Do the Red Sox Have an Identity?

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The Red Sox Are Better and More Confident

USA TODAY SportsThe 15-2 Boston Red Sox have the best record in franchise history. Not only that, but the Red Sox have hit four grand slams this season and are on pace for 38. The Major League record for grand slams in a season is 14.  So far this season the Red Sox have had 176 hits, 22 home runs, and 101 RBI’s. Yes it’s early, but it’s clear that the Red Sox didn’t want to play for John Farrell last season. They’ve found an identity with Alex Cora connecting with them.

The only pitcher on the team with a loss is David Price. Alex Cora told Tony Massarotti on 98.5 The Sports Hub that he never knew Price couldn’t pitch well in cold weather, or even about his condition. Price did pitch well Tuesday night, but the Red Sox also hit the ball well too. It was also 60 degrees so Price’s fingers wouldn’t get numb for being too cold. The only two Red Sox losses so far are from Opening Day and David Price being taken out because of the cold temperature.

Alex Cora Is off to a Great Start

Cora is the first rookie manager to start at 15-2, but he credits the players. Cora said after last nights game, “It’s a credit to them, I just put the lineup in. The coaches are helping out, putting them in a spot to be successful. They’re using the information to their advantage. In the end, they’re the ones hitting fastballs out of the ballpark and playing good defense and throwing the ball over the plate. All the credit goes to them.”

Cora also said after last nights game, “I know how good they are. But it’s just something about them that makes you feel confident. You show up every day to work and you enjoy it. I’m having a blast with them, not only in the dugout but in the clubhouse. It’s fun to be around them.” The Red Sox keep this up it will be a fun and exciting season.

Paw Sox Longest Game Ever Played

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It was some 37 years ago today, on a frigid Saturday night, that the Pawtucket Red Sox hosted the Rochester Red Wings.  No one at the time ever realized how historically important this game would be.  The game between the Paw Sox and Red Wings began on April 18th, 1981.  The two teams battled up to the 32nd inning.  At 4:07 A.M. on April 19th, 1981, play was suspended.  While there were a solid group of fans at the beginning of the game (1740), only 17 fans stuck around until 4:07 AM.  Nevertheless, Harold Cooper, the International League President, shockingly ordered the game to suspend play.  Had I been there, I like to think I would be sticking it out with the other 17 fans.  Nevertheless, I was not yet born.

Paw Sox Longest Game

Pawtucket’s Dave Koza gets a pat on the head from teammate Mike Smithson after driving in the winning run in the bottom of the 33rd inning

Interesting Facts

This 33-inning game is historically significant for many reasons other than the length.  One of the most notable facts about this game is that two Hall of Famers played on both sides.  Wade Boggs for Pawtucket, and Cal Ripken Jr. for Rochester.  Cal Ripken Jr.’s nickname “Iron Man” is on display here, as he played all 33-innings.  Sticking with the theme of the Hall of Fame, Cooperstown is now home to the official score card from the game.  A whooping 822 pitches met the 822 batters during the three-day game.  Wade Boggs went 4-12.  Cal Ripken Jr. went 2-13.

Both Cooperstown residents spoke about the game years later.  Ripken saying, “Of all the games I’ve played in, that’s one of the few that I easily remember.  It’s still fresh in my mind. We’ve all played in marathon nine-inning games and extra-inning games, but that game was different.”  Wade Boggs spoke in a 2006 interview saying, “When I doubled in the tying run in the 21st inning, I didn’t know if the guys wanted to hug me or slug me.  But, being competitors, we did want to win the game.”  Boggs continued speaking later on, “I remember calling my father the next day and telling him I got four hits. “He said, ‘That’s great.’ I said: ‘Yeah, but I was up 12 times. We went 32 last night.”

June 23rd, 1981

The triumphant return of the game took place on June 23rd, 1981.  Fans came into McCoy Stadium unsure of what to expect. Not to mention, 5,800 fans sold out McCoy Stadium.  Nearly five times the amount of fans than April 18th.  They were curious as to if the long game would keep going on.  Nevertheless, the fans got a quick 18 minute inning.  Pawtucket’s Bob Ojeda came in to continue the game.  The eighth Paw Sox pitcher to appear gives up a single to Cal Ripken Jr.  Ojeda went on the strike out Floyd Rayford and pop out John Valle to keep the game tied.

Steve Grilli came into pitch for Rochester.  Grilli was not a member of the Rochester Red Wings on April 18th.  Grilli hit Marty Barret by a pitch to get things going.  Chico Walker stepped up to plate and ripped a single that Barret was running on to move him to third.  To set up a force on any base, Russ Laribee was intentionally walked.  Cliff Speck came in to save the game for Rochester but ended up only throwing four pitches.  Dave Koza came up to the plate confidently.  Koza was the best player in the game at the moment with a 4-13 day(s).  Koza was able to groove a 2-2 curve ball into left field to bring Marty Barret home and, mercifully, ending the game.

 

Relive the game here:

Remember this when you are complaining that baseball games are too long.

Why Revs vs. Columbus Is a Crucial Game to Win

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The Revolution have started off 2018 with a 3-1-2 record. Only one of those wins were on the road. But as all Revs fans will remind you, New England had one road win in all of 2017. However, fans shouldn’t celebrate now, because we know it’s always possible to go into another slump. While Saturday will mark road game number three for the Revs, nothing would solidify this team’s turnaround and competitiveness with another win. Brad Freidel talked about how winning road games was a crucial point of any team’s success. Now it’s time for him to prove his team can do just that.

The Revs road record over the last two years is 4-24-28, including a win and a loss in 2018. For most teams, they will get four wins a year on the road, but not the Revs. A win will prove this team truly has what it takes to win on the road, and solidify that they didn’t just get lucky against Houston. This team needs to stay disciplined to earn a victory. Even this early; this is a six point game. A Revs win could potentially put them in second place, depending on how Atlanta does. A loss could see the Revs fall down to as low as sixth place in the east. It’s never too early to talk about standings in MLS.

A Brief History Lesson

Revs vs Crew during 2014 MLS Playoffs

Dating back to 2014, New England has a 5-6-1 record against Columbus. Their last road win came back in the 2014 playoffs, when the Revs beat them 4-2. The Revs made their last two road matchups interesting when they brought former Crew forward Kei Kamara back to his home. Unfortunately they were unable to get a result. If you want to find the last time the Revs beat the Crew on the road in a regular season matchup, you have to rewind all the way back to October 27th, 2013, when the Revs closed out the regular season with a 1-0 victory. So how will Freidel get it done?

How Will the Revs Do It?

The Crew got off to one of the best starts of any MLS team in 2018, starting off 3-0-1 including a defeat against reigning MLS Cup Champions Toronto FC. Now the Crew has since simmered down, losing their last three games against Vancouver, Chicago, and DC. While the game against Vancouver was a home game, the Revs will look to capitalize on a vulnerable Crew team. On the other hand, Crew will not want to lose their fourth game in a row. Especially not in front of their home fans. Look for Columbus to come shooting out of the cannon early trying to get on the board fast.

It’s important that the Revs stand their ground and continue their high press, which worked extremely well against Houston. After Head Coach Brad Freidel used the same lineup three weeks in a row producing two shutouts, it didn’t go his way in the third game with a 1-0 loss at home to FC Dallas. One can only expect that after three weeks, we will see a different starting XI come Saturday. Potential changes could come from Antonio Delamea, who hasn’t seen the field since week one, or possibly Juan Agudelo or Krisztián Németh returning as well. One thing Brad Freidel stressed at the beginning of the year is that players would have to fight for spots at training. So whoever get’s the start will be carefully selected one can assume.

Celtics Youth

Celtics Youth Impressing in the Playoffs

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Celtics Youth Stepping Up

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics have played two games in their playoff series. The Celtics have won both and made one thing apparent. Their young players won’t let expectations determine how far this team will go. They will be without Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, and Daniel Theis until next season. In the first two games Brown, Tatum, and Rozier have stepped up, showing that the young Celtics are ready to lead this team.

Expectations Coming

At the start of the season the Celtics had title aspirations. As injuries depleted this team, expectations of a deep playoff run have diminished. The Celtics won the first game in an overtime thriller, but dominated the Bucks in Game 2. They have played with grit and hustle which could carry them far in the playoffs. Furthermore, the young players have embraced the challenge and have not let the injuries be an excuse, and now control the series.

Celtics Youth

Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

Celtics Youth Leading the Team in the Playoffs

With the injury to Irving, the Celtics turned to Rozier to be the starting point guard. Just like in the regular season he’s answered the challenge. In Game 1, Rozier hit a clutch three pointer, which would have been taken by Irving or Hayward had they been healthy.  Terry has scored 23 points in both games. In Game 2, Jaylen Brown was the spark as he scored thirty points. Like Rozier, the Cal product has elevated his play in the playoffs when the Celtics needed it the most. Tatum has also been incredible and has looked like anything but a rookie playing in his first playoff series.

The Vet

With all the injuries, Al Horford as shown why he’s so valuable to this team. In Game 1 Al recorded a double double. Last night, Horford had only five rebounds but also scored sixteen points. If the Celtics are to make a deep run they will have to ride their veteran center. Head Coach Brad Stevens said, “ We’re going to ride Al… With where we’re at, he’s going to facilitate”. He isn’t going to put up big numbers but that’s not his job. The scoring will be picked up by the Celtics young stars and other veterans, such as Marcus Morris.

Celtics Youth

Photo Credit : Bob DeChiara- USA TODAY Sports

Final Thoughts

The road to the finals for this team will not be easy, especially with them shorthanded. Through two playoff games the young Celtics have shown they won’t give up. Regardless of the outcome, the playoffs have shown how bright the future is in Boston. Next year they will make a deeper run, but for now its best to just enjoy what these young players are doing. Next year this team could make a special run.

Relax– Tom Brady Will Play in 2018

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A report out of ESPN this morning says Tom Brady has not being fully committed to playing in 2018. We saw at the end of ‘Tom VS Time’. He just wants to spend more time with his family. However, he’s not going to the voluntary workouts, but he’s missed them before so it shouldn’t be a big deal. Listen, Tom Brady’s career is coming to an end; not just right now. He’s playing out his contract and then hanging it up. The reason he’s upset is that he can’t bring Guerrero in the locker room. There are people around him that want him to retire. Gisele and his family want him to retire, and maybe some of his friends do also.

The Patriots will be drafting a quarterback next week. He will be groomed by Tom, Belichick, and McDaniels for one season. Then Tom and Josh in 2019. In 2020 the new quarterback, whoever that is, will be the starter, and Brady will be solely focused on his brand. Josh will be the head coach, and who knows, maybe even Robert will hand the team to Johnathan Kraft. Remember Johnathan Kraft didn’t hire Belichick. He’s not Bill’s guy, so it’s pretty obvious what’s going on.

Via Boston Herald

All Things Come to an End

The dynasty of 18 years is coming to an end. We will hear all day about how Brady isn’t committed, when in fact it’s Belichick who is retiring at the end of the season. A Patriots beat reporter has yet to say that Belichick is hanging it up after this season. I was told by an insider at Patriot Place. You can believe me or not, but it does make sense that Belichick is walking away.

I’m not certain if Tom Brady knows Belichick is retiring at the end of the season. Which is probably why he is also holding this grudge against Belichick. All Belichick is concerned about is one, getting his team ready for 2018, and two, have a smooth transition when McDaniels takes over next season.

Julian Edelman Feels Neutral

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Julian Edelman Is on Both Sides of the Fence

Photo by John Wilcox.Julian Edelman, according to an insider at Patriot Place, isn’t totally with the Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski revolt. Edelman is neutral and will still attend the workouts enough just to collect his $500,000 and still go to TB12. Like it was previously stated, Edelman is the highest paid player on the team that attends the voluntary workouts. So why not show up just enough to get paid? He has to go to a percentage of the workouts. He can still go to TB12. Tom E. Curran has reported that Tom Brady may have started a revolt with the players. Between Danny Amendola and his comments, all the way to Dion Lewis, it’s a clear sign Brady started a chain reaction.

To give Edelman credit he’s coming off an injury and hoping to come back stronger than ever. Last week’s Instagram post was a side for Tom Brady being at TB12 working with Guerrero. Today he is at the practice and took sides with Belichick. Remember- he’s thinking about how much money he’s going to make. Every single Patriot when they leave used to say nice things about playing for the Patriots, until now.

Nate Solder and Danny Amendola Quotes

Via Getty Images

Nate Solder: “It can be a tough environment. It’s very businesslike, and at times it can be cold. Everything in New England is predicated on performance. It’s a place where people sometimes treat you differently based on how you practiced that day or how you answered a question in a meeting. One day, you could walk around the facility feeling like a Pro Bowler — the next, like you’re about to get cut.”

Danny Amendola said “It’s not easy, that’s for sure. He’s an a–h— sometimes. There were a lot of things I didn’t like about playing for him, but I must say, the things I didn’t like were all in regards to getting the team better, and I respected him,” he said. “I didn’t like practicing in the snow, I didn’t like practicing in the rain, but that was going to make us a better football team and that was going to make me a better football player.”

Did Tom Brady start a chain reaction with the players? I think he did, but for Julian Edelman he’s on both sides of it. If you want to have fun, go to a 4-12 team. If you want to win Super Bowl Championships, then the Patriots are the right team for you.

Playoff Preview: Celtics – Bucks Game 2

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Game 1 Recap

With Game 2 tonight (8 PM tip-off), the Celtics are coming off what some would consider an instant classic Game 1. The C’s rallied late to overcome a game that provided extra basketball for the fans, and some electric moments for the die-hards.

To summarize – it wasn’t the prettiest display of basketball. The energy and defense was great from the Celtics. But, a hurtful 15 turnovers from Boston kept them behind. It’s also the same reason Milwaukee didn’t pull away either, giving away the ball a game-high 20 times. The scoring felt dead at moments, although the Celtics did pick it up late. Each quarter was close, so that made it watchable.

The highlight from the game came when Terry Rozier hit a late 4th quarter three, leaving 0.5 seconds in regulation. Not to be outdone, Bucks youngster Kris Middleton threw up a Hail Mary three from 35-feet to send the game into extras. From there it was all C’s. Jayson Tatum put TD Garden and all of Faneuil Hall on his back and carried Boston to a 113-107 OT Game 1 win. Selfishness and the lack of shots falling was Milwaukee’s downfall, while the Celtics tightened up on both ends to victory.

Going forward, both @B_Murph1021 and myself @JaxBrown725 will predict each game for the Celtics Playoff run. Here are our predictions for Game 2:

Game 2 – Bucks even the series at 1-1

With the young C’s still feeling themselves from Game 1’s comeback, they’ll be looking to extend that for Game 2. Although being plagued with injuries has hurt the C’s, their defensive has come through when it needed to. Offensively, however, improvements need to be made if they want the streak to continue. “The Three Musketeer” trio of Brown (20 pts Game 1), Tatum (19), and Rozier (23) must come to play as the playoff pressure increases. The Godfather (Horford) showed why he’s built for this with a big-time 24 points and 12 boards. The Beantown Bully continues to beat up the competition posting 21 and 7. Was it enough for what was at most times a lackadaisical game? Sure. Will the Greek Freak step up the D and continue making posters out of Aron Baynes? Probably.

Giannis and Co. come back in Game 2 with a force and show why even The Green Monster isn’t big enough to hold him back. Dropping a stat-line of 35, 13, and 7 while adding three steals in Game 1 will be a hard cover for anyone on the Celtics roster. Middleton lit it up with 31 points, while Brodgon dropped 16. Eric Bledsoe was a no-show, and for the Bucks to pull away from the bright-eyed/bushy-tailed Celtics he simply needs to play better than a 4/12 shooting night.

What to Expect:

Giannis shows up and expect the duo of Middleton/Brogdon to continue their play. I’m predicting Bledsoe to do more than just put on a jersey tonight. He’ll be putting up close to 13-15 points. Bucks center John Henson has been streaky, but could be a factor as well. The trio of Rozier, Tatum and Brown continue to provide buckets but youth shows up and turnovers could be the story. Horford anchors the middle, but Giannis picks up from Game 1 and is more defensively sound down low. Morris and Parker could be the x-factors for their teams respectively. A down game can’t happen for the Bucks to see this series through.

Side note – The Greek Freak averages 34, 11 and 5 vs. Boston this year.

Bucks take this one going home, 103-96

Follow me on Twitter, @JaxBrown725 or on IG @Drew_Joseph1020

Julian Edelman Participating in Offseason Workouts

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Julian Edelman Attends Workouts

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) scores a touchdown Denver Broncos strong safety Mike Adams (20) and defensive end Shaun Phillips (90) in the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Julian Edelman is coming off an ACL injury. He was spotted at the voluntary offseason workouts today. Unlike Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, who will not be attending the workouts, Edelman is. It’s a smart idea after coming off an injury like that he should get to a good start. Even though Edelman gets treatment from Alex Guerrero, it’s still a good idea to be at the workout. Last week Edelman posted on Instagram that he was getting treatment at TB12.

For Tom Brady, it’s great Edelman is getting to an early start. Amendola is gone, so Edelman really is Brady’s number one go-to receiver again.  According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Edelman can earn a $500,000 workout bonus this season, which is the highest on the team. Edelman must attend a certain percentage of the offseason voluntary workouts in order to receive the money. In his career, Edelman has scored 24 touchdowns and has 4,540 yards.

Edelman Will Make a Huge Bonus by Participating in the Workout

The other players’ workout bonus according to Mike Reiss includes Rob Gronkowski and Cordarrelle Patterson, who will make $250,000 each. Lawrence Guy makes $200,000, Stephen Gostkowski makes $100,000, and Patrick Chung makes $85,000. Edelman coming back to full health in 2018 is huge for the Patriots offense.  Edelman is one of 14 NFL players with at least 1,000 postseason receiving yards, and his 1,024 postseason receiving yards is ranked 13th in NFL history. He needs 39 postseason yards to move into the top ten.

Edelman wrote on Twitter in February, “Incredibly proud of this team. I’ve seen how much hard work these guys put in day in and day out. The chips didn’t fall our way this time, but the preparation and training for the 2018 season starts now. We’ll be back”. Julian Edelman also was working with Brady last week inside the Patriots practice facility.

Rob Gronkowski: Boycotting Medical Treatments

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More Patriots Drama…

Via UMass Blogs

Not only is Rob Gronkowski not participating in offseason workouts. He’s also boycotting traditional medical treatments. It seems Gronkowski would rather get all of his treatments at the TB12 center with Alex Guerrero. This is another shot at Bill Belichick. Deion Sanders sent out a tweet on April 13th stating that professional sports are a business first. Gronkowski retweeted that tweet. For Gronkowski to skip the voluntary workouts is one thing, but to completely boycott his medical treatments is a bigger issue.

https://twitter.com/DeionSanders/status/984859969865551872

This whole offseason for the Patriots has been nothing but drama and things leaking out about the team. We’ve been told the Patriots are different from everybody else, that they don’t let anything get to them. In reality they are just like every other organization. Belichick has been running the Patriots this way for 18 years. He isn’t known to pay his players. Gronkowski wants to get paid, and the only reason he’ll play this season is that Tom Brady is the quarterback. If Brady wasn’t the quarterback you’d be seeing him in Hollywood.

Gronkowski Wants to Get Paid

Belichick doesn’t have time to play these games, which is why he held the press conference on Friday. All this chatter and talk about the two biggest players on the team. All Belichick is doing is trying to build a team so he can be successful this year and Josh can take over in the future.

People won’t move past the Malcolm Butler benching in the Super Bowl two months after the game. Everyone is more into the benching of Butler than the Eagles actually winning the game. Is Gronk taking it too far and feeding the media with things to talk about? Maybe, but he is definitely making a statement boycotting traditional medical treatment.

Should the Celtics Trade Jayson Tatum?

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Jayson Tatum has had a very impressive rookie season, as he averaged 13.9 points per game in the regular season. He has developed into a scoring option and will be key if the Celtics make a run in the playoffs. Tatum is a versatile player, as he started games at forward and guard this year. He can shoot the three and drive to the rim. With a few more years in Brad Stevens’ system, Tatum should develop into an All-Star and All-NBA player. Given all this, there are still some Celtics fans who want to trade Tatum. Why? That would be for two other stars, by the names of Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard. They have been rumored to be on the trade block, but should the Celtics trade for one of them?

Trade for Anthony Davis?

A trade possibility for Davis would center around Al Horford and Jayson Tatum.  Al Horford is a given because the money needs to cancel out, and Davis and Horford have similar contracts. The big decision is whether or not to trade 20-year-old Jayson Tatum.

Like Tatum will, Davis has developed every year. He averaged 13.5 points per game in 2012 and 28.1 points per game in 2017. Davis and Tatum could have similar careers when it’s all over, so I would say yes to that trade. The keyword in that last sentence is “could”. We KNOW that Anthony Davis is a top five player in the league. We THINK that Jayson Tatum could develop into this, but that is no guarantee. A known commodity is better than a projected commodity, and they have the best chance to win now with Davis. Tatum could get slowed down by injuries, or the NBA could catch up to him. Rookies often have great years, then coaches figure out how to defend them and they slow down. If Tatum is out of Stevens’ system, he could struggle if the Pelicans screw him up.

Trade for Kawhi Leonard?

Kawhi Leonard seemed like he would be the next greatest Spur after the Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili era. However, a strange injury situation has caused tension between him and the Spurs. Some reports say that Kawhi is being a wimp, and other reports say it is the Spurs’ medical staff’s fault.

A trade possibility for Leonard would center around Rozier, Morris, Tatum, and a first. I understand this is just a rumor, but I would not do this trade if it was proposed. First of all, this is a bigger package than the Davis trade, and I think that Davis is better than Leonard. Second of all, I voiced my concerns with Tatum outside of Stevens’ system, and I feel the same way about Leonard outside of Pop’s system. Stevens is considered to be one of the best in the business, and I think he would handle Kawhi well. However, Pop is the best in the business and with all the reports, we do not know where his head is really at. I do not know for sure if Tatum will be a superstar, but I do believe that he is a hard worker. But I do not trust Leonard as a person.

Danny Ainge

Danny Ainge is not scared to make a move as he has made many big splashes before. His most notable moves came in the 2007 offseason when he assembled the big three. His other big moves came the last offseason when he completely transformed the team. He traded fan favorites Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley, and he will not hesitate to trade Tatum if he feels like the offer is right.