Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

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Can the Jaguars Beat the Patriots?

After an absolutely wild Week 14 in the NFL, there is a lot of uncertainty now in both conferences. Jacksonville crashed the two-horse AFC race with a signature 2017 win over the Seahawks. We all know the Jags play sound defense led by their tremendous secondary. But, Jacksonville has contributions from everybody in their latest conquest including the much-maligned Blake Bortles. Can the Jaguars actually compete with Pittsburgh and New England come playoff time?

The fact is they match up well with any team in pro football. They can run the football with rookie sensation Leonard Fournette. And, they stop the run with their massive front seven. That alone is a recipe for success in the very mediocre AFC. However, there is one huge factor against the Jaguars and that is this: Blake Bortles vs. Bill Belichick & Matt Patricia in a playoff game. The Pats will completely sell out to stop the run. Belichick will force Bortles to beat his secondary and even as the Patriots’ defensive backs have struggled at times, the Jaguars’ QB is prone to mistakes when the game is in his hands. Huge advantage: Patriots.

Can the Jaguars Beat the Steelers?

Well, then, how would Jacksonville do against Pittsburgh? They beat them once, 30-9. However, it would be shocking if they could duplicate that effort. Why? Don’t count on Ben Roethlisberger throwing 5 interceptions again and having two returned for touchdowns. Don’t count on Fournette scoring on a garbage-time 90-yard run either. It is true that Jacksonville would probably rather get the Steelers than the Patriots. Shut down Bell and Brown and Pittsburgh does not have a chance. Obviously, that is easier said than done, but when it comes to January football, that is the easier recipe than trying to defeat a Belichick-coached team when the game counts.

Is there a path for the Jaguars to reach Super Bowl LII? It’s a long shot, but it will start by getting a bye. If they go 3-0 and Pittsburgh beats New England, they get it. With that bye, they’ll receive the bonus “gift” of potentially hosting the Patriots in the divisional round. Truthfully, Jacksonville is probably one year away from seriously competing for the conference championship, but much credit to Doug Marrone for getting his team in this position in 2017.

The NFC Playoff Picture is Zany

If Aaron Rodgers’ shoulder and Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension hasn’t created enough NFC havoc this season, Carson Wentz’ torn ACL has sent this conference into utter unpredictability. Philadelphia’s chances rest with Nick Foles. That is not as bad as it sounds. Granted, Foles does not have the improvisational skills Wentz possesses. Not many quarterbacks do. But the Eagles are a complete team and may end up with home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

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Last Sunday in Los Angeles, the playing field was clearly neutral. It was amazing to observe tens of thousands of Eagles’ fans two thousand miles from their home city. They will not experience that same thing if they have to travel to Minnesota or New Orleans for a playoff game, however. They will have to rely instead on their running game and Foles’ game-management. Is Philadelphia still the NFC favorite? Maybe. But, without Wentz, they are not the conference’s best team. When Alvin Kamara is on the field for the Saints, they are the best team in the NFC.

Kamara gets better with each passing week. His injury severely affected the Saints’ game plan last week against Atlanta. Down the stretch, New Orleans called plays in an effort to win in regulation. That gamble backfired and the loss kept their division rival and defending conference champion alive.

Minnesota Almost Comes Back

Likewise, Minnesota almost pulled off what would have been a fantastic comeback at Carolina. Two mistakes killed them in the end. Down 24-21, with a first down at the six, the Vikings went nowhere. They settled for the three. Then, facing a second and five on defense, they used a spy to account for Cam Newton running the ball. The problem is Andrew Sendejo (the spy) took a poor angle in his effort to get to Newton on the run and must have been stunned by the quarterback’s extraordinary speed. Newton exploded for 62 and that was a wrap.

The point of all this is: the NFC is officially insane. This is going to be fun!

The Patriots Own Tomlin

There are three enormous games this week. Without a doubt, the top showdown features the Patriots at the Steelers. Coach Tomlin mentioned before the season started that his goal was home field advantage throughout the playoffs. To earn that privilege, they will need to win a home game. Unfortunately for Tomlin, his zone defense has been demolished through the years by New England. Rob Gronkowski almost always runs free. It does not help Pittsburgh’s cause that they have lost Ryan Shazier to a tragic back injury. He may be the fastest linebacker in the game today. The Patriots will look to exploit the several match up advantages they have on the offensive side of the ball.

Be careful not to read too much into their lethargic performance on Monday night. Miami came to play. Their corners locked down against the Patriot receivers, Tom Brady was off and the play calling lacked continuity. If we know anything about New England, they will bounce back.

Two Other Huge Games

The other gigantic game in the AFC is in Kansas City. It would be “so Chargers” if they dropped this ball game. Kansas City started the season like gangbusters going 5-0 and beating the Pats and Eagles. Los Angeles could not do anything right going 0-4 including a home loss to the Chiefs. Everything has changed now. Yet, the teams are both 7-6 and a loss by Los Angeles could be a killer despite their resurgence.

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Finally, in the NFC, the other team in LA travels to Seattle. The game is so significant for the Rams that a win puts them in control of the NFC West while a loss not just hurts their chances of winning the division, but may keep them from getting into the postseason altogether. It is time for Jared Goff to put on his big boy pants. Win in Seattle against Russell Wilson and the Rams will have truly earned their playoff spot under first year man, Sean McVay.

Why We All Secretly Want Lonzo Ball to Fail

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Despite his struggles and pedestrian stat line, Lonzo Ball isn’t an awful NBA player. But, his performance to date barely justifies a first-round draft pick, certainly not the #2 he was. Anyone can see that he would have benefited from another year playing college ball. That is, if UCLA would have even wanted him and his ridiculous father back.

Tyrannosaurus Dad

LaVar Ball represents everything that is wrong with not only sports parents, but everything else in this country. He is a talentless self-promoter who is more concerned with his own unjustified celebrity than in his children’s success.

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LaVar’s delusions of personal grandeur are well-known by now. He claimed he was a better player than Michael Jordan. He also said he was a better tight end in his brief NFL-Europe career than Gronk. And, he asserts at every turn he can coach better than Steve Alford at UCLA or Luke Walton with the Lakers.

He famously criticized UCLA for surrounding his son with “slow white players”, following their loss to Kentucky in last year’s Sweet 16. After the game, Ball lamented that “realistically you can’t win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow“. Besides the obvious racist nature of the comment, we should recall that in the game Lonzo was awful. He went 4-10 from the field for 10 points and the guy he was guarding, De’Aaron Fox, put up 39 of Kentucky’s 86 points.

And, of course, there was this timeless classic from his appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd in which he redefined misogyny.

LA Story

For all his many flaws, LaVar Ball did a great job marketing Lonzo to the NBA. He somehow managed to convince the Magic Johnson and the Lakers that Lonzo was something more than an average talent. That takes skill.

Prior to the draft, as he negotiated his way to getting Lonzo picked number two by the Lakers, he assured Magic that his behavior was all an act. It was marketing for his Big Baller Brand and promotion for his kids. Now that Lonzo was in LA, LaVar would tone it down and focus on LaMelo and LiAngelo.

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Considering that he continues to run his mouth criticizing Coach Walton and that the Lakers had to institute the “LaVar Rule” to keep microphones away from him in the aftermath of games, it’s pretty obvious that he has not toned down.

Ball can’t control himself. This is a man who thought he would win a Twitter war with Donald Trump. It’s obviously a psychosis, but it’s mostly our fault. LaVar is a Kardashian. He has neither talent nor substance. He is famous for being famous. Sports talk shows over analyzing his every outlandish comments and immature actions merely propagate his fake celebrity.

Lonzo in Perspective

Lonzo, in a vacuum sans his ridiculous father, seems like an almost likable kid. Almost. To date, he’s averaging 8.6 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 6.8 RPG. Not bad for a rookie. He is, however, an abysmal 47% from the free throw line which might play into why the Lakers don’t want him on the court down the stretch.

Celtics fans, ever willing to take joy in LA’s struggles, take added joy from the fact that Jayson Tatum, taken immediately after Lonzo, is already twice the player Ball will ever be. At 13.8 PPG, 1.3 APG, 5.7 RPG, and 82% from the field and 52% from beyond the 3-point line, Tatum is the clear candidate for Rookie of the Year and a key reason why the Hayward-less Celtics remain in contention.

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Tatum has always been a hardworking, quiet professional, and has risen to the challenge of the NBA. And, we haven’t heard a peep from his parents. Thank you.

Kyrie Irving

Boston Celtics’ Ups and Downs – Week 8

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Winning weeks have become commonplace for the Celtics now. Boston rounded out a 4-1 home stand with convincing wins over Milwaukee and Dallas. A loss in San Antonio on national TV ended a nice four-game win streak, but the Celtics bounced back to beat Detroit on Sunday afternoon. There are lots to love about the Celtics right now, so let’s take a look at some Ups and Downs from Week 8 action.

The Ups

Masked Kyrie Continues to Roll

Kyrie may have been happy to finally get rid of the mask against Detroit on Sunday, but he certainly can’t be happier with the roll he has been on since wearing it. Kyrie has upped his efficiency and been on a scoring tear since donning the mask on Nov. 14. The trend continued this past week. Kyrie averaged 26.7 points in four games last week, and, with the exception of a tough match-up against Avery Bradley on Sunday, shot over 54 percent from the field in each game. Although a game-tying three rimmed out against the Spurs, Kyrie has been dynamic on the offensive end and has done everything the Celtics need of him.

Al Horford, Celtics’ Renaissance Man

A common complaint from Celtics fans about Horford is that he doesn’t always have the biggest impact on the offensive end. He can be a reluctant scorer and defer to others more often than he should. But what Horford does better than anyone on the Celtics is find balance in his game. If the team needs him to score the ball, he will, like when he dropped 27 on the Bucks in October. If everyone else is in a groove offensively, Horford has no problem sharing the ball and dishing out a career-high 11 assists.

Plenty of people will say that Kyrie unlocked Horford. In reality, Horford’s complete game unlocks and enhances the play of all of those around him. His playmaking ability frees up Kyrie to score at will. His defense, along with Aron Baynes, allows perimeter players to gamble with assurance that they have help in the paint. Horford’s game is a quiet one and can go overlooked, but take him off this team and you will quickly realize his value.

Jayson Tatum Continues to Impress

Jayson Tatum

Ask any basketball media member, NBA expert, or casual fan, and 99 percent of them will say they never expected this level of play from Tatum. If it weren’t for Ben Simmons, Tatum would be the favorite for Rookie of the Year. Tatum has had many jaw dropping stats this season. He’s leading the NBA in three-point percentage (52.3 percent) and has scored in double digits for 16 straight games. As if being a major contributor on the team with the league’s best record at 19-years old wasn’t enough, Tatum is showing he’s more than capable of performing under pressure.

Tatum has become one of the most effective fourth quarter players on the Celtics. He’s averaging 4.1 points per game in the fourth quarter, his most in any quarter. While some fans may not be impressed, considering Isaiah Thomas averaged double digits in the fourth last season, Tatum’s shooting splits will surely drive the point home. He’s shooting 66.7 percent from the field, 71.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 91 percent from the free throw line. Tatum hasn’t been relied upon to score in volumes late in games, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to give him a few more chances.

The Downs

Avery Bradley, Known Kyrie Stopper

Avery Bradley

Celtics fans are familiar with Bradley’s ability to harass Kyrie. In the past Boston loved it, but now not so much. This is more of a long-term concern, but nonetheless something to keep an eye out for. In two games against Bradley and the Pistons, Kyrie averaged just 17 points on 36 percent shooting. If the Celtics find themselves with a playoff match-up against Detroit, Bradley’s defense could become a factor. Will it be enough to turn the tides in Detroit’s favor? Most likely not. But it could make things a lot more difficult than they have to be.

Possible Shooting Slump?

The Celtics were riding a hot streak on offense coming into last week’s play. In four games against Indiana, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Phoenix, Boston shot at least 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. They continued that trend against Milwaukee to start the week, then dropped off in the final three games. Such a small sample size could be nothing to worry about, but it’s worth monitoring. The Celtics had been making their way up the league ranks in team offense over the past few weeks. Consistency in that regard will be important in keeping them atop the Eastern Conference.

Jaylen Brown’s Decision Making

With Horford, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier on the team, Brown’s lack of playmaking isn’t too much of a concern. What is a concern, thought, is Brown’s decision-making. Brown is always going to be one of the more athletic players on the floor. He can get to the rim at will, but sometimes that has become a problem. Whether trying to make a move 1-on-1, or trying to bully his way through multiple defenders, Brown has a tendency to force things. That leads to bad shots and turnovers. If he lets the game come to him he should be fine, but some development in that area would be nice.

The Enigma That Is College Hockey

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History of College Hockey

New England College Hockey is a treasured luxury to complement our brutal winters. Other than back-breaking shoveling, what provides New Englanders with a sense of pride is college hockey. The Hockey East Conference, which was established in 1984, is home to amazing teams, legendary hockey-minded coaches, and NHL Hall of Famers. In no other sport do coaches last if they do in college hockey. Jack Parker, Jerry York, Dick Umile all had 20+ year coaching careers, all with the same team. Jack Parker coached the Terriers for 40 seasons. That is unheard of in other sports. Maybe college basketball comes close, but in college hockey, coaches are loyal to their programs.

Current Members

There are currently eleven teams in the Conference following Notre Dame’s exit for the Big Ten. BC, BU, UMass Lowell, UMaine, UNH, Northeastern, and Providence were all founding members in 1984. Merrimack joined in 1989, UMass Amherst in 1994, UVM in 2005, and UCONN in 2014. BC and BU have certainly dominated the conference, winning 11 and 8 Hockey East Championships respectively. UMaine, UMass Lowell, UNH, Northeastern, and Providence have all been multiple time winners. Sorry Merrimack, UMass Amherst, and UVM. Hockey East Schools have won 8 NCAA Championships, most recently the 2015 Providence College Friars.

Fans

It is not even winning the Hockey East Championship that matters to New England College Hockey fans. While fans want to see, their team succeed and go on to win National Titles, most fans watch college hockey for the spectacle of it. When you attend a college hockey game, you will see a wide vary of fans. There are little kids whose parents attended one of the schools playing, watching the mascot the entire game. The loud, obnoxious, drunk college kids, and the old season ticket holders wearing an old autographed jersey are a must see. These fans add to the spectacle of New England College Hockey; without them it would just be a hockey game. The crazy game day promotions also make up the spectacle. From bobbleheads to cowbells, fans will line up an hour before the game in the freezing cold just to get one.

Cycle

Many College Hockey fans can live every part of the cycle of a college hockey fan. We are born in and die in New England and are damn proud of that. Our parents bring us to games, now we’re the drunk, fun-loving college students. Until one day we’ll be the old season ticket holder, rocking the throwback, autographed jersey.

Miami’s Vice: Why Tom Brady Can’t Beat the Dolphins Down South?

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Well, that one sucked.  Patriots lose 27-20 in the so-called “Magic City” of Miami Florida last night in what can only be described as a lackluster performance.  Worried?  Not at all.  Confused?  Yes, I have to say I am.

What is it about our South Beach semi-rivals that we cannot seem to overcome when we visit their City of Skin?

In particular, why can’t Sir Thomas win in “The Birdcage“?

A losing career record when visiting ‘Little Cuba’ (ok, I am officially out of Miami monikers)?

Is Tom Part Porpoise?

Is Miami to TB12 what the NY Yankees were admittedly to Pedro?  His ‘Daddy’?  Gulp.  Nah.  Lets not overreact.  The Fish have been getting squished by the entire NFL for the better part of this millennium, and a couple regular season losses in the heat by the Patriots do not change that fact.  Dan Marino is not walking through that door.  Don Shula is not walking through that door…unless of course you order a bone-in ribeye at one of his steak joints.  Tommy Boy, and the team at large, will be just fine.  Next week Pittsburgh, the push to the post season begins.  Frankly, an angry Brady/Belichick combo is just what the doctor ordered, in terms of playing tough after a loss.  Look out Big Ben/Parliamen,t that’s not Santa Claus coming to town, it’s a pissed off GOAT.  You have been warned.

With that said, I did come up with a list of reasons why this pattern of losing in southeast FL has plagued #12 throughout his career.  Best I could come up with anyway…

TOP 10 Reasons Tom Brady Can’t Win in Miami

10.  Bad Cuban sandwich

9.  Two Words: David Caruso

8.  Six more words: Men Rollerblading that look like this.

7.  Gronk.  Yes, I am, in fact, blaming you for ALL the Miami losses, Big Guy.  That’ll learn ya.

6.  He is simply weirded out that a place exists where people are (almost) as good-looking as him.

5.  Illegal shake down for cocaine by Crockett & Tubbs (won’t get that reference if you are under 35 years old) rattled his confidence.

4.  The tropical tans of everyone down there distracts him unlike the pasty, white flabber-messes he has grown so accustomed to in Foxborough.

3.  Larry Czonka Mustache Curse

2.  Wait, Al Pacino is a Drug Lord AND the head coach of a pro football team…in MIAMI?  Mind: Blown

  1. “It’s only Miami.  RELAX, everyone.”

On to the Steelers!

 

Boston College Men’s Basketball off to Hot Start

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The Boston College men’s basketball team seems to have a knack for upsets. They recently took down #1 ranked Duke and handed them their first loss of the season on Saturday, winning 89-84. If one can remember, they did the EXACT same thing to Syracuse in 2014, but this time away from home. At 7-3, this is the best start the Eagles have had in a while — and one fans hope to see continue through the rest of the season.

New Season, Fresh Start

Boston College had a rough time winning games and finished with a 9-23 record last season. I asked coach Jim Christian what his message was to his guys at the beginning of this season in regards to last year’s performance. His response:

“…Clean slate… you add new players and each season is a different challenge… once the final buzzer is off… have to put that season in the rear view mirror and just move forward.”

According to last year’s team statistics, BC was either close to or better than the league average in many categories. Unfortunately, it didn’t translate into many wins. Some adjustments that were made coming into this season:

“We’ve become a better offensive rebounding team…defensive team. We knew those were the areas that really hurt us… Personnel was a big part of it too— adding some guys that can really help you.”

Well coach, your adjustments seem to be paying off.

Boston College Soars Past Duke

The Eagles entered their match up against Duke with seven days of rest. Make no mistake — it was a battle, with Duke getting 15 points off turnovers in the first half. But the Eagles went on a 13-5 run to end the half, going up 48-41. BC came out in the second half and knocked off #1 by:

  • Keeping Duke to 46% FG shooting and 26% shooting from three. Their season averages: 50.9% FG shooting and 35% from three
  • Shutting down Bagley, who only had 15 points. That’s less than his season average of 21 points
  • Shutting down the perimeter. Allen, who is shooting 43% from three this season, was only 1-9 in that area

Meanwhile, BC had their best shooting game to date: 50.8% from the floor and 57.7% from three. The team also made a season high 15 3-pointers. Here are some highlights:

  • Robinson made all five of his 3 point attempts. He had 24 points
  • Chatman hit five 3’s, putting up 22 points and 6 rebounds
  • Bowman shot 50%, putting up 30 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists

And just because Deontae Hawkins is out with an injury, that doesn’t mean he can’t contribute. Being a grad student with four years of NCAA play already under his belt, he is able to bring a sort of “calmness” says Christian. His maturity and how he was able to communicate with the guys during the game really helped to keep them grounded. In addition, the leadership of Bowman and Robinson continues to drive this team down the path to greatness.

Knowing What You Want

What can we attribute this early season success to? Coach Cristian spoke about setting goals and sticking to them. This past summer, they got the guys to open up about the goals they had for themselves coming into this year.”I think it’s important that they know… then we just follow through on them.” Setting goals is the first step to achieving the success you want for yourself. Smart man, even better coach.

Good luck to the Eagles on the rest of their season!

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Is Tuukka Rask Back to Vezina Form?

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This season has been a rocky one for starting goalie Tuukka Rask. After getting off to a horrendous start to the season, the former Vezina winner lost his starting job. Rightfully so considering how Khudobin was playing compared to Rask. But after taking a seat for a few weeks it seems like Bruce Cassidy may have gotten the Finnish netminder refocused. However can Rask maintain his Vezina caliber play or will he return to early season form?

Slow Start

In the month of October Rask went 1-5 with an .896 SV% and a 2.93 GAA. Along with the terrible numbers the team looked lifeless when Rask was in goal. Tuukka was constantly off his angles, allowing soft goals inside the post. Along with having a tendency to get in the butterfly to quickly allowing himself to get beat high farside practically every night. Even though Tuukka was costing the team games his play still was sub par in November. Rask followed up one of the worst months of his career with another terrible one. In November Rask went 3-5 with a .901 SV% and a 2.78 GAA and the team was playing so poorly putting Rask in net was almost a guaranteed loss.

Tuukka’s horrible play brought on even more concern when reports came out that the Bruins’ locker room may have been getting tired of all the finger-pointing Rask was doing. This report was backed up when Tuukka said that “I’m not going to comment on the team play anymore”. Rask went on to say that the focus was purely on goaltending for him. So not only was Tuukka struggling in goal, it seemed like he was isolating himself in the locker room.

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Emergence

If anyone deserves credit for Tuukkas reemergence in goal, it’s Bruce Cassidy. Cassidy sent a message to the team and Rask, saying that just because you have the contract does not mean you have job security. It seems like the early season statement may have been the best move of the season. Since Rask got his starting job back, both Tuukka and the team look dangerous. In December Rask has otherworldly numbers in 4 games, posting a 3-0 record with an excellent .967 SV% and an 0.85 GAA along with his only shutout of the season.

Now the question becomes can Rask keep up this level of play for the rest of the season? Yes and no, it’s a tough question to answer straight up. Mainly because while Rask has been excellent he has a tendency to be rather streaky as the minutes begin to rack up. But this year the Bruins have leverage over the Finnish goalie. Anton Khudobin’s performance early on has provided Rask some much-needed competition. Now that there is another goalie who has performed at a high level waiting in the wings Tuukka has no room for a long slip.

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Conclusion

While Rask can be frustrating to watch his talent cannot be disbuted. When Tuukka is focused and on his angles he can be a gamechanger for Boston. So while he may never be able to play at vezina level again for an entire season. Rask still has the abilty to lead the Bruins on a cup run.

The Greatest Designated Hitters in Red Sox History

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Designated hitter is the final position to cover for Red Sox all-time greats. This is a spot that has had a lot of turnover since it came into existence, aside from a certain lovable Papi. The DH did not come into existence until 1973. Many guys have only played for two to three years as the primary DH on the Sox as Big Papi took up about one-fourth of that time. Keeping with the theme of these articles, here are the five greatest in Red Sox history.

David Ortiz

We can thank the Twins for one of the greatest players in franchise history, and maybe the most influential. Ortiz had shown promise with the Twins, posting an .818 OPS over his last three seasons. He hit 20 home runs in 2002 while posting a .500 slugging percentage. I remember thinking it was strange when they let him go and I wanted the Red Sox to sign him. Of course, nobody could have predicted the levels of success yet to come.

There are too many feats to list them all, but Big Papi helped the Red Sox to their first three World Series Championships in 86 years. When finally elevated into the lineup in 2003 over the terrible Jeremy Giambi, (took you long enough Grady Little!) Ortiz raked, hitting .293 with 29 homers and a 1.010 OPS from June 1st on. With his clutch hitting he managed to enter the MVP race, ultimately finishing 5th. It was the first of five consecutive seasons in which Ortiz would place in the top five for the MVP. Ortiz finished in 2nd and 3rd place once and in 4th place twice. In 2006 he set the franchise single-season record by hitting 54 home runs.

Of course there was all the timely hitting. Ortiz had walk-off hits in both game 4 and game 5 of the 2004 ALCS. This came after Ortiz took Jarrod Washburn over the green monster to walk-off the Angels and complete the ALDS sweep. For a stretch there it seemed like whenever he came up with a chance to win the game, he would. I remember watching one game in particular against the Indians; my brother called for Ortiz to hit a home run for the walk-off. My response was, “come on, he’s not going to continue to hit a home run every time, it isn’t possible.” Ortiz promptly took Fausto Carmona over the center field wall to win the game. He was simply unreal, the most clutch player I have ever watched.

Ortiz batted .290 and hit 483 home runs as a member of the Red Sox. He drove in 1530 runs, bashed 524 doubles and had a .386/.570/.956 slash line. Ortiz made 10 All-Star Games and won seven Silver Sluggers. Of course, he went out on top of his game still, batting .315 with 38 home runs and a league leading 48 doubles at the age of 41. In the playoffs, Ortiz hit 17 home runs and had a .947 OPS. They say good pitching beats good hitting in the playoffs, but Ortiz’ postseason numbers are right in line with his regular season ones. He then stepped it up even further in the World Series, batting .455 with a 1.372 OPS over three separate World Series.

Reggie Jefferson

Jefferson came to the Red Sox without a true role. The Sox already had Mo Vaughn at first base and Jose Canseco at DH. Jefferson ended up forcing his way into the lineup by hitting line drives all over the yard. His emergence may have played a role in Canseco being shipped out-of-town after the 1996 season. That year, Jefferson batted .347 with 19 home runs and a .981 OPS! He had the 2nd highest batting average in the American League and the highest OPS on the Red Sox that season.

Jefferson batted .319 as the primary DH in 1997, hitting .352 against right-handers. He again batted over .300 in 1998 before a back injury shelved him for the remainder of the season in mid-July. In five seasons with the Red Sox, Jefferson batted .316 with a .363/.505/.868 slash line. He was even better in front of the home crowd, hitting .345 with a .928 OPS at Fenway Park. You can read more about him here.

Reggie Jefferson #18 of the Boston Red Sox bats during a game against the White Sox on July 1, 1997 at New Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Jose Canseco

Canseco was a beast at the plate during his two years with the Red Sox; when healthy. Canseco only played in 102 and 96 games in his two seasons, battling injuries. In his time on the field, Canseco managed to bat .298 with 52 home runs and a .960 OPS. Of course, he had some added help, but those are some monster numbers. If he could have stayed healthy he would have threatened 40 home runs both years.

Canseco batted behind Mo Vaughn in the order, providing him with some lineup protection. Teams still walked Big Mo to get to Canseco occasionally, and it seemed like whenever they did Canseco hit one onto Landsdowne Street. I used to think he would get angry in the on-deck circle at the disrespect. He ultimately slots in third on this list since he was only with the team for two years, but they were two very good offensive seasons.

Jose Canseco of the Red Sox drives in a run in the first inning of Boston’s game against the Yankees at Fenway Park. Canseco also had a home run and a tie-breaking two-run double as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 7-4. (JOHN MOTTERN /AFP/Getty Images)

Mike Easler

Easler is another guy who only spent two seasons with the Red Sox. There really aren’t many primary designated hitters who lasted for a while with the team. Easler’s 337 base hits actually rank 5th among Red Sox designated hitters. He batted .288 with 43 home runs and 165 runs batted in on the strength of his first season with the team. In 1984 he was great, hitting .313 with 27 homers and 91 RBI. And that, oddly enough for a position dedicated to guys who can hit, is good enough to make the top five.

April 13, 1984: Mike Easler bats during the Red Sox home opener against the Detroit Tigers on April 13, 1984.
(Photo by Peter Travers/Boston Red Sox)

Cecil Cooper

Cooper is a guy who should have been with the team longer than he was. An upcoming prospect coming off two solid seasons, the Red Sox traded the 27-year-old Cooper to Milwaukee. Boston brought back two former Red Sox on the wrong side of 30 in George Scott and Bernie Carbo. Scott and Carbo both had one more good season, Cooper went on to bat .302 over 11 seasons with the Brewers.

Before he was traded, Cooper had batted .283 with 40 home runs and a .772 OPS. His best season with the Sox was definitely in 1975, batting .311 with an .899 OPS. He was one of the team’s hottest hitters that summer before taking a pitch to the face in September. Although he would become a Gold Glover in Milwaukee, he was not considered to be a good fielder in his younger days so he had been relegated to DH.

Honorable Mentions:

Carl Yastrzemski (.264 46 HR .764 OPS at DH), Don Baylor, Andre Dawson

 

 

The Yankees Became a Powerhouse

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Back in Time…

Remember in 2004  when Alex Rodriguez went to the Yankees? Everyone was saying the Red Sox would never win the World Series, but they did that year. The difference between the 2003 and 2018 Red Sox is they had power back then. The 2018 Red Sox have no power hitters and are now the Cleveland Browns of baseball. This Red Sox team just became the laughing stock of the American League East. An interesting stat: Stanton, Judge, and Sanchez had a combined 144 home runs last season. The entire Red Sox lineup hit 168 and got thrown out at the bases 70 times.

In Dave We Trust?

Dave Dombrowski now has to overspend on J.D. Martinez, who hit 45 home runs,104 RBI’s and had a .303 batting average last season. Derek Jeter gave his old team a discount to become a powerhouse while the Marlins are garbage and will have potentially give the Yankees control of the American League for years to come. Stanton wants to be on a winning team and the Red Sox didn’t want to give anyone up. New York makes sense for him, but the Red Sox really screwed themselves from being contenders in the American League East. They could’ve traded Bradley. You know that Dave wants to win in the short term, and they aren’t getting anywhere with this current Red Sox team.

Derek Jeter Just Made the Yankees a Powerhouse

The Yankees weren’t that much of a good team recently. But Derek Jeter just potentially made the Yankees a powerhouse for years to come, while Red Sox ownership just sits back and watches. I’ve been saying since Ortiz retired that the Red Sox need a bat. The Yankees have passed the Red Sox with this deal and it will show next season.  Dombrowski had the chance to make something happen. With Abreu not coming to Boston, the only option is J.D. Martinez. Enjoy baseball, Red Sox nation, because the only thing people will be singing at Fenway Park is Sweet Caroline in the eighth inning.

Dwayne Allen Can Make up for Disappointing Season Against Dolphins

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Dwayne Allen hasn’t had the most successful season with the Patriots to say the least.

The Patriots acquired Allen and a 2017 sixth round pick this past offseason from the Colts for 2017 fourth rounder. The 6th year tight end came to New England with 1451 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns under his belt. His highlight performance thus far came almost a year ago, where he recorded three touchdown catches in the first half against the Jets. That was the Dwayne Allen Coach Belichick wanted on his squad coming into this season. The Dwayne Allen that decimated the Jets’ defense in 2016 would be dangerous when lined up with Rob Gronkowski. Bill Belichick envisioned Allen as being a perfect backup to Gronk after Martellus Bennett left the team for Green Bay. With his catching and blocking abilities Allen was theoretically one of the more exciting additions to the team last offseason. Or at least fans thought.

Unexpected Disappointment

The average NFL season possesses a certain level of entropy. A team that is successful one season might not be the next. A prime example is just about every team from the AFC West this season. The same principle goes for individual players as well. Dwayne Allen was one of the centerpieces of the Colts’ offense last season. Dubbed “Pylon Allen” by BSE’s Jeff Jardine, he has been the opposite of that so far in New England. He expected a decline in numbers when he took a secondary role on the Patriots. However, this season has been disappointing, even in backup standards. Allen has caught a mere five passes on thirteen targets. An easy drop in the home opener against the Chiefs set the tone of his season. The 406 receiving yards he put up in 2016 are ten times the amount of what he has this season.

It has been tough skating for Dwayne Allen in New England, but he doesn’t seem the slightest bit defeated. With Gronk serving a one game suspension, he will likely get the start for the first time as Patriot Monday night. Allen hopes to have similar results as Gronk when he tore up the Dolphins’ defense in Foxborough two weeks ago.

A Story of Redemption

Dolphins’ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh told reporters that it is his job on Monday night to get in Tom Brady’s head.

“My job is to piss him off and have him yelling at his offensive linemen for not blocking me, his coach and everybody on the sideline.”

With the Patriots’ offensive line riddled with injuries as of late, the Dolphins’ defensive game plan will be focused on pressure. The only way to slow down the Patriots is to send Brady to the ground early and often. They expect that with Gronkowski out this week the Patriots will focus on their run game and passing short. Dolphins’ scouts have seen Dwayne Allen’s stats this year and have ruled out him being a factor on offense.

But Coach Belichick likes to keep defenses thinking, and I can see him using Dwayne Allen without hesitation early into the game. Quick slants and cross routes down the middle of the field will be a reliable outlet for Brady to get the ball out of his hands. Dwayne Allen won’t let this opportunity to be a focal point of the offense go to waste when his name gets called.