Kemba Walker Deserves More Respect

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The moment Kemba Walker became the ninth overall selection out of UConn in 2011, Hornets fans had high expectations. Many draft picks from Charlotte have been producing lackluster careers, but Kemba Walker has become a special talent. Walker is one of the most underrated point guards in the NBA. It is about time that he receives more respect from fans across the league.

Walker is the Franchise

At age 27, Walker is on pace to become the all-time franchise leader in numerous categories. He came into Charlotte and from his rookie season, he has been the franchise cornerstone that this team has desperately been searching for.

The Hornets have not yet been able to stabilize a lineup for longer than a couple years. The amount of turnover Walker has been playing through has had little effect on his overall numbers. He is proving that this season as well as the team made a trade for Dwight Howard over the offseason. So far in 2017, Walker is averaging 22 points, 7 assists, and 3 rebounds a game. All without fellow star Nicolas Batum attracting other team’s defense away from him.

The chemistry that Walker has been able to develop with Howard is impressive. Charlotte has the ability to compete in the Eastern Conference this season. People were ready to give up on Howard after poor performance with the Atlanta Hawks last season. The Hornets were able to get Howard back on track. Now he and Kemba look like a new dynamic duo in the East.

How Walker Stacks up with Top Point Guards

Most people entering the 2017 season would not put Walker in their top 10. That is absolutely ridiculous and people need to stop sleeping on him. Although defensively he is not a threat, he is a dangerous scorer on the drive and from beyond the arc. It is hard to imagine him being ranked so low for defensive reasons. James Harden gets ranked somewhere in the top three and literally never get back on defense. That is a joke.

Now before you start questioning whether I know anything about basketball, do not twist my words. I am not saying he is better than the elite guards such as Steph Curry or Russell Westbrook. Those players are in a league of their own in terms of point guard play. Kemba Walker falls somewhere along the lines of Damian Lillard, Eric Bledsoe, and Kyle Lowry.

The difference between Walker and the rest of the guards named is the supporting cast. Lillard has CJ McCollum, Bledsoe now plays alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Lowry with Demar Derozan. Kemba has been having to make plays for himself for the better part of his career. Statistically, he is putting up almost the same numbers as the other guards in terms of points and assists. It is about time people start realizing all he has done for Charlotte virtually alone and give him the respect he deserves.

Boston Celtics

What Can We Take Away from the Celtics’ Win over the Warriors?

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For what seems like the third or fourth time already this season, the Boston Celtics have a signature win. In a early season marquee match-up against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, the Celtics validated their winning streak in a big way. They silenced critics who discounted their streak based on their opponents and showed that their defense is not to be messed with. With all that said, this was still a regular season game in November, not a championship game. So what can we take away from this game? Let’s walk through each factor that lead to the incredible win.

Jaylen Brown Shows Out on an Emotional Night

Brown played like he was possessed last night. There were spurts throughout the game where Brown looked like the best player on the court. On both ends of the floor, Brown’s athleticism and hustle were on full display. He knocked down shots, played exceptional defense on Kevin Durant, and single-handedly brought the Celtics back from a 17-point second half deficit.

Brown was dominant, and only after the game did the public find out that he was also playing with a heavy heart. On Wednesday night, Brown lost his best friend Trevon Steede. Brown and Steede played high school basketball together in Georgia, and Brown’s emotional post-game press conference told the story of how close they were. Brown was a man on a mission last night, and now we know why.

Kyrie Unmasked

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie is not a fan of his mask. After playing two games with the mask, Kyrie is shooting just 12-36 from the field. In the game against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, Kyrie continued to fiddle with the mask, taking it off of his face any time play stopped. Against the Warriors, Kyrie had seen, or not seen, enough.

Kyrie discarded the mask in the third quarter, against the recommendation of the medical staff, and he took over in the fourth quarter. The shots still weren’t falling, but two layups and a few trips to the free throw line kept the Celtics in front. It remains to be seen if Kyrie will forgo the mask in the upcoming games, but something will have to change. Mask or no mask, Kyrie is an incredible talent, and players like Kyrie find a way to win games no matter the struggles they had earlier in the game.

Tatum and Horford Stay Consistent for Celtics

The Warriors game was, arguably, the first time that Jayson Tatum looked outmatched this season. He got beat back door by Durant on the first Warrior bucket of the game and looked tentative early when being guarded by Draymond Green. And yet, Tatum was able to stick to it and finish the game with 12 points. Tatum scored just two points in the first half and had just five points heading into the fourth quarter. But in what has become common for the rookie, he was crucial to maintaining a lead and securing the win. Tatum knocked down five big free throws late in the fourth, two of which put the Celtics up by four points with six seconds left in the game. Tatum looked like a rookie to start the game, but ended it like a seasoned vet.

Al Horford

In typical Al Horford fashion, his second straight double-double flew under the radar in the Celtics’ big win over Golden State. Horford lead the team in plus/minus at +16, was second on the team with 18 points and first on the team with 11 rebounds. While players like Kyrie and Marcus Morris struggled to shoot the ball, Horford shot 7-11 from the floor, continuing his impressive shooting streak. Over the past three games, Horford has shot 76 percent from the field. He won’t get the headlines, but Horford has been the most important player on the Celtics this season. 

The Celtics’ toughest test is behind them. In upcoming games Boston plays the likes of Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Indiana, and Orlando. It’s tough to say how long this streak will last, but playing elite level defense will give them a shot to beat anybody.

Should The Bruins Tank The Rest of The Season?

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Okay, it’s time to take a serious look at the Boston Bruins. After getting completely outworked in Anaheim the Bruins currently have a 7-7-4 record, which ranks 26th in the NHL. The Bruins have lost 4 out of 5 games and both Brad Marchand and budding rookie Anders Bjork have been placed on injured reserve. Now the question becomes what do the Bruins do from here?

Push for a Playoff Spot

Now the Bruins as an organization have always made it quite clear that they want to be in the playoffs no matter what. It’s quite clear that was the goal entering this season before the injury bug ravished the roster. But even with the absurd amount of injuries, the Bruins could, and probably will, make a push for a playoff spot. This is mainly because the Bruins want to sell tickets and keep the TV ratings up.

The Bruins are attempting to rebuild on the fly while remaining relevant in the mind of sports fans. As a result, the Bruins have enough talent on the team, if they can get a few bodies back to make a push. A hot month or two could put the Bruins right back into the thick of things. There is value in making the playoffs for the Bruins this season. Its always good to get the young kids some experience in prime time.

Tank

Bruins fans are going to have a hard time swallowing this pill. But the best option for the Bruins is to tank. Let’s be realistic, the Bruins at full strength are a fringe playoff team. Let alone with half the roster out, the Bruins have dug themselves into a to steep a hole to make up. Now it’s time for Sweeney to make the tough call for the better of the team. It’s been proving on multiple occasions that building on the fly in the NHL is extremely difficult. On top of that Sweeney has done nothing to inspire confidence that he can build a capable team.

For Bruins fans on the fence about tanking, would you rather be the Maple Leafs or the Bruins right now? Its obviously the Maple Leafs for one reason: Austin Matthews. How did the Maple Leafs get him? Oh yeah, by tanking. That’s what makes the future bright for the Maple Leafs. While the Bruins have talent coming through the system, they don’t have a stud forward, especially at the center position. Brady Tkachuk is a 6-3, 194 pound center coming out of Boston College that the Bruins should target in the draft. He is ranked as the best center in the draft and the second best forward behind Andrei Svenchnikov.

Verdict

The Bruins need to tank and go get themselves a stud in the draft. Tkachuk is a gritty young center who has the mental makeup to play and thrive at the NHL level, and is expected to go fourth or fifth in the draft. Now Sweeney needs to realize his goal should be getting Tkachuk or maybe even Rasmus Dahlin, the highly touted defenseman. That’s why the Bruins need to sell off pieces such as Riley Nash, Zdeno Chara, Adam Mcquaid, and David Krejci (if anyone will take him). Go full tank mode get a stud forward into the system, allow the young players to grow at the NHL level and plan for the next three years not just this season.

This is a crucial time for the Sweeney/Neely era. Selling pieces off will put them under fire but holding onto them may cost a shot at a potential stud.

JBJs San Fran suitors

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According to MLB Trade Rumors, the San Francisco Giants are interested in acquiring Red Sox centerfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. Before everyone screams KUNG FOO PANDA! remember that wasn’t a trade. We signed him as a free agent. It was a self-inflicted wound.

That we’re still paying for until 2020.

Bradley is Eminently Tradeable

I simply do not understand the love affair with Bradley. Jackie Bradley Jr. is not Mookie Betts.  He is a fine baseball player, but he is not untradeable. He is Coco Crisp, not Jacoby Ellsbury. Bradley is an elite fielder and a great base runner, but he is a demonstrably average hitter (.239 BA / .726 OPS career).

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Sure, in a childish way it’s cute when he, Benny, and Mookie dance after games.  It’d be better if he produced at the plate.  He is completely replaceable and should be available at the right price. The right price in a deal with the Giants is Buster Posey.

Posey

Posey (.308 BA /128 HR / 594 RBI / .850 OPS career) is under contract through 2022, with an average annual hit of $21.4M. He’ll be 35 when that deal is up. His resume is obscene: ROY, MVP, batting title champ, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger (4). Oh yeah, and three-time World Series champion.

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Posey is the best catcher in the game. He shouldn’t be available. But he might be.

San Francisco was the worst-hitting team in baseball last year. Reports contend they want to be in the mix for Stanton to address their woeful lack of power (40 fewer HRs than the Sox if you can believe that!). The Giants problem, however, is that they are already committed to sixteen players at $170M next year and are even more afraid of the $197M luxury-tax threshold than the Sox.

They probably can’t add Stanton and his $28M (11-years, $310M remaining) contract without losing Posey. But, in trading Posey to Boston they can fix center field, upgrade the pop in their lineup, and stay under the luxury tax.

What it Would Take

As delusional as most fans are about their teams’ talent, nobody believes that the Sox could swap JBJ for Buster Posey. At least nobody with even a single active brain cell. It would cost much more.

Boston is deep at catcher. We’d need to lose one. Leon (29), Vazquez (27), and Swihart (26) are all younger than Posey. The ideal scenario would be JBJ, Sandy Leon, and a minor leaguer for Posey. JBJ and Leon are both under team-friendly control through 2021.

The problem is, Leon is not Christian Vazquez. Vazquez is younger and better both at the dish and behind it, and SF would likely demand him in any deal. Boston should avoid that at all costs, even if it means giving up better minor league talent in return.

The Ideal Scenario

The ideal scenario for the Sox is the JBJ-Leon for Posey deal for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it adds an elite veteran and quality bat to the lineup without giving up too much in return. Second, it keeps the better catcher on the roster, allowing for Posey’s eventual move to first base.

Like Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, the last AL catcher to win a batting title, Posey is going to have to move to first or DH to extend his career. He has more than a thousand MLB games on those knees.  Soon the wear and tear on the body will affect not only his availability but his productivity. And, unlike Jason Varitek, who was great managing the staff but a black hole in the lineup for years, Posey’s bat makes it a no-brainer. He will be more valuable to a team, and to his wallet, for longer by making the move sooner.

With Vazquez behind the dish and Posey at first, Boston can go all in on replacing Bradley with JD Martinez. Martinez is attainable for less than Stanton and, with Buster’s bat already an upgrade to Moreland, the lineup will be deeper and more productive than if they just add Stanton.

College Basketball Returns

College Basketball Returns

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Return Of College Basketball

Earlier this year college basketball faced a major problem. The FBI launched an investigating revealing that some top programs bribed players. Another black eye for college basketball and the NCAA, no strangers to controversy.   Multiple coaches have been fired as a result including Louisville’s head coach Rick Pitino. Last night the annual Championship Classic took place, needed more than ever. The top-ranked team in the country, Duke, faced off against the second-ranked team in the country, Michigan State. Following that game, the third-ranked Kentucky faced off against the fourth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. These games were close and entertaining. For one night people clearly understood why college basketball has become so popular.

College Basketball Returns

Photo Credit: Getty

Michigan State Vs. Duke

This game between the nation’s top two teams did not disappoint. In a close battle, Duke came out with a 87-81 win. The Blue Devils started four freshmen last night and one senior. The Freshman have tremendous talent.  But last night they looked stunned by the big stage. This caused Duke to turn to their senior Grayson Allen. While very talented, last year he faced a lot of on-court controversy. Last night he stepped up to score 37 points to lead his team to the W.   After this loss, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo fell to 1-11 all-time versus Duke.

College Basketball returns

Photo Credit: Mike Mulholland ( MLive.com)

Kansas Vs. Kentucky

This matchup featured the two schools with the most wins in college basketball history.  A closely contested game, it did not disappoint.  Both teams were not as sharp as usual, with 29 turnovers between the two. The Jayhawks came out victorious 65-61. Kansas received strong contributions from Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk who scored 17 points and center Udoka Azubuike who scored 13 points. Even though the Kentucky freshman struggled, Kevin Knox was the exception. He scored 20 points and made three pointers. The Wildcats main problem in this game was rebounding, giving up 18 offensive rebounds. Both teams must improve going forward and limit their turnovers as their schedules become more challenging.

 

College Basketball Returns

Photo Credit: Nick Krug

What these games Revealed

Both games were entertaining and close in the final minutes.  Duke could be dangerous once their young freshman becomes more comfortable.  And Kentucky is still looking for a star to lead them. All these teams should improve as the season goes on.  Come tournament time they will be very entertaining to watch.

AL Cy Young Reaction and Rotation Expectations for the 2018 Red Sox

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The Boston Red Sox had some spectacular pitching performances this year. Many of them came from closer Craig Kimbrel and ace Chris Sale. These two stars led the Sox to the fourth-best ERA in the Majors this past year, and combined for 434 strikeouts this season over 283.1 innings. That’s good enough to strike out roughly 13.79 batters, per nine innings. Doing the math, that means that between Kimbrel and Sale would strike out, on average, more than half of the outs through a typical 9 inning game when they were the only two that pitched that game. Obviously, the instance of Sale and Kimbrel going back-to-back and being the only pitchers to appear in a game was slim, and will continue to be slim. Kimbrel was dominant the entire year, not showing any signs of fatigue in September. He finished sixth in the Cy Young voting, finishing ahead of Twins’ ace Ervin Santana and Blue Jays’ Marcus Stroman.

Chris Sale’s case is incredibly different, as he slowed down significantly over the last two months of the season. In August and September, Sale recorded a bleak 4.09 ERA, according to Baseball Reference. In the last two months of the season, Sale went from being a potential unanimous Cy Young and possible MVP candidate to finishing as the runner-up in the Cy Young to Corey Kluber. Kluber, despite being injured throughout a decent portion of July, undeniably deserved the award. He finished with the AL lead in wins and had an unbelievable 2.25 ERA. In addition, he finished with a 8.0 WAR, which was the highest among any pitchers in the MLB.

The Cy Young Reality

Did I expect Chris Sale to win the Cy Young Award given his late-season performance? Of course not. I was holding on to hope that voters would somehow look past  the blow-up that occurred in the final two months of the season. But I figured Kluber’s near-perfect second half would be plenty to pull away from Sale in the Cy Young contention. It became too obvious, especially in the last two weeks of the season, that Sale had lost control of the honor. A lot of scouts and pro evaluators blamed faulting in Sale’s game due to a difference in his arm slot. In Game 1 of the ALDS, FOX analysts showed a side-by-side of Sale’s arm slot in the first half of the season versus his arm slot in the first game of the ALDS. The difference was drastic. His arm had lowered, throwing more off to the side than previously, and his wrist would be about even with his shoulder early in his delivery. In June, this was much different, as his wrist would be slightly above his head early in his delivery. In Game 4 of the ALDS, you would see a higher arm slot than in Game 1, which led to a slightly more successful outing out of the bullpen in Game 4 than his start in Game 1.

Starting Pitching

We saw the kryptonite known as fatigue hit Boston’s Superman in the stretch of the season. What adjustments can Sale make? Should we expect him in 2018 to repeat what he did in 2017? What can we expect from the starting pitching staff in 2018? Let’s take a look to see what to expect from the Red Sox starting rotation in 2018.

Rick Porcello

The starting rotation for Boston was not bad this year, but showed inconsistency and flaws throughout the season. Rick Porcello, the 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner, took the biggest step back in 2017. Should we expect 2016 Rick Porcello to ever return? No, but at times he was barely a serviceable fifth man in the rotation. However, you should expect somewhat of a return for Porcello. His 11-17 record with a 4.65 ERA is not what you want for a guy who is suppose to serve the third pitcher in the rotation.

The Return of Pretty Ricky

According to Baseball Reference, Porcello averages a 15-12 record with a 4.25 ERA throughout his career through a 162 game season. I’ll go to say the pitching coaches and trainers will focus on getting Porcello’s two-seam fastball and sinker back to where it needs to be. He will have a better than average season, compared to his career average, but still not close to what he was in 2016.

2018 Projection: 189.1 IP, 13-10, 3.82 ERA, 161 SO, 41 BB

David Price

Now onto the most controversial pitcher on the entire pitching staff. I am a David Price fan, and have been since he came to Boston. His less-than-spectacular start has overshadowed anything else good he has done with the organization. In the ALDS, this narrative began to change. Price came out of the bullpen and straight up dominated the future World Series champions. Unfortunately, his playoff appearances were usually after a poor start by someone in the Red Sox rotation or the offense failed to support Price. His elbow injury is, of course, a concern. Price is 32 years old, so surgery would take him out for 2018. Price showed a lot of passion at the end of last season. He came out of the bullpen and was always fired up after getting out of a jam or striking out in a big spot. He also showed the ability to hit 95-96 with his four seam fastball on multiple occasions, showing his elbow is all good for at least 20-25 pitches. His endurance will be the question, but with rehab this offseason, he should be all set and ready to go.

What to Expect in 2018

2018 should be a dominant year for Price. He took that first step to being great in the Postseason this past season. I can see Price, along with Sale, being the most dangerous 1-2 starting pitching combination in the league. Price’s emotion and mindset will lead him to do great things next season. Do not sleep on David Price.

2018 Projection: 204.2 IP, 16-8, 3.16 ERA, 201 SO, 49 BB

Eduardo Rodriguez

ERod is an interesting case. He has always been limited by injuries, specifically knee injuries, throughout his career. He did not look good after coming back from the knee subluxation that occurred in early June. Rodriguez is only 24, and will be 25 by next season. There is an argument saying that he hasn’t even entered his prime yet, and that argument is very valid. I believe that some small injuries will hamper what he will be able to do next season, maybe landing on the 10-day DL for a stint or two next year. However, I think he’ll still get at least 25 starts in this season, as he has been able to get at least 20 starts in his first three seasons.

A Look Ahead

Incorporating a two seam fastball may help ERod, to add onto his slider, changeup and occasional sinker. Increasing the usage of his sinker and being able to use his sinker effectively will help his game. Is this realistic? Yes. Is it likely to happen? No. ERod will most likely rely on his changeup to get batters to swing and miss. His four seam will be used to get batters to put the ball in play and get batters to ground out and fly out. ERod should have a better year than usual, showing development this upcoming season.

2018 Projection: 146 IP (28 starts), 11-9, 3.86 ERA, 154 SO, 45 BB

Drew Pomeranz

The Dwew Tang Clan rallied behind the goofy, 6’6″, 240-pound lefty Red Sox pitcher in 2017. It could be considered that Pomeranz was the most consistent pitcher on the Red Sox staff. He gets absolutely no credit for being so good, however. Pomeranz gets so little attention I almost replaced his section with a section on Steven Wright. I apologize to all of the Dwew Tangers out there that may take offense to this.

The Continuance of the Dwew Tang Clan

Throughout his career, Pomeranz has been good. This past season with the Red Sox, he had a career year, but Chris Sale’s chase to 300 strikeouts overshadowed Pomeranz’s performance in 2017. He put up a 3.32 ER, which was the seventh-best in the AL. He also had 17 wins, tying Trevor Bauer and Chris Sale for the fourth-most in the American League. Drew showed that he was a top 10 pitcher in the AL, and did it ever so silently. Pomeranz will also be 29 next season, and showing he is in his prime still. Expect another solid performance from Pomeranz this season.

2018 Projection: 179 IP, 16-6, 3.49 ERA, 173 SO, 71 BB

Chris Sale

Now back to the workhorse himself. Don’t expect a drop off in effectiveness or efficiency from Sale in 2018. Throughout Sale’s career, he has always been a monster on the mound. Some people don’t realize Sale is going on his age 29 season, either. The flamethrowing lefty is still in his prime. There is no need to worry about Father Time catching up to Sale anytime soon.

What To Expect From Sale

With the help of Pitching Coach Dayan LeVangie, will fix the arm slot issue next year. A big issue that Manager Alex Cora and LeVangie will have with Sale is making sure he does not get worn out like he has in season’s past. The way to fix Sale’s endurance problem is to rely on a two seam fastball and more movement than speed. Doing this will conserve Sale’s energy for September and October. His focus should also be on getting batters out, not just getting batters to strike out. Sale is a very intelligent baseball player, and will figure out how to fix what hurt him in 2017. Be prepared for another Cy Young-candidate season in 2018.

2018 Projection: 210 IP, 19-6, 2.72 ERA, 248 SO, 51 BB

Possible Fill-Ins

Injuries happen in the game of baseball, especially to pitchers. They can range from a minor hamstring strain to torn ligaments in the elbow. We witnessed this with David Price, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez in 2017 alone. Brian Johnson, Hector Velasquez and Doug Fister did a decent job filling in for the guys listed above. Fister had the most success, as he was the number three guy for Farrell come September. Johnson and Velasquez will most likely be back, and Fister will probably join a new club via free agency. Be prepared for Steven Wright to make several starts to give guys rest during the season, especially if Rodriguez and Price have reoccurring injuries. Roenias Elias is another pitcher who made a couple appearances in 2017. Elias could be a guy who fills in for an injured or rested pitcher a few more times in 2018.

Patriots x Eagles

A Super Bowl XXXIX Rematch

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February 6th, 2005: The Patriots and Eagles face off in Super Bowl XXXIX. Brady already has two rings on his resume while Donovan McNabb is trying to get Philadelphia their first Super Bowl win.

Super Bowl 39 Result

Patriots vs Eagles Super Bowl XXXIX

Both teams hold each other scoreless for the first quarter, and the game remains tied at 14 apiece after three quarters. The Patriots race out of the gates in the fourth, scoring 10 unanswered points. McNabb cuts the deficit to three points, and almost leads a comeback drive with a few minutes remaining. However, the Patriots ultimately stand strong and win the game 24-21 to hand Tom Brady his third ring. So why is this important?

History Repeats Itself

The Patriots won SB XXXVI, didn’t get to SB XXXVII, then won SB XXXVIII prior to the 2004-05 season. Sound familiar? That’s because it’s happening all over again. The Patriots won SB XLIX, didn’t get to SB 50, then won SB LI, and all things are leading to the Patriots returning to the biggest game in all of sports.

The last three times the Patriots lost the season opener (’01, ’03, ’14), they went on to win the Super Bowl, and right now they look like the best team in the AFC. Now, let’s look at the other side of history. The Philadelphia Eagles have raced off to an 8-1 start. The last time they have flown out of the gates to such a start, they went to Super Bowl XXXIX.  History tells everyone that the Patriots and Eagles are going to have a Super Bowl rematch.

Superstition or Fact?

This is more than simple superstition when you look at this season closely. Both the Patriots and Eagles are clearly the best team in their respective conferences. The Eagles have no serious threats in their path to a Super Bowl appearance. Brees is a hall of famer, but his team isn’t as complete as Philadelphia. As for the Panthers, everyone knows how a Panthers-Eagles NFC championship game would end. Cam wouldn’t risk his body to dive for a fumble, and he’d pout after the game. Without Rodgers, the NFC is the Eagles’ to lose. As for the Patriots, they have to be the favorites in any game as long as Twelve is their quarterback, and their defense seems to be coming together just in time. The Steelers constitute a big threat, but they are reminiscent of the Houston Rockets. They can explode offensively at any time, but if they don’t, it’s not hard to beat them.

NFL Awards Race

Finally, Brady and Wentz so far look like the front runners for league MVP.  Roght now, but it appears that Wentz will win the award. In this century, the MVP has often gotten to the Super Bowl, but has ultimately come short every single time. Carson Wentz, you can have the regular season MVP. Tom Brady will take the Super Bowl MVP and underscore his position as the GOAT.

 

Bruins Journey Through California

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Holding a three game losing streak, things don’t get easier for Boston as they begin their California road trip. The Bruins kick off their trip tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, who they have yet to play this season. Following Wednesday’s visit to Anaheim, the Bruins rematch with Los Angeles on Thursday, and San Jose Saturday.  The Bruins finds themselves at a crucial point of the season, slipping away from the leaders of the league.

BRUINS VS DUCKS

Perhaps the easiest test of the trip for Boston, Anaheim currently sits in sixth place of the Pacific Division, ahead of only Edmonton and Arizona.  Like the Bruins, the Ducks have had their share of struggles lately, dropping five of their last six.  Along with that, Ducks’ stars Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler have missed some time due to injury, forcing exploration into their depth charts.  Boston knows this story too well.  They will play without Brad Marchand and Anders Bjork, just to name a few.  This opening match of Boston’s California trip is by far the most crucial.  If the B’s can break their losing streak  with a big win, it can perhaps translate into momentum against one of the best teams in the league.  If Boston fails to snap their losing streak, struggles will only plunge deeper for a deflated Bruins squad.

BRUINS VS KINGS

Just less than three weeks ago, Boston hosted Los Angeles in what turned out to be an overtime heartbreaker.  Boston snagged the early lead during the first period before Tyler Taffoli ripped the equalizer for Los Angeles moments later.  The second and third period were defensive jousts, eventually leading to an overtime match up at the Garden.  About five minutes into overtime, Taffoli recorded his second point of the game and the game-winner for the Kings.  Despite the loss, goalie Tuukka Rask had one of his best outings of the season, logging 28 saves on 30 shots.  But there’s good news for Boston.   Los Angeles is currently on a three game losing streak, all of which came at home.  The time for Boston to play the number two team in the Western Conference is right now.  The potential for the Bruins to take a huge leap following their trip to California is strong, especially if they can start off 2-0.

BRUINS VS SHARKS

A rematch with the San Jose Sharks rounds out the west coast trip.  In a game where Danton Heinen reigned supreme, the Bruins edged out the Sharks with a 2-1 victory.  The goaltending was sharp on both sides of the rink.   However, Anton Khudobin was between the pipes for Boston.  It will be interesting to see if Rask is sidelined for this matchup, given Khudobin’s exposure previously to the Sharks offense.  If Rask does well early in the road trip, it’s likely he will get the nod.  However, I would not be surprised to see Khudobin in net for this game, regardless of Rask’s performance.  As with the other two games of this California trip, Boston must capitalize on opportunities every chance they get.  Missing some key players will add to the struggles we’ve seen this year.   But now is the time they truly need to be overcome.

This west-coast road trip will set the course for the Bruins’ end to November.  The schedule upon their return home is hard enough in itself.  If Boston takes down Anaheim tonight, maybe the ball will finally start (and continue) rolling.  If they drop one to the Ducks, things will only get tougher, facing Los Angeles at home tomorrow night.

 

 

TWITTER STANTON SOURCES TO BE TRUSTED

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Did Stanton pack his bags yet? Because on social media yesterday in the baseball hot stove world, it really seemed like it. Pure chaos. Every person was a Stanton expert. Every person had a “source.” This led to a lot of posts speculating on his desired location before any actual confirmation of what he actually said came out.

For example, an article put on a certain website that started a majority of the uproar yesterday was posted from a complete non-credible source. Not naming the writer, but his bio on his unverified Twitter read all about his glory as a “Roller Derby Coach”.

Really? This is the person we are trusting with breaking news regarding the top free agent in the world not wanting to be in Boston? I understand Stanton will probably end up back at home in the sunny state of Cali. But Derek Jeter himself has yet to have a discussion with Stanton (sources). Hit pieces coming out regarding information about this cause quite the storm on social media. It’s comical because one of the actual verified Red Sox insider’s listed bellow refuted everything this other man said, but people still retweeted the bogus article. For the people who want clear knowledge of where players will be packing their bags this offseason, there are a few insiders you need to follow.

So below, I’m giving you three major MLB insiders to follow on Twitter.  For the Red Sox diehards, I’ll give you a small list of who to follow for straight up Sox news. Finally,  a Marlins/MLB insider for the people who want to know when and where the top free agent is going. These people actually are baseball minds. Not a derby coach coming out of AMF Bowling alleys after blading it up to MJ’s “Thriller”.

THREE MLB WISE MEN

When it comes to breaking news these are the basic guy’s everybody has to be watching. They don’t tweet or post without some credibility behind the source. I have had notifications on all of Ken Rosenthal’s tweets for a while, and trust me,  it pays off. I got the notification about Chris Sale practically as it left Ken’s beautiful fingers. You may remember seeing Jon Heyman from the trade deadline special on MLB Network. In fact, all three of these gentlemen are insiders on MLB Network, and deservedly so. It’s simple.  You need to follow these three reporters.  Even when the “Stanton Sweepstakes” is through, these guys are worth the follow for any pure baseball fan. An honorable mention as well would be Bob Nightengale.

(@Ken_Rosenthal,@jonmorosi,@JonHeyman)

RED SOX INSIDERS

For basic Red Sox insider knowledge, all four of these guys have basic inside info on the clubhouse and management. Although Pete Abraham has possibly the lowest approval rating out of any person here, he did break the David Price trade. If Ken Rosenthal was the top dog in the past group, the head honcho for me here is Evan Drellich. He not only has inside information on the team, but he also has well-backed overall insight about the club. So if Stanton does end up in LA, look for these four to be all over any J.D. Martinez/ Eric Hosmer news.

(@EvanDrellich,@Sean_McAdam, @jcmccaffrey, @PeteAbe)

TOKEN MARLINS MAN

If you’re just a Stanton-or-bust kind of fan, this is the man for you. Frisaro isn’t just an insider with the Marlins management. He is also an on-site reporter for MLB Network. I followed Frisaro around the deadline, as he threw out general MLB trade news. So whether you’re all in on the Stanton deal or just a common baseball fan, this man is just a good follow.

(@JoeFrisaro)

Armchair GM: How the Red Sox Could Build an Offensive Machine

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How the Red Sox Could Build an Offensive Machine

Two straight seasons with the Red Sox finishing first in the A.L. East, and two straight seasons barely making a dent in the ALDS.

Should the Red Sox keep waiting for consistency from their young players Bradley, Betts and Bogaerts? Should they hope one day they all click at once in the playoffs? Then, could the Red Sox finally make the run their payroll demands?

Or is it time to stop waiting? Should the Red Sox finally do away with the old, and bring in the new? 

The very thought has half of Sox Nation calling for my head, as the official unofficial Armchair General Manager of the Red Sox. This is not a democracy people! I appointed myself, and only I will dethrone myself! Before you go “Louis XVI” on me, allow me to entice you with an improved offense, because perhaps it’s time.

FIRST MOVE:

Let me start by saying I am not of the belief that JD Martinez will be leaving the National League. Had he been available in a hypothetical world, perhaps I make a different move, given the history of our President of Baseball Operations, and the flexibility that comes with being an organization like the Red Sox.

Jackie Bradley Jr. CF + Michael Chavis 3B + Alex Scherff P + Tanner Houck P

=

Giancarlo Stanton

 

First, allow me to dive into the haul that I have chosen for Giancarlo Stanton…

We know what Jackie Bradley, Jr. provides, so no need to discuss him. Michael Chavis, Alex Scherff and Tanner Houck, are three of the top five prospects in the Red Sox system. Yes, this is a lot, but allow me to break it down:

Michael Chavis has been playing the best baseball of his life in the Sox system, but is being blocked by Devers, he is an easy move.

I consider Alex Scherff to be a rather easy move as well, considering the Sox aren’t giving up their top prospect here, Jason Groome.

Tanner Houck could be special. He is the one that hurts here, hurts bad. He has ridiculous upside, but remember former Red Sox #1 pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza? The Sox gave him up for Pomeranz, and everyone was irate? He was pitching poorly for San Diego, and went on to have Tommy John surgery. I know, hindsight 20/20, but allow history to put it into perspective: Prospects are prospects, and Stanton will be crushing fifty bombs a season over the Monster for the next ten years (no bias here, I swear!!!).

Overall, it is a pretty hefty trade, the top five of the Red Sox farm is going to need some new faces for sure. They were able to keep their #1 prospect Jason Groome, (ace potential) and Sam Travis.

SECOND MOVE:

This next move seems almost too good to be true. Keep in mind, The Red Sox may need a Designated Hitter after next season, with Hanley most likely gone. Even with Stanton, and Pedroia, missing a substantial amount of time, there is a lack of power.

Xander Bogaerts SS

=

Brian Dozier 2B + Jorge Polanco SS/INF

 

Many will view this as the Red Sox giving up a young, and unbelievably talented SS, who was raised in their system. What do your eyes tell you? After watching the World Series, does slapping singles to right field look valuable on the big stage? 

What I will call it, is the Red Sox trading a young SS who has hit his ceiling. I hate to say it, but the power isn’t coming.  Stop having false hope. He has yet to show up in the playoffs. In return, a power hitter in a contract year (good thing), could play 2B while Pedroia is out, then play Designated Hitter, or potentially First Base, if the Red Sox work at it. Given Dozier’s small ($6M) cap hit this season, the way is paved for the Red Sox to pay him well, once Hanley is off of the books after next season, when Dozier is up for a renewal.

Jorge Polanco showed his undeniable upside, as he tore up the majors towards the end of the season. His hot ending was needed after he struggled during the beginning and middle. At the very least, he could play 2B while Pedroia is out, or be a depth player while he hones his craft.

THIRD MOVE:

The Red Sox could go with Jorge Polanco as their full-time SS, but I see them wanting to develop more first. With that being said…

Re-sign Eduardo Núñez SS/3B/2B/OF

 

The Red Sox have their starting SS, for probably the next three seasons. Núñez was obviously a hit with fans, due to his amazing production. Putting Núñez’s speed atop the lineup with Betts, Stanton, and Dozier, is mouth-watering.

CONCLUSION:

This new-look offense certainly has some sparkle to it.  Adding Stanton and Dozier provides stability in the power department, while at the same time shores up the DH position, after Ramirez is gone. Dozier could also play 2B, while Pedroia is out. Núñez at full-time SS, for likely three years, gives the Sox time to either draft, or prepare, Jorge Polanco for the gig. This offense remains young, but gains powerful veterans to help put them over the top. 

 

C – Sandy Leon/Christian Vazquez

1B – Hanley Ramirez/Brian Dozier

2B – Dustin Pedroia

3B – Rafael Devers

SS – Eduardo Núñez

LF – Andrew Benintendi

CF – Mookie Betts

RF – Giancarlo Stanton

DH – Hanley Ramirez/Brian Dozier