The Case of Ja’Whaun Bentley

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“With the No. 143 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select Ja’Whaun Bentley, ILB, Purdue. He is a 6-foot-2, 260 pounds off-the-ball linebacker who’s considered to some as a contact player.”

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Following the Super Bowl, a glaring need for the Patriots was a coverage linebacker. When New England drafted Ja’Whaun Bentley, the NFL community didn’t think as much of it. After all, his draft profile from the NFL.com didn’t show much promise.

“…Bentley has athletic limitations that hinder his effectiveness as an NFL finisher and he’s ill-suited to handle coverage duties against the pass. Bentley lacks ideal speed and reaction time…”

He has been proving this profile wrong as he continues to impress in preseason games. In his debut, he logged six tackles (two for loss) and a quarterback hit in addition to four stops in coverage. This performance earned him a 90.0 PFF grade and a spot in PFF’s Team of the Week Defense.

PFF NFL Team of the Week, Preseason Week 1, Harold Landry

In his second preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he started over Elandon Roberts and ended the game again with six tackles and more notably returned a fumble back for a touchdown. He also forced incompletions against the likes of Jay Ajayi and Dallas Goedert.

Bright Future for the Rookie

One of his biggest concerns about Bentley was his speed and coverage skills. He shined in both of these areas in the two preseason games he had played. He has been able to keep up with both tight ends and running backs which is a good sign for the young rookie and a sign of relief for New England fans. Scott Zolak even noted how Bentley looked like a young Jerod Mayo out there, except Mayo was never that fast.

Another important fact of note is that the rookie donned the green dot on his helmet, meaning that he was the one calling plays for the first team defense. The New England staff has a lot of faith in him.

“He’s always been the middle linebacker, the signal caller, the guy right in the middle of the defense,” Bill Belichick said, citing Bentley’s experience as a four-year captain at Purdue. “He does a good job of handling the communication and some of the adjustments that have to be made from the center of the field, which that’s his position; that’s part of it. He’s been able to do that pretty well since he’s come here… He’s got a long way to go, but he’s handled those things well.” (USA Today)

All in all, Ja’Whaun Bentley has been impressing on all cylinders. He’s smart, intuitive, strong, and possesses a huge build. If he continues to play like he has been, Bentley can take over Elandon Roberts’ spot as the starter.

Who Will Make the Cut at Running Back

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Which Running Backs Will Make The Team

It’s no secret the New England Patriots have lots of running backs at the moment. Injuries have plagued the position early on. Newly drafted Sony Michel has a knee injury. According to Jeff Howe of the Athletic Michel had his knee drained earlier this month due to a tear in his meniscus. Running back Rex Burkhead is also dealing with a slight tear in his knee but according to Howe it’s a minor injury and nothing serious. James White seems to be Tom Brady’s go-to guy as we saw on Thursday night against the Eagles. Fighting for a roster spot on the Patriots is running back Mike Gillislee who had 383 yards last season and 5 touchdowns.

Rex Burkhead was initially on the practice field Sunday afternoon but would go to the lower field with teammates on the physically unable to perform list. Rex Burkhead has not taken a preseason snap yet. Rookie running back Sony Michel was a no show in practice yesterday. Undrafted free agent Ralph Webb made a good impression in the first preseason game this season. Bill Belichick had this to say after the game against Washington:

“It’s what he was like at Vanderbilt: he ran hard, he’s tough. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s got good strength for his size and he runs hard. … He’s a tough kid, runs with good pad level. Webb’s got good speed, catches the ball well. Made a nice catch on the two-point play. It was a low ball, made a good adjustment on the catch and got it in.”

My Predictions

In my opinion, I think the following running backs make the team.

  • James White. He had 429 yards and three touchdowns last season. He also is Brady’s most trusted running back on the team.
  • Rex Burkhead. He had 264 yards and five touchdowns last season.
  • Ralph Webb. He’s had a decent preseason and Belichick seems to like him.
  • Sony Michel singed a rookie contract and has the potential to be the next Dion Lewis.

That leaves Mike Gillislee not making the roster for the upcoming season. Last season Gillislee finished the season with 104 carries for 334 yards. Gillislee appeared in just one of the team’s final eleven games last season. He would injure his knee in that game and miss the entirety of the postseason.

The second running back who will be cut is Jeremy Hill. Hill never found the end zone and only had 116 rushing yards last season. The Patriots will carry four running backs on the roster heading into the season.

 

Musings from the EPL – Week 2

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KANE BREAKS AUGUST DUCK

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Does anybody know The Simpsons well enough to remember the song at the end of Homer at the Bat? If so then sing-a-long:

Well Harry Kane had done it
He’d only gone and won it
He scored in August now we can all smile
In the bottom corner with some style

…. and so on.

That puts to bed the latest ridiculous EPL witch’s curse surrounding players whose inability to perform every week can’t be explained by standard rationale. Harry Kane had never scored a Premier League goal in the month of August, but now he has, so we can get back to business. Spurs dispatched a doggedly determined (albeit only for ten minutes after half time) Fulham, and Kane’s goal was as sweet as you like – just what you’d expect from the Golden Boot winner. Shame he plays for Tottenham.

LONDON DERBY

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The EPL marquee matchup this weekend was Chelsea vs Arsenal and it did not disappoint, unless you’re an Arsenal fan. It was the game of the cut back, with classic wing play resulting in the leagues most difficult surnames: Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan, seeing who could clear the crossbar by the biggest margin. There were no prizes for the winner, only the dream of what could have been. Chelsea were good for their 3-2 win but needed that pesky Edin Hazard to come and rescue them. Arsenal have zero points from two games, a feat that Arsene Wenger never achieved.

MANCHESTER DISJOINTED

Jose Mourinho is such a surly pantomime villain at the moment that surely everybody wants Man Utd to lose, which they did so on Sunday to Brighton. Incidentally, Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. is the sort of classic footballing name from which MLS clubs should have sought influence (take note: Sporting Kansas City.) Anyhow, The Special One has been complaining that his players aren’t good enough, and it can’t be long before the board replace him with somebody a bit more upbeat about the squad.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Newcastle United spent all of their money on a failed department store so their game with Cardiff was highlighted only by a sending off, but not of the calibre seen at Leicester City. Jamie Vardy, he who is having a party, tested the limits of the new NFL tackling rules and got his just desserts.

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Around the rest of the league West Ham are doing as well as Arsenal, Everton showed resolve to beat Southampton and Manchester City are still really good at football. That nephew of Diego Maradona is pretty handy too. Finally Burnley and Watford played their match on Sunday, which is weird because the only reason to move an EPL game away from 3pm (UK time) on a Saturday is so people can watch it on the tele; I can’t see why anybody would want to watch Burnley vs Watford. To each their own, I suppose.

Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 57 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Recent Team News

Brad Stevens recently sat down for a Q&A with the Eagle Tribune. A couple of the more interesting quotes: when asked about the defensive success of his teams, he said, “It’s something players have to be really committed to, not only defending individually but defending together, and we’ve had guys willing to do that.” Stevens is always one to shift the praise to his players, and he continues to do so.

head coaching

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He also said, when the Tribune asked him about his first five years, “Well, it’s been a lot of fun. I just enjoy going to work every day and working to get better.” It comes as no surprise that Stevens refuses to settle, just as he implores his players to do.

Read the full interview here.

On This Date

August 20, 2015: The Celtics signed free agent Coty Clarke to a deal. The small forward from Arkansas did not make the team after one preseason game. However, he would sign with the D-League affliate Red Claws shortly after. In March, he earned two ten-day contracts, in which he played in three games. He finished out the season in the D-League and was not retained afterwards.

Stats (2017-18)

  • Al Horford played 57% of his minutes at the center position. The remaining 43% were at the power forward.

Fun Facts

  • The 1957 Celtics team won the franchise’s first-ever NBA title. The team went 44-28 and defeated the Hawks in seven games to capture the championship.

    That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to check back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

The Red Sox’ Biggest Threat in the Postseason

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As the Red Sox keep rolling on to the postseason, as good as they are there are always a few teams that can be a real threat come October. You might want to talk about the New York Yankees, of course. Maybe Cleveland with their great rotation and MVP candidates in Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor. You also have the defending champs. But in this case there is one team that is particularly scary. A team I’m not so sure many saw them as a threat back in spring training. That team is the Oakland A’s. 

This is a team that has one of the lowest payrolls in baseball and are giving the defending champion Houston Astros a run for their money. The Astros have Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Charlie Morton leading their rotation. A former MVP in Jose Altuve, and electric players like George Springer and Carlos Corra lead the offense. Yet, they aren’t even the scariest team in their own division. 

Now I just want to make it clear that I actually had faith in the A’s when nobody else did. All the way back in January.

Let’s start with the offense. The Oakland offense has been overlooked all year, until now. Khris Davis, who has an OPS near .900 has been a beast this season. His 35 home runs are only three short of J.D. Martinez, who leads all of baseball with 38. Matt Chapman is looking more and more like the next Josh Donaldson over at third base. He makes plays nobody has business making and absolutely mashes at the plate. Stephen Piscotty, Marcus Semien, and Matt Olson are also sneaky good players who go under the radar. 

The starting rotation was a big question going into the year, as there was really no bonafide #1 ace to lead the staff. There still really isn’t any Chris Sale type guy on this team. It is five guys who are capable of going out there every fifth day and getting the job done.

Billy Beane made some moves by trading for Mike Fiers at the deadline, which was a smart move. They also went out and signed Edwin Jackson, the 34-year-old journeyman who can call the A’s the 14th team he’s played on in his career. That move has worked out as well. The man who leads the rotation, Sean Manea has had an overall solid season and in fact threw a no-hitter earlier this year against Boston, of all teams. He has legit stuff. Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill are the two other guys who have been very reliable in 2018. 

In my opinion the scariest part of this team is the bullpen. Before the year I predicted that the A’s bullpen would posses a sneaky good one with a bunch of guys that fly under the radar. It’s been exactly that. Except now they’ve added a couple more guys to make it an even better one.

Yusmero Petit has been a solid arm in that pen who can go more than an inning if needed. He has a 3.4 ERA in about 75 innings with a 1.05 WHIP. Lou Trivino, who’s getting paid less than $500,000 has a sub 2.0 ERA in 60 innings with a 1.07 WHIP and 65 strikeouts. Blake Treinen, the closer, is just straight filth. He has a nasty sinker and slider that has a ridiculous amounts of movement on it along with the high velocity on his fastball. Treinen has an ERA south of 1.0. Billy Beane decided to get a strong bullpen even stronger so he went out and got JeurysFamilia and Fernando Rodney. Two more solid guys at the back end. 

This is a team with a young core that is hungry. A team that has come out of nowhere. Nobody expected anything out of them this year yet here we are talking about this team having a real possibility of taking away the AL West division title from the Houston Astros. So as far as threats go to the Red Sox, sure, the Yankees, Astros, Indians, even Mariners are on the list. But there is no bigger threat to the Boston Red Sox than the Oakland A’s, and you better believe that. 

Rookie Number Prognostication: Part 1

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What is in a jersey number? They are the printed numerals that are on a player’s jersey. A quick means of identifying that player on the field. The individual is easily recognizable so that yardage, catch, penalty, or score is tallied correctly.  But they are so much more than that. Certain generations of New England Patriots fans can remember moments and envision number 12, 87, and 3 on jerseys. Older fans have memories of 78, 57, and 73 when remembering both heartbreaking moments or fantastic triumphs. Still, others will fondly recall number 20, 89, and 79 especially when beginning a sentence with, “Remember that game…”

Will a young child today recall a time when #5, #29 or #34 made the game-changing play?

Bill Belichick allowed the 2018 Patriots rookie class to don their permanent numbers just prior to the first preseason game of this year. In years past rookies weren’t assigned numbers until at least the end of minicamp. This was seen as a motivational tactic to have them earn a roster spot. Of course the NFL saw something that Belichick was doing and put a stop to it. And naturally when getting told not to do something that is different and to get in line, he handed out the rookies numbers starting in the 50s. The NFL has rules regarding which positions can wear certain numbers. So everyone knew what was going on.

People began weighing in on what numbers they should get. There is a trend on social media and among football analysts about who will have a great career based upon their number. These takes are backed up by insane reasoning, including how good the number looks on a certain body type, if an all-time great around the NFL had worn it, or if it was one of the numbers that the mysterious TV show Lost featured. I will dive right in and add my thoughts on the Patriots rookie class. I will not be using any of those criteria. Instead, I will base their future New England greatness on how prestigious the previous wearers of that number were, or if there is room for someone to make his mark on the numeral. And there may be a few wild cards thrown in, as you’ll see below.



Danny Etling No. 5.

It’s amazing that on a team as storied as the New England Patriots that there is a single digit number with as little wear as this one. Etling shares the number with other Patriots such as Greg Davis, Pat O’Neill, and Fred Steinfort. In fact, the only ones I recognized was Shayne Graham, when he filled in for Gostkowski in his injury-shortened 2010 season, and Kevin O’Connell for a single season.

Greatness Verdict: Yes!! Patriots greatness awaits #5 and Danny Etling. No one has yet impressed the fan base wearing that number. And a youthful first name will propel him to what will undoubtedly multiple Pro Bowls!


Corey Bojorquez — No. 7

It was nearly the same single digit wasteland as #5 until I remembered that Jacoby Brissett wore this for his cup-of-coffee stint in New England. Why does this change the destiny of the number? When Brissett inevitably reaches free agency and steals the starting job from Baker Mayfield or Josh Allen he will lead his new team to Super Bowl glory. Aside from Charlie Gogolak, John Huarte and Hugh Millen, no one else held the number for more than a single season.

Greatness Verdict: Not this kid. Unfortunately with the dual strikes of being an undrafted punter and following in Brissett’s footstep it will not be Corey that we remember the 7 for on the Patriots


Braxton Berrios — No. 14

At first glance you could say that he has a shot at claiming this number. Brandin Cooks, Tom Yewcic and Zoltan Mesko are some of the more familiar names to put in that number. However, you simply cannot compete to a guy that played for 16 seasons at the games most important position. If not for injuries, Steve Grogan may well have his number retired and an underdog Super Bowl Victory under his belt.

Greatness Verdict: Almost, but not quite. For every Welker and Edelman that go on to make a name for themselves there are a dozen more slight, slot receivers that never do. And the added pressure of reminding fans of a painful Super Bowl memory doesn’t help.

Sony Michel — No. 29

Now we are getting into the critical numbers and players for the New England Patriots. The jersey number selection is becoming important in determining a players ultimate success. No. 29 has been worn by some young prospects (Shane Vereen, Sterling Moore), and some veterans on short stints with the Patriots (Chris Hayes, Myron Guyton). One of the greatest names ever for a football player ever in Earthwind Moreland as he spent a year wearing it in New England. Here’s where it gets interesting. Recent fan favorite LeGarrette Blount wore it for three seasons. Being a veteran journeyman that won his Super Bowl and moved on. That to me says that the number is ready for a home-grown running back to hang that number up.

Greatness Verdict: This one is easy. It will be in the rafters when Sony Michel hangs his cleats up. Having a fantastic name and being the perfect new age running back. He can be a featured name in the Patriots as they transition from the Brady Belichick Era to a possible Etling and Michel Era.


JC Jackson — No. 34

We have a dilemma here. This is an undrafted player that can be a star. Made some mistakes in college and one of the most professional teams in the NFL is willing to give him a chance. The only problem I see is that he chose a number that is filled with decent role players. Tebucky Jones, Sammy Morris, Prentice McCray, Ron Sellers, and Shane Vereen. The most notable name is the Boston Patriots DB Chuck Shonta. An eight year career in the 60s that saw him intercept QBs 15 times is not great but okay. There is a huge risk in wearing this number because as a CB it appears that its best times were in eras past.

Greatness Verdict: Not wearing this number! JC Jackson may be the next good undrafted cornerback, but not wearing #34. It saw its best days when double bar helmets and Pat the Patriot were things.

 

Look for Part 2 very soon when I dive into the rest of the Patriots rookie class.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter: @ALykins32

2015 draft

Looking Back at the Bruins 2015 Draft

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In the 2015 NHL draft the Boston Bruins had three picks in the first round .They held the rights to the 13th,14th, and 15th overall picks. With those three picks they selected Jakob Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zach Senyshyn. DeBrusk, made his NHL debut last year and is the currently the only one of the three to have made it to the NHL. The other two are close and could contribute to the Bruins soon. They still need more time in Providence but will be given plenty of opportunities. With the NHL season approaching each will play a different role this season as they look to fulfill their draft day expectations of being a 1st round selection.

2015 Draft Picks Review

DeBrusk had an impressive rookie campaign last season. He appeared in 70 games scoring 16 goals while adding 27 assists. He was a force to be reckoned with on the powerplay where he had nine points including two goals. In the playoffs he elevated his game and was not fazed by the increased pressure. In 12 postseason games DeBrusk had 6 six goals tying him for most on the team with Bergeron and Pastrnak. With the season on the line in game 7 against Toronto he had a game to remember. DeBrusk scored the Bruins’ first goal and netted the game winner. The former first round pick was not just a fan favorite because of his performance but because of the passion he showed on the ice. It was a very promising beginning to what could be a special career.

2015 draft

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jakub Zboril

With the 13th pick in the 2015 draft the Bruins took defenseman Jakob Zboril. Unlike Debrusk, Zboril’s career has not gotten off to an easy start. At his first training camp he seemed lost and was still battling a knee injury. After a rocky start Zboril has begun to show the tools that made him a first round pick. Zboril does not have the offensive ceiling of Charlie McAvoy or Torey Krug. That being said he does possess good skating skills and is not afraid to sacrifice his body. He is also excellent on the powerplay. Despite his progress it is unlikely he will make the team out of camp as the Bruins already have eight defenseman under contract. Early on it seemed like Zboril may turn into a bust but he has silenced that notion. With Chara likely retiring sooner rather than later the Bruins will need a top defenseman alongside McAvoy and the Bruins are hoping it’s Zboril.

2015 draft

Photo Credit: Dobber Prospects

Zach Senyshyn

The Bruins took Senyshyn 15th overall with their final pick in the first round. In Senyshyn’s two years with the Sault Marie Greyhounds he had back to back 65 point seasons. In his first year in Providence last season he had only 26 points. He is known for his speed and scoring touch but was streaky last season in Providence. Even when he struggled he did not let that detract from the other areas of his game. There is a significant amount of pressure on Senyshyn as he is the centerpiece of the Dougie Hamilton trade. Like Zboril he will need another year in Providence before he is ready. Senyshyn is still adjusting to the pro game and will need to be less streaky. The talent is there and he could be a fixture on the Bruins top lines for years to come.

2015 draft

Photo Credit: Greg M. Cooper- USA Today Sports

Judging The Bruins’ 2015 Draft

With Zboril and Senyshyn likely to start this season in Providence it is still too early to judge them. DeBrusk was the exception and showed that he has the potential necessary to make a major impact moving forward. If Zboril and Senyshyn can live up to the expectations of being a first round pick then Sweeney will look like a genius. Watching these two develop this season will be a storyline to keep an eye on. They both could very well be centerpieces of the roster for years to come.

J.D. Martinez-Triple Crown Bound

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After last night’s home run J.D. Martinez has kept himself on pace for the triple crown. The All Star is leading the majors with 38 home runs and 106 RBI. For Martinez to join this very exclusive club he will need to catch his teammate Mookie Betts in batting average. Betts currently maintains control of the highest average in the league at .346. As of right now J.D. holds a .333 average, only .13 off of Betts for the league lead.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports

Martinez Would Put Himself Among Red Sox Legends

Only two other Red Sox players have won the triple crown. Ted Williams was one of only two players in history to win it twice. The most recent Red Sox player to achieve this accomplishment was Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. There has only been a total of 15 players to win the triple crown in MLB history, the most recent player to do so being Miguel Cabrera in 2012. This won’t come easy, but JD has the support from Cabrera himself. Cabrera recently took to his Instagram to discuss the potential of Martinez pulling such a feat off, mentioning that the two have “talked about this years ago and that JD can do it.” Even with Martinez playing so well a lot still needs to go right down the stretch.

Can Martinez Actually Pull This Off…

Photo courtesy of NBC Boston Sports

With the Red Sox having such a commanding lead in the division, it would not be a surprise to see guys getting some rest. Depending on how Alex Cora decides to walk that thin line of rest versus momentum heading down the stretch, could factor into Martinez’s chances. However, the way JD has been playing and where his numbers stand today, the slugger should have enough at bats left to hold onto the home run and RBI lead. Then there is Mookie, who is still playing at an MVP level with a slight lead in average over Martinez. Of course no one wants Betts to slow down, this team wants a championship over anything else. As for the triple crown, JD Martinez will maintain his lead in home runs and RBI, and will catch Mookie barring any unforeseen slumps.

The way Martinez study’s and prepares for games is what will land him the triple crown. There’s just something about this team that we have all felt before in years past, you can feel it. Winning the World Series is the goal, but winning the triple crown is a nice cherry on top for J.D.

Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 58 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Recent Team News

Chris Forsberg recently tweeted out a series of quotes from Jayson Tatum concerning his offseason. He talked about his workouts with Kobe, his focuses this offseason, and the recent articles about him being “overhyped”.

It sounds like overall Tatum has had a great offseason. The strength and muscle that he’s putting on is a great sign for his craft, especially if he wants to develop his inside game more. That inside game is apparently what he was working on with Kobe. It must have been an awe-inspiring experience for Tatum to work alongside his childhood hero and learn the game from him. Lastly, it’s good to hear that he doesn’t care about the media comments. It’s going to be an exciting second year from Tatum.

On This Date

August 19, 2005: The Celtics signed guard Will Bynum as a free agent. Bynum would not play a game with the Celtics, and was ultimately waived that October. He would go on to play sparingly with the Warriors that season.

Stats (2017-18)

  • Jabari Bird shot 58% from the field. He appeared in 13 games, averaging 8.8 minutes.
  • Both Al Horford and Greg Monroe had a 58% True Shooting Percentage. This stat measures shooting efficiency by taking twos, threes, and free throws into account.
Al

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Fun Facts

It’s World Series or Bust For the Red Sox

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After stomping the Rays 7-3, the Sox improved to 87-36, once again displaying traits of a World Series team. The Boston Red Sox are on pace for 115 wins. The major league record for wins in a season is 116, set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906. Currently, the Red Sox have a winning percentage of .707, which would make them only the third team in MLB history to have a winning percentage greater than .700 over 162 games. What the 2018 Boston Red Sox are doing could potentially be one of the greatest regular seasons in the history of baseball. It’s World Series or bust for the Sox.

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Postseason Struggles

The Red Sox are well on route to their third straight AL East crown. However, they are 1-6 in postseason play over that span. In two straight seasons, the Sox have been overwhelmed by the bright lights of October. It’s known that the Red Sox are the best regular season team in baseball. Emphasis on regular season because the playoffs are a whole new game. There will be no Orioles or Rays that the Sox can blow out even when they play poorly. Every at-bat matters down to the last pitch. Right now, no one on this Red Sox team has proven they can perform in October. Heading into a postseason where anything short of winning it all is a bitter disappointment, the pressure could not be higher for a team that has not handled pressure well in the past.

The Defining Moment of Dombrowski’s Career

If asked whose legacy would be most impacted by winning a World Series, the first person has to be Dave Dombrowski. Dombrowski has been criticized for his inability to build a team that can win it all. In Detroit, he sacrificed the organization’s future for a shot at a championship and failed. In Boston, he has done the same constructing a historically good team. As a result, he has decimated the once great farm system of the Red Sox. The team has one glaring hole, the one spot Dombroski did not address at the deadline. The bullpen has been a train wreck all season and may be Dombrowski’s undoing just as it was in Detroit.

With all the money and assets that has been invested in this team, even losing in Game 7 of the World Series would be considered a failure of a season. Consequently, it’s all or nothing for the Sox and Dombrowski.