Top Designated Hitters Long-Term

The designated hitter “position” is old, with most of the players over 30. Two of the three best current designated hitters are over 35. So with their even further advanced age, it’s hard to keep them in the top three for the long-term. These guys will all play some in the field this year, but by and large, they will be at DH. With only half the league using the position, I will do the top five at the position with honorable mentions at the end.

1. J.D. Martinez

J.D. Martinez is an elite hitter, and still just 30 years old. This gives him a few years on the other elite guys at the position, so he should have a lot more value left in him. Since Martinez changed his swing heading into the 2014 season, he has been one of the best hitters in the game. One of the first to buy into hitting the ball in the air more, Martinez has averaged 40 home runs per 162 games played over these past four seasons. This has not come at the expense of getting on base, as Martinez has batted .300 during that span as well. His .574 slugging percentage during that time bests even Giancarlo Stanton.

As for the claim that playing in Arizona helped him? He had three excellent seasons prior to last year, and hit 38 home runs in 2015. Yes, Arizona probably helped some, but he only played a partial year there. Sixteen of his 45 home runs last year came at Chase Field, leaving 29 hit elsewhere. Take away Arizona, he likely still would have approached and possibly reached 40 homers.

2. Khris Davis

I have Davis no better than the fourth best DH in baseball, but factoring in age, I have to elevate the 30 year old above guys who are 35 and 37. He’s not going to get on base a ton, but not many players in baseball have more power. Davis has batted exactly .247 for three consecutive seasons, with his rate of getting on base ranging between .307 and .336. Not great. However, in his two years playing in Oakland, one of the best pitcher’s parks in the game, Davis has hit 85 home runs. His slugging percentage has been above .500 for three straight years and in four out of five total. Pencil him in for a .250 average and 40 home runs.

3. Edwin Encarnacion

Encarnacion is one of the elite hitters I was referencing. At 35 years old, he has five years on both guys ahead of him, which is why he’s down at the three spot. However, he is still good enough that I would prefer his two or three seasons of scaring pitchers at the plate to the four or five years of solid play others might provide. His average won’t be great, but it should be much better than Davis’. Unlike Davis, Encarnacion also walks a lot to give him a good on-base percentage.

Since becoming a full-time player in 2012, Encarnacion has averaged 38 homers per season. His lowest total in that six year stretch was 34, in a season he only played 128 games. Leaving the friendly confines of the Rogers Centre last year, Encarnacion still crushed 38 home runs for Cleveland. Despite his .258 average he had a .377 on-base percentage thanks to walking over 100 times.

4. Logan Morrison

After years of underperforming, Morrison bought into the “fly ball revolution” and broke out. He still hit just .246, but with his 81 walks he got on base at a .353 clip. The big win was Morrison’s 38 home runs. This came after he had his 31 home runs the previous two years and 42 over the previous three. Morrison hit by far the most fly balls of his career last season, but also a career high 18% of them went for home runs. That likely won’t happen again, but if he keeps hitting the ball in the air he could be a threat for 30 home runs.

5. Nelson Cruz

Cruz will be turning 38 by mid-season, but he’s just as good now as he ever has been. He is quite remarkable; consistently putting up better stats in the second half of his 30’s then he did his entire career before then. Not that he wasn’t good; Cruz broke out in 2009 when he was 29. However, Cruz had never hit 40 home runs and only reached 30 in that 2009 season before 2014. Since, Cruz has hit 39 or more home runs in all four seasons.

Cruz is easily number two for just this season, with an argument for the top spot. But turning 38 this year, he just has too many years on the other guys for me to put him higher for the long-term. Given his 42 home runs per season and .908 OPS from his age 34 through 37 seasons though, I am not betting against this guy until he shows some decline.

Honorable Mentions:

Mark Trumbo, Evan Gattis, Kendrys Morales, Shin Soo-Choo

Featured picture from wpri.com

Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib Were Luxuries, Not Necessities

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It’s no secret that the New England Patriots need a second cornerback in free agency, and it looked like two perfect targets could fall into their lap. Longtime stars Aqib Talib and Richard Sherman were both available, yet the Patriots couldn’t acquire either. While having one of those two on the team certainly would have made the team better, it’s not the end of the world that the Patriots didn’t get them. Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib were luxuries, not necessities, and the 2018 Patriots can build a great defense without them.

Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib Were Luxuries, Not Necessities

Where the Secondary Currently Stands

The secondary has some pretty good talent in it

Image credit: CBS Sports

The second cornerback position is in something of a flux, but the rest of the starting secondary is in great shape. Stephon Gilmore proved to be one of the best free agent signings in recent Patriot history, and Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung are among the best at their position. Add in Duron Harmon coming off the bench, and New England should boast one of the better secondaries in football, regardless of who lines up opposite Gilmore.

With that in mind, the Patriots don’t need a superstar at the second corner position. Should they choose to spend big, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson is the best guy on the market. He’s younger than both Talib and Sherman, and is roughly the same caliber of player.

However, the Patriots will likely go the cheaper route, which means they’ll probably target players like Jacksonville’s Aaron Colvin or Indianapolis’s Rashaan Melvin. Colvin was mostly utilized as a slot corner because he was buried behind the best cornerback duo in football, but he’s performed well when he’s been called upon. Despite his bad 2015 cameo with the Patriots, Melvin actually has two good years of film from 2016 and 2017 with the Indianapolis Colts. His market seems small, so he could be a good buy low option for New England.

More Pressing Defensive Needs

Dont’a Hightower’s return will help the defense, but it won’t fix every issue

Image credit: CBS Boston

It’s no secret that the defense wasn’t great last season. While it wasn’t as bad as the Super Bowl made it look, it was one of the weaker Patriots defenses in recent years. This was due primarily to the front seven.

New England’s front seven struggled getting to the quarterback. They finished the year ranked seventh in sacks, but most of that was due to the coverage from the secondary. The Patriots had one of the worst average sack times in football, and they didn’t possess enough pass rushing options. Opposing teams typically focused on taking away Trey Flowers, and nobody else could step up. Losing star linebacker Dont’a Hightower hurt too.

The Patriots only have so much cap space and resources, so this is where the main focus should be. There are several good fits on the market, and it would be a surprise if New England didn’t invest a high draft pick into a linebacker and/or an edge defender. They’ve already solved the interior run problem by trading for Danny Shelton, but he won’t help the pass rush.

If New England can find one or two players capable of getting to the quarterback, it won’t matter who the second cornerback is. Think back the Seattle Seahawks’ famous “Legion of Boom” from 2013. They had a star linebacker, a ferocious pass rush, and three superstars in the secondary. The second cornerback, Byron Maxwell, wasn’t anything special, but he didn’t have to be because the rest of the unit was so good. The 2018 Patriots defense won’t be as good as that generational unit, but they’re built similarly.

The Biggest Necessity

Yes, the front seven needs help, but there isn’t one specific player that can fix that. Several key players like Dont’a Hightower and Derek Rivers are returning from injury, and New England has a series of high draft picks to use. Their biggest priority isn’t even on the defensive side.

Longtime left tackle Nate Solder is hitting free agency, and the Patriots cannot allow to let him go. Solder is one of the 10-15 best left tackles in the league, and has been paramount to keeping Brady healthy these last few seasons. With the quarterback now 41, Solder has never been more valuable.

The market behind Solder is abysmal. Solder’s the only starting caliber tackle available in both free agency and the draft. This makes for a great situation for Solder, but a bad one for New England.

Solder is likely to receive offers for more than what he’s probably worth. He’s going to get paid like a top-five tackle, even though he’s not quite that type of player. New England has to match those offers. Yes, they would be overpaying, but the cost of letting him go is just too high. If it means the Patriots can’t afford Johnson or Bills linebacker Preston Brown, then so be it.

Everybody asking for Belichick’s head for missing out on Sherman and Talib need to calm down. Both players would have helped for the right price, but neither one was a necessity. The biggest issues for the Patriots right now are re-signing Solder and fixing the front seven. Belichick has already started to fix the run defense with the Shelton trade, and free agency hasn’t even started yet. We’re a long way from Week One, and there’s still plenty of time to build a roster.

Cover Image Credit: CBS Sports

Patriots Acquire DT Danny Shelton from Browns

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Danny Shelton to the Pats

Cleveland’s fire sale shows no signs of ending. Earlier today John Dorsey and the Browns agreed to send defensive tackle Danny Shelton to the Patriots, per ESPN.

The Browns made headlines yesterday after their new GM Dorsey made three blockbuster trades. In the past 24 hours, Cleveland has jump-started their roster by bringing in Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor, and Damarious Randall. The Browns’ front office is going all out to make moves in their pursuit to change their status in the NFL from chumps to champs.

Updated via @FieldYates and me: Browns trade Danny Shelton and a 5th round pick in '18 for the Patriots’ 3rd l-round pick in '19. And there it is, the fourth Browns’ trade in less than 24 hours. https://t.co/MQ6Qc8Dmha

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2018

The Patriots are bringing in Danny Shelton in pursuit to fix their pass rush woes. With Alan Branch out of the picture after the team denied his option, Shelton can carve his way into a starting role. In his three seasons in the NFL, Danny Shelton has 128 tackles (71 solo) and 1.5 sacks. He started for the Browns for 44 of the 46 games he was active. According to Pro Football Focus, Danny Shelton has a grade of 81.5, ranking in the upper percentile of defensive tackles. He is a huge value acquisition for the Patriots, considering that he only has a $3.7 million cap hit for the 2018 season. Shelton is the run-stuffing tackle that New England needs to correspond with their pass rush. He can be the support the defensive line needs to be able to get to opposing quarterbacks more often.

Courtesy of 247Sports

Cover image courtesy of waitingfornextyear.com.

2018: The Year of Bogaerts

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After an offensive dive last season, 2018 is primed to be they breakout year we’ve all been waiting for when it comes to Xander Bogaerts.

After a season in which he suffered a hand injury, Bogaerts’s numbers hurt as well. In 2017, Xander hit .273 with 10 homers and 62 RBIs. Those numbers are surprisingly low following his amazing 2016 season, when he hit 21 homers and 89 RBIs to go along with a .294 batting average. With new manager Alex Cora in the mix, Xander Bogaerts is primed to have a career year.

Although spring training to me doesn’t evaluate much besides the prospects, X man is showing signs of prosperity. The starting shortstop is locating the pitches and shows flashes of the power that got his signed when he was 16. The Aruba native will only make $7,500,000 this season, and will become an unrestricted free agent after 2019. With super agent Scott Boras handling negotiations, odds are there will be no talks of an extension anytime soon.

Over the years his defense has improved. It can only get better from here. While being able to cover most of the left side of the field, he covers the middle as well. Compared to shortstops such as Correa, Lindor, and Simmons, Bogaerts is the cheaper option. What he makes up for in savings won’t deteriorate his value. He can slap the ball anywhere on the field with great precision.

While he could easily command a six year, $125 million deal, the potential is there with room for improvement. No fan of the sport has seen his ceiling. This could be the year he stays consistent throughout the entirety of the season.

Stat line Prediction for 2018:

.313 BA, 26 home runs, 97 RBIs

This prediction relies heavily on his health and consistency. These numbers could be achievable with having a clubhouse factor such as David Ortiz popping in as a player consultant this season. With all eyes pointed on New York, look out for Boston to defend their AL East crown?

The Evolution of the Leadoff Hitter

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Wave goodbye to the small ball stereotypical leadoff hitter you may be used to seeing

Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, and Ichiro Suzuki represent some of the most iconic leadoff hitters of all time. They are known for mainly getting a hit in any way they can, and then relying on speed to score efficiently. However, that stereotype is evolving by cutting out the factor of speed and replacing it with power. The 2017 season saw a record amount of home runs (6105) hit in the MLB’s 149 years of existence. It seems to have made an impact on stolen base amounts.

Players are relying less on moving into scoring position themselves in order to score a run. Instead, they are banking more on a batter driving them in by way of a double or a home run. Just to use as a reference point, on base percentage has ranged from .324 to .349 since the year 2000. So the amount that leadoff hitters reach base safely hasn’t really fluctuated. More so, it has to do with how they reach base and that is by way of power.

The above graph shows stolen base amounts of leadoff hitters for every year since 2000.

The leadoff spot of the lineup is evolving into a power based slot

I came across an article talking about how Aaron Boone has thought about batting Aaron Judge at the leadoff spot and it makes a good amount of sense. He accumulates a high number of walks and a high number of home runs which helped him reach an OPS (On Base plus Slugging) of 1.049 in 2017, which was second in the majors behind Mike Trout. On the other side of the spectrum, he also struck out a major league leading 208 times. But all of these stats fall in line with our theoretical power based leadoff hitter.

This table shows the amount of strikeouts committed by a leadoff hitter for every year since 2000. As it shows, the number has steadily increased. However, on base percentage is not affected as much because the amount of strikeouts are outweighed by the amount of doubles, triples and home runs that are seen in today’s game. Players like George Springer, Kyle Schwarber, Charlie Blackmon and Mookie Betts have really thrived in the leadoff spot by way of maximizing their slugging percentages, rather than attempting to exclusively make contact for a single such as players like Dee Gordon or Trea Turner. The table below shows the amount of home runs that leadoff hitters had for every year since 2000. It falls right in line with the definition of today’s long ball style.

The last three years (2015, 2016 and 2017) are the years to really consider granted that the amount of home runs that leadoff hitters are obtaining is really sky rocketing at a great rate. But the writing on the wall tells us that this new stigma for leadoff hitters has more to do than just pure home run hitting abilities and factors in the ability to obtain doubles and triples as well.

The above graph shows the slugging percentages of leadoff hitters for every year since 2000.

Granted, slugging percentages dipped in the years 2010-2014. However, in the years following, that same metric rose to a pretty high level. This can be attributed to many things, but the belief is that the ideal MLB lineup that is front loaded with power is the next wave of success. Now am I saying that players like Giancarlo Stanton, Nolan Arenado, J.D. Martinez and Nelson Cruz should be leading off from here on out? Absolutely not. But if the lineup deems it appropriate, such as the surplus of power for the Yankees’, then teams can really thrive off the idea and it will become more mainstream with every passing season.

Featured photo credit: Getty images

Find me on Twitter: @ELJGON

Worcester and the Pawtucket Red Sox

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A Tale of Two Cities

Every time the possibility of the Pawtucket Red Sox relocating comes into the news, the city of Worcester is thrown around as a possibility destination. Worcester is on the up and up when it comes to minor league and small market teams as of late. The issue is quickly becoming a tale of two cities, Worcester and Pawtucket. Two very similar cities. The Worcester Railers received nothing but open arms when they moved into the DCU Center to replace the Worcester Sharks. The ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders continue to bring economic revenue to the city of Worcester. Consequently, it is easy to see why Worcester wants to see the Paw Sox continue that trend.

Pawtucket, R.I.-04/28/2017- Larry Lucchino is trying to find a new home for the Pawtucket Red Sox, as millions of dollars has to be spent to improve the old McCoy Stadium where they currently play. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff (business)

Worcester Willing to Pay

The ongoing issue of the Pawtucket Red Sox relocation process continues to take up the news in Rhode Island and Worcester. New reports say that the city of Worcester is spending $54,000 on consulting services. That is an incredible amount of money to spend. Just to try to wine and dine the Pawtucket Red Sox, and show them around Worcester. Apparently, wooing the Paw Sox costs a pretty penny. The city believes money is not an option and are desperate for some minor league baseball.

The hiring of expensive consultants, who charge anywhere from $225 to $525 an hour, proves this notion. The consultants, Jeff Mullan and Foley Hoag, are proving to be worth the price tag by putting in the hours for the city of Worcester. A total of 131 hours, equaling a little over five days, is the amount of time they have put in so far. A tremendous amount of time spent trying to charm the Paw Sox, not to mention a lot of money.

The news saga between the two cities is few and far between. Rhode Island lawmakers and voters continue to fail to reach new grounds. While the Paw Sox themselves continue to say “nothing is changing,” the consultants beg to differ. As a matter of fact, the public display of affection between the city of Worcester and Paw Sox team officials continue to die down. Photos of team officials and Worcester officials whooping it up at the newly crowned Worcester Railers’ game made their way around the public. Nevertheless, Larry Lucchino maintains nothing new between the two parties.

The Future Ahead

Most of this ongoing issue is one party saying nothing is happening, pictures come out, then the other party saying the same thing. The relocation of the Pawtucket Red Sox seems like a never-ending process. The team is in McCoy Stadium until 2020. It is hard to see a future where the Paw Sox are not in Pawtucket. Worcester wants it another way. This seems like it could go on forever. The history of the Pawtucket Red Sox continues to grow and I hope it grows for a long time.

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

Cover image courtesy of Stadium Journey.

J.D. Martinez Is Making Plays with Mookie Betts

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Looking Forward to J.D. Martinez in 2018

When J.D. Martinez signed with the Red Sox, it felt awesome no doubt. But it didn’t feel fully real. At least not then. I wouldn’t even say it feels 100% real now, as he has yet to play a regular season game for it to really sink in. But it’s definitely getting to the point where I don’t feel like I’m in a dream anymore.

It was the same way when David Price signed a couple of years back, and Chris Sale last year. They both had to start a few games before it really sunk in that they were here.

J.D. has finally gotten into his first few Spring Training games. I never really thought about it but hearing “J.D. driving in Mookie” is definitely a term we will be hearing all season. And I am here for it.

USA Today

Martinez + Mookie

Mookie Betts was in a 0-16 hole so far in Spring Training going into today’s game against the Rays. He finally got his first hit on a ground ball to third. He pointed to the sky and celebrated with the new first base coach Tom Gooden. But something would happen a few AB’s later that really got me excited.

J.D. Martinez came to the plate with two outs and Mookie on first base. J.D. had played his first game the day before and went 0-2 on two fly outs. On his first at bat in his second game hitting cleanup, he hit a fly ball to right field that got down. It went deep enough for Mookie to come around third and score.

There's a good chance you'll see more of this in 2018. pic.twitter.com/RAfnR70GMO

— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 8, 2018

That run didn’t matter much, as it was only a Spring Training run that got the game to a 3-1 deficit. None of that was what I was excited about. But it was the fact that J.D. Martinez had just driven in Mookie Betts. That is for sure a delightful thing to hear and something Sox fans will be hearing all season long. It will be a phrase that I will have no problem getting used to.

Cover image courtesy of NESN.

Richard Sherman or Aqib Talib?

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The Tales of the Cornerbacks

NBC Sports

The Patriots will head into the 2018 offseason with defensive problems, like we clearly saw in the Super Bowl. The Patriots have a clear problem on defense and they really need a top corner to fill the hole they have. With Malcolm Butler on his way out the door, we now can see that the hole at the corner back position is huge. There are two names that are free agents that could be a perfect fit to fill that position. Aqib Talib and Richard Sherman. One of those two guys could be just the player they need at defense to win another Super Bowl.

Bring Back Talib

FOXBORO, MA – NOVEMBER 18: Aqib Talib #31 of the New England Patriots watches from the sideline against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half at Gillette Stadium on November 18, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

First, Talib has two years left on his contract worth $11 million this year and $8 million in 2019. Talib would rather play with Tom Brady and the Patriots like he did during the 2012-2013 season. Talib is a five time Pro-Bowler and one time Super Bowl Champ with the Denver Broncos. In his two years with the Patriots ,Talib played in 19 games and started 18 of them. He had five interceptions 71 yards and one touchdown. He also recorded 51 tackles during his time with the Patriots. Aqib Talib’s mindset is to win what better way to win than with the Patriots.

Richard Sherman in a Patriots Uniform

Via Clutch Points

Second, Richard Sherman with the Seattle Seahawks holds the coaching staff accountable still after the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Sherman is a four time Pro bowler and a one time Super Bowl champ. He had 32 interceptions with the Seahawks and 395 yards. Sherman had two touchdowns and got 286 tackles with his time with the Seahawks. The Patriots are famous for bringing in toxic players for the short term. Examples include Cory Dillion and Randy Moss, but they held on to him too long. If they let Moss go after 2008 they would’ve been fine.

I’d personally would take Aqib Talib back since he is use to the Patriots system. Sherman has a bigger mouth and more problems with Tom Brady as saying “you mad bro?” With Talib joining the Rams that leaves Sherman to the Patriots.

The Eduardo Rodriguez Breakout Season

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The Boston Red Sox rotation, when healthy, is one of the best in the league. Chris Sale is one of the top five starters in baseball, and David Price, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello are all above average at their respective spot in the rotation. However, there is one X-Factor in the rotation that could truly send this group from great to elite. Eduardo Rodriguez has flashed talent since entering the majors in 2015, but has struggled with consistency. Now in his fourth major league season, here’s what needs to happen for the Eduardo Rodriguez breakout season to become reality.

The Eduardo Rodriguez Breakout Season

Start Healthy and Stay Healthy

The first jersey Rodriguez wears this season shouldn’t be a Boston Red Sox one

Image credit: Portland Press Herald

E-Rod is expected to miss the start of the regular season, but it’s not all bad news. Rodriguez has begun throwing bullpen sessions off the mound, and could be ready to return as soon as mid-April. This is ahead of the initial recovery date, which is obviously good news.

However, Alex Cora and the Red Sox need to be smart about bringing E-Rod back. His off-season knee surgery was mostly seen as a maintenance work, but he’s had knee injuries before. The Red Sox need to be sure not to bring him back into the rotation before he’s ready to go.

He’s been rushed back too early before, and the results haven’t been great. E-Rod went through a different knee issue in 2016, and came back a bit earlier than he should have. The 2016 rotation was something of a mess at the time, so it’s understandable why then-manager John Farrell wanted E-Rod back as soon as possible.

Learning from History

However, learning from history shows patience is the best course. E-Rod made his 2016 season debut on May 31^st, and after six starts he held an ugly 8.59 ERA. He gave up four or more earned runs four times, and only made it out of the sixth inning twice.

The Red Sox demoted Rodriguez to Pawtucket to fix his mechanics and get healthy. He returned three weeks later looking like a completely different player. Rodriguez made fourteen starts and recorded a 3.24 ERA after that demotion. He was one of the best pitchers on the team and should have started in the playoffs against the Cleveland Indians.

Brian Johnson is currently scheduled to take E-Rod’s spot in the rotation. It will be tempting for Cora to get Rodriguez back in the rotation as early as possible, but he needs to be smart. Rushing E-Rod is a short sighted move that will only make the team and Rodriguez worse in the long run. Get him healthy, and let him dominate.

Use the Slider

When it’s working, Rodriguez has one of the best sliders in baseball

While getting E-Rod fully healthy rests primarily on the training and coaching staff, E-Rod needs to make sure he’s smart with his pitch selection. Rodriguez is a three-pitch pitcher, and can be unhittable when all three are working. His fastball is his main pitch, and he has a nasty change up. However, it’s his slider that makes him deadly.

When Rodriguez doesn’t trust his slider, his pitches become predictable. Hitters can sit on the fastball and change up, and those pitches alone aren’t good enough to consistently get guys out. That’s not to say that E-Rod can only get guys out with the slider; he’s had good games rarely throwing it. Last season against the Baltimore Orioles, E-Rod pitched six shutout innings while throwing his slider just 5.6% of the time.

However, a lot of E-Rod’s bad starts have one thing in common: the absence of the slider. In 2017, Rodriguez had six starts in which he pitched fewer than six innings and gave up four or more earned runs. His slider use was under 10% in four of those six starts.

Looking at the data, most of E-Rod’s noted inconsistency comes from starts where he doesn’t use his slider. When healthy and not using his slider, his good versus bad starts are split roughly 50/50. When he’s healthy and able to keep batters guessing, he almost always puts up quality starts.

What to Expect This Year

I’ve admittedly been high on Rodriguez ever since his 2015 debut, but this should be his breakout year. Rodriguez has been in the majors long enough that Alex Cora should know the best way to use E-Rod. He’ll know that E-Rod needs to get his slider working. He’ll know that rushing E-Rod back to replace Brian Johnson is a bad idea.

It wasn’t that long ago that E-Rod was one of the top prospects in baseball, and he’s still just 24. He won’t ever threaten Sale for the ace position, but there’s no reason to think that he can’t push for the second or third spot in the rotation. Regardless of where he ends up in the lineup, he should push the unit over the top. Sale, Price, Pomeranz, Porcello, and a healthy Rodriguez should be nearly unhittable. Combine that with a strong offense and bullpen, and these Red Sox should be very hard to beat this season.

Cover Image Credit: NBC Sports

Injury Bug Could Define Bruins’ Season

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Injury Bug Hits Bruins

So far this season the Bruins have delivered more than many expected. They were not supposed to be one of the best teams in the NHL. The youth has arrived and exceeded all expectations. The Stretch that will truly define them is now. The injury bug has hit the Bruins, as they will be without Charlie McAvoy and Patrice Bergeron for the next few weeks. Tuukka Rask should be back soon, but he’s missed the last two games. So far, without their two top players the Bruins have done well, and even though it hasn’t always pretty they have found a way to win. The Bruins won their first game without McAvoy last night and are 4-0 without Bergeron. Both players are key to the Bruins as they impact the game in so many ways.

Photo Credit: Michael Dwyer/ AP Photo

Deadline Deals Become More Important

At the trade deadline the Bruins were one of the busiest teams. Other than the Rick Nash deal the Bruins made minor moves to improve their depth. They did not know that depth would be tested so quickly. So far, these additions have been very productive. Nick Holden was having a down year in New York, but he’s recorded a point in each of his first two games in Boston. Tommy Wingels was not seen as a significant addition by Boston but had a big goal in his Bruins debut. The play of these two and Nash down the stretch will be essential. As the Bruins learned last year when they lost Krug and Carlo before the playoffs, depth is key.

Photo Credit: Rudi Schuller

The Young Kids

The Bruins have a lot of veterans on this team. They have arguably one of the best lines in hockey with Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak. What makes this team so special is how the young players such as DeBrusk and Heinen have exceeded expectations. They have been solid offensively, and as the season has gone on they’ve only improved. They will not have to do it alone, as Marchand is on a tear of his own. Marchand has scored the overtime winners in both of Boston’s last two games. The young guys will have to step up, but the Bruins still have some very talented veterans.

Photo Credit: Adam Belue

What Will Be Key

With McAvoy out the Bruins will be missing their best defenseman. Bergeron is very good defensively, as he is the best two-way player in the game. Without these two defense will be key, and that was evident last night as they gave up five goals to Detroit. What defines a championship team is the struggles they go through as a season goes on. If the Bruins can continue to win without Bergeron and McAvoy, this team should be taken even more seriously. This is the point of the season that every athlete relishes with the playoffs on the line. The injury bug hits every team over the course of a season and people are about to see how much heart this team really has.