro but what if he didn’t have a case of the rookie jitters in the first half? See-you-later. Let’s also not forget about the Texans, the Chargers, the Bears, and even the Seahawks for that matter. Are the Pats better than all those teams, right now, as we enter Week 13? I’m not sure but we’re hoping they are.

Pete Rose Should Be Back In Baseball

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Gambling has become more and more acceptable in our society in light of the Supreme Court decision to strike down the 1992 law that prohibited sports betting in many states.  In light of this, and Major League Baseball getting into bed with MGM Resorts, it’s time to welcome back Pete Rose into Baseball’s good graces.

Hall Of Fame Career

Pete Rose has the stats, hands down.  Charlie Hustle ran hard on every play, and got on base in any way possible during a 24 year career.  He ended his career as the all time leader in hits, a total of 4,256.  That record still stands and will probably never be broken.   He was Rookie Of The Year in 1963, MVP in 1973, won 3 batting titles, and was a 17 time All Star.

Betting On Baseball

Unfortunately for Rose, he bet on baseball.  The Dowd report is thick in legalism.   The bottom line is that Rose had no were to go in the onslaught of names, dates, phone calls, ect.  Rose later admitted it in his 2004 autobiography My Prison Without Bars.  Of course, he admitted betting on the Reds, but never against them while he was playing and managing them.

In the wake of the 1919 World Series betting scandal, incredible baseball name Kenesaw Mountain Landis, became Commissioner and banned 8 Chicago White Sox for life.  The ‘no betting in baseball’ rule was born.

Lost in this was Landis used this opportunity to consolidate power in the game and become the first MLB commissioner.  Are we sure there wasn’t all kinds of graft going on in that situation?  After all, some see him as standing in the way of integration in baseball.  Jackie Robinson didn’t break in until 1947, 3 years after Landis’ death.

It’s clear from this vantage point that Rose had, and probably still has, a serious gambling problem.  This is a well known addiction and I would hope there would be more acceptance in our society today.

Baseball Is In Bed With Gambling

On Tuesday November 27th it was announced that MLB has agreed to have MGM Resorts International as their ‘Official Gaming Sponsor’.

What more do I have to say here?  As the story states, financial details were not disclosed, but it’s clear this is a windfall for the league.

So the league can make millions off of sports betting, but Rose is banned?  Sure, it’s a slippery slope, but while Rose had the Dowd report, there was a whole federal case around the Black Sox.  These aren’t apple to apple comparisons.

Is it possible to let in Rose and then treat any other players caught gambling on baseball while they are playing or managing as individual cases?  I believe it is.  My point is Baseball has blurred the lines of gambling in the game as gambling has become more acceptable.

Rose is truly one of the greatest players of all time.  Allow him back into the game and put him on the Hall Of Fame ballot.

 

Josh McDaniels isn’t going anywhere

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Josh McDaniels isn’t going anywhere

(Houston, TX, 02/05/17) Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Josh McDaniels before Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium on Sunday, February 05, 2017 Staff photo by Matt Stone

Josh McDaniels came back to the Patriots because rumors were that he would be the next head coach. It was rumored that Belichick was leaving at the end of the season but things may have changed. Belichick doesn’t seem to be doing anything different like it’s his last season. He still prepares the same, the press conferences are the same, and how he coaches during the games. As for McDaniels, there’s no way he’s going anywhere especially if Brady is still on the team.

Rumors are coming out about McDaniels interested in a head coaching job

Rumors are swirling that Josh is thinking about other head coaching jobs around the league. The teams are the Browns, and the Packers which are the most talked about. For the Browns, you have a decent quarterback in Mayfield, but they have a terrible general manager who wants to interview a former secretary of state with no football experience. No way Josh would go there. As for the Packers, you have Rodgers who really is coming to an end of his career. Like Brady, why would he leave an organization with a veteran quarterback to coach another veteran quarterback? It makes no sense.

It’s been reported that Brady had a part in bringing McDaniels back to the Patriots. He’s used to Josh and likes how he calls the game. He’s also had success with him at this point in his career and doesn’t want to get used to another offensive coordinator. Now some may say that is selfish of Brady, but honestly, he’s the only player that has the right to say anything. Brady is the only player that is bigger than the team and Kraft made that clear choosing him over Garoppolo. I still believe McDaniels will be the next head coach of the Patriots, but it may not be next season like it was predicted.

Brady Passes Peyton For Another All-Time Record

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Tom Brady Breaks Another Record

Tom Brady continues to solidify himself as the GOAT. The 41 year old quarterback is breaking records on a regular basis, last Sunday he added his name to another one.

Brady took over as the All Time leader in passing yards in (regular season and postseason games.) The MVP passed Peyton Manning for the top spot in Sunday’s win over the Jets.

The record breaking pass went to Sony Michel, a running back who is still working on his pass catching. Brady got that out of the way in the second quarter, finishing the game with 283 yards. The Patriots quarterback now sits alone with 79,416 total yards, but Tom just cares about the win. After the game Brady was asked about the newest record.

“Just wins” Brady said, “ I mean that’s what we are here for, to win games. I’m trying to be a part of as many of these as I can.” No surprise Brady deflected questions about his own record, He ended his answer saying, “I’m just here to win.”

Brady Passes Manning as the All Time Passing leader

(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Every Week Another Record is in Trouble

Brady also tied Peyton Manning on Sunday as he reached 3,000 passing yards for the 16th time. He is now second in NFL history, behind Brett Favre who reached 3,000 yards 18 times. Tom will easily break that record too, as long as he can stay on the field for three more years.

Tom can pass Peyton Manning again this Sunday, as another regular/postseason stat is up for grabs. One touchdown pass from Brady on Sunday will make him the All Time leader in combined TD passes.

TB12

Via Nj.com

Tom Brady already has the Super Bowls, the postseason records, and now is finishing off the rest of the regular season records. Of course he won’t play forever, but in the meantime no record is safe. Brady isn’t in it for these records though, right now his focus is all about his favorite ring. “The next one” number six!

 

 

When You’re Trying to Get Discovered By the Celtics, But Studies Are Getting In the Way

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It’s an age-old problem: a college athlete wants to get discovered, but his grades are slipping. If they slip too far, he’s off the team. If he’s off the team, he will never get discovered. If a career in sports isn’t in the cards, he had better get his degree, but if his grades are slipping…

It’s enough to make any aspiring college athlete’s head spin. The good news, though, is that it doesn’t have to. Is it possible to have a growing sports team experience and get good grades? It is if you follow the advice in this article. Keep reading, and you’ll be able to keep the dream alive!

It Starts With a Decision

The big question that needs to be answered before we go any further is simple: how badly do you want both? Today’s message isn’t about avoiding responsibility; it’s about meeting all of your responsibilities and placing priority on all of the important ones and how each one relates to basketball. This article outlines the kinds of things scouts look for in future NBA players. Let’s look at how a few of the points relate to study as well as the game.

Academic Intelligence vs. Basketball Intelligence

As scouting for the Indiana Pacers, Ryan Carr cites a team’s “Basketball IQ” as “a player’s ability to limit mistakes.” It should be easy to see how this concept relates both to basketball as well as academics.

Neglecting classwork is a mistake. Thinking the process has shortcuts a mistake. While some professors are sympathetic to the pressure under which athletes often find themselves, many more assert that academics should take precedent. Those professors are less prone to make exceptions or give concessions on things like assignment due dates and letter grades.

The lesson here is clear: you can’t neglect any of your responsibilities. Having the right attitude toward academics limits the mistakes that lead to failure. Assuring that you pass all your classes also assures that basketball remains part of your academic life.

Knowing Your Limitations

The road to the NBA is difficult and may never see their dreams come to fruition for frivolous reasons. Most of the time, it takes the form of insisting on more than the player is capable of handling.

Players often strive for positions on teams for Division 1 schools but don’t have the skills to perform well enough on those teams. Those same players sometimes make the wrong choice to either give up the dream entirely or refuse placement on Division 2 or 3 teams, even with the promise of a full scholarship.

Taking Appropriate Action Toward Success

If you find yourself stuck in a class where you’re struggling, the best thing to do is acknowledge it and do what is necessary to pass. ” What? Is someone going to write my work for me?” Well, perhaps, if that’s what it takes. There are services like https://essaypro.com/write-my-essay.html that exist for that exact purpose.

If writing is your weak suit, get help with it. If test taking is your Achilles Heel, get with a tutor or get into a study group ASAP. Finally, be prepared to do better in some classes than others. If a C is indeed your best, accept it. You can pull up your GPA with other classes. This relates to accepting a Division 3 spot when you’re gunning for Division 1.

We hope that today’s message provides you with enough information to make intelligent, informed choices about your future. Remember that every part of college life matters. A shot at the pros is never guaranteed. Work hard in the classroom and on the court, and whether you make it onto the Celtics or not, you win.

Vote Roger Clemens Into The Hall Of Fame

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When we pull out the winter coats and see our heating bills rise, the Baseball Hall of Fame announcement is soon to follow.  This year is year 7 of 10 for Roger Clemens.  This is a man with 7 Cy Young awards and 354 wins.  So why isn’t he in the Hall Of Fame right now?

We all know the answer to that question.  His PED use.  Or his alleged PED use.  That story is so overdone and convoluted I’m not going to dive into it here.  Instead, I’m going to go through a Red Sox fan’s journey to acceptance of The Rocket.

The Red Sox Rise & Fall

Roger Clemens started on the Red Sox in 1984, but he burst onto the scene in 1986.  He went 24-4 with 2.48 ERA and won the Cy Young and MVP.  The list of pitchers that have done that is small.  Through 1992, he continued his greatness.  He won 17 or more games 7 times and averaged a 2.90 ERA.

But then 1993-1996 happened.  Clemens appeared to pack it in.  Over those three years, he averaged 10 wins and a 3.78 ERA.  That ERA is good for most pitchers, but not for The Rocket.  His decline famously led Dan Duquette, the Sox GM at the time, to say it was the twilight of his career.

Betrayal

So Duquette allowed him to sign with the division rival, Toronto Blue Jays, and all of a sudden he was revitalized.  He won two straight Cy Young awards, averaging 20 wins a year and a 2.35 ERA.  He even had the best strikeouts per 9 innings of his career, a measure of a pitcher’s ‘nastiness’.

And then he went to the Yankees.  If he had done nothing else, that would’ve been enough for me and the rest of Red Sox nation to hate him.  But of course, he continued to pitch well, including another Cy Young and 2 World Series wins with the hated Pinstripes.

This turned our unrequited love towards him to ash.  Clemens had turned the place of our escape from everyday turmoil, the game and the local nine, into another place of hurt and pain.

Perspective

But hate is no way to go through life.   In time, Jose Canseco has been proven right: Everyone juiced.  Batters, starting pitchers, relievers, part-time players, Hall of Famers, everyone.

Sure there have been many clean players, but so many juicers, they were all shoulder to shoulder in the PED wine pit.

And Clemens was still head an shoulder above most of them.  He ended with 7 Cy Youngs, the most in history.  He’s the 9th winningest pitcher in MLB history.  Yes, there is plenty of taint on those records.

But Jim Bouton, in his seminal Ball Four, speaks of PED use by pitchers, mainly himself and Whitey Ford, in the 1960s.  The bottom line is there’s been a lot of ‘looking for an edge’ going on throughout baseball history.

To summarize: Yes, Roger Clemens probably cheated, but so did a lot of others, and on performance alone, he would’ve been a first ballot Hall of Famer.  As it is, the writers have made him suffer for 6 years so far, and the rules were even changed because of him and Barry Bonds.  It used to be players had 15 years on the ballot to get in, that’s how long it took Jim Rice and Tim Raines.  But now it’s a 10-year limit.

I don’t think anyone is going to forget his probable PED use.  But I believe we should move towards forgiveness.  So what are his chances?

Roger Clemens Hall of Fame Voting

To get into the Hall, 75% of the vote is required.  Thanks to the intrepid Ryan Thibodaux, we can track Clemen’s voting percentages.   Since Thibodaux’s tracking started, Clemens has gone from 39% in 2013, up to 61% in 2018.  In the old system of 15 years of eligibility that is a track that eventually leads to the 75% threshold.

But Clemens only has three years left.  The theory is that younger voters are voting for him.  Let’s hope they can persuade their cranky obstinate brethren, and get him voted in.

Bruins second line

Bruins Second Line Catching Fire

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So far this season the Bruins have been decimated by injuries. As a result, their lineups have been in constant flux. Matters only got worse last week when Patrice Bergeron was ruled out for at least the next month. Despite the injuries, head coach, Bruce Cassidy has not had to worry about Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci who are playing their best hockey of the season. With the injury list growing the Bruins second line has carried this team when needed most.

Coming into the season, expectations were high for David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. With Krejci’s vision and DeBrusks scoring touch, the two were expected to form a formidable second line. After struggling early on they are starting to meet expectations. In the Bruins, last five games DeBrusk has three goals. After scoring only three goals in October, he has seven this month including two multi-goal games. Even when DeBrusk isn’t scoring he has been more aggressive offensively and created scoring chances.

Bruins second line

Photo Credit: NBC Sports

Bruins Second Line Stepping Up When Needed Most

Additionally, DeBrusk’s improved play is partly due to Krejci who is having a bounce-back year. Through 24 games, the veteran center has 17 assists after recording just 27 last season while battling injuries. He has been particularly good of late recording ten assists in the Bruins last eleven games. The Bruins center is on pace for sixty plus points for the first time since 2015-2016. Against Toronto, the Bruins second line was shutout however they still were aggressive offensively.

DeBrusk had a career-high seven shots on net and had the third most ice time on the Bruins. Danton Heinen and Krejci also saw considerable ice time finishing with the fourth and fifth most. They almost tied the game in the third period, however, a post denied Danton Heinen of his third goal this season. Although they were unable to capitalize they created scoring chances that in most nights would have resulted in goals.

Bruins second line

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Mary Schwalm

Expectations Going Forward

Having a productive second line will be key to the Bruins success. It will make them a deeper team and put less pressure on their top line. With Krejci and DeBrusk at their best, they have not just been productive but dominant at times. The Bruins have shown that they can be a very good team in spite of their injuries. That is in large part due to Krejci and DeBrusk who have played their best hockey as injuries mount around them. Depth was what made this team success last season and it has again lead to their improved play.

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