Should The Red Sox Go After Noah Syndergaard?

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The Baseball Hot Stove is beginning. It’s winter, so warm up.  There are reports out there that the New York Mets are open to trading Noah Syndergaard.  Could Thor be in the Red Sox future?  Cue the Led Zeppelin and put on your mittens while we take a look.

Syndergaard’s Injuries

Noah Syndergaard has had a number of injuries, but his ‘injury prone‘ label is unwarranted.  In May of 2018, he had a strained ligament in his right index finger.  It’s unknown how he did it, perhaps playing Fortnite or Red Dead Redemption 2 a little too vigorously, but it held him out six weeks.  Then in late July, he suffered from the plague that hit New York pitchers hard: Hand, Foot and Mouth disease.  The scourge of toddlers may be embarrassing, but it’s hardly a long-term problem.

The major injury for Thor was a strained right lat muscle in May of 2017.  I’m not a doctor, so the details are a bit beyond me, but the bottom line is he did not need surgery.  Furthermore, this was not a rotator cuff or elbow injury.  Yes, it wiped out most of his 2017, but there has been no recurrence of the injury.

Contract Status

Because he missed the bulk of 2017, Noah Syndergaard has an incredibly affordable contract for someone of his stature.  He still has three years of arbitration ahead of him, and he’s starting 2019 from the low rung of $2.975 Million.

That means that even if he performs like a Cy Young candidate in 2019 and 2020 he still won’t be breaking the bank.  In short, this man is probably the best bargain in baseball as long as he’s healthy.  And it appears that he is.

End Of 2018 Performance

Syndergaard had a rough August as his body recovered from sickness, but he poured it on in September.  He went 4-1 with two complete games, including a shutout to end the season.  His Statcast average pitch speed was over 97 MPH on his fastball, so he’s still throwing much harder than the average incredible baseball player who is on any Major League roster.

On September 14th, Noah Syndergaard came to Fenway Park and pitched a beauty against arguably the greatest Red Sox team of all time.  7 innings, 3 hits, 6 strikeouts.  After the performance he tweeted out this nugget of a tantalizing possibility:

I’m sorry, but in light of the rumors of his availability, can I freak out now?

How He Fits On The Red Sox

It’s no secret that the Red Sox have a rather large bill coming due at the end of 2019.  Chris Sale’s contract is up.  Xander Bogaerts is hitting free agency.  JD Martinez has an opt-out in his contract.  Mookie Betts even now is looking to break records in arbitration.

As stated above, Syndergaard is cost controlled.  So while he is at that $2.975 Million number and coming off a season where he missed some time and made only 25 starts, Mookie is at $10.5 Million and coming off an MVP season.  The lower you start from in arbitration, the lower you end up the next year, and vice versa.

For a Red Sox team that is paying David Price over $30 Million, with at least that much needing to go to Chris Sale if they want to keep him, Syndergaard is a dream contract.  Furthermore, there is no starting pitcher depth in the Red Sox minor league system.  Low-cost young stars are the lifeblood of successful major league teams.  Noah Syndergaard is the very essence of the solution to these problems.

For these reasons, he won’t come cheap.

What A Trade Would Look Like

Alarmingly, the Red Sox main competition in the American League are pegged as landing spots for Syndergaard.  But the possible assets from the Yankees and Astros can’t measure up to the firepower the Red Sox can offer.

I was willing to trade Rafael Devers for very few players.  Kris Bryant was one of those players.  That is because Bryant is young and an MVP winner and perennial MVP candidate.  But Bryant would cost a lot soon.  Syndergaard is almost the equivalent as a pitcher that Bryant is as a batter and third baseman, and he’s cheap.

I’m also an advocate for taking advantage of Christian Vazquez’s value at this moment in time.

The Mets are working on getting 3B David Wright’s contract off their books.  They also have a hole at catcher.

I think the framework is there for a Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez for Noah Syndergaard swap.  I do know that this is a trade that meets what the Mets may be looking for.

This would be a major shake-up of the future of the Red Sox.  Most likely this would mean the Sox would not be in on Nathan Eovaldi, the Sox number one target of this offseason, but maybe not.  It would definitely mean letting go of all the potential and promise of Rafael Devers.  Perhaps there’s a certain swiss army knife, who’s won a recent World Series with Alex Cora, the Sox could sign to play third?

The Mets GM, Brodie Van Wagenen, is an unknown entity at the moment.  There’s no telling what he may do, but he is contacting a lot of starting pitchers’ agents.  It certainly appears he’s readying to trade Thor.

Think of top of this rotation on opening day: Chris Sale, Noah Syndergaard, David Price.  Kind of makes the drool flow freely from your gaping mouth right?

Patrice Bergeorn

Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron Out With Injury

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The Black and Gold are looking pretty bruised up now with more news coming out about Patrice Bergeron. The center suffered a rib and sternoclavicular injury stemming from a hit he sustained in a recent game against the Dallas Stars on November 16th. He will be out of the lineup at least four weeks and will be re-evaluated at the time. The news couldn’t come at a worse time for the B’s as number 37 joins a growing list of injured players.

Patrice Bergeron

(Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Prior to the formal statement on Bergeron, the Bruins put up a huge effort recently against both Dallas and Arizona with a somewhat fractured team. Coach Bruce Cassidy did what he knows best; rearranged lines and got some good plays out of those players. Without many key players, Boston had to dig deep and called up some fresh-new faces. Defenseman Connor Clifton had it first NHL major fight as he nailed Dallas player Jason Spezza during a scrum. Jakob Zboril also made his NHL debut for the Bruins and landed three hits and a shot on goal.

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During the Dallas game, Radek Faksa heavily checked Bergeron along the boards where he hit the wall hard with his left shoulder. The hit forced Bergeron off the ice during the second period. He did return,  however, he played gingerly on the ice. As the team headed into Arizona, Bergeron headed back to Boston to be initially evaluated.  As the Bruins continue on without their Captain and Alternate Captain, look for the team to recall more players from Providence.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFHZi404YCg&w=560&h=315]

In case you need to keep count, here’s a list of injured players:

Patrice Bergeron

Brandon Carlo

Zdeno Chara

Charlie McAvoy

Kevan Miller

John Moore

Urho Vaakanainen

The Boston Bruins have recalled Providence forward Colby Cave who had appeared with Boston last season. The Black and Gold will be playing the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night at the Little Caesars Arena with puck drop at 7:30 pm

 

Follow me on Twitter@ Pastagrl88

 

 

How the Odds Have Evolved for the Patriots this Season

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Here is some good and bad news for Patriots fans as we move into Week 11 of the NFL regular season. The bad news is that pre-season favorites, as the Patriots were this year, rarely go on to win the Super Bowl. In fact, only twice in the last 17 seasons have the sportsbooks’ top pick gone on to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy. There is good news on a couple of fronts though: First of all, the last team to buck that trend were the 2016 Patriots, and we all know that ended up with one of the most thrilling Super Bowl victories in living memory.

The second bit of good news is that the pre-season favorites will almost always do well, with the majority actually making a date in February for the Super Bowl, although they statistically end up losing. However, let’s be honest about it: the Belichick/Brady era has made most Patriots fans have different expectations about what constitutes success.  Put simply, if Brady, Gronkowski and the rest of the team aren’t swigging beer while parading on a float in downtown Boston in February, Patriots fans are going to call it a bad season.

Three teams ahead of Patriots in latest odds

Anyway, the Patriots started the season as favorites, but have dropped back a little since then. In the lasted NFL betting odds provided by 888sport, the Patriots find themselves behind the Rams (+350), the Saints (+400) and the Chiefs (+500). Belichick’s men are currently at +600, not far off where they were at the start of the season, with most sportsbooks putting them at +700 or so back in August.

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Of course, as most of you are aware, the season started with a decent victory over the Texans for the Patriots, making most sportsbooks happy with their choice. But things started to change once defeats came in Week 2 and 3.  However, it’s important to realise that the team was way out on its own in those preseason odds, with the Steelers, Vikings and Rams all next best at around +1000. Only the Rams, who have been terrific, have moved forward from that bunch and most would agree that they deserve the favorites tag at this stage.

Bears big movers

Incidentally, the big movers from the pre-season betting markets were the Eagles and Packers, who dropped significantly from about +1200 to +2500 and +3000 respectively. The Bears, meanwhile, were given little chance, but have earned more respect as the season has wore on, with 888sport effectively cutting their odds in half, currently sitting at +2000.

Going back to the Patriots, it seems that inconsistency has hurt them. While many will point out the fact that the odds have remained fairly similar (the odds did tumble after those defeats to the Lions and Jaguars, but have since gone back up), it should also be noted that a top team’s odds are supposed to decrease as we approach the Playoffs. That was the case for the Rams, Saints and Chiefs, all of whom have seen their odds cut in half – at least.

What does this mean for the team’s chances? Nothing at all. No player is thinking of what the betting markets say when they take to the field, and Patriots fans know that they have won before when the underdog and lost before when the overwhelming consensus was that they would win. But, if you truly believe the team can win a sixth Super Bowl, then the static nature of the Patriots’ odds means you can get the same betting value as you could at the start of the season. That’s significant as we approach the Playoffs.

Max Kellerman – “Tom Brady has a wet noodle for an arm right now”

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Tom Brady’s Camped out On Max Kellerman’s Cliff Watching Game Film

Tom Brady has been the focal point of Max Kellerman’s ridiculous career. Kellerman started out with a bang, saying “Tom Brady would be a bum in short order.” I’m not sure what his issue is with Brady, maybe Tom didn’t shake his hand at an event? Who can forget Max’s prediction that Brady will fall off a cliff. I’d like to remind Max Kellerman that those ignorant claims came on July 25th, 2016. Yes July of 2016. Max made two predictions. One was just ignorant, while the “cliff” comment was just not smart. Tom Brady has made him look foolish and ignorant.

Patriot fans all know that the days of Tom Brady dominating won’t last forever. He hasn’t played great in a couple games, but we’ve seen this movie before. Brady’s been part of a 6 game winning streak in 2018. He’s led this offense by scoring over 30 points per game for four weeks straight, tying an NFL record. I’m not a quarterback guru or a boxing commentator like Max so what do I know? Here is Max getting schooled by everyone on First Take. He actually said, “Brady finally did something,” speaking about the first game of 2018 and quickly got ripped apart.

After the first game of the 2018 season, Kellerman was laughed at by Steven A Smith, Damien Woody, and Molly Querim for not owning up to being wrong about the “cliff.” It’s quite apparent to everyone Brady has performed better at his age than anyone before him. It’s clear Kellerman the “TV personality” was way off, but enough about the cliff. After a couple subpar games and a single loss, let’s see where Max takes it now.

“A Wet Noodle For An Arm”

Kellerman’s latest hot take is now going after Brady’s arm. I don’t remember hearing much about this during the Pats win streak, but I’ll play along. Sure the last three weeks Brady hasn’t played like his usual self. He has 1 TD in 3 games. Two wins and a loss, and the loss is why this annual “Brady’s Done” take circulates through ESPN.

Brady’s arm is fine

(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

As I watched the Patriots lose to Tennessee, I didn’t see the MVP, Tom Brady. I did, however, see that Marcus Cannon was out, the offensive line was banged up. I saw Brady trying to work with what he had, or didn’t have. Max Kellerman said, “Tom Brady has a wet noodle for an arm.” Max has been waiting for Brady’s demise since he started on ESPN’s morning show First Take. Max saw a “wet noodle arm” but completely ignored Tom Brady’s surroundings. Brady and the offense against Tennessee was a bad matchup from the start. Brady didn’t have his best game, but his arm strength was no concern.

Look At What TB12 Is Working With MAX

Max has no leg to stand on now that Brady has played well past his “expiration date.” I watched every snap of the Tennessee game, and I’d bet my house that Max did not. Like I said Brady didn’t play great, but instead of claiming he’s washed up, take a look around him.  I remember numerous passes hitting receivers in the hands, his arm wasn’t the problem.

Rob Gronkowski did not play, he is one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. Brady had no protection as the offensive line was missing its best players. Dwayne Allen was in and out of the game which hurt the line even more. Brady’s weapons were not healthy, Sony Michel was limited coming back from a knee injury. Josh Gordon was targeted 12 times and had 2 receptions and multiple drops. Brady didn’t play well, I’ll admit that, but I’m not blind. With no tight ends, no protection, and a limited running back, who could’ve played well in that game?

New England had a bad day, it happens to everyone. Sorry, Max, it’s not the defense winning these games, that’s obvious. Kellerman’s latest hot take is nothing more than another ridiculous comment from a boxing commentator, who maybe should stick to boxing. Sunday, the Patriots will be back from their bye week. Tom Brady is going to come out on fire for the rest of the season, and Kellerman will be eating his words again.

 

Trade Christian Vazquez

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A rundown of the Red Sox catching depth shows Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon, and Blake Swihart. Guess who makes well over 50% of the money?  That’s right, Christian Vazquez.

Blake Swihart Moving Up

There’s news that Blake Swihart will be brought to camp with the intention of keeping him at catcher in 2019.  This may seem innocuous.  But then there was Alex Cora saying he wasn’t fair to Blake Swihart in 2018.  These smoke signals seem to be pointing to Swihart getting a lot more time behind the plate in 2019.

Sandy Leon’s Defense

On first blush it could be that the team is looking to move on from Sandy Leon.  He was, of course, usurped as the number one catcher in the playoffs by Christian Vazquez.  But all throughout the season, there was story after story about how much the pitchers trusted Sandy Leon.  In August of 2018, The Globe did a story about Sandy having a 3.01 catchers ERA, which was the best in baseball at the time.

Just because Leon’s batting stats cratered in 2018 (.117 batting average for example), all that defense doesn’t fly out the window.

Vazquez Contract

Which leads us back to Vazquez.  It would be one thing if he was making $563K like Swihart, or $1.95 Million like Leon, and on the arbitration train like the two of them.  Not only is Christian Vazquez making $2.85 Million this year, but he’s also owed an additional $10.45 Million over 2020 and 2021.  That is because the Red Sox gave him a 3-year deal that starts in 2019.

In his admittedly sparse 4-year major league career, Blake Swihart has batted .256 with a .678 OPS.  For comparison, Vazquez hit .207/.540 this year and .240/.632 in his career.  Vazquez did hit .290 last year, but it took Leon’s offense disappearing in 2018 for Vazquez to get his chance again.

So Christian Vazquez has the recent World Series success of the team and a quintessential Yankee Stadium postseason Home Run to burnish his attraction to other clubs.  And because the Red Sox have Leon and Swihart, with Swihart’s improved defense (No errors, no passed balls, threw out 5 of 14 base stealers for an excellent 36 percent rate) to boot, Vazquez is an excellent candidate to be traded.

Trade Possibilities

Vazquez won’t bring back a lot on his own.  At best the Red Sox could look to bolster their weak farm system with a starting pitcher prospect or two.  Or perhaps he could be added to a package to get a higher rated prospect or more.

Removing Vazquez’s escalating salary is almost as important as giving Blake Swihart more time or getting prospects.  The Red Sox should sign Nathan Eovaldi, but it will cost.  The end of 2019 has Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts getting to free agency, with JD Martinez likely to opt out as well.  Every payroll dollar counts.

A Vazquez trade wouldn’t be a blockbuster, but there are too many positives to trading him to not make sense this offseason.

 

 

All time great Betts can bring another World Series to Boston

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Mookie Betts incredible 2018 campaign was capped off in style last Thursday when the Boston Red Sox star outfielder was named  American League MVP.

Betts’ feats over the past year were honoured by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, who named him baseball’s Most Valuable Player after the 25-year-old received 28 of a possible 30 first-place votes.

Mookie (born Markus Lynn) became the 11th Red Sox player to win the award, joining an illustrious list that includes Dustin Pedroia (2008), Mo Vaughn (1995), Roger Clemens (1986), Jim Rice (1978), Fred Lynn (1975), Carl Yastrzemski (1967), Jackie Jensen (1958), Ted Williams (1946 and 1949), Jimmie Foxx (1938) and Tris Speaker (1912).

In winning the MVP award, Betts also made history as the first American League player to ever win the World Series, the Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, the batting title and Most Valuable Player in a single season. Betts became only the second man in Major League Baseball history to record the feat also, with the only National League player ever to collect all those awards in the same season being Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt, with his achievements in 1980 for the Phillies.

All of this in the same year that Betts’ wife Brianna gave birth to their first child; a baby daughter born in early November.

Some year.

During this season, Betts hit .346 with 32 home runs, 80 RBIs, 129 runs scored and 30 stolen bases while slugging .640 and generating a 1.078 OPS. The fact that he led the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series title in an MVP winning season in the process may not only make him the best player in the league this season, but one of the best of all time to grace Fenway Park.

Betts versatility is outstanding. From right field, he has made throws that have to be seen to be believed. There have also been many occasions when he has charged toward the line or chased down a ball, looking for a force on the bases. And he can also jump. Remember how his glove ended up over the right-field wall at Minute Maid Park in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series?

Whether Betts can go on to receive similar acclaim to that of Babe Ruth – baseball’s favorite son – remains to be seen. Much of that will depend on how he, and the Red Sox, fare next year, but with Betts in the line up then even with the Red Sox at +650 favourites with sites like Gambler Saloon to win the 2019 World Series, they look like a good value bet.  

Nathan Eovaldi Should Be Top Priority

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2018 was a fun ride for fans and players, now it’s time to get down to business. For the Red Sox, I think they need to find a way to keep Eovaldi in Boston. Reports on the situation are that Boston does indeed want to re-sign him. If they are unable to make that happen, they want to sign another proven Major League starter to replace him. I think that it is imperative to keep him.

Here’s Why Eovaldi Needs To Stay

With Nathan Eovaldi re-signed Boston’s starting rotation would be unreal with Sale, Price, Porcello, and Rodriguez all staying put. Suring up that rotation with Nathan would be smart. Boston has their key offensive pieces in place. Boston doesn’t have to worry about Mookie Betts or JD Martinez this year, so instead of signing another veteran pitcher, this is why Eovaldi is the answer.

Game 4 of the ALDS against the rival Yankees, Eovaldi dominated, pitching 7 plus innings with 1 run allowed. New York is also one of the teams that could be in on him. As the Red Sox continued into the ALCS, Eovaldi was great again. 6 plus innings with just 2 runs as the Sox won Game 3 using his arm again. As we all know by now the Red Sox beat the Houston Astros, and we were introduced to the rover. Alex Cora used Eovaldi as his rover in game 5 of the ALCS and in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series. In those 3 games, he came into each game and threw fire allowing 0 runs, while making it look easy. Even with short rest, Boston was going to have him start Game 4 of the World Series, but Game 3 changed that plan.

Eovaldi Turns in Heroic Performance Showing His Selflessness

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Eovaldi was perfect for the Red Sox and should stay in Boston

Once again, Eovaldi was called on as Game 3 of the World Series turned into a marathon of a game. Still tied in the 12th inning, Nathan Eovaldi came out of the pen. In one of the greatest performances I’ve ever witnessed, he turned in a heroic 6 inning relief appearance. He knew that he was putting his future in jeopardy, by pitching so often. Anything could have happened and he could’ve lost a lot of money. As a free-agent-to-be, he risked his health along with future contracts, but he just wanted to help his team. Putting all of that aside, he went deep into the 18th inning, hitting triple digits on the radar gun like it was nothing.

Eovaldi pitched a gem and kept the Sox in the game as long as he could. In the bottom of the 18th, he gave up a solo shot to end the longest game in history. His teammates were all amazed at what he just did, some brought to tears as they realized how much Nathan just gave for his team. I believe it galvanized an already very close clubhouse. Eovaldi was a huge reason for Boston’s Championship.

 Closing Thoughts on Nathan Eovaldi

Boston should do what they can to keep Eovaldi. He’s 28 years old, extremely dominant and the way he pitched since arriving in Boston is all I need to know about him. For what it’s worth he threw 16 scoreless innings against the Yankees in the regular season. Also, his 1.35 ERA in September combined with what he did in the postseason, I believe he’s worth the $15 million range. He himself said he’d love to stay in Boston. While many teams will be fighting for him, I believe he wants to be here enough that he and Boston will work something out.

World Champions: How the Red Sox Persevered​

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The 2018 Boston Red Sox were unlike any other Sox team, or any other Boston Sports championship team we have seen in a very long time. Not only did this team defy the odds set back in March to win the World Series (entered as 10-1 favorites, behind NYY, WAS, HOU, CLE, LAD), but they did it in a way that was exceptional to witness, not only as a Boston sports fan but as a fan of the way baseball should be played. They showed pride for one another, pride for their first-year manager Alex Cora, and pride for the most loyal fans in baseball, Red Sox Nation.

All the concern and pessimism surrounding this ballclub before the season even began had Red Sox Nation worried about how far the team could really go. We expected a playoff team with a possibility of a deep run, but how many of us actually imagined this team outlasting the Yankees in 4 games to win the ALDS, dethroning the Astros in 5 in the ALCS, and just to top it off, completely outclassing and slaughtering the defending National League champion, the Dodgers, in 5 to win the World Series?

The answer: none of us.

A Look Back at the Season

During Spring Training, the Sox were looking like they were going to have a content regular season with the guys they had on their roster. They had big names such as a newly acquired J.D. Martinez and a blossoming young superstar in Mookie Betts bolstering the offense. Aspirations of being able to defeat the Yankees, Indians, and Astros in a series of 5 or 7 in October was an afterthought. Not with this team. Not with guys like David Price who always seemed to fold under pressure every time he toed the rubber in the postseason. Boy, were we ever wrong?

 

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J.D. Martinez and Brock Holt hugging it out. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

This Red Sox group went back to their original roots when playing baseball. They portrayed class, honor, and pride when putting on their uniforms, night in and night out. This team played for one another even in their darkest days, whether it was David Price constantly getting booed out of Fenway and scrutinized for pitching like he is worth $10 million rather than $217 million, or whether it was Dave Dombrowski never finding an answer to his habitual behavior of never building a successful bullpen.

Ignoring the Noise

Unlike most Boston teams in the past, this one shut out the critics as they continued to manifest their bonds with their manager and with one another as the season progressed. This determined squad brought fire and passion on a daily basis, dictating a foreseeable run to greatness. Each member thrived off picking one another up in critical situations, as the unlikeliest of heroes stepped up all postseason long, whether it was Jackie Bradley Jr, Steve Pearce, or the entire bullpen. Alex Cora did an excellent job rallying his troops, showing them the true identity of Red Sox baseball and the values that come with putting on a Red Sox uniform.

A key example of this was Game 5 of the World Series, with Mookie Betts and J.D Martinez struggling immensely trying to find their groove at the plate. Mookie was hitting an unfavorable .181 before clobbering a solo shot off Clayton Kershaw to extend their lead in the pivotal series clinching game 5. Subsequently, two batters later, J.D Martinez came up to the dish only hitting .235 in the World Series and dealing with a nagging ankle injury. He repeated exactly what Mookie did, smashing a solo shot to dead center to put the dagger in the heart and soul of the Dodgers.

Passion and Selflessness Won Out

Staying calm, cool, and collected even in the heat of the moment was the story of the 2018 Boston Red Sox. It was championship or bust for this team, even when the thoughts of winning a championship were absurd. They did not doubt for one second that this team could contend for a World Series, and instead of playing for the name on the back of the uniform, these men showed true character. Each player put their ego to the side and gave their all to win for Boston and each other. This ultimately shows how remarkable the team truly was.

 

Week 10 Takeaways and Areas to Improve

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Week 10 recap

Week 10 for the Patriots was less than to be desired on almost all fronts. We all remember the Titans’ first drive down the field. After the first kickoff, our special teams let Jennings run the ball back to the 40-yard line. This set the Titans up for their first touchdown, and the onslaught of offense started from there.

Image result for patriots versus titans

Photo Courtesy of the NFL

It looked like the Patriots were going to make a comeback in the second quarter, but things kept getting out of hand. With the poor play from all 3 phases of the game, the Titans made the most out of every play, while the Patriots struggled to get things going.

My concern for this game and moving forward is our running game, and tight end situation moving forward. Sony coming off an injury only had 11 carries for 31 yards, which is only 3.5 yards per carry. The loss of Gronkowski for the week was a huge blow to the offense. He helps not only in blocking but draws up double coverage in the passing game as well. This will free up other receivers and allow the offense to get going.

Areas to improve

Offense

With a 10-34 loss, there are a lot of areas to improve in my opinion.
 First, let’s start with the offense. Although this was one of Brady’s worst games of his career, we were missing Gronkowski which could have helped the offense to get going. With him getting some extra rest these next couple weeks, he will be back and as healthy as possible for Week 12, as they get set to make their playoff run.

Sony’s knee is getting better all the time and will be even better coming back after the bye week. Hopefully, he can return to the 5 YPC we are used to seeing out of him. The Patriots also need to keep CP in the backfield, and well as a receiver and continue his development to help Michel out. It’s also a plus the CP has been open to the running back position as we are very short-handed in the backfield. With Rex Burkhead coming back, that will help with the running back depth.

Defense

The defense has had a lot of ups and downs this year. Brian Flores has been doing a good job as acting defensive coordinator, but we need to bring more pressure to the quarterback. Our secondary besides the play of Gilmore needs to improve. Too many times in the game on Sunday I saw very soft coverage, and the Titans just got to the ball faster than the Patriots secondary.

Special teams have had its ups and downs all season, but this is the time when all the adjustments are made. Letting the Titans run the ball back to the 40-yard line of the Patriots on the opening kick off is disheartening, to say the least. Patriots need to continue to kick the ball into the end zone for touchbacks to limit the number of runbacks the other team gets, and slow down the momentum of the other team. They also need to tackle better by wrapping the player up.

All around I think with the track record for this team and the players they have, the second half of this season will be fun to watch.

Could Joe Kelly be the next Red Sox Closer?

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“I still feel like that’s where I’m gonna be for the rest of my career.” Joe Kelly’s recent comments have made it clear how he feels about Boston. Are the Red Sox going to grant him his wish of being with the team the remainder of his career? With Eduardo Nunez and Steve Pearce both locking themselves in with Boston for 2019, the money is starting to go on the books. Craig Kimbrel returning is seeming more unlikely by the day. So, going forward, the champs are going to need someone to hold down the back end of the bullpen. And I’m not saying Joe Kelly is the answer, but he’s definitely an admirable candidate.

Joe Kelly has firmly planted himself in Red Sox lore. From fighting Tyler Austin and the Yankees in April to pitching tough as nails in October, to dropping the puck at a Bruins game in November. Kelly has been endearing himself to the fans all season long, myself included. How can you not love this guy and the attitude he brings?

Admittedly, Kelly did struggle in the dog days of summer. Every time he came in the game, he was allowing inherited runners to score or giving up runs left, right and center. If he struggles like that in the ninth inning of games, in Boston, the seat will get hot real quick. So is it worth paying Kelly a good chunk of change to close out games? Personally, I think it’s a safe bet. He obviously won’t command the 4-5 years at 70+ million that Kimbrel likely will. This is huge for a Red Sox team who’s trying to make other moves.

Joe Kelly Has The Boston Mentality

He’s never been short of confidence. Having this persona, allows him to be a guy with the guts to get the job done in the tough moments. Closing out games in one of the biggest sports markets isn’t easy. It requires these aforementioned guts to get the job done. The light shines brighter than in almost any other city in America. Putting money in the wrong place for the man to fill the job could be costly.

Despite the temporary summer struggles, I’ll take the grit of Joe Kelly any day of the week. If he comes back it would almost certainly be as the closer. Many other teams in the league could use an upgrade at the position and likely could also pay more than Boston can. Selling Kelly on having the closer’s role would likely be a huge factor in pleasing Joe, and keeping him with the Red Sox for the foreseeable future.

There are other options on the table via trade and via free agency. If the Red Sox choose to spend their money in other ways, I could see Matt Barnes also taking over the reins. Whatever ends up happening, if Joe Kelly does in Boston it’ll be as the closer. After October, I think that should be a comfortable feeling.