The Bruins Are Making Some Moves

The Bruins look to make a playoff push with the NHL trade deadline quickly approaching

Early Sunday morning, Don Sweeney made his move- a somewhat aggressive one. The Boston Bruins signed Rangers Rick Nash in exchange for Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey, Ryan Lindgren, a 1st round draft pick and a 7th round pick in 2019.

For some fans, this move is either great or terrible and judging from comments online, fans are split. I want to hate this trade, but in truth, I think it’s smart. Believe me, I’ve haven’t always been a Sweeney fan, but you have to give him credit. After all, he’s a big reason why the Bruins have so many young prospects. And in the NHL, that’s what you need in order to be competitive. The big thing for me is that he found a team willing to take on Belesky’s contract and letting Spooner go means that the Bruins will have some wiggle room in their salary cap, which is good news for Boston.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT

(AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

It’s no secret that the Boston Bruins look like serious contenders for the Stanley Cup (even though a recent road trip is leaving a sour taste in their mouths). As we’re nearing the end of the NHL regular season, Sweeney and Co. had to add some missing pieces to help bolster their defense and give David Krejci what he needs: a big forward. The Bruins needed a power forward player and they now have that with Nash (along with David Backes). And in a post season run, Boston will absolutely need to be physical. At 6’4, 211 lbs, Nash can certainly make a big impact on the Krejci line. Coach Cassidy had this to say:

“Very dynamic. He’s hard to stop, contain one-on-one,” Cassidy said. “He’s got good speed. Protects the puck well. Gets to the net. Knows how to get to the net. Good hands around the net.”

BY THE NUMBERS

In addition, the Bruins would only have to retain 50% of Belesky’s contract. And yes, there are many fans who think trading Spooner and giving up a top prospect like Lindgren was too high of a price to pay. But think of it this way: realistically, Ryan Spooner didn’t have much time left on his contract and the Bruins more than likely wouldn’t resign him after he becomes a free agent. In all fairness, Spooner had started to play really well this season and put up some good numbers.

But let’s face some tough truths here- his career wasn’t really going anywhere in Boston. For the past few seasons, Matt Beleskey hasn’t exactly been stellar. However, finding a team to absorb his contract was a challenge. Luckily, the Rangers answered that call, which leads back to my original point of the Bruins now having some good wiggle room in their salary cap.

RETAINING THE YOUTH

Throughout this season, the message was clear. This Boston Bruins team is exceeding all expectations, despite some recent tough losses. In order to rebuild your team, you need to get some young players along with a coach that’s going to lead them to the playoffs. The Bruins have a good amount of young prospects that are playing their first year in the NHL and plenty that are being developed in the AHL and college level.

Players like Jake Debrusk, Danton Heinen, Sean Kuraly, Matt Grzelcyk, and Charlie McAvoy. They’re good. Like really good. And if you want them to continue to wear the spoked B, you need to pay the price. So for those thinking these recent trades are not going to work to the Bruins advantage, you have to look at the big picture. As a fan, I would rather see someone like McAvoy here in Boston for many seasons, even if it means losing someone like Spooner.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Don Sweeney was able to do something amazing in these recent trades. He was able to make good moves without giving up a lot. And yes, there was some early worry that Jake Debrusk would be traded for Ryan McDonough. I do have to admit again that I was a bit relieved when reports indicated that Sweeney wasn’t too interested in changing up the chemistry that this team has built. Even President Cam Neeley had some thoughts on the dynamic of this team:

“It’s a great group of guys, it really is,” said Neely. “They’re all pulling on the same rope. The chemistry seems to be really strong right now. It’s another thing we talk about is the chemistry of this group. Historically, you’ve seen things happen at the deadline where, maybe teams after the fact, say ‘We made too many moves and it disrupted the chemistry’. So that’s something we’re cautious about.”

The Rangers also got a pretty good deal that will help rebuild their team and the Bruins got a proven veteran player that can score. A perfect mixture of veteran and flourishing youth is what the Bruins have now. And they wouldn’t want it any other way.

. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrll88

Don’t Expect a Typical Lineup for the Red Sox

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The Red Sox Might Change Things Up

J.D. Martinez is a Red Sox and everyone that has been following this team is aware of it. Granted, he hasn’t been officially introduced yet, but Sox Nation shouldn’t be worried. Martinez was seen on Wednesday the 21st reporting to camp in Fort Myers. So now that Dave Dombrowski has finished his 2017/2018 offseason campaign, it’s time to take a peek into what we are in store for once the season gets rolling.

It seems Alex Cora is going to take a less analytical approach when constructing his lineup, as opposed to a lineup that favors a lefty or righty starting pitcher. Cora was quoted as saying “if you can hit, you can hit.” When asked about how he will construct the lineup, he gave a very uncomplicated answer.

“You put the best lineup out there. I hate reiterating last year because I want to turn the page, but you saw what happened at the end. We had five righties. And it didn’t matter.”

Given, nobody really knows if that success will translate over to the Red Sox lineup. However, if it has worked before, maybe Cora can replicate those winning ways by building the lineup that will hit and get on base regardless of who is on the mound.

Batting Order

A probable lineup for opening day could look something like this:

Mookie Betts
Andrew Benintendi
Hanley Ramirez
J.D. Martinez
Xander Bogaerts
Rafael Devers
Eduardo Nunez
Jackie Bradley Jr.
Christian Vazquez

Eagle eye viewers of this article will notice something strange. Hanley is hitting in the third spot of the lineup. Alex Cora has confirmed this move and believes that the former slugging shortstop can be a flash in the pan that this team has been missing since David Ortiz retired. In 2016 when he batted fifth behind Ortiz, he produced a .290/.363/.506 slash line. In 2017 when he batted in the same slot, he scraped up a very bland looking .264/.344/.429 slash line. Thus, Ramirez seems to produce better numbers when there is a power bat in the same lineup.

If Hanley does not get to a flying start when the season begins, don’t think that Cora will hesitate to move Hanley from 3 to 5 before totally giving up on him. Hanley will need to begin the season like his hair is on fire. Otherwise his playing time could be about as minimal as it has ever been.

Other notes on this lineup include the speed towards the tail end of the lineup (Nunez batting 7th, JBJ batting 8th). This gives the lineup a unique element since speedy baserunners tend to usually bat first (however we are seeing the birth of a reborn leadoff stigma. See: Charlie Blackmon, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, George Springer among others). The lineup this way is front heavy but not necessarily lacking talent at the end. All in all, it is a very well balanced lineup for many reasons and could possibly stay similar for the entire season. For that to happen though, the players need to show the baseball world what they are really capable of putting together as the young, talented, athletic bunch they are.

Featured Image Credit: Boston Herald (2018)

The Top Center Fielders Long-Term

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Center field is the easiest position to answer who the best is, as it is home to the best player in the game. It’s Mike Trout and everyone else. Who are those everybody else? Some are household names; some are new guys on the scene on their way to becoming household names. Factoring in age in determining the best players to have for the long-term, some perennially included players have dropped to the bottom or even off my list entirely. It does not mean I don’t think they are one of the best right now.

1. Mike Trout

Mike Trout is an all-time great, and he’s only 26. He finished first or second in the MVP vote in each of his first five seasons, and would have made it six straight if not for an injury last season. Instead, he finished fourth despite barely reaching 400 at-bats. At the time of his injury, Trout was on pace for a historic season, on pace for over 50 home runs and over 30 stolen bases.

After becoming a bit more of a slugger than all-around hitter in 2014 and 2015, Trout has again cut back on his strike outs the past two seasons and led the league in on-base percentage both years. He’s back to stealing bases, hitting over .300 and yes, he hits home runs still. He’s probably going to bat .300 and have an OPS around 1.000. Trout will be a threat for 40 home runs if healthy and possibly steal 30 bases. Heck, if the Angels turn him loose like they did his rookie year he could be baseball’s first 40-40 man since Alfonso Soriano in 2006. Enjoy watching him; you might never see anyone do it better.

2. George Springer

Springer has been slowly improving every season, culminating in career highs almost across the board last season at the age of 27. Springer then homered five times in the World Series, taking home MVP honors. He has fully arrived and he is in his prime. Mostly healthy the last two seasons, Springer has homered 63 times. What he really improved on last year was making contact. After striking out 178 times in 2016, Springer cut that number all the way down to 111 last year. His strike out percentage was well above average at 17.7. Despite a career low batting average on balls in play, Springer posted the highest batting average of his career. If he can keep the contact rate up, his average could climb even more.

3. Charlie Blackmon

Blackmon was a legitimate MVP candidate last year, leading the league in hitting, base hits and triples. Blackmon homered 37 times and posted an OPS of 1.000. So why do I have him third? One, he benefits greatly from playing half his games in Coors. Blackmon is a career .346 hitter at Coors versus just .264 everywhere else. With that, his OPS is over 200 points lower playing on the road for his career. Secondly, Blackmon will be turning 32 around midseason, so he’s got a few years on the other guys.

Blackmon’s game has changed a lot the last couple seasons. In his first two full seasons, Blackmon hit a total of 36 home runs, one less than he hit all year last year. He was a gaps hitter who stole a lot of bases, stealing 43 in 2015. His stolen base numbers have dropped to 17 and 14 the last two years. In fact, his 14 stolen bases last season came with ten caught stealing. Meanwhile, his power has spiked, with his home run total going from 17 to 29 to 37 the last three years. He hasn’t even really been hitting more fly balls; just more of them are going over the fences. A free agent after the season, it will be interesting to see what he does if he leaves Coors Field.

4. Byron Buxton

Long heralded as the next big thing, Buxton may have arrived in the second half of last season. Buxton was the number one prospect in baseball according to Baseball America in 2014, and the second best in each of the next two seasons. His physical tools are matched by very few, it’s only been about if and when he could put it all together. He batted only .220 over parts of two seasons heading into last year, then was batting .216 at the all-star break last season. Did something click at that point, or did he just get lucky? Buxton batted .300 in the second half with 11 home runs, showing the world what they had been waiting for. He did benefit from a .378 BABIP though, and still struck out 63 times in 57 games.

Buxton doesn’t need to bat .300 to be a star though, he has all the tools. Buxton might just be the best defensive outfielder in the game, winning the Gold Glove last year after posting 2.8 dWAR. His 24 defensive runs saved above average last year led all center fielders. Buxton is also a great base stealer, stealing 29 bases while only being caught once. And after homering 11 times in the second half, he looks like he has 20 home run power. Even as a .250 hitter, Buxton would be a good player. Does he have more in him?

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton makes a leaping catch at the wall in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Indians. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

5. Michael Conforto

The Mets appear to want to make Conforto their center fielder once back from injury. He is better suited to play a corner outfield spot, as he doesn’t have the range to cover center field. Conforto made 39 starts in center last year, posting a negative rating in defensive runs saved. Expected back from shoulder surgery in May, the Mets will have some decisions to make. Hopefully the shoulder injury does not have any huge impact on his bat, as Conforto broke out last season at the plate. A highly touted prospect for a couple of years, Conforto homered 27 times last season at the age of 24 before going down with the injury. He had an outstanding slash line of .384/.555/.939, a line ranking among the best in the game. Turning 25 in less than a week, Conforto could be a slugging outfielder for a long time to come.

6. Tommy Pham

Despite just playing his first (mostly) full Major League season, Pham will be 30 before the season starts. He is an interesting case in that he has always performed well, but never got a real opportunity until he was 29. Pham was a career .298 hitter in AA and .301 hitter in AAA. He performed adequately for the Cardinals off the bench in 2015, posting an .824 OPS. His numbers dropped off in 2016, but he showed some power with 9 home runs in 159 at-bats.

Pham has long since battled a degenerative eye condition, Pham has been overcoming obstacles his entire career. Finally given every day at-bats last year, Pham batted .306 with 23 home runs and a .931 OPS. That OPS placed him in the top 20 for the whole Major Leagues. He also stole 25 bases, hinting at a possible 30-30 season if he plays in 150 games. It’s quite impressive he can post such a good batting average and on-base percentage given his eyesight, hopefully it will allow him to continue to display his baseball tools.

7. Kevin Kiermaier

If Byron Buxton isn’t the best defensive outfielder, it’s because Kevin Kiermaier is. Kiermaier only played in 98 games last year thanks to injury, yet still posted 22 defensive runs saved above average. That total was only two behind Buxton. Kiermaier won the Gold Glove for center field in each of the two prior seasons, totaling 67 defensive runs saved above average. His dWAR over that three year span is 10.4. My money is still on him for the best defender in center field.

Kiermaier isn’t all glove either, and is coming off his finest offensive season. Kiermaier batted .276 last year and hit a career high 15 home runs despite the missed time. He also stole 16 bags, which would have been his second consecutive 20 steal season without injury. He’s certainly no great shakes at the plate, but he gets the job done. A solid batting average, a little bit of pop and the ability to steal a base; not a bad addition to the best glove in the outfield.

8. Starling Marte

2017 was not a good season for Marte, missing half the season due to a PED suspension. When he came back, he looked rusty and didn’t play his best ball. He finally said hello to the baseball season as it was saying goodbye, batting .322 in September with 3 home runs and 8 stolen bases. This was a reminder that Marte is a good ballplayer. The year before he had batted .311 and stolen 47 bases. Still just 29 this year, Marte should be a good hitter and a threat on the bases for a few years to come.

Over Marte’s four full seasons heading into last year, he had batted .292 while averaging 13 home runs and 37 stolen bases per year. He had twice eclipsed 40 steals in a season. He might not hit 19 home runs again like he did in 2015, as he dropped to 9 the following year. However, with a good batting average and 40 steal capability, power is not his game. Marte will be playing a mostly new position this year, after winning two Gold Gloves in left field.

Pirates’ Starling Marte hits a three-run triple against the Padres in the first inning at PNC Park Monday night. Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

9. Ian Happ

The 9th overall pick in 2015, Happ made his debut with the Cubs last year after appearing on top 100 prospect lists everywhere for two years. Happ certainly didn’t disappoint, smashing 24 home runs in only 364 at-bats. He is unlikely to have 18.9% of his fly balls go for home runs again, as they did last year. However, it is likely his contact rate and batting average will improve. Happ struck out in over 30% of his at-bats as a rookie, a number that will likely come down closer to 25%. Happ was only 22 years old for most of the season and spent less than two years in the minor leagues. He still has some developing to do.

Happ came up through the minors as a second baseman, so he also has some developing to do in the outfield. Above all that, the Cubs are putting him in center. He held his own at the position last year, posting a positive defensive runs saved in 41 starts in center field last year. Although not a large sample size, it’s a start. Only time will tell how he handles the position.

10. Lorenzo Cain

Cain is better than the tenth best center fielder in baseball right now, but he is 32. Cain’s game relies a lot on his speed, a skill that will most likely fade quicker with age than other skills. He might be a top five center fielder currently, but given these reasons, he comes in at tenth for the purposes of my list. Cain has stolen more than 25 bases in three of the past four seasons, and he uses his speed to cover a lot of ground in center field. But how will those skills look in two or three years?

Cain is also an excellent hitter. He does not have a lot of power, reaching double digits in home runs just twice, but he has hit .300 or better in three of the past four years. Last year, he bounced back from an injury-riddled campaign to bat .300 with 15 home runs. Moving to a hitter friendly ballpark in Milwaukee, there is no reason why Cain can’t equal those numbers again this year.

Honorable Mentions:

Ender Inciarte, Odubel Herrera, Adam Jones, A.J. Pollock, Chris Taylor, Michael Taylor, Aaron Hicks, Jackie Bradley Jr., Dee Gordon, Kevin Pillar

The Case for Xander Bogaerts Hitting Leadoff

The end of the 2017 season was disappointing for the Red Sox. The team looked worn down and crawled to the finish line. Not much went right in the last month, as the Red Sox were quickly eliminated from postseason contention. However, there was one good development from that September. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts became the leadoff hitter, and he thrived in the role. Moving forward, the Red Sox should keep Xander Bogaerts hitting leadoff.

The Case for Xander Bogaerts Hitting Leadoff

Boston will most likely have Mookie Betts be the leadoff hitter, and it’s hard to call if it that’s the wrong move or not. Betts has been the primary leadoff hitter since 2015, and has done a great job with the role. Mookie’s been the leadoff hitter 190 times in the past two seasons. He finished second in MVP voting in 2016 and established himself as one of the best ballplayers in baseball, so it’s clearly working for him.

Moving Mookie Down

Mookie Betts will perform regardless of his spot in the order

Image credit: USA Today

However, Mookie may be too good of a hitter to be leadoff. Mookie has the most home runs on the Red Sox since 2015. While he won’t be the best power bat now that the Sox have J.D. Martinez, he’s still too powerful for the leadoff spot. With Mookie hitting first, there aren’t as many runners to drive in. If Mookie were moved down to third in the lineup, he would typically have more runners on base, and thus could use his power to drive in more runs.

Some players, for whatever reason, don’t perform as well when moved in the lineup. Historically, Mookie hasn’t had that problem. Mookie’s shifted down in the lineup before, and he’s remained essentially the same hitter. In 2017, he posted a .266/.341/.474 slash line when hitting first compared to a .270/.355/.461 line when hitting third. 2016 was more of the same, as Mookie hit .314/.355/.546 leading off and .314/.333/.529 hitting third.

Moving Xander Up

Mookie will thrive regardless of where he hits, so why would Bogaerts be a better fit to lead off? The most obvious answer comes from the end of last season. He only led off in 28 games, which is an admittedly small sample size, but the results were encouraging.

In those 28 games, Bogaerts put up .309/.406/.418 slash line. In every other game of the season, Bogaerts put up a combined .265/.327/.399 slash. His numbers skyrocketed at leadoff, but the jump is even more impressive when factoring when Bogaerts started hitting leadoff. It’s no secret that Bogaerts slumps towards the end of the season; it’s been an issue almost every season he’s been in the majors. However, something about hitting leadoff made Bogaerts break out of his slump and put up some good numbers.

As mentioned earlier, Bogaerts played only 28 games as the leadoff hitter, and it’s hard to interpolate a sample size that small into a full season. However, Bogaerts’s hitting style suggests that his success as a leadoff hitter wasn’t a fluke.

The most important quality of a leadoff hitter is to get on base, and that’s where Bogaerts thrives. The shortstop has led the team in batting average in two of the last three seasons, and is one of the best two strike hitters in the league. Bogaerts’s skill set has grown rare in the juiced ball era, and there aren’t many players left capable of taking a tough two strike pitch and getting an opposite field single or double.

Bogaerts will also likely benefit from Alex Cora’s philosophical change of attacking good pitches. Former manager John Farrell believed in working the count to a stubborn degree, and consistently left his players down in the count. Bogaerts is a great contact hitter, and now he can swing at any pitch he wants. This should lead to a rise in his batting average and slugging percentage, which makes him even more valuable as a leadoff hitter.

Bogaerts, Betts, and the Offense

Image credit: MassLive

Ultimately, there’s no bad choice here. This offense is stacked with talent, and runs should come regardless of who hits where. However, the best lineup features Bogaerts leading off and Mookie in the three spot. Mookie has too much power to lead off, which actively takes runs off the board. Bogaerts is too good at getting on base, and his ability would be wasted hitting him in the six hole. It wouldn’t be the safe move, but it is the right move.

Cover image courtesy of overthemonster.com

Draft Profile: Kyle Lauletta, QB at Richmond

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After trading Jimmy Garoppolo, it seems the Patriots might try to find their quarterback of the future. A potential prospect could be Kyle Lauletta, who is a 6’3” 215-pound quarterback out of Richmond. Lauletta was relatively unheard of until he threw for 198 yards and three touchdowns to be the MVP of the Senior Bowl. He received a 76.6 overall grade for his performance by Pro Football focus, second only to projected Top-10 pick Josh Allen.

Many NFL experts believe that he can be Tom Brady’s next heir. “Lauletta starred in the Senior Bowl last week, and I’m not the only draft analyst who came away from the game thinking he’d be a fine fit for New England,” NFL.com draft analyst, Chad Reuter writes. An article published by CBS sports says that Lauletta checks the boxes for things that Belichick loves and could be his perfect quarterback.

Stats

In 2017, he had 3,737 yards, 28 touchdowns, and completed 64.9 percent of his passes. Lauletta ranked 5th in total yards and 3rd in yards per game in the NCAA. He also ended up being Richmond’s all-time leading passer with 10,465 yards.

Strengths

Great accuracy (had improved every day in Senior Bowl practices in Mobile)
Quick release and great mechanics (always has one smooth motion, no matter how far downfield the throw is)
Able to go through his reads quickly and find the open man
Great pocket presence and footwork (looks like an NFL veteran out there…)
Can throw accurate passes on the run and under pressure
Has decent athleticism
Has toughness required to take NFL hits (former lacrosse player)
Shown ability to make clutch red zone throws (example in Senior Bowl where he was able to make tight window passes after escaping pressure)
Ability to extend plays
Ability to adapt to new playbooks (played under 4 offensive coordinators in his 4 years at Richmond)
Great leader (double majors in business and leadership) and competitor

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Weaknesses

A bit of concern for his ACL tear
Arm strength (needs to put a lot of air under the ball to hit downfield targets)
May get panicked by pass rush and look for a way out too quickly
Can throw balls with a high trajectory that allows safeties or corners to catch up with receiver
Decision making not perfect

Comparison

Lauletta is like a more athletic Jared Goff. They both have similar builds and playing style, although Lauletta uses his feet a bit more. Goff, the first pick in 2016, made a sophomore leap due to new coaching. I feel that Lauletta is a lot like Goff coming into the NFL- promising but with a few downfalls that can lead to bad play. With the right coaching, Lauletta would be able to excel by taking advantage of his strengths to make plays… just like Goff did.

Photo Credit: Richmond.com

Conclusion

Kyle Lauletta has all the tools he needs to be an NFL caliber quarterback. He can be a great pick for the Patriots and can develop under Tom Brady to become a superstar in the next few years.

2018 Outlook for Drew Pomeranz

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Boston Trades for Drew Pomeranz

In July of the 2016 season the Red Sox acquired Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres. The Sox gave up Anderson Espinoza, their top pitching prospect who had received comparisons to Pedro Martinez. At first it seemed like Dombrowski made a mistake as his new pitcher struggled. Pomeranz was in the midst of breakout season with San Diego, but in 14 games with Boston he had a 4.59 ERA. Last year he rebounded by winning 17 games with an ERA of 3.32. Pomeranz will be looking to build on that success in 2018.

Photo Credit: Michael Dwyer/ Associated Press

Pomernaz’s Breakout 2017

In 2010 Pomeranz was taken fifth overall in the MLB draft. Since then he’s pitched for four teams, including the Red Sox. Last year was the first season of his career in which Pomeranz was able to stay healthy and pitch to his potential. However, last season was not entirely great for the former fifth overall pick, as for the early part of 2017 he continued to struggle. Through for the first two months of the season he had an ERA of 4.24. From June on he was a different pitcher and became the second best starter Red Sox. Boston needed this badly, as David price was injured and would not return until the playoffs. The question for Pomeranz is can he repeat the success he had last year.

Photo Credit: Ap Photo/ Charles Krupa

Expectations for 2018

Last season was not a surprise for Pomeranz based on his potential when he was drafted. If the Red Sox are going to make a championship run, they will need the 2017 version of Pomeranz. Down the stretch he showed fatigue last year as he pitched the most innings of his career. Pomeranz is projected to slot into the third spot of the Sox rotation behind Sale and Price. This will take some pressure off him as the team won’t be relying on him as much as last year. The Sox offense is also expected to be better, which will not help just Pomeranz but all of the Red Sox starters. Pomeranz may not win 17 games again this year, but he should be a solid number three with an ERA under 4.00.

Photo Credit: Bob Chiara/ USA Today Sports

Final Thoughts

Pomeranz like many other Red Sox starters will be highly motivated. He will be a free agent after this season. He is also coming off a playoff start against the Astros, in which he lasted only two innings. Those two factors should push Pomeranz as this season as he could be in for a big 2018.

Red Sox Play Their First Grapefruit League Game

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Red Sox Baseball Is Finally Back

There hasn’t been too much to talk about for the last few months in terms of the Red Sox. After a long offseason, the moment we’ve been waiting for has finally come. The Red Sox kicked off Spring training with their first official game today against the Twins. Baseball is back, folks.

One player who highlighted today’s game was Hector Velasquez, who pitched two scoreless innings. He is definitely a good option for depth either out of the bullpen or the rotation. Building from last year he has shown that he can produce a few quality innings, which is huge. You can never have enough pitching in this game.

A few of the regulars were in the lineup today. Mookie, Xander, Hanley, and Vasquez all went hitless. Bogaerts was the only one to get on base.

Xander Bogaerts had a walk in two plate appearances. Blake Swihart had a double and a walk to add on to his hot spring so far. Sam Travis hit a RBI double in the 8th to drive in the legend Tzu Wei Lin, who walked in the AB before.

Almost everybody who pitched after Velasquez minor leaguers who we most likely will not see this year. The guys who we will indeed see and the ones fighting for their jobs will start to get their work in.

The Red Sox won 4-3, marking their first official Grapefruit League win of the year. Baseball is indeed back, and I couldn’t be happier.

Cover image courtesy of USA Today.

The Top Left Fielders Long-Term

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Lists have been created this offseason determining the top ten players at each position for right now. I have been writing my own series on top tens; except instead of doing them for just the here and now, mine factor in age and determine who the best players are to own for the long haul. These lists obviously differ from others, as someone in their mid-30’s isn’t nearly as valuable in the long run. So, when I put a young guy ahead of someone in their 30’s, I’m not necessarily saying I think he is going to be better this year.

1. Andrew Benintendi

I know, this takes a leap of faith on my end to think Benintendi is number one. There is another player in his 20’s who had a breakout season last year and was truly a star. So how can I put Benintendi above him? Whereas I do believe in that player’s breakout, I do not believe in the extent to which he broke out. Benintendi will only improve upon his rookie season. It might be hard to justify putting him in this spot based on what’s happened so far, but if I am holding true to myself, this is where I put him. I believe Benintendi is a star for years to come and will have more long-term value.

Benintendi is an all-around player, posting the first 20-20 season by a rookie left fielder since Barry Bonds 30 years earlier. He has a sweet swing, often drawing comparisons to Fred Lynn. He is an excellent fielder, looking incredibly smooth playing the monster in left and getting the ball quickly back to the infield. Benintendi had 11 assists from left last year, leading the league. Benintendi batted .271 last season, but was a .312 career hitter in the minors. He also drew plenty of walks, a rare quality in someone so young, leading to a .352 on-base percentage.

Based on his minor league numbers and his stature as the best prospect in baseball, I expect a lot more from Benintendi in the near future. Maybe he won’t be the best left fielder as soon as this year, but I think he will be closer than some expect. I think in the long run he is a .300 hitter with a .370-.380 on base percentage. With this would come a 25 home run bat and 20 steal potential on the basepaths. Oh, and don’t forget about that glove. Benintendi will be a star in the near future.

2. Marcell Ozuna

Ozuna is the player I referenced above. He was the best left fielder in baseball last year, and did it at the age of 26. It makes sense at that age that he would take a step forward, I’m just not sure I’m buying how much he did so. Ozuna was a career .265 hitter before last season, when he batted .312. He did have power, homering 23 times in a season twice. 37 is a large leap from 23 though. His at-bats per home run dropped from a previous best of 24.2 down to 16.6. Ozuna’s previous best ratio of home runs per fly ball was 12.6% in 2014. Last year, that number jumped from 10.3% in 2016 to 16.5% of his fly balls going for home runs last season. With the juiced balls in play, is that number sustainable moving forward if the balls are normalized?

All that said, I like Ozuna. He had shown signs of a breakout early in 2016, batting .307 with 17 home runs in the first half. It makes me believe in his breakout as a hitter, I just don’t see him hitting .312 with 37 homers again. He strikes out more than the league average hitter, so such a lofty average will be hard to maintain. He also had a .355 BABIP, higher than his career average of .318 to that point. I see Ozuna as more of a .280 hitter with possible 30 home run power. That’s still an excellent player. He also is a good fielder, taking home the Gold Glove for the position last season. Ozuna hadn’t been a good fielder prior, but he had been playing center field. He seems to have found a home in left.

3. Christian Yelich

Back to back Marlins from last year, now on different teams. Yelich played center in Miami, but in his new home of Milwaukee will be manning left field. His defense should play up in left field with less ground to cover. He is 30 defensive runs saved above average in his career as a left fielder, against a -13 total in center. He also should benefit from his new home park, which is much friendlier to hitters. Yelich is a career .280 hitter at Marlins Park, with just a .398 slugging percentage. On the road he bats .300 with a .462 slugging percentage. In his new park, and with good hitters around him, I expect we will see a full season of that road version of Yelich.

4. Justin Upton

Justin Upton is still only 30 years old, after breaking in as a teenager back in 2007. He is a notoriously streaky hitter and can be inconsistent from year to year. Two years ago he struggled all year long, then hit 13 home runs in September. Last season, he followed up a two homer July by hitting 11 home runs in August. This is a pattern he has shown his whole career. What it usually plays out to is a mediocre average with 30 home run power.

Upton is one of the biggest strike out hitters in the game, whiffing in 28.5% of his at-bats over the last two years. He isn’t going to suddenly hit for average. But he does draw some walks, and he’s likely going to threaten 30 home runs for the third straight year. Getting to bat near Mike Trout shouldn’t hurt. Upton has stolen 20 bases a couple of times, though those days might be in the past, he did steal 14 bags last year.

5. Yoenis Cespedes

Cespedes has improved mightily as a hitter the last few years. He is still a little free-swinging, but he has cut down his strike out rate some and improved his home run rate. With it, his average has climbed. A .251 hitter between 2013 and 2014, Cespedes has batted .287 over the last three years. His strike out rate the last two years has been below 20%, which is better than average. Before injury, Cespedes was well on his way to a third straight 30 home run season last year after never reaching that mark in his first three seasons.

Cespedes is dropped some because he is coming off an injury plagued season and is now 32 years old. If I were doing this list for just 2018, he might be number one. But how much longer will his body allow him to perform at a star level? He missed extended time twice last year with leg injuries.

6. Rhys Hoskins

Hoskins is the new guy on the scene, and at a new position. Hoskins played first base throughout his minor league career, but the Phillies have decided to move forward with him as their left fielder. Time will tell how he handles the position. His bat is a force to be reckoned with though, and that’s why the Phillies are making a spot for him. Hoskins hit 38 home runs in AA in 2016, posting a .943 OPS. He kept it up last year, hitting 29 home runs in AAA before his call-up. Hoskins then went on a rampage, hitting 18 home runs over 170 Major League at-bats, posting a 1.014 OPS. That’s 47 home runs between the two levels.

Can Hoskins hit like that for a full season? He has the right approach, taking pitches and working walks. He walked 37 times last season, giving him a stellar .396 on-base percentage despite a .259 batting average. His walk rate wasn’t quite that high in the minors, but he did draw walks. It seems that even if he bats .260, he could put up a nice .360-.370 on-base percentage. Couple that with his power, and Hoskins might be a star in the making.

7. Trey Mancini

Trey Mancini seems to be that type of player that scouts never love, but he just performs every year. Mancini never made a top prospects list, despite hitting at every level. In 2015, he batted .341 with 21 home runs, including a .359 average at AA. He hit .306 for his minor league career, and the production has continued into the majors. In his first full season, Mancini batted .293 with 24 home runs last season. He continues to prove his doubters wrong.

There are a couple of things he could improve upon. Last season, Mancini struck out 139 times against just 33 walks. Both rates were worse than the league average. Given more experience, he could improve that contact rate though, he was a rookie. Given his power and his minor league numbers, I am not going to doubt him.

8. Eddie Rosario

Rosario broke out in a big way last season, but he’d shown promise before then. Rosario led the league with 15 triples in his rookie season of 2015. Problem was, he also walked 15 times. The next season, he again posted solid numbers, except for walks. So what made his breakout last season when he batted .290 and hit 27 homers? Well, it wasn’t luck. His first two seasons, Rosario had a .335 batting average on balls in play. Last year, that number actually dropped quite a bit, down to .312. Part of that has to do with his increase in home runs. Rosario cut his strike out rate from over 25% down to 18% while modestly improving his walk rate. So he is showing strides at the plate.

There is some pedigree to Rosario too, as he was a career .294 hitter in the minor leagues with an .825 OPS. His .836 OPS last year looks to be pretty well in line with what he did down on the farm. He also clearly exhibited extra base ability before last season, and it would stand to reason that as he filled out some he would hit a few more home runs. Rosario is never going to walk a lot, but he should hit for a decent average with some pop.

9. Adam Eaton

At 29, Eaton is coming off a torn ACL that cut his debut season with the Nationals short. It happened early in the season, and Eaton should have no problems being back to his normal self this year. That player had been a very consistent one, posting nearly identical numbers in both 2015 and 2016.

It would certainly seem reasonable to expect stats similar to those again. Eaton doesn’t excel at any one thing, but he is a pretty solid across the board contributor. He was not cut out for center field, consistently putting up below average defensive statistics there. However, he should be a good fielder in left where he doesn’t need as much range. Eaton was 22 defensive runs saved above average as a right fielder in 2016. He’s never quite been the stolen base threat he was expected to be, but he can still steal a few bases. Eaton will give you a little bit of everything.

10. Kyle Schwarber

Schwarber’s play last season doesn’t merit a spot here, but I believe there is a lot better hitter inside him. He was coming off a big injury, and didn’t have much development time before then. Schwarber was the fourth overall pick in 2014 and proceeded to post a 1.061 OPS over half a season in the minor leagues. He again had an OPS over 1.000 the next year at the time of his call-up. The guy could flat-out hit; he had power, he didn’t strike out too frequently and he put up huge numbers. Up in the big leagues the year after he was drafted, Schwarber hit 16 home runs in 69 games and posted an on-base percentage over 100 points higher than his average. He was all the rage heading into the next season, which was over practically before it started.

It is much too early to give up on Schwarber. Everyone was in love with the guy, then after a catastrophic injury and one down season everyone wants to throw in the towel. Yes, he hit .211, but he again had an on-base percentage over 100 points higher. He also homered 30 times, and posted a solid .782 OPS. Maybe he will never hit for average like he did in the minors, but I doubt he will strike out 30% of the time and bat .211 again. He could easily win some people back this season by hitting .250 with a .350 on-base percentage and 30 home runs. I have him in the ten spot because I believe he can be a force at the plate again. Please, get the man out of left field though, he does not belong out there.

Honorable Mentions:

Adam Duvall, Marwin Gonzalez, Michael Brantley, Yasmany Tomas, Brett Gardner

Feature picture from wbur.org

It’s Crunch Time for the Bruins

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As teams continue to put pressure on the Boston Bruins, can the Black and Gold continue to tough it out?

I’ll be first to admit, I wasn’t sure if the Boston Bruins really needed to make a trade. But I had to take a hard look at their recent playing effort. The one thing about this team, which has been an issue these past few years, is the depth of their defense. As the trade deadline nears, most teams are looking to rebuild and that means making some changes. Recent rumbles throughout league would have the possibility of Jake DeBrusk going to Rangers in exchange for Ryan McDonough.

Yes, the Bruins need a top D-man, and Chara won’t be around forever. And yes, Carlo should be better than he is. Lacking that depth is being exposed in their recent road trip. We knew this was going to be tough test of just how good this team is and after a pretty bad showing against Vancouver, reality was starting to set in. If they want to be in the playoffs, they would have to play smarter, faster, and tougher.

Staff photo by John Wilcox/The Boston Herald

Quick Change

After losing 6-1 against a low standing Vancouver team, the Boston Bruins had to bounce back. A win against Calgary gave another shot of confidence that the team needed. The Bruins went back to the basics while working on what needed to be polished. Tuesday’s night game against the Oilers was another test. Edmonton hasn’t been playing great this year, yet somehow managed to find their pucks behind the Bruins’ net. A quick look at some stats and you’ll see that Boston plays under .500 when they are two goals behind. The black and gold found themselves in a hole, which they had to dig themselves out of. Something had to change and with a stroke of genius, Coach Bruce Cassidy led the charge. With the third period getting underway, the Bruins were set to make a dramatic comeback. And they did. David Krejci skated alongside David Backes and Danton Heinen. Backes retrieved the puck from Edmonton, passed to Heinen which set up Krejci to score the winning goal. Because of the stellar comeback win for the Bruins, the question of whether the B’s can play gritty was answered.

Production

The thing about this year’s Boston Bruins team is the production from their lines, particularly the 4^th line. While the 1^st line of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak has produced huge numbers for the team- let’s take a look at the 4^th line. With Tim Schaller, Noel Acciari, Sean Kuraly, this line has been very productive for this team. Cassidy put that line out in the crucial minutes of the third period and sure enough, that move worked. The Bruins scored. In a bold move, Cassidy switched up his center and Riley Nash played alongside Jake DeBrusk and Ryan Spooner. After some great puck movement, Charlie McAvoy’s shot hit off Nash, who beautifully back passed to Matt Grzelcyk and the Bruins tied the game.

Photo Credit/Getty Images

Coach Cassidy had this to say about the fourth line:

“Offensively, they’ve done a real good job chipping in.They’re over 20 goals even strength as a line. That’s pretty good for a fourth line that doesn’t see any power-play time. It was a big one by Noel tonight, typical goals. Again for Noel, going to the net, willing to pay the price, be around there. Very, very happy for those guys …I think they’re well liked by the group, so when they give you energy, it just gets the whole team going [and] they’ve done it more than once for us this year.”

Boston Bruins David Krecji scores game winning goal

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Looking Ahead

March is going to be a tough month for the Bruins. After finishing their Canadian road trip, they’ll be back home for the next five games. With the newly acquired Rangers defenseman Nick Holden, the Bruins are looking to add some jolt to their defense. The black and gold will need to work on their back-end, make smart trades (if needed) and keep pushing. Cassidy will have to switch up lines and the young guns will need to play through their growing pains. Boston hasn’t exactly made the greatest decisions when it comes to making trades however, fans will have to trust the process. This could possibly mean losing a young player and that can be hard to swallow, given the amount of talent this team has and the chemistry they’ve built.

Final Thoughts

The Boston Bruins need to stick to the basics, drive hard to net and continue to get pucks in. Other teams will be gunning for a spot in the playoffs and the pressure will be on. One thing is for sure, this team is and has been exciting to watch. Because of the comeback win in Edmonton, this team continues to prove once again just how special they are. Cassidy keeps making the right calls, the team has found their stride and Holden is someone we could use. If everything falls into place, the Bruins will get far into the playoffs. Finally, does this team need another player like a McDonough or even a Lucic? From this writer’s perspective, Boston doesn’t really need to make another trade, but I’ll leave that to the experts.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrll88

Ryan Donato: the Next Young Bruins Star

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The Bruins youth has been responsible for a good portion of the team’s success this season. Guys like Pastrnak, Heinen, and McAvoy have provided plenty of scoring depth in addition to the consistent production from the top line. This has propelled the team all season, and it seems like there’s only more to come. Bruins draft pick Ryan Donato is having a career year at Harvard with 31 points through 23 games. He has proven that he’s ready for the next step. Fresh off a stellar Olympic tournament, it seems that the young phenom might be on Garden ice sooner rather than later.

The Local Prodigy

Ryan has lived every New England hockey player’s dream. He is the son of former Bruin Ted Donato, and grew up right in Scituate. He spent his high school years playing for both Dexter and the Cape Cod Whalers, and even saw some time with the USNTDP team. After putting up 78 points in 30 games as a junior, his hometown Bruins snagged him in the second round of the 2014 draft. Donato finished his high school career with a stat-line of 98-129-227 over 115 games. Do the math and that adds up to 1.97 points per game.

After eight games in the USHL following his senior season, Donato began his collegiate career at Harvard playing for his dad. Ted has served as the Crimson head coach since 2004 and has now coached in over 400 NCAA games. The team reached the Frozen Four for the first time in his career last season, and it’s safe to say that Ryan is what pushed them over the top.

Moving up the Ranks

Donato has 92 points through his first 91 collegiate games and is best known for elite goal scoring prowess. He isn’t the quickest guy out there, but his lethal shot and hockey IQ make him effective in all three zones. What’s really exciting about him is that he’s been able to find immediate success at every level. He got 36 points as a freshman at Dexter, put up ten in his first and only eight games in the USHL, and put up 21 in his first year at Harvard.

He’s handled the increase in skill tremendously at every level and did the same over in Pyeongchang. He was just as advertised- effective in all three zones without sacrificing any offense. His goal scoring ability was first put on display with two beautiful tallies against the Slovaks and continued from there. Donato led Team USA in scoring with five goals and six points through five games. He was one of four collegiate players on the squad.

Much to the delight of Bruins fans, there have even been rumors of him signing immediately after the Olympics. But don’t get too excited, because Harvard could really use him back across the pond. The team is currently standing at 13-10-4 with Donato leading the team in scoring. Due to this his NHL debut may need to wait. There’s no question that Donato should make an immediate impact with the B’s. It’s just a matter of when it’ll happen.

Cover image courtesy of BostonPucks.com.