Brian Gionta Could Have What It Takes

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Up to this point in the season the Bruins have been just as good as any team in the league. They might not have the star power that we see on teams like Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh. However, as a unit the B’s have been dominant. Since December 1st, they’ve put up a record of 28-8-4, which has propelled them into a comfortable second place spot in the Atlantic. But the NHL trade deadline is all about GM’s evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of their team and making moves accordingly. As strong as the team looked heading down the stretch, Sweeney still saw one flaw that the Bruins have. That’s where Brian Gionta comes in.

In Comes Gionta

A good portion of the Bruins success has been thanks to their youth. Prior to the deadline, they were the 12th youngest team in the NHL with an average age of under 27. This is great for the future of the whole organization, but raised some questions about how they’d handle playoff hockey. With Gionta being unsigned and expressing interest in making a return to the NHL, the opportunity was too good to pass up. He’s played in over 1,000 regular season games to go with another 112 in the playoffs. That’s about a season and a half worth of playoff hockey.

Having hoisted the Stanley Cup with New Jersey back in 2003, Gionta is no stranger to big games. Even before turning pro, he played in three national championships while playing at Boston College. The first two ended in heart-wrenching losses, but he finally took home the ‘ship while serving as team captain during his senior year. He’s also represented the United States twice in the Olympics, twice in the IIHF world championships, and three times at the World Junior tournament. All of this in addition to his playoff experience tells us that Gionta knows a thing or two about do-or-die situations.

Gionta Has What It Takes

Gionta has also proven to be a natural leader. He’s worn the “C” for Boston College, Montreal, Buffalo, and recently for Team U.S.A at the Olympic Games. Standing at just 5’7 he’s always relied on his strong work ethic to compensate for his lack of size. Even going back to his days in youth hockey, he could never just be good. Being his height, he needed to be phenomenal in order to be taken seriously- so that’s what he worked toward. Through his dedication Gionta developed into a shifty NHL forward and saw plenty of success during his prime. His best season came back in 2005-06, where he led the Devils with 89 points.

But even with his skill-set Gionta’s work ethic has always been a huge part of his game. He grinds it out in the corners and has a willingness to take a beating out in front of the net. At his height he can take crosschecks from a defenseman, but Gionta manages to stand his ground. This tenacity should fit in well with the Bruins style of play, and it’s been great to see the success that he’s had so far. Through his first two games, Gionta has put up three assists while playing along-side Danton Heinen and David Backes.

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

He really has everything that a team needs heading into the playoffs. Gionta comes with experience, determination, leadership, and still has some skill left after all these years. The B’s only have six remaining players from the 2011 cup winning team, so it’s nice to add another guy who’s been there, done that. Despite being one of the less talked about moves at the deadline, Sweeney might’ve found a hidden gem.

Rafael Devers- Boston’s Future at Third Base

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The Third Base Conundrum

Last year in the summertime, the Red Sox were in a very tough place. They had just released Pablo Sandoval, a third baseman they had expected to be their guy over the next five years. He was signed to a $95 million contract in the winter of 2014. He did not produce in the way he did in San Francisco, where he helped lead them to three championships in five seasons.

They had started the year off with Pablo over Travis Shaw, because they were hopeful the Sandoval situation would work out. Obviously it didn’t. So they could’ve just went back to Travis Shaw at third, right? The problem was Shaw was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Tyler Thornburg, a right handed reliever who was injured for the whole year. So Shaw is out mashing on the Brew Crew, meanwhile the Red Sox were forced to release their joke of a third baseman.

One of the biggest talks of last year was who the Red Sox could trade for to play third base. Everyone mentioned Mike Moustakes, from Kansas City, who could be a good rental. Nobody wanted the best prospect in the organization, Rafael Devers, to get called up since many thought he would be too rushed. But Dave Dombrowski didn’t listen as he would call up Devers in July.

Devers is the Future

At first many were skeptical, but that went away quick. In his second game he slammed a 427 foot home run. He would later single later in that game and never look back. He stayed hot for the rest of the year, hitting home runs left and right, including the famous one off of Aroldis Chapman to tie the game in the top of the ninth in Yankee Stadium. I mean, he’s already getting clutch hits against the Yankees at age 20. Just crazy.

He’s had a great spring so far, hitting .400 with two homers in several games. He went back to back with Andrew Beninendi last Sunday, and did the same with Xander Bogaerts against the Rays.

The lineup is still being figured out, as Cora will put guys in the right places for protection. But Devers definitely has the capability of being in the top or middle of that lineup.

What to Look Forward To

As far as the defense goes, he’s struggled. But that’s okay. You have to remember he’s not even 21 yet. Defense will come around. One of the players Devers looked up to growing up was Adrian Beltre. Beltre came up with the Dodgers at a very young age and struggled defensively at third. But now? He’s a five time gold glove winner and someone you see making great plays every single night. So as far as defense goes for Devers, it will come around.

I am super excited to see what the future holds for this young kid who isn’t even near his prime yet and already hits like a veteran. He is perfect for Fenway as he has learned to use the monster very well. The future looks bright for the young Devers, but as of right now, he’s looking like a big part of this 2018 Red Sox team.

Cover image courtesy of NESN.

How Do the Red Sox Match up with the Yankees?

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The 2018 MLB season starts later this month, and the Red Sox and Yankees will be battling it out for first place in the AL East. The Red Sox have won the division two straight years, and the Yankees lost in the ALCS last year. Since they are likely to be neck and neck, let’s evaluate how they match up with each other:

Hitting

The Yankees have a dominant duo with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, who combined for 111 home runs last year. They are complemented by other productive hitters such as Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, and Didi Gregorius. The Red Sox struggled with power last year, but they did add slugger J.D. Martinez to the lineup. Unlike the Yankees, the Red Sox rely on average and speed to score runs. If Hanley Ramirez, Mookie Betts, Rafael Devers, and Andrew Benintendi all hit for power, then the Red Sox will win the division. If they hit for average, the Yankees will win. Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. have not lived up to expectations, but they both have great potential. They could be nice compliments at the bottom of the order.

Final prediction: The Yankees hitting will match up better than the Red Sox.

Yankees Pitching

The Yankees have a shaky starting rotation, but a very good bullpen. If Luis Severino repeats what he did last year, then he is the clear ace. If he does not, the Yankees are in trouble. Masahiro Tanaka is rarely healthy and has struggled in past years when healthy. Sonny Gray had a promising start to his career, but he had a 5.69 ERA in 2016 and a 3.75 ERA in 2017. If he can get back to his 2015 days when he had a 2.73 ERA, then he will be a great number two starter. The rest of the Yankees rotation is filled out by 37-year-old CC Sabathia and inexperienced Jordan Montgomery. The Yankees should win almost every game when they have the lead going into the seventh. David Robertson, Dillon Betances, and Alrodis Chapman is a dominant 7-8-9 trio.

Red Sox Pitching

The Red Sox pitching staff has a ton of potential. David Price, Chris Sale, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello all have the potential to be aces. David Price struggled a bit in 2016 but shined when healthy in 2017. Rick Porcello won the Cy Young award in 2016 but struggled in 2017. Chris Sale was an MVP candidate but started to fall off at the end of last year. Drew Pomeranz has been excellent since the start of 2016, hopefully, he can keep that up. Eduardo Rodriguez is a nice option for the fifth starter, but it looks like Brian Johnson will take that spot due to Rodriguez’ knee injury. The Red Sox did not make any improvements to the bullpen, and it seems like Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg will be relied on. They were traded for in consecutive offseasons, but injuries have kept them both sidelined.

Final prediction: Red Sox pitching staff will match up better than the Yankees pitching staff.

Cover image courtesy of BoSox Injection.

How the ‘Patriot Way’ Handles the NFL Draft

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All eyes are fixated on top prospects as the 2018 NFL Draft draws closer by the day. Big names like Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield headline almost every mock draft. A sea of cameras trail the NFL’s next most promising players. From now until April 26th, all that the media can do is sit and wait to see where college football’s brightest stars will land. From here on in they can only add to the hype and hysteria that surrounds NFL front offices.

The media in the past has brought forth stars like Carson Wentz into the light. Yet, they have done their fair share of over-hyping players. Teams like the Browns have fallen prey to such deception in the past. Though top prospects are always slated to stardom by the media, no one knows how things will play out. Because of this promising prospects can turn a team sour as easily as they can improve them.

A Good Magician Never Reveals Their Secrets

Since the dawn of the NFL, we have seen teams’ success waver over time The 1970s Steelers ruled the league with an iron fist, as well as the Cowboys in the 1990s. Since then, those teams have been remnants of their old selves. We’ve seen flashes of their former prosperity, but they have never fully returned to it.

In comes the 21st century Patriots. Since 2000 New England has made the Super Bowl eight times, more times than they have missed the playoffs (three). The only remaining figures from their Super Bowl run in 2001 are Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady. So comes the question that is lodged in the brains of fans, media members, and even front office executives: how the hell have the Patriots been elite for so long? The answer is simple, but at the same time it is not. The “Patriot Way” is what makes this team so special.

Like the 31 other teams in the league, the Patriots build for the future through the draft. The words “Patriots” and “rebuilding” have not been in the same sentence for quite some time. They have never needed to undergo a full rebuild that we see so often in the league. They haven’t needed to wipe the slate clean and start anew like the Browns have needed to do so many times in the past decade. Instead of starting completely over the Patriots slowly upgrade themselves with young prospects. All these microscopic changes over time fail to turn any heads because every team does the same. This whole process is not anything new, it’s the way that the Patriots execute it that makes it work. They bring prospects in to be the future, as any team.

Courtesy of SB Nation.

The Patriot Way

But why is it that New England’s prospects are different from anyone else’s? If anything, shouldn’t they be not as good due to the Patriots consistently having low draft picks due to their success? On paper that is true, but New England has a divergent way of bringing rookies up into the league.

Coach Bill Belichick hates the noise that the media emanates. Especially when they try to act like they know football. He refuses to buy into the hype for most top prospects. He does not look at prospects for their talent, but instead how they can help the Patriots. The bottom line is that football is a team sport, and though Tom Brady is talented he cannot win on his own. Thus, the Patriots’ mantra is “do your job”. Flashiness and highlights will only get you noticed by scouts. But, Bill Belichick is willing to pass up on anyone that cannot put their team ahead of themselves.

While the cameras surround prospects slated to be first round pick, Belichick takes the road less traveled. He scouts players that are overlooked by everyone else. Why? Because they are willing to give their all to play football. That kind of fire is what is wanted in New England. Lower draft picks will fight for their career, no matter what it takes. Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Elandon Roberts are a few examples of players taken on the back end of the draft. They fought tooth and nail to even be drafted, and that discipline and determination helped them become the starters that they are today.

That same principle goes for those who go undrafted. A whopping eighteen Patriots appearing in the Super Bowl back in February went undrafted. The most famous of them all is Malcolm Butler, who set a precedent around the league to not underestimate undrafted rookies. Every player starts their career the same way. Whether it is a DI or DIII school, players all must play at the collegiate level before going pro.

Courtesy of NBC Sports.

One Man’s Trash

The New England Patriots are successful because they know what it takes to win. Sometimes a team-first attitude is more important than talent. The Patriots bring in players who are widely disregarded and convert them into key role players. All these players share one common thing: they want to prove that they can play. With determination like that anything is possible. The “Patriot Way” is not a saying, it’s a mindset. Former Patriot Kevin Faulk learned about this approach during his career in New England. In an article for The Player’s Tribune, he writes,

“The Patriot Way ain’t about nothing but winning, man. That’s it. See, Coach Belichick is the kind of guy who doesn’t care what you do on your own time. He wants you to know football and he wants you to come to work every day and do your job to the best of your ability. Anything else, he doesn’t really care.”

It might be wise to watch the undrafted pool in April, because Bill Belichick could find himself a new shiny player to electrify his team with.

Follow Mike Clement on Twitter: @MClementMedia.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

New England Patriots Free Agency Wish List

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NFL free agency is set to begin on March 14^th, and the New England Patriots should be active in the market. Despite making it to the Super Bowl, this team has several roster spots that need replacing or upgrading entering 2018. Additionally, they also have several key free agents entering the market. Without further ado, here is the New England Patriot free agency wish list:

New England Patriot Free Agency Wish List

Re-sign Nate Solder

Bringing Nate Solder back should be the Patriots top priority

Image credit: Boston Herald

If the Patriots accomplish nothing else this offseason, they must accomplish this. Nate Solder is one of the top ten or fifteen best left tackles in the league, and his presence is crucial on this team. Quarterback Tom Brady isn’t getting any younger (probably), so keeping Brady upright should be the teams number one priority.

It won’t be cheap to acquire Solder, but the Patriots can’t afford to be stingy. Solder is easily the best left tackle on the market, and the NFL Draft is expected to be poor on starting-caliber tackles. This gives Solder all the leverage to break the bank, as teams won’t hesitate to pay for the most important position on the offensive line.

Not only is Solder one of the best left tackles around, but the drop off behind him in talent is staggering. Were Solder to leave, the next man up would be 2017 third round pick Tony Garcia. Garcia missed his entire rookie season with a blood clot issue, so it’s anyone guess how good he will be in 2018.

New England should also look into bringing back Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle. While neither is a starting caliber player, both are more than capable of filling in during an injury and playing adequate football. With right tackle Marcus Cannon’s injury history and the violent nature of the offensive line position, the swing tackle position is highly important.

Address the Running Back Position

The Patriots have quite a few players hitting free agency that New England would love to have back. Running backs Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead were both valuable contributors to the 2017 Patriots, and would certainly be welcome back on the team.

However, the Patriots shouldn’t overspend on either player. Lewis is reportedly fielding three-year, $18 million dollar offers. If that report is true, Lewis would rank among the top ten highest paid backs in football. Lewis is a phenomenal talent, but his injury history makes him not worth that type of money.

Burkhead’s market is more unclear. While he is reportedly receiving interest around the league, there’s no way he’s receiving a contract similar to Lewis. It’s more likely that his offers are more in line with his actual worth, since he’s not coming off the career year Lewis is. Of the two running backs, Burkhead is the one more likely to return.

New England would have no need to sign another running back should one of those two return to New England. However, should New England miss out on both, there are a few interesting options around the league. They probably wouldn’t spend top dollar to sign anyone like San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde, but there are a few good potential free agent bargains.

The biggest running back bargain could be Dallas Cowboys running back Alfred Morris. He probably wouldn’t cost much to acquire, and has a history of success. Prior to joining the Cowboys, Morris was the lead running back for the Washington Redskins. He broke the 1,000-yard mark in three of his four years there. He didn’t do it in Dallas, but that was because he was backing up one of the best running backs in football in Ezekiel Elliott.

Build Depth at Linebacker

Preston Brown could carry on the annual tradition of the Patriots taking the Bills best players

Image credit: The Buffalo News

As currently constructed, the Patriots are paper-thin at linebacker. They have a legit star in Dont’a Hightower, a good number two linebacker in Kyle Van Noy, and not much else. Linebacker was an issue all season for the Patriots, especially when Van Noy couldn’t play.

There’s two steps to fix this. First, the Patriots should re-sign Marquis Flowers. Flowers had something of a breakout season in his first year in New England. Injuries forced the career special teamer into the starting defense, and he ended up making a name for himself. He’s a great pass rusher and can hold his own in coverage, albeit that isn’t his strength. He doesn’t have the same ceiling, but he has a skill set very similar to that of Jamie Collins. He should only get better as he gets more reps, so bringing Flowers back should be of utmost importance.

Flowers alone won’t fix this. New England should also look into bringing over a run stopping linebacker, and the best fit would be Buffalo Bills free agent Preston Brown. Brown led the league in tackles during the 2017 season, and would be a perfect fit in New England.

Brown’s not great in open space, so he would fill in as the middle linebacker. This frees up Hightower and Van Noy to play on the edge, which suits their skills better. This defense would be hard to run against with Van Noy and Hightower handling edge duties and the reigning tackles leader in the middle of the defense. Add in Flowers as an off the bench pass rusher, and now the Patriots have four linebackers capable of making big plays.

Find a Second Cornerback

Let’s face it- Malcolm Butler is as good as gone. It was a great tenure that ended on an incredibly low note, but New England needs to move on. Looking around the free agent market, there’s quite a few players that could immediately help.

The Patriots already have one high-priced cornerback in Stephon Gilmore, but there’s talk they could go that route again. If they do, they should look at Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. Johnson played the previous two seasons under the franchise tag, and is a match for what New England’s scheme.

Johnson is better playing press coverage, but is certainly capable of dropping into zone and performing well. In many ways, he’s a mirror of Gilmore, albeit not quite as good. Combining those two with Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Duron Harmon would give the Patriots one of the best secondaries in the league.

There’s also been talk that the Denver Broncos could release former Patriot Aqib Talib. While New England shouldn’t trade for him, they should definitely take a look if Denver does release him. Talib was the biggest factor in solidifying the defense in 2012 and 2013, and was an incredibly valuable member of the team. He’s not quite what he was, but he’s still one of the better corners around. He and Gilmore would arguably be the best cornerback tandem in football.

If New England wants a more cost-effective option, the best choice could be Kyle Fuller. Fuller will have a market, but not as big a one as the previous two. Fuller can play a variety of coverages and should fit in New England’s defense. He’s not a superstar like Talib or Johnson, but he doesn’t need to be. The rest of this secondary is so good that all New England needs is an average second corner to succeed.

Cover Image: Masslive.com

Pomeranz, Sale, and the Gang

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The 2018 season is underway and we have some players to praise, some to keep a watchful eye on, and some to still anticipate their spring debuts. Also, Drew Pomeranz has his injury diagnosed via MRI, and discussions about Chris Sale’s refurbished workout program to induce longevity.

The first ten games of the 2018 spring training had some expected and unexpected results for the Red Sox. MVPs of spring training so far include Blake Swihart (21 AB, .429/.500/.810, 3 SO and 8 RBIs), Rusney Castillo who continues to put up attractive numbers from Pawtucket and Caguas (18 AB, .333/.400/.556, 3 SO and 4 RBIs) and Marcus Walden (5.0 IP, .143 against, 0.8 WHIP and 0.00 ERA). Players who haven’t been impressing as of yet include Mookie Betts (14 AB, .000, 5 SO, .176 OBP), Hector Velazquez (4.1 IP, 6.23 ERA, 2 SO, .316 against) and Deven Marrero (17 AB, .176, 8 SO, .263 OBP).

Mookie Betts is starting to gain my attention, since he is known to rarely strikeout (11.5 K% since 2015). He is on pace to have the highest amount of strikeouts of his Spring Training career. This could be an indication of offensive players taking some time to warm up. It will be extremely shocking to see his Spring Training woes continue into the regular season. Also, Blake Swihart is really soaking in the spotlight and making Alex Cora’s job a whole lot harder by seeming to be his best choice at opening day catcher. His hitting has been outstanding as well as his plate discipline. He can make a serious case to be one of the two catchers when the regular season arrives.

Drew Pomeranz Update

Pomeranz left his first Spring Training start against the Cardinals on Friday, March 2nd, due to forearm tightness. He received an MRI on Saturday afternoon and was diagnosed with a mild flexor strain of the forearm. Alex Cora told the press that there is no structural damage. However, Pomeranz will be shut down and re-evaluated on Tuesday. This makes the gap in the rotation much wider, as there are now two spots that need to be questioned. As I mentioned before, the Red Sox shouldn’t be looking at an outside source for a starting pitcher. That scenario may change now, depending on how this Pomeranz injury pans out.

What to Do If Things Get Serious

Not to be redundant, but the best free agent options for starting pitcher remain: Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn. At this point, players who don’t have a job yet should be willing to take a one year deal and then try again next season.

The Red Sox seem to be in a position to offer at least Lynn or Cobb a one year contract. Mind you, there are two holes in the regular season rotation. That’s banking on the hope that Price, Sale and Porcello will be healthy all year long. On top of all this, offering a one year contract to a starting pitcher presumably won’t put the ball club into the next luxury tax tier. If one more pitcher goes down, this rotation could fall apart quickly. Dave Dombrowski will likely strike while the iron is hot and there are still some options available.

Meanwhile, in Chris Sale Land

For those who don’t know, Chris Sale has been working with Alex Cora and pitching coach Dana LeVangie in regards to developing a workout regimen that won’t tire the 2017 Cy Young runner up too early. Longevity is Sale’s main goal this season and as it should be. He is known to be a stellar first half pitcher with down to earth numbers in the second half.

“We’ve all got together and talked about coming up with a formula for longevity and building up. I think last year, I came into spring training kind of too amped up, too ready to go and I think we’re kind of looking for more of a gradual buildup.” – Chris Sale

Sale was involved in a variation of a simulated game at a back field behind JetBlue Park, in which he threw 52 pitches. Each inning had a mandated amount of pitches. He pitched 15 for the first, then 12, 12 and 13 for the subsequent innings. Of his 52 pitches, 35 were strikes and he induced five strikeouts (four of which were swinging). This could be the answer to Sale’s season long endurance issue. Everyone is itching to find out how this regimen pans out.

Find me on Twitter @ELJGON

Featured Photo Credit: Official Red Sox MLB Page.

Comparing J.D. Martinez to Manny Ramirez

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Is Martinez the New Manny?

Via Trifecta Network

J.D. Martinez might have been the power hitter Boston’s been looking for. Alex Cora is already comparing him to Manny Ramirez. He’s not talking about Manny’s attitude, he’s talking about how Martinez swings the bat.

Don’t you think it’s a little soon to be comparing Martinez to Manny? The player hasn’t even swung a bat at Fenway Park, and we’re already talking about him being one of the greatest to ever put on the Red Sox uniform.

Ortiz Helps with the Younger Players

I’m sure David Ortiz being at spring training helps, but that’s living up to high expectations for Martinez. According to the Boston Globe, Alex Cora said, “Our lineup got longer from top to bottom, You have to execute, especially nowadays. You almost have to be perfect from Pitch 1, from Mookie [Betts] all the way down to nine. We saw Manny and what he did.”

So for Martinez not to be traded to LA he has to have a .300 batting average and hit for 274 home runs during his time here. Manny played 1,083 games with the Red Sox and scored 743 runs. He played eight seasons then got traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cora Has High Expectations

(Fort Myers FL, 02/22/18) Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart and second baseman Brock Holt celebrate with manager Alex Cora after scoring on Austin Rei’s double in the first inning of the Spring Training game against Northeastern University at JetBlue Park on Thursday, February 22, 2018. Staff photo by Matt Stone

Alex Cora also talked about the hitting at Fenway Park and how it helped Manny. Cora said to the Boston Herald ” People talk about Fenway, how big it is to right field, right-center. With him, it doesn’t matter. If he stays with his approach, and I bet you a dollar he will stay with his approach, The Wall is going to help him out actually because he’s going to stay on those fastballs and drive them to right-center. Whenever they hang one, he’ll pull it with power.”

No pressure at all, J.D. Only have to live up to those high expectations of a great hitter in Red Sox history. Not to mention Cora also said Martinez looked like Ortiz as well. Let’s see how he is in April before we compare him to great hitters.

What If Another Starting Pitcher Gets Hurt?

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It’s only spring training, but the Boston Red Sox starting rotation has already has its injury woes. Last week, manager Alex Cora announced that both Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright were not likely to be ready for Opening Day. To make matters worse, Drew Pomeranz recently left his first spring training appearance with forearm tightness. Pomeranz says he’s fine, but what if another starting pitcher gets hurt? Do the Red Sox have the depth to handle such an injury?

What If Another Starting Pitcher Gets Hurt?

This article may read like an overreaction, simply because Pomeranz said he’s fine. There’s no reason to doubt him, so right now he probably is. However, Pomeranz has a history of arm injuries and fatigue, so it’s still worth looking at what the Sox would do without him. Right off the bat, it seems like the Sox have two main options: stay the course or sign a free agent.

Option One: Stay the Course

As things currently stand, the Red Sox will need one of Brian Johnson, Hector Velasquez, or Roenis Elias to take the fifth spot in the rotation. Each one has their pros and cons, but the Red Sox can likely survive in spite of the spot starter.

If the Red Sox need two spot starters, this task becomes considerably harder. Pomeranz isn’t a Cy Young caliber pitcher, but he’s leaps and bounds better than Johnson, Velasquez, or Elias. More pressure would fall on the offense, as they’d probably have to bail out the pitching to an extent two out of every five games.

Johnson and Velasquez both have proven that they can keep the Red Sox in games, so having both in the rotation wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. However, relying on two minor league caliber pitchers isn’t ideal, and the Red Sox will likely check out the open market.

Option Two: Sign a Free Agent

Jake Arrieta is a free agent, but probably won’t be a Red Sox

Image credit: NBC Sports

The Red Sox organization is very adamant about staying under the luxury tax, which means Jake Arrieta will not be a member of the team. Boston has roughly $8 million dollars to spend before hitting the luxury tax threshold, and Arrieta won’t sign for that.

Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn are the only other solid starters left on the market, but both would likely force the Red Sox to exceed the luxury tax. If they do that, they’ll drop ten spots in the upcoming MLB draft. Additionally, both players have received qualifying offers, which means signing one of those two would make the Sox forfeit their third highest draft pick.

Depending on how desperate the Red Sox are, they might bite the bullet and sign one of those three regardless. However, if the Red Sox truly want to stay under the luxury tax, they’d have to get creative.

Getting Creative

Clay Buchholz would be the return nobody asked for

Image credit: ESPN

The Red Sox could look into acquiring former Sox John Lackey and Clay Buchholz, but both guys have their limits. Lackey is 39 and coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. He’s openly debated retirement before, and might not have anything left in the tank. As for Buchholz, the Red Sox should avoid him at all costs. Red Sox Nation was on that roller coaster for the better part of a decade, there’s no need to get on that ride again.

Kyle Kendrick is also an option, albeit a very low upside one. The Red Sox thought enough of him to bring him in last year, but he woefully underperformed. In a year where the Red Sox constantly needed a spot starter, Kendrick was unable to step up. He fell behind Johnson and Velasquez on the depth chart, but he does have a record of major league success. If the Red Sox believe last year was a fluke, then perhaps they’ll bring him back.

There aren’t many good options outside the organization, but one player they could check out is Brett Anderson. Anderson once had a very promising career, and was actually traded to the Colorado Rockies for Pomeranz back in 2013. He had success with the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but injuries have limited him. He’s only pitched 66.2 innings since 2015, and he hasn’t looked that great in any of them. Still, the Sox could kick the tires to see if there’s any magic left in the 30-year old.

Which Option Is Best?

Truthfully, the best option is to stay the course. Getting creative is asking for trouble, as all of those options are high risk. The need for starting pitching depth isn’t large enough to justify the cost of Arrieta, Cobb, or Lynn. Having two spot starters in the rotation isn’t ideal, but this Red Sox team is built well enough to survive. As long as the starter can keep the game competitive for the first five innings, the rest of the unit should be able to pick up the slack.

Cover Image: SI.com

Red Sox Petition to Change Yawkey Way Back to Jersey Street

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From Yawkey Way Back to Jersey Street

John Henry and the Red Sox over the past year have been thinking of changing the street name “Yawkey Way”. They recently filed a petition to name it back to what it was before, Jersey Street. This may really be breaking news, as we all know why the ownership is pushing for this to happen.

Tom Yawkey, the old owner for the Red Sox for over 40 years, wasn’t the greatest guy ever. Although he did some great things to help out the community throughout his tenure, he was also a racist.

When Jackie Robinson was first coming to be, Yawkey wasn’t interested in signing him because of his race. His prejudice heavily swayed who could and could not play for his team. Because of this, the Red Sox were the last team to have a nonwhite player on their team.

One reason why it’s so important for this change to be made is because it’s 2018. There is no place for racism under any circumstance. The Red Sox have always been looked at as a racist organization, and they need to find a way to get past that.

Time to Take Action

If the name isn’t going to be Jersey Street, I would love for it to be something incorporating Ted Williams. Someone who is possibly the greatest hitter to ever live, and who took time off to fight in two wars. Plus, he was very supportive of African-American players. But if it’s going to go back to being Jersey Street, it’s certainly a better name than what it is now. I would be okay with it.

The reason the Red Sox have to file a petition for this is because the team doesn’t have control of the street name. But what do they have control of? The fact that Tom and his wife Jean Yawkey’s initials are written on the Green Monster in Morse code. So if they can’t get rid of the street name right now, they can at least get rid of those initials on the monster.

The Red Sox aren’t a racist organization now, of course. No team in the MLB is discriminatory whatsoever. But as far as the Red Sox go, they need to move forward from their controversial past.

Cover image courtesy of cbssports.com

Irving Poised to Lead the Celtics

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First Half

In Kyrie Irving’s last nine games, the superstar point guard has averaged twenty-five points a game. This has been a crucial stretch for the Celtics, as before the All-Star Break they looked lost. Since the break the Celtics are 4-0 and look like a different team. Irving, to no surprise, has stepped up his game. One of the reasons why Irving wanted out of Cleveland was to lead his own team. Ever since the Celtics acquired him he has become the face of the franchise. With the injury to fellow star Gordon Hayward in the first game of the season he’s had to be even better. The Celtics are in the stretch run of the season and Irving has raised his game further.

Photo Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Irving Since the Break

Before the All-Star break Kyrie was having another very good season. His averages were similar to his days in Cleveland. Since the break his scoring has increased, and he’s taking over games with more ease. He is playing at an MVP caliber when the Celtics need it the most. Earlier in the season he was explosive, but not the game changer he’s been over the last four games. In four games since the break he’s scored less than twenty-five points in a game once. He is shooting 54 percent from the field and fifty percent from three-point range. He is also shooting 91 percent on free throws.

Photo Credit: Boston Globe

Why This Comes as No Surprise

For many these numbers come as no surprise. He is one of the best players in the league because of his scoring ability. The question entering this season was could Kyrie lead a team without LeBron. If any stretch of games will answer the question, it’s the games the Celtics have remaining and the playoffs. So far, he has proven he is up to the task. Kyrie wanted to build his own legacy and he’s heating up at the perfect time.

Photo Credit: Mitchell Leff/ Getty Images

Can He Keep It Up?

The Celtics have nineteen games left in the regular season. They are a very young team and will be leaning on the veterans such as Horford and Kyrie. As fatigue set’s in for the young Celtics such as Brown and Tatum, Kyrie will need to be at his best. That will be no easy task, but this is what Kyrie wanted. Kyrie wanted a legacy of his own and he’s in the perfect situation.