Top 10 Boston Sports Moments Since 2010

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Top Ten Moments in No Order

Ravens vs. Patriots (@dkpatsftball)

One of the top Patriots moments of all time was the 2015 AFC Divisional round game against the Ravens. Coming off a 30-17 victory against a Le’Veon Bell-less Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens found themselves in the most unfavorable matchup: against the Patriots.

Flacco showed this by throwing two touchdowns to start off the game, not fearing the corner duo of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner. Boston fans knew not to worry because they had Brady on their side. He delivered with two touchdown drives to even the score. However, Baltimore continued to show their dominance over New England’s defense.

Two touchdown passes later, they had another 14-point lead. Would the Patriots fall again to the Ravens in the playoffs? Brady answered with a 5-yard touchdown to Gronkowski. The defense got a stop, which allowed the offense to run one of their most memorable plays ever.

Brady threw a backward screen to Edelman, who threw it downfield to a wide-open Danny Amendola for a 51-yard touchdown. The score was 31-28 after the Ravens made a field goal. When the game was on the line, Mr. Clutch came through. After a time-consuming drive, Brady threw his third touchdown pass of the day to Brandon LaFell to take the lead. The Patriots secured the win with a Duron Harmon interception in the closing minutes. It was definitely a game to remember as the Patriots got their revenge on the team who stopped them from going to the Super Bowl just two years before.

Credit to the Boston Globe.

Super Bowl 49- Patriots vs. Seahawks (@dkpatsftball)

It seems like every Super Bowl for the Patriots is a close game, which is a real stress causer among us Boston fans. Anyway, the Patriots were coming off a blowout win over the Colts, while Seattle had led a thrilling comeback over Rodgers’s Packers in the championship games.

The first half was relatively close as the teams went into the locker rooms tied at 14. Seattle had taken advantage of the mismatch of the larger Chris Matthews to move the ball down the field. Matthews, who had not caught a pass before this game, hauled an eleven-yard touchdown as seconds expired in the half. The Seahawks continued their momentum by obtaining a ten-point lead at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter should be named after Brady, because that’s when he really starts to strive. He surpassed Joe Montana’s Super Bowl touchdown record with passes to Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman. In familiar fashion Tom Brady and the Patriots took a late lead. The only problem was that there was still time on the clock. Russell Wilson had two passes of 31 and 11 to bring the Seahawks to the New England 38.

He dropped back and threw a deep ball to Jermaine Kearse. It was battered by undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler, but the ball never hit the ground. After Butler knocked it, it bounced off Kearse’s legs back into his hands for a 33-yard gain. At this time, New England fans were thinking, “There’s no way we could lose another game off a ridiculous catch. Would Kearse be the next David Tyree and Mario Manningham?”

A Marshawn Lynch run brought them to the 1, and the game was seemingly over. The Seahawks had one of the best and strongest backs in the league, who was virtually unstoppable in these short yardage situations. However, they chose to pass the ball instead. Wilson dropped back and aimed for Ricardo Lockette on a short crossing route, but Malcolm Butler was there first. He intercepted the ball to clinch the Patriots’ fourth Super Bowl win. Seattle looked more confused than the left shark in Katy Perry’s halftime show. This moment will definitely go down in NFL history as one of the greatest.

2013 ALCS Game 2 (Prime_Kyrie)

One of the most memorable Red Sox moments in recent memory was Game 2 of the 2013 ALCS. Boston fans bought into this unique team, and they were hoping to take home the World Series. It looked like the Red Sox were going to lose the first two games following a 1-0 loss. Max Scherzer was untouchable through seven, but they got to the Tigers’ bullpen in the eight, which was their kryptonite.

Joaquin Benoit faced David Ortiz in the eighth, and of the most clutch hitters in recent memory tied the game at five with a grand slam. The next inning, Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a walk-off single off Rick Porcello to tie the series at one each. Boston fans went from panicking to rejoicing over the comeback. The Red Sox clinched the pennant in six games to set up the next moment:

Credit to the Boston Herald.

October 31, 2013 (Prime_Kyrie)

A faceoff between two legends- Patriots versus Saints in 2013 was a game to remember. It was back and forth the whole game. The Saints took a four point lead late in the fourth quarter.

An interception from Brady seemed to seal the win for the Saints. However, the Patriots defense forced a three and out. Brady had a minute and thirteen seconds to work his magic. He drove the offense downfield to the 17-yard line with ten seconds left. Brady dropped back and delivered a perfect pass to the back of the end zone to Kenbrell Thompkins for the win.

A few hours after the Patriots’ unbelievable win against the Saints, the Red Sox took the field up 3-2 against the Cardinals. Red Sox fans were hoping to witness the first home World Series win in 95 years. They were looking to clinch the world series at Fenway Park for the first time in 95 years.

The Red Sox jumped on Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha in the third with a base-clearing double from Shane Victorino. Wacha lasted 3.2 innings, giving up six earned runs and four walks. Red Sox pitcher John Lackey was dominant through 6.2 innings, giving up just one run. Koji Uehara, the fourth option at closer, entered the game in the ninth with the Red Sox up 6-1. He struck out Matt Carpenter on a splitter to end the series and Fenway Park went crazy. They earned their eighth championship in franchise history, and the third in the last ten years.

2017 Celtics Offseason (Prime_Kyrie)

It is hard to pinpoint one day in the offseason, but Danny Ainge took the Celtics from pretenders to contenders with a series of moves. Celtics fans had been begging for big transactions since Brad Stevens took over, and they finally got them.

On June 19th, the Celtics traded the number one overall pick to the 76ers for the third pick and a conditional pick in 2018. The Celtics selected rookie of the year candidate Jayson Tatum, and the 76ers drafted Markelle Fultz who has not played this year.

On July 7th, Ainge traded Avery Bradley to the Pistons for Marcus Morris to clear cap space. Consequently Morris has been an efficient scorer off the bench. On July 14th, Boston officially signed Gordon Hayward, who is arguably the best player on the team when healthy. He could make a return in the playoffs, and he would be a huge addition. On August 23rd, Ainge shocked the NBA world when they traded Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the 2018 Nets pick to the Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving. Kyrie Irving is an MVP candidate while Thomas and Crowder were flipped at the deadline. The Celtics are 40-18 and could beat the Cavaliers in a seven-game series.

2013 Bruins Game 7 (@JamieGatlin1217)

This is a game that Bruins fans will never forget. It will forever live in Boston lore, not because of the dramatic comeback but everything else that made this game special. The Bruins were down 4-1 in the third period of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals.

The future of the core that brought a championship to Boston two years earlier was in question. It appeared the Bruins were about to be eliminated from the playoffs at home. Nathan Horton made the score 4-2 with 14 minutes left in the third period. This gave the Bruins hope but time was dwindling.

Then with 1:22 left Milan Lucic scored to make it 4-3. There was a sense something special was happening. Thirty seconds later Patrice Bergeron tied to force overtime. The Bruins were a goal away from completing a comeback that no one thought they had left in them. Then with 13:55 left in overtime Patrice Bergeron completed the comeback and scored the overtime winner. It was an atmosphere that is rare and a comeback just the same. The game was not only a top moment for hockey reasons. A month later Boston was afflicted by the Marathon attacks. As the city started to recover, their resiliency aided the Bruins’ motivation. When everyone counted the Bruins out they came back. The Bruins provided the city with a moment truly special when it was needed the most.

Credit to SI.com.

Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup Game 7 (JamieGatlin1217)

On June 15th the Bruins ended their 39-year title drought by beating the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup. It was the Bruins third game seven victory in their playoff run. It was also their first and only win of the series at Vancouver. Going into the series, many people doubted the Bruins.

Things looked bleak at the beginning of the series after they lost the first two games in Vancouver. The Bruins had to fight off elimination twice but they didn’t let that phase them. The 2011 team had many storylines that made this team unique.They were a determined and scrappy team never letting the odds affect them.

They received a historic performance from Tim Thomas in net. It was Mark Recchi’s last NHL season and he ended it with a championship, the third of his career. What made this team so special was its underdog mentality. Throughout the playoffs, they were doubted and it looked as if their season was over multiple times. They rallied around each other especially after Nathan Horton was knocked out of the Stanley Cup series with a concussion in Game Two. They didn’t make things easy on themselves, but that made it all more rewarding. This cup win meant even more as they were the only team without a title in Boston in the 2000’s. Now they had their title. It was one full of excitement and grit a trait that made this team even more special.

Super Bowl 51- Patriots vs. Falcons (@dkpatsftball)

Momentum was the keyword of the game. Up until the end of the third quarter, Falcons had all the momentum. They had a commanding 28-3 lead with a little over two minutes left to play in the third quarter. Brady had made comebacks before, but this one seemed insurmountable. The trick was that they took it one play at a time.

The Patriots finally got a touchdown with a Brady-to-White pass. This started the Patriots’ rally. The defense began doing their part by holding Matt Ryan’s high-powered offense drive after drive. In turn, the offense continued to score points as Brady continued to move the ball with ease. Finally, they did it. A James White touchdown forced an overtime… and won them the game. This game was perhaps one of the best of all, and Brady cemented his legacy as the GOAT.

Credit to Bleacher Report.

Patriots vs. Broncos 2013(@dkpatsftball)

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning renewed their historic rivalry during Week 12 in 2013. Entering the game, Brady was 9-4 against Manning in his career. Due to fumbles and big runs by Knowshon Moreno, the Broncos put together 24 points in the first half. This was the same Broncos whose offense was having a historic season as they steamrolled opponents. This game would have turned out the same way… If the opposing quarterback at the helm was not named Brady.

They started out with Edelman making an incredible touchdown grab on a perfectly placed ball by Brady. The defense made key stops with a forced fumble, sack, an interception on three separate drives- each leading to a touchdown. With a field goal afterward, the Patriots suddenly had a seven-point lead. Manning wasn’t going to choke away this game just yet. He threw a touchdown to Demaryius Thomas with three minutes left in the game. The game went into overtime where neither offense could get going. The Patriots punted to the ball to former Patriot, Wes Welker, where he signaled not to go for the ball to his team. One Bronco didn’t see it, and it hit off him. The Patriots recovered and won with the field goal. Brady got another win in this rivalry between the two Hall of Famers.

Celtics vs. Wizards 2017 ECSF (Prime_Kyrie)

After the Celtics took care of the Bulls in six, and the Wizards took care of the Hawks in six, the two teams met for the semifinals. The Celtics outscored the Wizards by 20 in the third quarter, and they took game one by the score of 123-111. Jae Crowder’s 24 points and Isaiah Thomas’s 33 points led the Celtics in Game One.

In Game Two, John Wall put up 40 points, but Isaiah Thomas scored 53 to give the Celtics a 129-119 win and a 2-0 series lead. Washington dominated Game Three by holding Thomas to 13 points, and Otto Porter and Bojan Bogdanović scoring 19 points each. The Wizards dominated Game Four by the score of 121-102 because of great guard play by John Wall and Bradley Beal. Washington tied the series at two with the series heading back to Boston.

Avery Bradley led the Celtics in Game Five with 29 points and the Celtics took a 3-2 series lead by the score of 123-101. The series went back to Washington, and the Celtics needed one more win to go to the Eastern Conference Finals. With ten seconds left in Game Six, Al Horford hit a clutch baseline jumper to give the Celtics a 91-89 lead. One more stop on defense and the series is over. But if the Wizards make a shot, we continue.

With just three seconds left, John Wall hit a three over Al Horford to give the Wizards a 92-91 win. The series was headed back to Boston, winner goes to Cleveland and the loser goes home. In game seven, the Celtics had a three-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. All they had to do was hold on and the series would be theirs. The Celtics went on a 15-2 run to start the fourth, and Kelly Olynyk had a surprising 26 points to lead the Celtics to a 115-105 win. The series was back-and-forth where most games were competitive. But the Celtics got their first trip to the Conference Finals in the Brad Stevens era.

Darvish Signs, What Does This Mean for MLB?

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Finally. Another big name comes off the free agent board as Yu Darvish pens a six-year $126M deal with the Chicago Cubs. The deal comes with an opt-out clause in 2019 and the deal will go through his age 36 year. Darvish had been drawing interest from teams such as the Twins, Dodgers, Yankees, Astros, and the Brewers. He is coming off a season having posted a 3.86 ERA, 209 punch outs and ending with a 10-12 record (career worst). He was still considered the top pitcher in the free agent market ahead of Jake Arrieta. This comes despite performances in both the regular season and the postseason.

Darvish is joining a Cubs pitching staff that is heavily stacked with Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana, and new addition Tyler Chatwood. With the squad Chi-Town has this season, they are yet again favorites to win the NL Central, despite Milwaukee stocking up. The Brewers hauled in Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain. They are now more of a threat at the plate with Thames and Braun. So now we leave ourselves with the question:

Where does this leave the MLB?

Only time will tell when the current free agents that are left are going to find a home. Hopefully the Darvish signing will spark the free agent board and we’ll begin to start seeing more signings. We’re still waiting on whether Eric Hosmer is going to be the new face of San Diego or if he will stay with Kansas City. JD still hasn’t signed and I personally don’t want to get into that at the moment. Jake Arrieta hasn’t signed with ANYBODY yet. Anything can happen really now that pitchers and catchers are reporting for Spring Training and other position players are making their way down there. We could see multiple big signings in the next week or two. However the way this offseason is going I’m not getting my hopes up.

My predictions: Arrieta to Milwaukee or Washington, Hosmer to KC and JD….. Honestly I don’t really care where he goes. I’m over it at this point.

The New England Patriots Aren’t Going Anywhere

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The New England Patriots just lost Super Bowl 52, 41-33, to the Philadelphia Eagles. A mix of uncharacteristically poor coaching and terrible defense proved to be too much for quarterback Tom Brady to overcome, and the Patriots left Minnesota empty handed. The bad news is that the Patriots lost. The good news is that they’ll be back soon. The New England Patriots aren’t going anywhere, and should even better in 2018.

The New England Patriots Aren’t Going Anywhere

Internal Stars Return

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Tom Brady’s Favorite Target Will Be Back in Action in 2018

Image credit: Boston Herald

The Patriots made it to the Super Bowl in spite of two of their best four players missing the season. Wide receiver Julian Edelman tore his ACL in the preseason, effectively ending his season before it began. While Edelman is 31, there’s no reason to expect anything less than a full comeback.

The silver lining to tearing his ACL in the preseason is that his gives him a full calendar year to get healthy. The typical ACL recovery timeline is roughly 6-9 months, so Edelman should be a full go by the 2018 regular season. Edelman’s rehab, as far as we know, is moving along without any setbacks, and he even said that he believed he could have played Super Bowl 52 were he were eligible.

The Patriots will also be getting their best defensive player back in Dont’a Hightower. Hightower played in just five games all season, with his last appearance coming in Week Seven. While linebackers like Kyle Van Noy performed admirably in his absence, there’s no overstating how much Hightower means to this defense. He’s the de-facto do it all linebacker, capable of rushing the passer, stopping the run, and dropping into coverage. It’s no coincidence that the Patriots won the two Super Bowls he played in, but lost the one he didn’t.

Role Player Reinforcements

Image result for malcolm mitchell

Malcolm Mitchell’s Presence was greatly missed in 2017

Image credit: Bleacher Report

Additionally, the Patriots will be getting some minor reinforcements with the return of Malcolm Mitchell. Like Edelman, Mitchell missed the duration of the season. While he won’t have Edelman’s impact, he does offer something that none of the other receivers do. Mitchell plays bigger than his size, and is able to win tough, contested passes on the boundary. He showed he’s more than capable of being a reliable intermediate option, and his presence should open up a whole new dimension to the Patriot offense.

With Edelman running his famous option routes and Mitchell a threat on intermediate passes, who covers Brandin Cooks? Cooks had a great 2017 despite being the teams best receiver, and thus facing the best opposing defenders. Teams won’t be able to lock in on Cooks with a healthy Edelman, Mitchell and Rob Gronkowski on the field. Gronkowski is mulling retirement, but that felt like a reactionary statement after a long, grueling season. Until he officially says otherwise, expect him to be playing in 2018.

Additionally, the Patriots will be getting their top draft picks back for 2018. Third round rookies Derek Rivers and Antonio Garcia missed the entire 2017 season with injuries, and should be able to bring a huge boost to the 2018 roster. Rivers in particular should be a big piece in aiding a weak front four, and Garcia could earn the backup tackle role with both Cameron Fleming and LaAdrian Waddle free agents.

You can bet on if you think the Patriots will keep on winning this season and you can find the most updated NFL betting lines from BetQL.

Several Early Draft Picks

The Patriots became AFC Conference Champions with minimal help from their rookie class. The Patriots traded their first rounder in 2017 for Cooks, and only drafted four players. Of those four, only Deatrich Wise made the opening day roster.

That will not be the case this season. The Patriots will have their own first and second round picks this season, along with a high second rounder acquired from the San Francisco 49ers. While one of those picks will likely be used to draft Brady’s eventual successor, the other two should be ready to contribute immediately. Having two high level rookies should be an instant help for a team that historically does well in the draft. Even if Belichick trades one of those early picks, the longtime coach has a knack for finding stars in the mid to late rounds.

Tom Brady Is Still Here

This is really all that matters. As long as Brady looks like Brady, the Patriots will continue to win. Brady is getting older, but there’s no reason to think he’ll be dropping off anytime soon. In his age 40 season, Brady led the league in passing yards en route to winning MVP honors. And while he didn’t win the Super Bowl, he was the only reason it wasn’t a blowout. Brady threw for 505 yards and three touchdowns, setting several passing records along the way.

This team will still be good even assuming the worst case scenarios. If Gronkowski does retire and the 2018 draft is a bust – both of which are unlikely events – the Patriots should still win the AFC East pretty handily. Brady’s done far more with less than whatever the 2018 iteration of the team will be, and he will continue to do so.

The Patriots may be down, but they don’t stay out. They’re the best run organization in sports, led by the best quarterback in history and one of the best coaches. They won’t lose focus, and next year at this time they’ll be in the thick of yet another title chase.

 

Cover image courtesy of NJ.com

Red Sox vs Yankees: How They Match Up

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So as you probably know by now, Giancarlo Stanton is on the New York Yankees, the team that was one game short of the World Series last year. A team that already had a great lineup and is now even better. So what does that mean for the Red Sox in 2018?

Lineup

Let’s start with the lineup. Yankees have the edge here. But here’s the thing: although Boston did win 93 games last year, the offense still lacked some firepower. Lots of guys had down years and others were injured. Mitch Moreland was still effective last year even with his toe injury. He was still able to hit 22 homers and drive in about 80. Pedroia had a good but injury plagued year. He’s another hitter that if he can stay healthy, not only will he hit well but he will play well defensively at second, just like Moreland will at first.

After having a runner-up MVP season in 2016, Mookie had a setback and had a lower average, less power. He’s due for a better 2018 hitting-wise. JBJ also had a down year after a breakthrough year in 2016. The problem with Bradley is he is a very streaky hitter, so I think Tim Hyers, the new hitting coach will be able to work with him on that.

Xander Bogaerts is another guy who I expect to have a solid 2018. The problem with him is he always has an All-Star first half, and a hard to watch kind of second half. So him not falling off after the All-Star break is something he and Tim Hyers can work on. Of course you have Benintendi over there in left, which is a good bat to have.

You also can’t forget the new guy Rafael Devers aka Raffy Big Stick word to Jared Carrabis of Barstool Sports. I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but that dude can sort of hit. Not even 21 and already hitting opposite field bombs off of 105 mph fastballs from Aroldis Chapman to tie the game in the top of the ninth at Yankee Stadium. Expect more from him as well even though he’s not even near his prime yet.

Bullpen

So overall as far as offense goes right now, New York has the edge, but that’s not to say this Red Sox team won’t be able to be productive. Now here comes the pitching. Bullpen wise, Yankees have the better one. Rotation wise, the Red Sox do. Boston has the best reliever in the game to along with a healthy Smith and Tyler Thornburg. You also can’t forget Joe Kelly. There are also some names you don’t hear about much who can be big parts of this bullpen such as Austin Maddox and Brandon Workman.

It’s not that this pen isn’t talented, it’s just the Yankees have a little more talent there right now with guys like Chapman, Betances, David Robertson just to name a few. But this Sox pen can definitely be something special as Cora has already started to talk about how he won’t use Kimbrel strictly as a closer, which I like.

The rotation goes to the Sox because well, you know we have this guy named Chris Sale. You also can’t forget about Drew Pomeranz and what he did. It’s easy to say he’ll regress but I can definitely see that being what Pomeranz really is. If Erod can stay healthy which is always the big question with him, he can be real effective. Rick Porcello obviously will have some work to do. He doesn’t need to be the Cy Young winner we saw two years ago, all Porcello has to be is a mid 3 ERA guy.

Then comes David Price, who I am pretty confident he can turn back into the old one we all know and love. He showed flashes of what he can be in the reliever role he was in the postseason last year. So if he can put that success back into the starter role, we’ll be in good shape.

 

So overall the Yankees have the better roster on paper. But this offense and bullpen definitely has the potential to compete. They can be just as great as the Yankees’ if not better.

Tom Brady’s Successor 2018 Version

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Has there been any team with a more unprecedented run of success at the quarterback position? With the exception of a torn ACL that wiped out Tom Brady’s 2008 season, the fans have seen star level play from the signal callers for nearly two decades. Is there another NFL city that can boast that? And who will be the Brady successor that New England fans look to for the next decades of passing excellence?

Indy?

Indianapolis? Peyton Manning provided MVP level play from 1998-2010 he accrued numerous awards and accolades, went to the Super Bowl twice and came away victorious once. In the end he lost the entire 2012 season due to a neck injury hit the free agent market. Denver would benefit for a few more mostly up seasons before he retired in 2015. Still, just 12 seasons for the fans of Indiana.

Big Easy?

How about New Orleans? With a free agent signing in 2006 of the short, shoulder-injured passer out of the storied football school of Purdue, the Saints got the best value in the NFL. But again just 12 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance and win and prolific passing statistics do not make a legend.

The Winner is…

To put it into perspective the New England Patriots have seen seven Super Bowl appearances and five rings. This is such a run that has no equal in the history of the NFL. Sadly, like all good things, there is an end in sight. Despite all the pliability that a 40 year old can muster, Brady will reach a day that he chooses a less physical line of work. A 300 pound lineman laying on top of you can get a bit old quick. So we must look to finding a replacement for that day. Welcome to the 2018 version of this pursuit.

Draft History

Since the 2000 draft with the 199th pick the Patriots have selected eight quarterback prospects from the college ranks. Some like Matt Cassel and Ryan Mallet have last several years as the backup to TB12 before moving on to other opportunities in their careers. Some were seventh round picks or undrafted gems like Brian Hoyer. The top 100 picks in the NFL draft is the preferred hunting grounds for Bill Belichick’s QB search. Lately as the market has been shifting and unexpected events like the Deflategate suspension have happened they have been picking higher and more frequently than normal. This year will be no exception. This year we can safely say, that regardless of free agency the Patriots will select a quarterback in the draft.

What’s Coming

In the coming weeks we will profile likely Patriots QBs that could be selected in the 2018 draft in March. We will look at playing styles, testing results, background information and why we think they have traits that will make them a new Patriot. The writers at BostonSportsExtra.com look forward to the debates and speculations that these will likely entail. We eagerly await all of the new Patriots that will try to help the 2018 team get that sixth ring for Brady. And just maybe get to be the next guy for when Brady hangs them up and rides off into the sunset.

Ben Mondor: The Man Who Saved the Paw Sox

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Continuing with our Paw Sox Relocation series, the proud franchise that is the Pawtucket Red Sox owns a deep history. The Paw Sox are currently faced with relocation to dreaded Worcester before. Not to mention, entering near bankruptcy. However, one man pulled the pride of Pawtucket out of the trash and into the future. That man is Ben Mondor.

1970’s

The Year of Our Lord 1970 gave birth to the very first incarnation of the Pawtucket Red Sox. However, they were a Double-A team at the time. Pawtucket was beginning to seem like their home for the foreseeable future. In 1973, the Pawtucket Red Sox players packed their bags for Bristol, Connecticut to make room for a new team… The Pawtucket Red Sox! This time in Triple-A.

In light of the relocation, some exceptional players got the chance to play on the new Paw Sox. Including Carlton Fisk, Cecil Cooper, Dick Pole and Rick Burleson. The 1973 team made history by winning the Governor’s Cup in their first season. The first true taste of victory did not last long in Pawtucket. During the next three season, the Paw Sox finished below .500.  Due to the lack of on-field success and lots of empty seats, the franchise went bankrupt. Relocation, again seemed imminent.

Ben Mondor

Tom Yawkey to the Red Sox is Ben Mondor is to the Paw Sox. Ben Mondor, a successful businessman, wanted to make sure baseball remained in Pawtucket. Mondor, an honorary degree holder from Providence College, was born in St-Ignace-du-Lac, Maskinongé, Quebec on March 26, 1925. The two time International League Executive of the year, took the Paw Sox from a team playing in a ball park that had not been updated since before World War 2 ended, and molded them into one of the most well-known and respected minor league franchises in all of baseball.  Mondor saved McCoy Stadium and made it a landmark.

Courtesy of Boston.com

Ben Mondor, an owner who was beloved by players, chatted with Nomar Garciaparra (above) in 2004, when the shortstop was on a rehab stint with Pawtucket. (Joe Giblin/ Associated Press)

He did all this while never losing sight of the fans.  Despite spending millions of dollars to renovate McCoy Stadium, tickets remained cheap at $6 and kept parking free.  John Henry could learn a thing or two from Mondor.  Prior to his death on October 2010, Mondor made a point of greeting fans as they were entering and leaving the ballpark.  Today, Mr. Mondor continues this tradtion as a life-sized statue outside McCoy Stadium.  His smiling face continues to welcome Paw Sox fans.  Mondor saved the Paw Sox from moving away before.  His widow, Madeleine Mondor inherited the team.  Larry Lucchino pried the Paw Sox away from her and he and his ownership group want the Paw Sox out of their home in McCoy and possibly out of Rhode Island.  I hope Ben Mondor’s ghost makes a visit to Larry.

 

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

If I Were NHL Commissioner

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If I Were NHL Commissioner

In the 2015-16 season we were blessed with the implementation of 3 on 3 over-time. This makes for a far more exciting five minutes of bonus hockey and really gives the more skilled players an opportunity to showcase their talent. It just takes one player to lose his man or turn the puck over and then it’s an odd-man rush coming the other way. And when I say “odd-man rush” this even includes the occasional 3 on 0. Changes like this really rejuvenate the game of hockey and keep things interesting, and the following are some of the changes I’d make if I were commissioner of the NHL.

Fans Design Alternate Jerseys 

If the fans are the ones putting down $200+ on an authentic jersey, don’t you think maybe they should have a say in what it looks like? Each team should hold an offseason contest where fans submit jersey designs to the team, ownership picks their top 10, and the fans vote on which one they like the most. Whichever one gets the most votes will become that teams 3rd jersey just for that year. The teams would need to do this very early in the off-season in order for Adidas to have adequate time for production, but it’s something that the fans would love.

Continuous 3 on 3, No Shootouts 

Shootouts can be fun, but it’s no way to end a hockey game. Think about it: if the teams are tied after 65 minutes, it was probably a pretty hard-fought, competitive game. Games like this shouldn’t be decided by anything other than hockey. Especially with OT now being twice as exciting since we’ve gone to 3 on 3, there’s even more of a reason to keep it going.  It was only eight years ago that the Rangers and Flyers went to a shootout in Game 82 that decided each team’s playoff fate, and that’s not how it should be.

Amateur contracts for NCAA players 

The NCAA would never give into this, but imagine how cool it’d be if drafted NCAA players could sign unpaid, amateur contracts with their NHL team for up to five games. This would allow players to play in the remaining games for their NHL teams once the NCAA season ends.   And since they’re not getting paid, they can keep their amateur status and remain eligible for next year’s collegiate season. Think of it as an unpaid internship with the team that drafted them. Like I said, the NCAA would never allow this to happen. They’ve always been very strict on things like this and are committed to keeping the NCAA entirely amateur. But it would add a ton of excitement to what would’ve been a lot of meaningless late season games.

Not Every NHL Team Should Have to Be Represented at the All-Star Game

This isn’t T-ball. If they’re not good enough, they’re not good enough. Noah Hanifin over Phil Kessel in the Metro? No way. Kessel was 11th in league scoring with 47 points at the time and still got snubbed. Roster spots shouldn’t be taken up with mid-level guys who are the “least bad player” on their team. What about Oliver Ekman- Larsson? The guys a minus-40! The Coyotes are absolute trash and they deserve to be treated as such. It’s the pros. Nobody on their team was good enough for the All-Star game, and that’s the way it is. Let’s make sure they’re all worthy from here on out.

And finally…

Let them play in the Olympics. Everybody not named Gary Bettman wants to see it happen, including all the players. Just think of all the picturesque moments that we’ve seen at the last few Olympic games. Lundqvist winning the Gold medal, Crosby’s Golden goal, the T.J. Oshie shootout- the list goes on.  The NHL tries to talk up the World Cup of Hockey in order to fill the void, but it’ll never be the same.  The tournament just has no legacy.

No kid ever went to bed at night dreaming about his World Cup of Hockey gold medal.  If you’d ask me, I think the World Cup was completely forced and done almost entirely to soften the blow of the players not being able to play in the Olympics.  But unfortunately for Gary Bettman it didn’t work and the fans are still mad- obviously.  It goes to show how much more focused the league is on making money than giving the fans and the players what they want.

 

The Silver Lining to the Sox Quiet Offseason

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UNEVENTFUL OFFSEASON IN BEANTOWN

Yes I understand, you are disappointed that the Red Sox did pretty much nothing this offseason. And yes, I know the Yankees added Giancarlo Stanton to an already scary lineup. And yes, I know the world is ending, but is anyone else seeing the beauty in all of this? Does it remind you of anything? Something like oh I don’t know, 2013? Perhaps 2004? They Yankees have once again assembled an All-Star team thanks to their disposable income. All while the Sox management sat on their thumbs since October. Well let me just say, oddly enough I have a terrific feeling about this year.

DISAPPOINTING 2017 SEASON

Image result for red sox 2017 lose

bostonherald.com

2017 was supposed to be Boston’s year. Sure, there was the astronomical loss of David Ortiz but the offense was still expected to be pretty good as it featured a plethora of young talent in Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers. The Pitching staff looked great on paper as it featured reigning Cy Young winner Rick Porcello, Chris Sale, David Price and Drew Pomeranz. Unfortunately, they all had their ups and downs. As we all know, the season ended in a disappointing four game series loss to Houston. The disappointing ending to the season led to a lot of hate on the Sox young core and pitching staff. It began to feel as though the future of this franchise was not so bright after all and that the spotlight had once again been stolen by the Evil Empire.

PRESSURE SHIFTS OVER TO THE BRONX

Well I gotta say I am a little relieved that the spotlight is on the Yankees now. The Sox are being counted out before the season has started and it is a thing of beauty. The Red Sox are young and pretty inexperienced. I think last year the pressure to become some sort of super team may have gotten to them. They showed flashes of great baseball but ultimately were not quite ready. I think the lowered expectations may actually be exactly what this young group needs to thrive. Also, the young core has already experienced a gut wrenching, humiliating playoff elimination to learn from. Come next October they will do anything to avoid duplicating that traumatic experience.

MULTIPLE PLAYERS POISED FOR A BOUNCE-BACK SEASON

Image result for betts and bogaerts

nbcsports.com

An important thing to point out is the unlikelihood of nearly every player having another poor offensive season. Mookie, Hanley, Bogaerts, JBJ, Moreland and even Benintendi can all do better. Benny had a great year for a 22 year old kid, but I am positive he can hit better than .271. Everyone in Boston knows Mookie is capable of a whole lot more than his 2017 performance yet he still hit .264 and drove in over 100 runs, that is saying something. I don’t think I need to mention Hanley here as we all know his season was one to forget. If those three guys can do what they are capable of with other contributions from Pedroia, Nunez, Bogie, JBJ, Moreland and Vazquez, then this offense can easily return to top 10 form.

HURRY UP 2018

So basically, the hell with what the Yankees look like on paper, they still have to win games. It will be fun watching them fold like a two dollar lawn chair under pressure. The media will be all over them for under performing while the under dogs in Boston fight and claw their way into the playoffs with a full head of steam. The reason I am so confident about this season is because the parallel I see with the 2013 team. Once again, we are coming off a disappointing season, only this time no fried chicken was involved. And again, the expectations are low for a gritty team in a city that thrives off being underestimated. Talented team plus being overlooked by division rival? sounds like a recipe for success. LET’S GO SOX. #WinDanceRepeat.

 

 

*Featured picture credit goes to overthemonster.com*

*Questions or comments? find me on Twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

The Top Second Basemen in Baseball Long-Term

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If you were to start a team from scratch, which second basemen would you target? You need to factor in not only play, but age and longevity as well. I don’t see any debate over the top spot, but beyond that point someone could go any number of directions. From two through ten there is a lot of jockeying. I did my best to put them in order balancing age and performance, but there are still a few very solid players not inside the top ten.

1. Jose Altuve

The MVP stands head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, even if he literally stands head and shoulders below them. Altuve has been the best second baseman in baseball over the past four seasons and doesn’t turn 28 until May. During those four seasons Altuve has won three batting titles and led the league in hits all four seasons. He has also led the league in stolen bases twice, won an MVP Award and placed third in another vote. Altuve also collected 22 base hits and seven home runs during postseason play this past year, helping the Astros to their World Series title.

Altuve has proven he can do just about anything at the plate he wants. He has transformed himself from the singles and doubles hitter he was in 2014, to someone who can pop homers over the fence without sacrificing doubles. In 2014 when he batted .341, Altuve only homered seven times while hitting 47 doubles. The last two seasons he has hit 24 home runs in each while still hitting 81 doubles. His average over these past two seasons has been .341, the same it was the year he hit seven home runs. Altuve is remarkable, without even thinking about the fact he stands just 5’6″.

2. Brian Dozier

Brian Dozier is the biggest power hitter at the position. Not only that, he steals some bags and plays excellent defense. Since his first full season, Dozier has averaged 29 home runs and 16 stolen bases per season. His home runs increased each season through 2016, culminating with him setting the American League record for home runs by a second baseman in a season (42). Not like he fell off horribly last year, homering 34 times. Dozier also stole 18 bags in 20 tries in 2016. With 76 home runs and an .871 OPS over these past two years, Dozier seems like he has settled in as a true threat.

As for his defense, Dozier has made less than 10 errors in each of the last three seasons. Last year he only made five all year, putting up a .993 fielding percentage. This led to him winning his first Gold Glove. Dozier is a great all-around player, and turning 31 this May, he should be for a while to come.

Photo by Hannah Foslien

3. Javier Baez

Baez has been consistently improving since he entered the league with large fanfare in 2014. Baez mashed a lot of home runs in the minor leagues and entered the 2014 season as the 5th best prospect in baseball according to Baseball America. He wasn’t ready for the majors though, striking out in over 40% of his plate appearances that season. Baez still rarely walks and has a lot of swing and miss in his game, but has cut back his strike out rate significantly. He has also batted .273 two seasons in a row after hitting .169 that first year. Baez homered 23 times last year and posted a .480 slugging percentage. At just 25 years old for this season, Baez can be expected to make continued improvements.

Baez is stellar in the field as well. It seemed like every night there was some highlight of him making a play this past season. He played a lot of shortstop this past season as well, but second base is his most likely position moving forward. His added versatility only makes him more valuable though. Baez has posted 3.1 dWAR over the past two seasons.

4. Jonathan Schoop

Schoop was a solid prospect, but no one expected quite what he did last year. Schoop has improved with each season he has been in the big leagues, going from a .209 hitter in 2014 to the one we saw last year. He batted .293 and hit 32 home runs last year while making his first All-Star Game. He does have his subtractors though; Schoop struck out 142 times against just 35 walks last year. This was after walking just 21 times the year before.

At just 26, maybe Schoop should be ahead of Baez at least based on last year. However, based on his approach at the plate I don’t expect Schoop to ever duplicate what he accomplished last season. I see him being closer to the hitter he was in 2016, when he batted .267 with 25 home runs while posting a .752 OPS. He is still a good player, but not the star we saw last year. Time will tell if I am wrong. One more added bonus to Schoop is his ability to play every day. Schoop has only missed two games over the last two seasons.

5. Daniel Murphy

If this list were just for this season, Murphy would place second or third. However, Murphy is 33 years old on April 1st, so his position drops a bit. Murphy also isn’t the best fielder, posting a negative dWAR in six straight seasons. Murphy is one of the very best hitters though, so his spot is safe. From 2011-2015, Murphy batted .291 while averaging 10 home runs per year. He has always been a solid hitter. Since then, Murphy has made adjustments to his approach at the plate and started hitting the ball in the air more.

Murphy took the postseason by storm in 2015 when trying to do more damage with his at-bats. He hit seven home runs in the playoffs and won NLCS MVP. He continued with this new approach and has homered 48 times the last two years while leading the league in doubles both seasons. In 2016, he came in 2nd in the MVP vote after leading the league with a .985 OPS. He has batted .334 while averaging 24 home runs, 45 doubles and a .956 OPS over those seasons. At 33, he shouldn’t decline for a couple of years still, but he also doesn’t have nearly the time left of most others on this list.

6. Ozzie Albies

Albies doesn’t even have a full season in the Major Leagues, but he looks like a potential star. Albies was on all prospect lists the past two years, and came in at number 11 on Baseball America heading into last year. He batted .304 over parts of four minor league seasons. A line drive hitter, Albies has added a little bit of pop in recent years, as power usually develops with age. He isn’t expected to ever be a power hitter, but he could hit 15 home runs while hitting for good averages. Last season he hit 15 home runs between AAA and the majors. He hit .286 with six home runs over his first 217 Major League at-bats last year.

Albies also has a lot of speed. He stole 102 bases in his minor league career. That’s over 25 stolen bases per season and he wasn’t even playing full seasons in two of those. Last year, Albies stole 21 bases in 23 tries at AAA Gwinnett. After being called up to Atlanta, he stole eight more bases while only being caught once. Albies is also expected to have a good glove, and he made only three errors with a .987 fielding percentage with the Braves.

7. D.J. LeMahieu

Whether or not you want to argue about the affects of Coors Field, D.J. LeMahieu is an excellent hitter. LeMahieu has only surpassed 100 strike outs in one season, consistently putting the ball in play. Over the past three years he has made two All-Star Games and batted .319. LeMahieu has batted over .300 in each of those seasons and won the batting title in 2016. Even playing in Coors, he doesn’t have much power, but with averages like that does it really matter?

LeMahieu is also a stellar defender at second, making just 34 errors across parts of seven seasons. He has never made double digit errors in any season, giving him a career .991 fielding percentage at the position. LeMahieu was able to capture his second career Gold Glove this past season.

8. Yoan Moncada

This selection is all about projection. At just 22, Moncada has not shown much at the big league level yet. He batted just .231 this past season, although he did put up a .338 on-base percentage. He also managed to hit 8 home runs in 199 at-bats, showing his power potential.

Moncada’s reason for showing here is his big-time potential. Moncada was third in Baseball America’s prospect rankings for 2016, and 2nd for 2017. He has not only shown power potential, but the ability to steal a lot of bases. In 2015 he stole 49 bases while only being caught three times. The next year he stole 45 bags while hitting 15 home runs. His steals have dwindled the higher he has climbed, but between AAA and the White Sox last season he did post a 20-20 season. He has the lowest floor of anyone on this list, but one of the higher ceilings.

9. Rougned Odor

Odor is not your typical second baseman. Odor strikes out a lot, never walks and hits a lot of home runs. That is someone you might expect to find at first base or DH. His power at second base is hard to ignore entirely for this list, but his questionable ability to get on base drops him down to a fringe candidate. Odor was much better the two seasons prior to last year, so based on that potential I am including him.

Odor put up a .791 OPS his first two full seasons despite drawing just 42 walks. In 2016, he homered a lot more often than he drew a walk, 33-19. It was a very strange season, as he put up a weak .296 on-base percentage but had a stellar .502 slugging percentage. Last year he homered 30 times again, and upped his walks to a still meager 32. However, his average tanked, hitting a paltry .204 for the season. I am going to assume he is better than that and put him ninth.

10. Robinson Cano

There are several options still left for this tenth spot, but I am giving the nod to the future Hall of Famer. Cano is approaching top ten all-time status at second base, if he isn’t already. But Cano is 35 now and has shown signs of decline. He is still a very good player, but being so much older and already on the decline he doesn’t have as much value as these younger players.

Cano was awesome two years ago, bashing a career high 39 homers to go with his .882 OPS. However, his other three seasons in Seattle, although good, have been far inferior. Last year he dropped off to .280 with 23 home runs. That season was more in line with what he did in 2015, leaving 2016 as a massive outlier. So in those other two seasons surrounding 2016 he has batted .284 with an average of 22 home runs per season and an OPS below .800. That seems to be more the player Cano is right now. Whereas that is still good, he only has maybe two or three seasons left like that.

Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Cano watches his two-run homer at Yankee Stadium.
Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable Mentions:

Whit Merrifield, Starlin Castro, Scooter Gennett, Dustin Pedroia, Cesar Hernandez

 

 

Feature picture from The Atlantic

Spring Training Is Here, Begins Wednesday

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Baseball in the Air…

(Boston, MA 04/03/17) Fans fill Yawkey Way before the Boston Red Sox opening day game at Fenway Park in Boston on Monday, April 3, 2017. Staff photo by Nicolaus Czarnecki

Spring Training is here and begins this week. Players will make their way to Fort Myers soon. The quiet offseason for the Red Sox has been frustrating. But we’ve been distracted with the other sports teams in Boston to really pay attention. The Red Sox have been in the back corner hiding this offseason while the other three teams are on the spotlight.

Spring Training Begins This Week

(101117 Boston, MA) Dave Dombrowski, Red Sox President of Baseball Operations, talks about firing manager John Farrell during a press conference at Fenway Park on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. Staff Photo by Nancy Lane

The Red Sox can’t hide for long, and will be the only team playing in a few months. The mindset of Dave Dombrowski now getting a power bat is staggering. Will the Red Sox  sign J.D. Martinez? Who really knows, but to compete with the power hitting Yankees a power bat would be helpful. Questions arise with this team going into Spring Training. How will David Price pitch? How will Chris Sale do? Will Rick Porcello return to Cy Young form?

Red Sox Only Did One Thing This Offseason

Via MassLive.com

Let’s put it this way: hiring Alex Cora was the best offseason move they did so far. During the Winter Meetings they were completely silent and the whole month of January was a complete bore fest with the Red Sox. Pitchers and catchers report Tuesday with a first full team workout on Wednesday. Rumors last week said Martinez was fed up with the Red Sox taking so long but those seem to be false. Last year J.D. Martinez hit 45 home runs 104 RBI’s and batting average of .303.

Alex Cora on Managing the Red Sox

Via Boston Herald

Cora said when he was hired that, “Boston is a challenge, but for me, it’s not, I understand they live baseball 24/7. I come from a country [Puerto Rico] that does that, and with my family, it’s the same. This is a good baseball team, a team that, as you all know, have won back-to-back division titles but at the end of the day, this city, everybody wants to win a world championship.”