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Red Sox Players to Hit for Cycle

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Mookie Betts hit for the cycle on Thursday night, becoming the 21st player in Red Sox history to complete the feat. Needing a home run in the ninth, Betts fouled off a very hittable pitch and seemed to realize he had missed one. He made up for it, cracking a no doubter over the left field wall to collect his cycle. So who were the 20 players before him to get the cycle?

The Early Days

Buck Freeman was the first player to hit for the cycle in franchise history. Known as the Boston Americans when Freeman completed the cycle, Freeman accomplished the feat on June 21, 1903. He did so in a 12-7 Boston victory over the Cleveland Blues, or Cleveland Naps, depending upon where you look. The Cleveland franchise had acquired superstar Nap Lajoie the previous season and were beginning to be called the “Naps” after him.

Patsy Dougherty accomplished the feat not much more than a month after Freeman. Dougherty’s cycle came on July 29, 1903 against the New York Highlanders. Dougherty was in his second Major League season, one in which he led the American League with 195 base hits.

Tris Speaker hit for the cycle on June 9, 1912, becoming the first player to do so after the franchise became known as the Red Sox. One of the greatest center fielders of all-time, Speaker drove in three runs in a 9-2 victory over the St. Louis Browns that day. His batting average at the conclusion of the game was .405, and he went on to win the MVP Award that season.

Roy Carlyle hit for the cycle on July 21, 1925 in a 6-3 win over the White Sox. Carlyle hit his double and triple off future Hall of Famer Red Faber, and his home run off another Hall of Famer in Chief Bender. Carlyle only played two seasons despite batting .312 due to his horrible defense.

Moose Solters hit for the cycle in an 8-6 loss to the Tigers on August 19, 1934. Solters had a good rookie season that year but was sent to St. Louis the following season. Moose’s cycle came against General Crowder; got to love the old baseball names.

The 1940’s

Joe Cronin was the Red Sox player/manager when he hit for the cycle on August 2, 1940. Cronin was one of two Red Sox to drive in four runs and one of three to homer in a 12-9 victory over the Tigers. Cronin’s number four is retired by the Boston Red Sox.

Leon Culberson was a rookie for the Red Sox when he hit for the cycle on July 3, 1943. Batting leadoff, Culberson had the four hits plus a walk. His home run was an inside-the-park home run in the eighth inning of a 12-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Bobby Doerr’s cycle came in the second game of a doubleheader with the Browns on May 17, 1944. The Red Sox had won game one 5-1 but would actually lose the second game despite Doerr’s cycle by a score of 12-8. Doerr drove in two runs and scored three. He is a Red Sox Hall of Famer, a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, has his number retired by the team and is the greatest second baseman  in franchise history.

Bob Johnson hit for the cycle on July 6, 1944, less than two months after Bobby Doerr’s cycle. In fact, Doerr also had four hits in this game, hitting a double and a triple, but settling for two singles. Bob Johnson completed the cycle and scored four runs in the Red Sox 13-3 win over the Tigers.

Ted Williams hit for the only cycle of his career on July 21, 1946. Williams picked up three hits in a 5-0 win over the Browns during the day. In the nightcap, Williams hit his way around the bases, hitting for the cycle in a 7-4 win. Williams contributed seven hits during the doubleheader sweep.

Bobby Doerr is still the only player in franchise history to hit for the cycle twice. He accomplished it a second time nearly three year after the first, on May 13, 1947. The Red Sox pulverized the White Sox that day 19-6. Doerr hit for the cycle and Ted Williams homered twice in the destruction.

The Cycles Slow Down

Lu Clinton achieved the feat in a 15 inning game on July 13, 1962. Don’t worry; Clinton had already accomplished the feat before extra innings. He tacked on another single in the 15th inning, his fifth hit of the game which scored Carl Yastrzemski for the winning run. Clinton drove in four runs and scored four runs in the 11-10 Red Sox win.

Carl Yastrzemski hit for the cycle on May 14, 1965 in a 12-8 loss in 10 innings to the Tigers. Yaz homered in each of the first two innings, starting the night off with a bang. He finished the game 5-5 with five runs batted in, but didn’t have much help.

Bob Watson became the first player to hit for the cycle in both the National League and American League on September 15, 1979. Watson completed the feat in the ninth inning with a two-run homer as the Red Sox beat the Orioles 10-2 at Memorial Stadium. Watson batted .337 with 13 home runs in a partial season with the Red Sox that season before joining the Yankees as a free agent in the offseason. As Vice President of Major League Baseball, he would draw some attention of having a negative bias towards the Red Sox.

The 1980’s

Fred Lynn hit for the cycle against the Twins on May 13, 1980, becoming the second Red Sox player to hit for the cycle on May 13th. Lynn tripled home Rick Burleson in the bottom of the eighth to complete the cycle. It was one of four runs driven in by Lynn during the Red Sox 10-5 victory.

Dwight Evans sealed his cycle with a dramatic flourish on June 28, 1984. Tied at six with the Mariners, Dwight Evans came up with two men on base and two outs in the bottom of the 11th. He hit a walk-off three-run homer off Ed Nunez to win the game 9-6. One of the more underrated players in the game, Dewey is currently the greatest right fielder in franchise history.

Rich Gedman performed the feat on September 18, 1985. It’s not every day a catcher completes the cycle, let alone gets a triple. Gedman did just that however in a 13-1 defeat of the Blue Jays. Gedman’s triple came with the bases loaded in the fourth inning to put the Sox ahead 8-0. He drove in seven runs total in the game. Wade Boggs also had four hits as the Sox socked 18 of them on the day.

Mike Greenwell cycled on September 14, 1988. The Red Sox needed it, squeaking past the Orioles 4-3. The MVP candidate went 4-4 and scored three of the Red Sox runs. He homered in the second, then scored after his ground-rule double in the fourth. Leading off the sixth, Greenwell tripled on a misplayed fly ball and scored to put the Red Sox ahead.

The Last Twenty-Five Years

Scott Cooper hit for his at Kaufmann Stadium as part of a 22-11 rout of the Royals. In just the eighth game of the 1994 season, on April 12, Cooper went 5-6 with 5 RBI, doubling twice in the cycle. Read about the game and watch the video of his cycle here.

John Valentin homered in the first, tripled in the third, singled in the fourth and doubled in the sixth, all off Joe Magrane. The Red Sox beat the White Sox 7-4 on June 6, 1996. Valentin was 4-4 as he didn’t receive any other at-bats. Take a look.

Brock Holt became the first Red Sox to hit for the cycle in nearly two decades on June 16, 2015. Holt batted leadoff that day, getting three of his hits off Atlanta starter Julio Teheran. He tripled in the eighth off Sugar Ray Marimon to complete the achievement. The Red Sox beat the Braves 9-4.

Mookie Betts accomplished the feat just the other night, and it was seemingly just a matter of time. The Red Sox lost the game, but it is always fun to see someone on the hometown team attain this. Mookie’s homer in the ninth gave us joy during a loss.

 

Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 66 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 9th). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (66 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

The NBA released more schedule news, revealing that the Celtics will play their second game of the season on October 19 against the Toronto Raptors. The team will take a trip north of the border to match up with the new-look Raps, who are now Kawhi Leonard’s team. Boston now knows the details of three of their games: this one, the opening night matchup, and the Christmas Day matchup, the latter two of which will be against the 76ers in Boston.

In other news, Cedric Maxwell turned heads with a comment on Celtics Beat podcast. He said that Kevin Garnett “was the best all-around player the Celtics ever had”. While Garnett was a great player, it feels like he’s overlooking other Boston greats in Bill Russell and Larry Bird.

On This Date

August 10, 1960: Celtics guard Carlos Clark is born. The guard played from 1983-1985 with the organization and won a championship as part of the 1984 team. He was waived in 1986 and went overseas to continue his career.

Stats (2017-18)

  • Semi Ojeleye’s three-point attempt rate was 66 percent. This means that 66 percent of Ojeleye’s total field goals attempted were from beyond the arc.

Fun Facts

  • In 1966, the Celtics continued their magical run of championships by defeating the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
  • Scot Pollard remains the only Celtic to ever don the number 66.
  • Boston listed Jabari Bird’s height at 6 foot 6 last year.

That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to be back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

 

Countdown To Celtics Tipoff: 70 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 6th). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (70 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

The over/under for the Celtics win total has been set at 57.5 in Las Vegas. This is the highest total in the Eastern Conference. Across the entire NBA, their over/under is second only to the Warriors, who have been set at 62.5. Both the Raptors and the 76ers sit at 54.5 wins.

On This Date

August 6, 2007: The Celtics signed free agent Scot Pollard. The center played sparingly in his one season in Boston, averaging eight minutes per game, two points, and two rebounds over 22 appearances.

Via Sports Illustrated

Stats (2017-18)

  • Jaylen Brown appeared in 70 games, starting each one and playing an average of 30.7 minutes per game.
  • Brown also racked up 70 total steals last year.
  • Marcus Morris attempted an average of 7.0 two-pointers per game, converting 47% of them.

Fun Facts

  • The 1970 Celtics fell far short of the playoffs, finishing with a record of 34-48. Rookie JoJo White made the All-Rookie first team, while John Havlicek made the All-NBA second team and the All-Defense second team.
  • Devin Booker holds the record for the most points scored against Boston with 70 points. He accomplished the feat on March 24, 2017. The Celtics won the game by double digits, and many players took issue with how the Suns played to lose in order to run up Booker’s total.
  • Luigi Datome is the only player to ever wear number 70 in green. He wore it in 2015 with the team.

Via CelticsLife

That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to be back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

The Red Sox Are On The Verge Of Ending The Yankees Season

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The Yankees came into Boston with a chance to close the gap in the A.L East. Instead, the Sox have stomped on the throat of the Yankees. For the second straight day, the Sox’ starting pitching shoved the bats down the throats of Yankees hitters. Boston now has a commanding 8.5 game lead heading into Sunday’s finale against New York. With the Yankees coming apart at the seams, it’s now time for the Sox to wrap up the division once and for all.

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David Price Has To Step Up

Everyone knows how much of a disaster David Price has been in Boston. None the less, the pressure falls on the shoulders of the soft left-hander. The Red Sox have absolutely dominated the Yankees in all assets of the game. Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi both had excellent starts against the “potent” New York lineup. Porcello ignited Fenway Park on Friday night with a complete game one-hitter, retiring twenty-one straight Yankees. Eovaldi followed up Porcello’s excellent outing with an equally dominant performance going eight strong shutout innings. This sets Price up perfectly heading into Sunday Night baseball.

The Yankees hitters cannot seem to get out of their own way at the moment. With Judge hurt and Sanchez on the DL, Price is primed to finally have success against the Yankees as a member of the Red Sox. Price needs to show up and perform because he could wrap up the A.L East. Sweeping the Bronx Bombers out of Fenway without Chris Sale starting a single game would be astronomical for the moral of the Red Sox. Let’s watch and see if Price can give the Sox anything in a big spot.

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Boston Hitters Must Stay Sharp

After the beatdown the Sox gave New York the past three days, it would be easy to take the Yankees lightly. No matter the outcome of the finale on Sunday, the Red Sox weekend is a success; but still, the Sox have to show up and put the pinstripes down once and for all. With Tanaka on the hill, the Sox lineup has to come out of the gates hot. If they can get a lead on New York, then its all but over. This once prominent Yankees team is now on the verge of spiraling into their fourth straight loss. Time to send New York packing with their hopes of a championship crushed.

Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 71 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 5th). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (71 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

Many former Celtics returned to play in the TD Garden as the BIG3 League visited Boston on Friday night. Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Nate Robinson, Brian Scalabrine, and Jermaine O’Neal all returned to the parquet. Ryan Gomes, Xavier Silas, Chauncey Billups, Ryan Hollins, and Mike James also were former Celtics who revisited the old stomping ground. In the league founded by rapper Ice Cube, teams play three-on-three, halfcourt basketball. Among other altered rules, there is a four-point spot on the court. Check out more coverage of the BIG3 on the site!

On This Date

August 5th is apparently the most forgettable date in Boston history, as nothing noteworthy happened on this day in history.

Stats

  • Jaylen Brown attempted 7.1 two pointers per game last season, converting on an average of 3.8. He shot 51% from inside the arc last year.
  • The Celtics as a team last year averaged 7.1 steals per game in the month of January. They also averaged that many in losses, and also in games played at home.

Fun Facts

  • Robert Parish, who joined forces with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, stands 7’1″ in height. He was with the team from 1980-1994. The Hall of Famer was an All-Star in nine of those seasons.

Via Getty Images

  • The 1971 Celtics were one of few Celtics teams during that era to miss the playoffs. Under coach Tom Heinsohn, the team went 44-38 to finish third in the Atlantic division.

That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to be back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

BIG3 Boston Recap and Exclusive with Nate Robinson

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The BIG3 was in Boston this past Friday with a slate of four games. This was the second to last week of regular season games, so their was a lot of playoff implications. I was able to go to TD Garden and cover this event and ask guys like Dr. J, Rick Mahorn, Glen Davis, and Nate Robinson questions. Entering this week the BIG3 standings looked like this:

  1. 3 Headed Monsters (6-0)
  2. Power (5-1)
  3. 3’s Company (4-2)
  4. Tri-State (4-2)
  5. Killer 3s (2-4)
  6. Ball Hogs (1-5)
  7. Ghost Ballers (1-5)
  8. Trilogy (1-5)

Those standings changed a lot this weekend with a lot of crucial games.

Game 1: Ball Hogs VS Trilogy

The first game of the week had no implications on the playoffs. However, the game featured the return of a Boston fan-favorite. Brian Scalabrine made his return to the TD Garden, and played in front of the fans that he won a championship for. During this game the Trilogy looked to bounce back from an awful season, and the Ball Hogs hope to get a win for Scal in front of the Boston crowd. It would be tough for the BIG3 defending-champions, Trilogy, to get a win here with no Kenyon Martin, and their leading rebounder, Al Harrington.

Scalabrine started the game, and whenever he did something, TD Garden erupted in cheers. The Ball Hogs led the entire first half, and at halftime they were up 26-20. However, Trilogy went on a 15-6 run to start the second half to get a 35-32 lead. The game became very close, as at one point it was tied 43-43. Then the Trilogy went on a little 6-0 run to make it 49-43. A Rashad McCants layup ended the game as the Trilogy won 51-45.

Four members of Trilogy were in double figures in the win, Derrick Byars (17), Al Thornton (12), Rashad McCants (10), and James White (10). Deshawn Stevenson and Andre Owens led the Ball Hogs with 14 points each, while Brian Scalabrine finished with two points and two rebounds.

Trilogy (2-5), Ball Hogs (1-6)

The post-game press conference featured Trilogy Head Coach, Rick Mahorn, and Trilogy players, Rashad McCants, and Derrick Byars.

My question was for Rick Mahorn, “So you guys were down 26-20 at the half, and you guys went on a 15-6 run. What did you say to your players at halftime?”

Rick Mahorn: “What’s interesting about our team, we are very diverse. We have guys who are coaching for the G-League. I have to take my hat off for Dion Glover (Trilogy player). He is not going to score a lot of points, he is not going to do different things, but guys respect his voice. He said something at halftime which was to play with confidence. Having guys like [Glover] and Kenyon [Martin], being able to translate that to the players really helps the team go out, and execute.”

Game 2: Tri-State vs Killer 3s

This was arguably the most important game of the week. Tri-State was looking to clinch a BIG3 playoff spot, while Killer 3s looked to stay alive in the BIG3 playoff hunt. Jermaine O’Neal made his return after three weeks due to a shoulder injury. This game featured four former-Boston Celtics: Nate Robinson and Jermaine O’Neal for Tri-State, and Ryan Hollins and Mike James for Killer 3s.

The Killer 3s went up 27-21 at the half, and then at one point led 36-23 before Tri-State coach, Julius Erving, called a timeout. Tri-State found themselves down 40-29 before Nate Robinson took over. Robinson led Tri-State on a 22-5 run to close out the game. Tri-State won by a score of 51-45. Tri-State has clinched a playoff spot, and the Killer 3s are eliminated.

Nate Robinson and Dion Hawkins both had 14 points each, and Hawkins also collected ten boards. Amar’e Stoudemire and Jermaine O’Neal also contributed with 12 and eight points each. Stephen Jackson came back for the Killer 3s after missing last week. He led the Killer 3s with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Tri-State is 5-2, The Killer 3s are 2-5.

The post-game press conference featured Tri-State head coach, Julius Erving, and players Nate Robinson, and Dion Hawkins.

I was able to get a quick 1-on-1 interview with former Celtic, Nate Robinson. I said to Nate, “So a report came out earlier today that you signed overseas in Lebanon. Do you plan on playing in the BIG3 next year with that move?”

Nate Robinson: “I am with BIG3 until I am done playing basketball. My summer is dedicated to the BIG3. I have not signed yet [in Lebanon]. I am trying to weigh my options, and figure out what is my next move. First, I definitely want to get invited to a [NBA] camp somewhere, and see if I can get a call. If not I am going to go overseas, and continue to play the game because I love to hoop.”

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Game 3: Power VS 3 Headed Monsters

This was the biggest game of the week with the two best teams in the BIG3 facing each other. The Power entered this game with a 5-1 record, and in second place. They were facing the undefeated powerhouse, the 3 Headed Monsters. The 3 Headed Monsters entered this game without some key-pieces to their team. Reigning BIG3 MVP, Rashard Lewis missed another game, and Qyntel Woods also missed Friday’s game. The Power played one former Celtic which was Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis.

The losses of Lewis and Woods for the 3 Headed Monsters was evident as they went down 25-16 at halftime. The Power powered their way to a 47-30 lead in the game. Then, the 3 Headed Monsters went on a 10-0 run that made it 47-40. After a Corey Maggette free throw to make it 49-40, Glen Davis hit the game-winner as the Power knocked off the undefeated 3 Headed Monsters 51-40.

Corey Maggette led the Power with 16 points, and Glen Davis had 15 points. Chris Andersen continued to be dominant for the Power with 8 points, 4 rebounds, and Cuttino Mobley had eight points and four assists. Reggie Evans led the 3 Headed Monsters with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

The Power are 6-1, and the 3 Headed Monsters are also 6-1.

The post-game press conference feature Power Head Coach, Nancy Lieberman, and Power players, Glen Davis and Corey Maggette.

My question was for both Corey Maggette and Glen Davis. I asked, “What is it like playing for one of the best women in basketball history, Nancy Lieberman?”

Corey Maggette: “I respect everyone on our roster, and even more for our coach. My shoes have all of my teammates and coaches names on them. It shows the hard work everyone had done. Even for Nancy becoming the first woman coach in a men’s professional league. She has a swagger, so when you have those characteristics as a person, it shows your character and integrity that you want as a coach.”

Glen Davis: “You can always tell when you look into somebody’s eyes that there is a certain intensity and glare. When I see her talk about the game, and I see the intensity and the wisdom in her eyes. I know she is the one. You have to respect it no matter if it is a man or a woman or a little kid. She takes the game so seriously, and that is why I respect her, and everything that she is about. Everybody can coaches X’s and O’s, but when you can see that intensity and love in her eyes, it is a whole different ball game. I am going to always respect her, and try to learn as much as I can from a wise person like that.”

Nancy Lieberman: “Now you can understand why god is good, and why I am blessed. These two people right here, I think the world of them. Thank you for being out here with us today Boston.”

Game 4: 3s Company VS Ghost Ballers

Heading into this week, 3s Company was uncertain if they would have to clinch a playoff spot with a win in this game. With a Killer 3s loss earlier in the day, 3s Company already clinched a playoff spot. Baron Davis was unavailable again for the 3s Company. Ghost Ballers look to win back to back games for the first time this year. The Ghost Ballers had two former Celtics on their roster, Ricky Davis and Marcus Banks.

Even though they already clinched a playoff spot and did not have Baron Davis, 3s Company did not let up on the Ghost Ballers. They jumped out to an 8-0 start, and then went up 18-4. At the half, 3s Company led 25-14. The closest the game got was after Carlos Boozer hit a three to make it 31-23. 3s Company close the show and won by a score of 51-33.

Without Baron Davis again, the lesser-known players on 3’s Company had to step up. Andre Emmett led 3s Company in scoring with 23 points, and he also had 7 rebound and 3 assists. Drew Gooden also stepped up for 3s Company with 10 points and 4 rebounds. Carlos Boozer had a double-double for the Ghost Ballers with 15 points and 13 boards.

3s Company is 5-2, and Ghost Ballers are 1-6.

There was no post-game press conference for the 3s Company.

Here are the BIG3 standings after this week in Boston.

  1. Power 6-1
  2. 3 Headed Monsters 6-1
  3. 3s Company 5-2
  4. TrI-State 5-2
  5. Killer 3s 2-5
  6. Trilogy 2-5
  7. Ball Hogs 1-6
  8. Ghost Ballers 1-6

This week in Boston was a big one with all the playoff teams being figured out. There is now a new number one, and many people will be coming back from injuries for playoff time.

Drexler

Recapping The BIG3 Conference Call

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With the BIG3 coming to Boston this Friday, a conference call was held to preview the games and answer questions from the media. I had the privilege of being on this call, along with NBA Hall of Famer and BIG3 commissioner, Clyde Drexler, Co-Founder of the BIG3, Jeff Kwatinetz, and Chairman, Amy Trask.

The call started with Clyde Drexler recapping the night of games in Toronto the week prior. Drexler announced that Andre Emmett from 3’s Company was player of the week with 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Emmett is a good example of the BIG3 having relative unknowns sometimes outplay the former all-stars. He also talked about the Young 3, which is something the BIG3 does in every city they go to as they help the communities grow. Amy Trask also explained that over four dozen countries are represented in the BIG3, and they look to expand in the upcoming seasons.

The call was then open to questions from the media.

The first question was what the people of the BIG3 think of some of the comparisons to the BIG3 and the old-time games that were played in the NBA during all-star break.

Clyde Drexler: “This is not old-time basketball. These guys are young and fresh out of the NBA. Most of them can still compete in the NBA. If the NBA put together 3-on-3 teams, they would have trouble competing with the BIG3. This is not Uncle Drew. These guys can play. The BIG3 will only continue to grow.”

Amy Trask: “Come to a game or tune in because Jeff and Ice Cube have skeptics. The skeptics went to a game and told Ice Cube that they were right; the league is competitive.”

The next reporter asked if the players were embracing the four-point shot.

Jeff Kwatinetz: “I think they are embracing it the right way. They are not using it as a novelty. They are taking them when they are open and it makes sense. The reason why we have a circle, not a line, is because we wanted to open the game.”

Amy Trask: “It was a lot of fun to see a game won on a four-point shot a few weeks ago.”

Clyde Drexler: “Because the shot is a circle, if you put a guy out there who can make it, the defense will have to stretch. It gives the guy with the ball a lot more room to operate if you have a great shooter on your team.”

The next question was how does the BIG3 perceive the amount of “chippiness” in the games.

Clyde Drexler: “Guys are competitive, trying to win, and are trying to get away with whatever they can get away with. We added a third official to take away from that chippiness because we want the game to be about the sport of basketball. We don’t want anyone to get hurt, and it has helped a lot. It has become more of a pure game of basketball. Still physical, but not so much of the chippiness.”

Jeff Kwatinetz: “I think the chippiness comes from the competitiveness and wanting to win. Also remember the nature of 3-on-3 puts big emphasis on defense. In the NBA, there are a lot of fast breaks and wide open shots. But in the BIG3, it is a physical demand to play defense. Some guys are not used to being defended so tightly that they do not like it.

I asked “How would you describe the process of signing former NBA all-stars and DPOY candidates to the BIG3 this past off-season?”

Jeff Kwatinetz: “The biggest reason is that the players that played in the first year enjoyed it and had a positive experience. That word gets around and gets other people wanting to play. A lot of the guys that come in are not done playing pro basketball. It is something they enjoy doing and competing. A lot of people did not get the vision right away. But they wanted to do it once they saw it was real pro basketball.”

Clyde Drexler: “We tried to get Kobe Bryant. We tried to get Paul Pierce. For everyone who leaves the NBA, everyone in the BIG3 will be calling them. They love the game, and ten weeks in the summer is not a big commitment to a lot of the guys. The league is for the players, is fun, and is very competitive. Everyone wants to be a part of the BIG3.”

Jeff Kwatinetz: “It is a very different league. There is a lot of strategy in it with the way the BIG3 plays. It is a hard process as you need to get in shape, which eliminates a lot of guys who are actually done. We are getting the guys who understand the commitment involved.”

My follow up question was, “With a lot of former Boston Celtics in the BIG3 this year, what kind of reaction are you guys expecting from the fans on Friday?”

Clyde Drexler: “Boston has some of the greatest sports fans in the world. Danny Ainge and the Celtics are the best team and have the best general manager in the eastern conference. They love basketball in Boston. The BIG3 is an extension of that great basketball history. I hope they all come out and enjoy the phenomenon that is BIG3 basketball. Nobody expected the BIG3 to be this popular or this good of a game. The game is very serious and the guys want to win. We have celebrities, we have the humor. Our coaches are mic’ed, which gives you a good feel of being on the floor. This is all great, innovative stuff that made the sport a summer phenomenon. I hope the fans of Boston will come out and experience it live.”

Amy Trask: “We have also placed tremendous emphasis on making the venue experience very family friendly. Our players and coaches always interact with the fans throughout the games. We offer what most leagues do not offer: a very interactive experience for the fans.”

 

This was the majority of the conference call for the BIG3. Clyde Drexler, Jeff Kwatinetz, and Amy Trask gave everyone some very thought-out answers on the call. If you want to see a more in-depth preview of the BIG3 in Boston, check out my article here.

BIG3 Boston Preview

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The BIG3 is a basketball league created by rapper, Ice Cube, in 2017. The league consists of mostly retired NBA players, including some former all-stars. Rules for the BIG3 are different than rules in the NBA or FIBA-sanctioned 3-on-3 games. There is a four-point shot, 14 second shot-clock, hand-checking, and more. Also, there is no time-limit as halftime starts when a team reaches 25 points, and the winner is the first to 50 (win by two).

In the second season for the BIG3, things have changed from the first season. The defending-BIG3 champs are now last in the league, and many new players have been added. For example, guys like Baron Davis, Carlos Boozer, Nate Robinson, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Metta World Peace all join a stacked group of retired NBA players. With all the changes from last season to this season, the standings have changed too.

Standings

  1. 3 Headed Monsters (6-0)
  2. Power (5-1)
  3. 3’s Company (4-2)
  4. Tri-State (4-2)
  5. Killer 3’s (2-4)
  6. Ball Hogs (1-5)
  7. Ghost Ballers (1-5)
  8. Trilogy (1-5)

Only one team remains undefeated, while three teams already said goodbye to the playoffs. With Boston hosting the second-to-last regular season week of the BIG3 this year, there are major playoff implications in some of the games.

3’s Company (4-2) vs. Ghost Ballers (1-5)

In the first game of the night, third-place 3’s Company takes on seventh-place Ghost Ballers. 3’s Company and Ghost Ballers are both coming off wins this past Friday in Toronto. The Ghost Ballers defeated defending champions, Trilogy, and 3’s Company took third place from Tri-State.

3’s Company

Coach: Michael Cooper

Roster: Dermarr Johnson (Captain), Baron Davis (co-Captain), Drew Gooden (co-Captain), Andre Emmett, Jason Maxiell, Dahntay Jones

3’s Company comes into Boston able to clinch a playoff spot with a win or Killer 3’s loss. Baron Davis did not play last week against Tri-State, but that did not affect the teams play. 3’s Company destroyed Tri-State 51-29. With Baron Davis out, players on 3’s Company needed to step up. Andre Emmett went off, having 23 points while captain Dermarr Johnson had 14. They will need to have another great performance with or without Baron Davis if they are going to clinch a playoff spot.

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Ghost Ballers

Coach: George Gervin

Roster: Mike Bibby (Captain), Ricky Davis (co-Captain), Carlos Boozer (co-captain), Lee Nailon, Marcus Banks, Mario West

The Ghost Ballers entered week six in Toronto winless as they went up against defending champs, Trilogy. They were underdogs, but managed to pull off the 50-41 victory over the Trilogy. This team added two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer this offseason, and had high hopes. Even though they are out of the playoffs, they will still look to hold off 3’s Company’s playoff hopes. Ghost Ballers have two former Celtics on their roster (Ricky Davis, Marcus Banks).

This game between 3’s Company and Ghost Ballers is one of the more meaningful games this week. 3’s Company is able to clinch a playoff spot, while Ghost Ballers look to string together a few games.

Power (5-1) vs. 3 Headed Monsters (6-0)

Power

Coach: Nancy Lieberman

Roster: Corey Maggette (Captain), Cuttino Mobley (co-Captain), Glen Davis (co-Captain), Chris Andersen, Quentin Richardson, Ryan Gomes, Xavier Silas

The second-place Power are looking to overtake first-place for the first time this season. They have shown how dominant they are with guys Chris Andersen blocking shots. The Power have the leading scorer in the entire BIG3, Corey Maggette, who has 108 points in six games. He also top ten in rebounds alongside Power teammates, Glen Davis and Cuttino Mobley. In the Power’s last game, they beat the Killer 3’s by a score of 51-28. ‘Big Baby’ Glen Davis led the way with 14 points and two threes followed by Maggette and Mobley each having 11 points and seven boards. The Power have three former Celtics on their roster with Glen Davis, Ryan Gomes, and someone who played for them last year, Xavier Silas.

3 Headed Monsters

Coach: Gary Payton

Roster: Rashard Lewis (Captain), Reggie Evans (co-Captain), Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (co-Captain), Jamario Moon, Kwame Brown, Salim Stoudamire, Qyntel Woods

The 3 Headed Monsters are entering Friday’s game against the Power with the best record. They are the only undefeated team in the BIG3 at 6-0. The 3 Headed Monsters are bringing back key pieces from last year including reigning BIG3 MVP, Rashard Lewis. They won their last game against the Ball Hogs in Toronto by a score of 51-45. Reggie Evans went off having 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Qyntel Woods had 11 points and six rebounds.

This game includes the top two teams in the BIG3. Guys like Reggie Evans and Corey Maggette will try to show off as they compete for this years MVP. The 3 Headed Monsters will look to stay undefeated, but it will be tough as they face the one loss Power.

Ball Hogs (1-5) vs. Trilogy (1-5)

Coach: Rick Barry

Roster: Brian Scalabrine (Captain), Josh Childress (co-Captain), DeShawn Stevenson (co-Captain), Andre Owens, Corsley Edwards, Jermaine Taylor

The Ball Hogs enter this week tied for last place with a record of 1-5. After being eliminated from playoff contention in Toronto due to a 3’s Company win, they don’t have much to play for. They did have a very competitive game against the undefeated, 3 Headed Monsters this past week though. The Ball Hogs were actually leading 26-20 at halftime before losing 51-45. Jermaine Taylor lead the Hogs in that game with 18 points and Josh Childress had ten. Taylor is the Ball Hogs leading scorer as he averages 12.6 PPG. The only Celtic on the Ball Hogs is Brian Scalabrine, but he only plays 7.3 minutes per game as he takes on a player-coach role.

Trilogy

Coach: Rick Mahorn

Roster: Kenyon Martin (Captain), Al Harrington (co-Captain), Rashad McCants (co-Captain), James White, Dion Glover, Al Thornton

The Trilogy have had a disappointing season to say the least. After winning the championship in the inaugural BIG3 season, they find themselves in last place. They have brought back the same team from last year, including Kenyon Martin and reigning BIG3 DPOY, James White, but have not succeeded like they did last year. Trilogy were eliminated from playoff contention, but still looked to win against the then winless Ghost Ballers. They could not defeat the Ballers as they lost 50-41. Derrick Byars lead the Trilogy with 15 points. With Kenyon Martin only playing in two games it has been hard on the Trilogy. They will look to get a win against fellow 1-5 Ball Hogs.

This game is meaningless in the playoff picture. However, it is a treat for Boston fans to see a fan-favorite in Brian Scalabrine play again in the Garden. Scal is now a commentator for the Celtics, and was a part of that 2008 team that won the NBA Championship. Both teams will look to win to not be in last place.

Killer 3s (2-4) vs. Tri-State (4-2)

Killer 3s

Coach: Charles Oakley

Roster: Chauncey Billups (Captain), Stephen Jackson (co-Captain), Metta World Peace (co-Captain), Alan Anderson, Ryan Hollins, Mike James, Josh Powell

The Killer 3s are entering Boston with a lot to lose. A loss for them would eliminate them from playoff contention. The Killer 3s have a lot of talent on their team, including five-time All-Star Chauncey Billups, while adding former NBA DPOY Metta World Peace. This season has not been something special for the Killer 3’s as they have not lived up to expectations. In their most recent game against the Power, they lost 50-28. This loss pushed them further to the brink of elimination. Metta World Peace led the Killer 3s in scoring with only nine points. Stephen Jackson leads the Killer 3s in PPG with 16.6, while Metta World Peace holds it down defensively. Chauncey Billups will not play this year, but he is not the only Celtic on the roster. The Killer 3s have Ryan Hollins and Mike James as other former Celtics.

Tri-State

Coach: Julius Erving

Roster: Jermaine O’Neal (Captain), Nate Robinson (co-Captain), Amar’e Stoudemire (co-Captain), David Hawkins, Robert Hite, Bonzi Wells

Tri-State has been one of the more fun teams to watch this BIG3 season. With big NBA names like Amar’e Stoudemire, Nate Robinson, and Jermaine O’Neal they are on the verge of the playoffs. A win here would clinch that for Tri-State. Tri-State could have clinched a playoff berth last week, but failed to do so as they lost to 3’s Company 51-29. David Hawkins led Tri-State with ten points in the loss. Amar’e Stoudemire has shown how dominant he is in these games on defense. He has seven blocks and 24 rebounds this season. David Hawkins is leading Tri-State with 17.5 PPG. Tri-State enters Boston with two well-known former Celtics, Nate Robinson and Jermaine O’Neal.

This game is probably the most important game of the night. With Tri-State able to clinch a playoff berth, and the Killer 3s looking to stay alive, it is one to watch.

With the playoffs approaching, there are many games with heavy implications this week. The first game will air on Facebook Live while the last three will be on FS1.

Brian Johnson Is Better Suited For Rotation

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Despite Drew Pomeranz struggles this season, Alex Cora said he would remain in the starting rotation. Following the acquisition of right-hander Nathan Eovaldi from Tampa Bay, this presumably leaves Brian Johnson without a spot in the rotation. If the Red Sox follow through with those plans, they will be making a serious mistake.

Minor League Career

Brian Johnson came through the system as a starting pitcher following a two-way career in college. He made 103 appearances during his minor league career, all starts. Not once, ever, did he pitch out of the bullpen during his professional career until this season. He made one start for the Red Sox in 2015 and five starts in 2017 in addition to his 103 minor league starts.

During Johnson’s time in the minor leagues, he won 32 games against 26 losses. More importantly, he pitched to a stellar 2.69 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Opponents batted just .216 against Johnson. This wasn’t just beating up on the low minors, as Johnson was 10-2 with a 1.75 ERA in AA Portland. In AAA, Johnson still posted a very good 3.18 ERA. Minor league success does not mean success in the big leagues, but it shows his success as a starting pitcher.

Brian Johnson enjoyed great success as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues.

Headed to the Bullpen

After six seasons of exclusively pitching as a starter, the Red Sox put Johnson in their bullpen to begin the season. This was the right move to make as they didn’t have room in their starting rotation. Johnson was out of minor league options so he had to be on the club or would be open to waivers. The bullpen did not agree with Johnson, however, which really isn’t a surprise. Johnson is not the type of pitcher who typically succeeds in relief; he doesn’t throw hard, he isn’t deceptive, and doesn’t have a funky delivery from the left side. His stuff isn’t going to play up out of the pen.

Johnson made 21 appearances out of the bullpen, totaling 30 innings pitched. His ERA was much too high for a starter, let alone a reliever at 5.10. He was relegated to mop-up roles, and deservedly so. He put lots of men on base, posting a 1.47 WHIP. The only thing he did better as a reliever was striking out a few more batters.

A Spot Opens Up

Brian Johnson got his chance to start again due to injuries in the Red Sox rotation, and he took advantage. Over six starts, Johnson has thrown 30 innings – the exact same amount of innings he has thrown in relief. While working up his arm strength, Johnson has pitched to a 1.80 ERA over his 30 innings starting. His WHIP, although not great, is much lower at 1.33. He sports a 5.10 ERA relieving, but a 1.80 ERA starting, both in 30 innings. The guy is just built to start. I’m not saying he will post a 1.80 ERA for the rest of the season if starting, but he will pitch better there than in relief.

Johnson’s best outing yet was his last one, pitching 5.2 shutout innings against the Twins. The start before he allowed two runs, but neither was earned over five innings. He’s getting stronger the more they stretch his arm out.

Drew Pomeranz

Drew Pomeranz, on the other hand, has an ERA of 6.91 this season as a starter. Why is he pitching again? Yes, he was very good last year, but he has not been the same pitcher. Throwing a fastball in the upper-80’s, it practically screams “hit me” when he misses his spot. Pomeranz only has one outing all year in which he allowed less than three runs. Over his last five starts, Pomeranz is 0-3 with an unsightly 8.57 ERA. Opponents have a slash line of .330/.425/.560/.985 during that time against him. Basically, the average hitter against him is turned into an MVP candidate lately.

Unlike Johnson, Pomeranz has success as a reliever, especially at the Major League level. He didn’t pan out as a starter at first and was moved to the bullpen in 2014. He didn’t have to worry about pitching longer and his stuff played up. In 10 relief appearances that season, Pomeranz had a 1.62 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. The next season, Pomeranz pitched to a 2.61 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 44 relief appearances. Compare this to his 4.63 ERA and 1.30 WHIP as a starting pitcher that season and it is clear Pomeranz has had much more success in the bullpen, by and large.

Maybe something isn’t right with Pomeranz and he won’t be effective anywhere, but that certainly doesn’t mean the Red Sox should be trotting him back out to the mound every five days to get lit up. Try him in the bullpen, where he has been effective before and see how he does.

It makes no sense to throw a guy pitching well like Johnson back in the bullpen, especially when he has had zero professional success in that role and when Pomeranz is stinking up the mound.

 

Featured picture from FanRag Sports

Ted Williams Documentary Is a Smashing Hit

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American Masters aired a documentary on PBS Monday night to chronicle the life of Ted Williams. The film didn’t introduce any revelations, but they did have new color footage of Ted Williams homering in his final at-bat. Even without bringing anything new to light, the documentary was definitely worth a watch. Scanning film on one of the best hitters of all time and hearing people talk about him will never grow boring.

Playing Days

Ted Williams famously hit .406 in 1941, his third season in the big leagues. The film discussed the famous story of his refusal to sit out the final day of the season. Going into that final day, his average would have finished at .400 if rounded up. Given the option to sit and take the .400, Williams opted to play and proceeded to go 6-8 on the doubleheader, raising his average to .406.

Another famous story, which will never grow old, was when Williams returned from Korea. After not having held a bat in 456 days, Williams took batting practice at Fenway Park upon his return. After a couple line drives, Williams started launching home run after home run. At one point, he homered on 13 consecutive swings. When he returned to the playing field, Williams batted .407 and hit 13 home runs in only 91 at-bats. His OPS was an astounding 1.410. All of this was accomplished after just coming back from fighting a war.

The Final At Bat – In Color

Williams played injured in 1959 and had the only poor season of his career. Not wanting to end his career like that, Williams was determined to come back. When Tom Yawkey offered him the same pay, Williams rejected it and said he hadn’t earned it with his play, insisting on a pay cut. Can you imagine any modern player arguing for a pay cut? Williams proceeded to have an excellent season in 1960, on way to his best HR/AB ratio of his career. In his final major league game, the weather was cold and dreary and the balls weren’t traveling well. Williams had two deep fly outs in the game that likely would have cleared the fence on a warmer, dryer day. In his final at-bat, he rocked a homer. This documentary aired never before seen color footage of that home run.

Lasting Legacy

Williams was a proponent of hitting fly balls and being selective at the plate. The modern “fly ball revolution,” as it’s been termed, can be traced back to Ted Williams. Wade Boggs was interviewed in the film and gave an interesting ode to Teddy Ballgame. Boggs was struggling his senior season. He then read Ted Williams book, “The Science of Hitting.” After reading that book, Boggs batted .485 the rest of the season and was drafted by the Red Sox.

When Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966, he included in his speech notes about great Negro League players and why he hoped to see them join him in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The people at the Hall of Fame saw these notes ahead of time and asked him not to read them when he spoke. However, Williams didn’t listen. He championed the great Negro League players during his induction speech and within a few years, some of them were elected.

Ted Williams giving his Hall of Fame speech in 1966.

Personal Life

The documentary covered what a difficult person Williams was to live with. He didn’t treat his wives very well, he wasn’t a tenderly parent, and he mostly did his own thing. However, it also showed what a good person he could be. The most touching part of the film was the stories of visiting sick kids at the hospital. Teddy Ballgame refused to allow the press acknowledge his presence at these visits, which speaks to his true character. Williams always donated generously to the Jimmy Fund and visited the sick children. There was one story in particular that stood out; one day when visiting a sick child, the child gripped Ted’s finger and wouldn’t let go. Instead of forcing himself away, Williams had a nurse pull up a cot for him and he stayed by the child’s side, letting the child hold his finger until he fell asleep.

Working off of that, Williams would often go to fellow retired ballplayers, asking for donations to the Jimmy Fund. If one happened to be down on their luck, Williams would ask that they just write a ten dollar check. Once he had the check, Williams would take the account numbers from the check and have $1000 deposited into their account.

An Odd Interview

There was a peculiar moment caught on camera with Ted Williams’ daughter, Cindy. An interview with her on many topics was included in several instances of the film. She always looked into the camera, answering questions and telling stories. However, when asked about and then discussing Ted Williams “wanting” to be frozen, she never looked at the camera. The whole time she spoke, she gazed downward at the table and at her hands. It certainly gave one pause. Could there be an untold story here?

Overall Grade

The documentary was as enlightening as it was entertaining. While much of the famed folklore was recounted, some interesting glances into Williams’ personal psychic were also allowed. For any Red Sox fan, it’s a must-see. For any baseball fans, it’s a must see. Once again, the story of the greatest hitter who ever lived has been brought back to life.

Final Grade: 4.5/5 stars