Boston Celtics Draft Prospect Profile: Grayson Allen

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With the draft a short week away, the Boston Celtics begin to turn their attention toward the young athletes looking to make the leap into the league.

Headlining the draft are the likes of Duke forward Marvin Bagley, Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, and international guard Luka Doncic. These are the players garnishing most of the buzz as mock drafts begin winding down and top 100 rankings start clearing up.

Boston holds the 27th pick and has reportedly narrowed down their field of prospects to around 10 players. Perhaps the most interesting of the prospects the team has worked out is Duke’s Grayson Allen.

The Prospect

Allen is the most polarizing and perhaps controversial name to look for as the draft creeps towards the end of the first round and into the second. He played four years under legendary Coach Krzyzewski, finishing his tenure with 14 points, three assists, 3.1 rebounds, and two three-pointers made per game on 37.5% three-point field goal shooting. His best season came in his second year at Duke, where he averaged 21.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while eclipsing the 40% mark from three-point range.

Allen became a polarizing figure because of his on court tripping antics, receiving the label as a ‘dirty player’.

What Allen Does Well

These on-court antics should not concern Boston. Jayson Tatum gave Ainge the thumbs up on Grayson. Tatum said that he is not a ‘dirty’ player, he is just highly competitive. He is a well-educated individual that will soon learn that the tripping will not fly in the NBA. As he matures this will be a non-factor.

Grayson is a decent athlete with a pretty good shot (37.5% 3pt) and an ability to get to the rim. He is not a true point guard, but he also lacks the ideal size for a shooting guard in today’s NBA. Allen is much smaller than guys like Klay Thompson, DeRozan, and Harden, all examples of players that fit the shooting guard mold perfectly.

Where He Struggles

Grayson is not as athletic as most of the undersized shooting guards in the NBA, which could hurt his ability to create separation between him and his taller defender. He is not a crafty ball handler and lacks an explosive first step. At times, Allen struggles with reading his defender’s position and tends to be a bit one dimensional with his move set.

There is a level of concern about Allen’s defensive capabilities moving forward. Based on his size and average athleticism, Grayson might struggle to try to guard his bigger and more explosive counterparts. He is not super quick laterally. Without good help defense, he may be prone to blow byes.

Grayson Allen has a high basketball IQ, good shooting ability, and he does come from a winning culture. Duke University does have a solid track record of producing good pro ball players. Some alumni include Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, JJ Redick, Jayson Tatum, and Brandon Ingram.

Player Comparison

Under the right system, Grayson Allen could develop into a solid role player. Given his physical attributes, he comes as a pretty big gamble with a conservative ceiling and a low floor. He should still be on the board when Boston is on the clock with the 27th overall pick. It is unlikely Boston takes Allen as the team favors long, athletic players with switch ability.

Best case player comparison- Eric Gordon.

Likely player comparison- Austin Rivers.

Should the Red Sox look to Bring Back an Old Friend?

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The Boston Red Sox have the most wins in the MLB at the moment, but that does not mean that they don’t have problems. An idea over the weekend was proposed by Jared Carrabis of the Section 10 Podcast that the Sox should look to try to acquire former Red Sox 3rd baseman, Adrian Beltre. This may seem like a fantasy acquisition by the Red Sox, but it seems plausible.

Rangers need to rebuild

For starters, the Texas Rangers are one of the worst teams in the MLB this year with a record of 28-44. They should look to trade their older players to contenders, like the Red Sox, for younger players. The Red Sox are most definitely in win now mode, trading guys like Yoan Moncada and others for Chris Sale. Adrian Beltre would help the Red Sox in many situations this year, and also be a clubhouse leader.

Red Sox problems VS LHP

One of the main problems with the Red Sox is their hitting vs left-handed pitchers. The Red Sox as a team are batting .235 against them with only 18 home runs. However, against right-handed pitchers, they are batting .268 with 83 home runs. Rafael Devers is batting .209, Moreland is batting .227, Benintendi is batting .197, Nunez is at .172, and JBJ is at .120, all against LHP this season. Adrian Beltre has been very successful versus left-handed pitching this year. In 44 plate appearances versus LHP, he is .359/.386/.462/.848. Beltre, in a short sample size, has shown that he can contribute to stopping this problem for the Red Sox.

Help Rafael Devers

Adrian Beltre could also help with the development of Rafael Devers. Devers is coming off a season where he had a batting average of .284 and hit 10 home runs through the 58 games he played. Through 69 games so far this year, Devers is averaging .236 with 10 home runs. Rafael’s hitting isn’t his major problem; his fielding is. Devers has a team-low fielding percentage of .931 and a team high of 14 errors. Adrian Beltre could come in and help the 21-year old out and give Devers a few days off from fielding. Beltre gives a veteran-mind to Devers that he needs in his very young career to help him grow into what he looked like in his inaugural MLB season.

 

Adrian Beltre played for the Red Sox for one season back in 2010. That season turned out to be one of Beltre’s best seasons of his career where he averaged .321/.359/.561/.921. He had 28 home runs and 102 RBIs and finished 9th in AL MVP voting. Beltre is a long ways away from that, but he is still a very productive player and a solid-veteran mind. Beltre can come in for the last half of the season and help the Red Sox bring another World Series championship back to Boston. The Red Sox are Beltre’s best option to win a title before he ends his hall-of-fame career soon.

Eduardo Rodriguez Has Finally Earned His Spot

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After what seemed to be a very rugged two and a half seasons, Eduardo Rodriguez has finally proved that he can be a stable option. Question is, how long can he achieve this?

The Red Sox will be 13-1 when Eduardo Rodriguez stats bearing they hold on to their 9-2 lead in tonight’s game. With that being said, it has been a long and bumpy ride during his tenure with the team. Since the 2014 trade that sent him here for Andrew Miller, he’s posted a 28-21 record with a 4.13 era to go along with 429 strikeouts in 437.2 innings pitched throughout his young career. 

While holding up physically thus far, he has had a lot of injuries throughout his career. Last October, he finally got a knee surgery that should keep it strong. After all, he has had three separate knee injuries that has derailed him. Usually whenever he finally starts to take off.

He’s in the position to get better under the wings of Chris Sale and David Price. The trio of southpaws could always help him elevate his game. With his mid 90s fastball, killer changeup, and who can forget that sinker that will buckle your knees Alex Cora has another pitcher who can destroy the American League. Hopefully, these numbers can be less stagnant as they have been throughout his career.

While the season is leaning towards midseason, the challenges and competition will only strengthen. How he handles all of these hurdles will only solidify his case. If all goes well for the 24 year old, he could have sights set on comeback player of the year.

How does his knee hold up throughout the remainder of the season? Will he be able to continue his dominance? Stay updated with the best red sox coverage here on bostonsportsextra.com for all the latest Boston news, rumors, and highlights!

Tom Brady Knows The End Is Near

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Brady Planning For Life After Football

Tom Brady has been distant this offseason and doing training at TB12. Tom Brady revealed to Oprah that the end is sooner rather than later. He realizes since he got his way with Garoppolo being traded and has won five Super Bowls, it’s time to focus on his family. Oprah misread what Tom Brady meant when he said at the end of his documentary Tom vs. Time. He had said, “Why are we doing this, what are we doing this for.” It had nothing to do with him spiritually as much as it did that Garoppolo was no longer a Patriot and Brady’s job wasn’t in jeopardy.

Tom Brady Wants To Play For Josh McDaniels As Head Coach

Tom wants one year with Josh McDaniels as head coach. Then he’ll ride off into the sunset with his head held high and five or six Super Bowl rings.  Tom Brady has accomplished so much in his almost 20 years in New England. Some fans might be upset because he went back on what he said. Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t on the team anymore. It’s fine if he wants to retire, but he shouldn’t put that he wants to play until he’s 45 when Garoppolo is here and then talks about family and spending more time with them when Jimmy’s gone.

Some Patriot fans don’t want to see the reality and think that Tom Brady can do no wrong. All this skipping out on voluntary workouts was very unusual for Tom Brady. He always talked about how the OTAs were so important in preparation. The end is near, and Brady will play out his contract and then retire. Brady has a year left with Bill Belichick and a year with Josh McDaniels. Then, Danny Etling will be at quarterback with McDaniels as head coach in 2020. Enjoy the short break the Patriots have now. Once training camp starts, things will be heating up.

No, Days Off!

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Since Bill Belichick has been with the Patriots, he has stressed having no days off and doing your job. That has been Belichick’s motto for a long time. Now, with Belichick nearing retirement and Brady not participating in the offseason workouts, the Patriots took the final two days off of OTAs this week. You won’t see them on a practice field until training camp. The No Days Off Patriots are now the No, Days Off! Patriots. Bill Belichick went to Viva La France to get away from diva La Brady. I’m joking, but it’s clear Belichick wasn’t getting anything out of Hoyer and Etling. So since Brady wasn’t there, what’s the point of having the final two days of practice. Just wait until everyone is together when training camp starts. This way, there are no dropped passes, and Brady knows what he is doing.

Having Fun Doesn’t Win Championships

The Patriots went to Fenway Park on Monday for a team bonding exercise. On Tuesday, Bill Belichick had a history lesson on football. One of Bill Belichick’s famous quotes is “There are no shortcuts to building a team each season. You build the foundation brick by brick.” That’s from the combine all the way until the start of the season. Everything is important. Julian Edelman is about to be suspended four games of the season, and there are some rookies on this team who could use the reps. However, when the starting quarterback isn’t there, it might be best to wait until camp to start when everyone is together.

There’s been a lot of gossip and drama going on in New England to the point now that it might be sickening. From the Malcolm Butler benching all the way to Brady, it’s been something every day with this team. Robert Kraft spoke last week. He called the reports that the Patriots were going to trade Rob Gronkowski last Friday hogwash. However, they were looking to trading Gronkowski three days before the NFL Draft. That was when Gronkowski was complaining about not getting enough money. Enjoy the next month of hopefully no Patriots drama. When training camp starts, it will be strictly focused on football.

 

Free Agents the Celtics Should Look at this Offseason

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With NBA free agency starting on July 1, the Boston Celtics are again one of the more fun teams to watch in free agency. In 2016, the Celtics signed 4-time all-star center, Al Horford to a 4-year deal. In 2017, the Celtics signed one of the biggest names in free agency, Gordon Hayward, who was coming off his best year yet and made his first all-star appearance. Now in 2018, Boston looks to continue to add pieces to bring them to their 18th title. These are some of the free agents they should consider signing:

Lebron James, Forward (Player-Option):

Starting this off with arguably the greatest player of all-time. Lebron James will most likely look to join a new team after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals for the second year in a row. Lebron is now poised to join a new team for the 3rd time in his career. This has left many to believe that the Celtics are one of the destinations he will consider.

Boston is one of, if not the best, options for Lebron to win a championship. However, it also leaves some problems for the Celtics. One of the main reasons Kyrie Irving is in Boston is because he wanted to have his own team and leave Lebron. This leaves the main decision of what do the Celtics value more, Lebron or Kyrie. It is a decision the Celtics should look at and consider.

Rodney Hood, Forward (Restricted):

One of Lebron James’ teammates from the 2017-2018 season, Rodney Hood, seems like a smart fit for the Celtics. Hood showed that he was a knockdown shooter and solid-defender during his time in Utah where he averaged 13.1 points per game during his 3 and 1/2 year career. He got sent to Cleveland halfway through the season, and his PPG numbers dropped off to 10.8. Rodney Hood has shown why he is a very solid go-to option off the bench which is what the Celtics lacked at certain moments last year.

Shabazz Napier, Point Guard (Restricted):

Shabazz Napier showed flashes of what made him so highly-touted coming out of college. Napier had a rough start to his NBA career where he was only averaging 4.3 PPG. However, in 2018, he had a very good season for the Blazers where he posted career highs in PPG with 8.7 and FG% shooting with .420 percent. Napier would be a solid backup option if anything happens to Rozier or Kyrie this off-season.

Nerlens Noel, Center (Unrestricted):

The Massachusetts-native Nerlens Noel has been centered around many trade rumors throughout the years to Boston. Noel has fallen off in his recent play for the Dallas Mavericks where he comes off the worst year of his career, averaging 4.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG. Noel has been a solid player throughout his career though while he is averaging around 9 points and 7 rebounds. The Celtics could use a big man who can score in the post, grab rebounds, and protect the rim.

Nemanja Bjelica, Power Forward (Restricted):

A relatively unknown compared to the other players on this list, Bjelica is becoming one of the biggest sleeper free agents in this class. He is coming off his best year in 2017-2018 where he started 21 games for the T-Wolves and put up career highs, 6.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and .415 3-Point FG%. Bjelica can come off the bench for the C’s and provide a spark from three and grab some much-needed rebounds. The Celtics were one game away from making it to the NBA Finals last year. Maybe one of these guys are the people to send them over the top.

Who Will be the Red Sox Appointees at the 2018 MLB All-Star Game?

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MLB released the first American League All-Star fan voting update last week. It is very clear that Red Sox Nation is participating in the voting. Two Red Sox players are slated to be appointees in the midsummer classic if the voting were to end today. Here are my predictions:

Clear-Cut Appointees

Mookie Betts

There is no chance Mookie will be left off the All-Star team. As of June 16, Mookie is hitting .348 (leads majors), slugging .721 (leads majors), has an OPS of 1.148 (leads majors), and has scored 55 runs (second in majors). Do you see a pattern here? Mookie Betts will make his third straight All-Star game in 2018.

J.D. Martinez

J.D. is also having an otherworldly season. Martinez has already hit 22 home runs (second in majors) and driven in 55 runs (leads majors). He is on pace to hit 50 homers and drive in 125 runs, which is incredible. He also is third in the majors in slugging percentage (.648) and OPS (1.040). This would be J.D.’s second All-Star appearance, as he appeared in the 2015 All-Star game as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

Craig Kimbrel

While Kimbrel is not having the greatest season ever, he is still putting up great numbers. He is second in the majors in saves with 22 of them, and has a 2.40 ERA with 0.90 WHIP. He will probably make the All-Star team this year because he’s been a top three closer in the American League for the last three years, and he continues to put up great numbers.

Chris Sale

Again, Chris Sale is not having a historic season, but he is still putting up respectable numbers. So far, he has went 6-4 with a 2.75 ERA, but there is a good chance he is about to really heat up. In his last two starts, he has given up two earned runs and posted 19 strikeouts in 14 innings. As of right now, he is one strikeout behind Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole for the American League lead in strikeouts. While he may not start the All-Star game, he will probably make an appearance.

Feasible Appointees

Mitch Moreland

According to the first AL fan-voting update, Mitch was second place for AL first-basemen, only around 26,000 votes behind White Sox 1B Jose Abreu. Recently, Moreland has not been hitting well at all. He has three hits in his last 31 at-bats and has not recorded an RBI since June 3. Many things need to go right, for Moreland needs to get hot, Red Sox Nation needs to continue to have a huge presence in the AL fan-voting, and the other AL 1st basemen need to continue to struggle.

Andrew Benintendi

Benintendi ranked sixth among AL outfielders in the first fan-voting update, and with good reason. He is hitting .296/.383/.545/.928 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs, which are great numbers at this point in the season. The problem is that many AL outfielders are having great seasons. Other than Mookie, Mike Trout (LAA), Aaron Judge (NYY), Michael Brantley (CLE), George Springer (HOU), and Mitch Haniger (SEA) are all having great seasons.

Joe Kelly

This is an intriguing case to make. Joe Kelly has pitched exceptionally well this season, posting a 2.61 ERA with 32 K’s in 31.0 innings. While non-closer relievers do not usually make the All-Star team, I felt the need to make a case for him.

Honorable Mention

Xander Bogaerts

Usually, the kind of season Xander is having this year would warrant an All-Star season, but this is no ordinary year. There are many great AL shortstops this year, as Manny Machado (BAL), Francisco Lindor (CLE), Carlos Correa (HOU), Jean Segura (SEA), and Andrelton Simmons (LAA) are all having exceptional seasons. There are really only two slots for American League shortstops, and those probably go to Machado and Lindor at this point. Xander Bogaerts still deserves some credit.

Lesson Plan for Sony Michel

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The Patriots shocked everyone when they selected UG bulldog Sony Michel running back in the first round. But you don’t let your lead running back leave in free agency without a backup plan. Nearly 900 yards on the ground, and another 200 in the air.

Dion Lewis was an atypical lead back. His cutting style and small frame powering through the line of scrimmage. What’s more is that he played the part well. In the 2017 season he looked like a lead back. This production was bittersweet when he signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans. Replacing the yards from his snaps would not be easy. The team did resign Rex Burkhead and looked for free agent options. Eventually deciding on Jeremy Hill as a low risk, veteran gamble.

The Lesson

One only has to look at the Dallas Cowboys as a recent lesson. They did not properly plan for a succession at that position. DeMarco Murray’s production was not immediately replaced when he left in free agency. The Cowboys scrambled with a group that produced a thousand yard rusher in Darren McFadden and little else. In response to this, the Cowboys scrambled and drafted Ezekiel Elliott the next year. This ensured that the position was set. The Patriots have made one thing clear. It’s that they won’t allow that sequence of poor performance to sink a chance at a championship.

Michel carrying the ball for the Bulldogs

The Method

The selection of a running back in the first round is in defiance of current mode for thinking for NFL draft strategy. A common line of thought is to get multiple talented individuals and rotate them. The Patriots have themselves been a primary proponent of this philosophy. This year, however, they swam against the current of this method. With pick 31 they got Michel, an offensive weapon that could rival some of the best in the NFL.

The Application

How best can the Patriots utilize Michel talents? Ideally, he could come in and replace every one of Dion Lewis’s snaps and provide a home run threat at running back. The teams haven’t had a threat in the backfield like that since the early promise of Laurence Maroney, or even as far back as prime Corey Dillon years.

Michel’s skill set is ideally suited for today’s NFL running game. His pass-catching skills and route running are very developed for a soon to be rookie. He is falling forward or getting those extra yards after contact. Michel’s biggest need for improvement will be in pass blocking. In film study he made read errors such as staying in when he should’ve been running a route for a hot read or getting caught up in traffic and not able to make a clean block. When he was able to square up and put everything into it, I saw a blocker that looks like they will be able to learn and grow as an NFL blocker.

The Application Part II

His running style reminds me the most of a more upright Devonta Freeman. His offense at Georgia utilized a lot of the cutback and outlet passes. He commits decisively and does not waste too much time dancing in the backfield. When he sees daylight his second and third gear are activated very quickly. Michel is at his best when he’s trying to let a hole develop he is very patient and almost looks Le’veon Bell-esque. Allows the blocks to open up and keeps his feet moving and eyes up until he sees what he wants and then goes.

Conclusions

At the very worst, the Patriots have drafted for themselves a contributor that will learn from the veterans on the roster. Michel will hone the weaker parts of his game and be ready to steal all the snaps in future seasons. At best they may have drafted a complete running back in today’s NFL that can have his name read with the games great. An exciting future for sure.

Down on the Farm- 6/9-6/15

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*Every weekend, I will be updating you on weekly results from the Pawtucket Red Sox, Portland Sea Dogs (AA), Greenville Drive (A), and Salem Red Sox (High A). After every team is recapped, individual stats are posted. Also, I will have a prospect of the week section at the end. Down on the Farm- 6/9-6/15

Pawtucket Red Sox

Pawtucket went 5-2 over the week and they are now 32-33 on the season. The Sox started off the week with a 7-1 loss at the hands of the Indians. The offense was quiet and starting pitcher Josh Smith gave up five runs in just 2.2 innings. Pawtucket rebounded the next game and won 11-1. Mike Olt and Ivan De Jesus Jr. knocked in three runs and Josh D. Smith picked up the win in 4.1 innings of relief. They continued their momentum by defeating Syracuse 3-1. William Cuevas gave up one run in eight innings to pick up the win. The Sox defeated Syracuse again, 5-3.

The offense scored three runs in the ninth and Ty Buttery picked up the win in an inning of relief. They completed the sweep of Syracuse with a 5-1 win. Jalen Beeks picked up the win by giving up one run in seven innings. He has the stuff to be successful at the major league level, so do not give up on him after one bad start. Pawtucket’s momentum was stopped by the IronPigs in an 8-1 defeat. Josh A. Smith gave up seven runs in 2.1 innings and the offense was quiet again. They closed out the week with a 2-1 victory. Josh D. Smith picked up the win, allowing one run in six innings. Rusney Castillo hit a two-run home run home run to lead the offense.

Portland Sea Dogs

Portland went 3-3 over the week and they are now 24-41 on the season. The Sea Dogs started off the week with a 3-2 week over the RubberDucks. Mike Shawaryn was dominant, giving up just one run over seven innings. The offense scratched together three runs in the eighth inning. They were beat up the next day and lose 7-2. Dedgar Jimenez gave up four runs in six innings to pick up the loss and the bats were quiet. They had an off day on the 11th and were walked off on the 12th. They were up 1-0 in the ninth but Josh Taylor gave up two runs and blew it.

The offense was quiet again the following day and they lost 3-0. Teddy Stankiewicz was good over six innings, allowing three runs. The offense was better the next day and Portland wins 4-2. Josh Ockimey knocked in two runs and Mike Shawaryn gave up zero runs in six innings to pick up the win. The Sea Dogs closed out the week with a 2-1 win over the Baysox. Dedgar Jimenez gave up one run in seven innings and Josh Ockimey went deep to lead the offense.

Greenville Drive

Greenville went 4-4 over the week and they are now 24-43 on the season. The Drive started off the week with a 5-1 win over the RiverDogs. Denyi Reyes gave up zero runs in seven innings and Victor Acosta knocked in four runs to lead the offense. They could not continue there momentum and lost 7-4 the next day. Kutter Crawford gave up six runs over 4.1 innings and Michael Osinski picked up two hits and knocked in a run. The Drive got knocked around again the next day in an 8-2 loss. They were winning 2-1 in the eighth but Marcos Lantigua gave up five runs in 2.1 innings of relief. The pitching was hit around again and they lost 10-4 on the 12th. Alex Scherff gave up seven runs over two innings to pick up the loss.

They split a day-night doubleheader on the 13th, losing the first game 9-8 and winning the second 6-4. Marino Campana knocked in two runs in the night game to lead the offense. Greenville’s pitching improved and they walked off Rome in eleven innings by the score of 3-2. Denyi Reyes gave up zero runs over six innings in the start and Jordan Wren’s walk caused the win for Greenville. The Drive closed out the week with an 8-5 win over the RiverDogs. Kutter Crawford gave up three runs over five innings to pick up the win and Michael Osinski knocked in two runs to lead the offense.

Salem Red Sox

10-3 was the score of the first game. Tanner Houck gave up four runs in five innings to pick up the loss and Brett Netzer knocked in three runs. They lost a close game the next day by the score of 4-3. Darwinzon Hernandez lasted just one inning in the start and walked four batters in the loss. Brett Netzer is good again as he knocked in two runs.

Salem was swept in a day-night doubleheader, losing the first game 9-4 and the second game 4-0 in the finale. Salem rebounded from the losses and beat the Hillcats 6-1 on the 14th. Tanner Houck gave up zero runs in six innings and Jerry Downs knocked in two runs. The Red Sox could not continue there momentum and they lost 5-4 to close out the week. Darwinzon Hernandez gave up five runs in as many innings to pick up the loss.

Prospect of the week- Jay Groome

Lefty

Has been out all year with Tommy John surgery

#2 prospect in the Red Sox organization

A 55 on the 20-80 scale according to MLB.com

Rafael Devers Will Be Okay

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Rafael Devers has not been what the Red Sox had hoped this year. He’s hitting in the low .200s, not getting on base much, and the power has been average. His defense? Not good at all. He has 13 errors this year, which makes up more than half of the team’s total.

There’s just one thing to think about here. He’s 21. He’s in his first year of being able to legally drink. In other words, he’s pretty darn young. He also looks like he’s about ten years younger than he really is. 

Now why is his age so important? It’s to show that he’s nowhere even near his prime yet. He still has so many years to work on his craft and get better at both parts of his game, hitting and fielding. It’s unknown if he will be a third baseman his whole career, but currently he will be riding the hot corner. 

Recently J.D. Martinez started talking about this program he’s been doing that works on hitting. He said there are several guys on this program, including Devers himself. The Red Sox were coming off a sweep in Baltimore, where Devers had a great series himself.  Then they went to Safeco field in Seattle to take on the Mariners, where Devers made his MLB debut. Last season he raked in his first major league hit via a home run. This has to be the place where he’ll start off a hot streak, right? Against Felix Hernandez on Thursday night, Devers made contact twice, earning a single in the second and a double in the fourth. On Friday night’s game, he got base hits in the third and eighth innings. 

Devers has shown signs of life lately. You have to remember that this kid is still young and has so much potential in his future. You just have to be patient. These are the signs that Rafael Devers will be okay.