Tag Archives: boston

On This Day In Red Sox History: July 15, 2005 (@TheFrizz87)

Leave a reply

On Friday, July 15, 2005, the Red Sox and Yankees met for the second of a four game series at Fenway Park. This was the first series after the All-Star break and the Yankees had taken the first game to move within 1.5 games of the Sox for first place in the East. Through nine games, the Red Sox had gone 5-4 in their season series. Among the wins was a 17-1 victory at Yankee Stadium in late May.

Taking the Field

The Red Sox sent former Yankee David Wells to the mound. Wells was in his first season with Boston and just a year removed from his second stint with the Yankees. He had pitched twice versus New York already on the season, going 1-1. For New York, newcomer Tim Redding would take the hill. The Yankees had just acquired Redding along with Darrell May from the Padres for Paul Quantrill. Redding was 0-5 with an unsightly 9.10 ERA while pitching in the National League West.

Wells cruised through the top half of the first, striking out Derek Jeter and Robinson Canon before getting Gary Sheffield to fly out. Johnny Damon was the Red Sox leadoff hitter and singled to right to open up the home half of the first. Edgar Renteria walked before Tim Redding surprisingly struck out David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez back-to-back. With two outs, Trot Nixon doubled home both Damon and Renteria to put the Red Sox on the board first. After a Kevin Millar walk, Jason Varitek doubled and the Red Sox were ahead 3-0.

Sox Chase Redding

After another 1-2-3 inning for Wells, the Red Sox offense went back to work. Mark Bellhorn and Johnny Damon walked followed by a single by Edgar Renteria to load the bases. Just like that, Redding’s night was over, as was his Yankees career. Redding never threw another pitch for the Yankees, getting just three outs. In came Darrell May, their other recent acquisition from the Padres. The left-hander fared a little better, if only marginally so. A run came home on a fielder’s choice. Manny Ramirez followed with a double to left to score the Red Sox fifth run of the night. Trot Nixon, in the play of the night, hit a fly ball to center that seemed to tail some. Melky Cabrera, coming in for the play missed the ball as it glanced off his glove. Trot kept running as the ball rolled well past Cabrera and came around to score with a three-run inside-the-park home run! The Red Sox were up 8-0 and it was only the second inning. Tim Redding allowed six runs while only recording three outs in his only appearance for the Yankees.

Melky Cabrera misses Trot Nixon’s fly ball, leading to an inside-the-park home run.

Red Sox Chase Another Yankee Acquisition

The Red Sox got another run in the third when Edgar Renteria drove home Johnny Damon. In the top of the 4th, the Yankees got their first hit off their old buddy on a ground ball into center by Robinson Cano. After a wild pitch moved him to second, Gary Sheffield drove him home with another hit. Wells would get Alex Rodriguez to hit into a double play and Hideki Matsui to ground out to end the inning. The Yankees had scored a run, good for them.

In the bottom of the inning, the Sox got two men on via walk with two outs. Bill Mueller doubled to left to drive home Kevin Millar with the Sox’ 10th run. After another walk, Johnny Damon doubled home two more runs to chase Darrell May from the game. May had equaled Tim Redding’s six runs allowed, although at least he had gotten eight batters out to Redding’s three. This was May’s second outing as a Yankee, having allowed seven runs six days prior against the Indians. Just like Redding, this would be his final outing with the Yankees. The Yankees two recent trade acquisitions pitched a combined three games for the Yankees, allowing 19 runs over eight innings. May never pitched in the big leagues again.

A Grand Slam

The Yankees found some semblance of competency with Jason Anderson, who enjoyed a 1-2-3 fifth inning after recording the final out of the fourth. Meanwhile, David Wells kept cruising along, allowing just one hit between the fifth and sixth.

Anderson did not seem up for another inning of work however. Kevin Millar led off with a double before Anderson walked Varitek. Alex Cora then pinch-hit for Bill Mueller and singled to load the bases. Anderson actually got two outs after that without allowing a run to come in. Close to getting out of the jam, Anderson walked Edgar Renteria to bring home the Red Sox’ 13th run of the game. That was the end of Anderson’s night. With David Ortiz due up, the Yankees brought in long-time lefty specialist Buddy Groom. With two outs and the bases loaded, Ortiz took an 0-1 offering from Groom deep to right and over the fence for a grand slam. So much for the lefty specialist, the Red Sox now led 17-1.

David Ortiz follows through on his grand slam off pitcher Buddy Groom in the sixth inning at Fenway Park on July 15, 2005. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Yankees Get Embarrassed

The rest of the game was uneventful. Buddy Groom wound up pitching a shutout seventh after allowing the grand slam. For the Red Sox, David Wells went seven innings allowing just one run to improve to 7-5 on the season. John Halama had a perfect eighth followed by Geremi Gonzalez bringing home the huge victory with a perfect ninth. For the second time on the season, the Red Sox had beaten the Yankees by a score of 17-1. Trot Nixon and David Ortiz both drove in five runs on the day, with Nixon hitting the inside-the-park home run and Ortiz the grand slam.

Revisiting Potential Risers in Red Sox Farm System (@TheFrizz87)

Leave a reply

In January, I wrote an article highlighting some Red Sox minor leaguers who might be able to make a leap in prospect rankings with a good season. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like any of them will crack Baseball America’s top 100 next season. In fact, with what has happened with Jay Groome and Michael Chavis this year, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see no Red Sox farm hands make the rankings for 2019. That doesn’t mean all is lost though, some of these guys are still performing well.

The Pitchers

Bryan Mata 

Mata is the Red Sox lone representative in the Futures Game. However, there have still been concerns with his season. Mata was known for being a well-polished pitcher for his age, having excellent command of his pitches despite being just 18 years old. Instead, Mata has walked 57 batters in 71 innings pitched this season, leading to a WHIP of 1.59. Despite the uncharacteristic amount of walks, Mata has been able to keep his ERA down, posting a 3.42 ERA in high-A to this point. Although it’s discouraging to see his control regress, it is encouraging to see him keep teams off the scoreboard still. At just 19 years old, he has a lot of development left and could easily get his control back to where it needs to be.

Tanner Houck

Houck has not made the strides he needed to make this year. The Red Sox first round pick last year is 4-11 with a 5.14 ERA for the season. His control needs to improve and he still could use the help of developing a better third pitch. Houck can reach the upper-90’s and has a good slider, but not much beyond that. He showed some potential when he threw six no-hit innings on June 14th. His good games have been too few and far between though. Houck might ultimately wind up being tried in the bullpen in the future if he doesn’t turn things around. His fastball and slider combination might play up better in the pen and get him to the Major Leagues.

Mike Shawaryn

Shawaryn has mostly put up the same numbers in AA this year as he has always put up. The main difference is a little bit of a decrease in strike outs at the higher level, but not an alarming drop-off. He has pitched to a 3.65 ERA this season with an excellent 1.10 WHIP. He still does strike out batters too, just not over a strike out per inning anymore. Shawaryn has struck out 85 batters over 93.2 innings pitched. It looks like he will continue to increase his amount of innings pitched while still being effective, a good progress in his development.

The Hitters

Josh Ockimey at the plate for the Sea Dogs.

Josh Ockimey

In January, I wrote that Ockimey was a three “true outcome” hitter, and that hasn’t changed in Portland this season. It is encouraging to see his power continue to develop while also maintaining his patience at the plate. In a game I went to in May, Ockimey hit a blast to right that was just to the right of a light tower. After striking out in his second at-bat, I correctly predicted a walk in his third at-bat. On the season, Ockimey has batted .265 with 12 home runs in AA. He has struck out 86 times in 249 at-bats, but has also drawn 50 walks, leading to an excellent .385 on-base percentage. So far he is putting up the best season of his minor league career.

Bobby Dalbec

Dalbec was someone who needed a bounceback season to restore his prospect status; boy has he done that of late. Dalbec has been on fire, posting multiple hits five times in the last ten games. Twice in that span he has banged out four base hits. Dalbec also has a multi-homer game and six home runs total in that 10 game span. With the red hot streak, Dalbec has raised his season average to a respectable .257. He has 21 home runs in A-ball, a number not many reach down in that level. He also draws a good amount of walks, giving him a nice .369 OBP to go along with his excellent .561 slugging percentage. The downside to Dalbec is the amount of swing and miss in his game, striking out 110 times in the first half of the season. It would be interesting to see how he fares if the Red Sox move him up to Portland in the second half.

 

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Offensive Tackles (@bigmike7772)

Leave a reply

There are many different faces on this Patriots team compared to last year. New England acquired four guys from trade, fifteen from free agency, and nine from the NFL Draft. They also lost nine players from trade and free agency and had three players retire.

In this new series, I will be looking at every player from each position leading up to training camp. For this installment I will talk about the offensive tackles.

The Patriots have had a solid tackle group since Brady took over. The Pats lost a significant o-linemen this offseason, Nate Solder, and will look to replace him with the new guys they brought in.

Marcus Cannon #61 (2011-Present):

Marcus Cannon drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 draft by the New England Patriots. He was drafted as a project and he ended up working out. Cannon was a backup for the beginning of his career for Sebastian Vollmer. In 2012, Marcus played in all 18 of the Patriots games ans started one. He got six starts in 2013, four in 2014, and eight in 2015.

After Vollmer retired, Cannon got the starting job at right tackle. He showed up to the Pats in 2016 in the best shape of his life. He started all 15 games that he played in and was signed to a five-year, $32.5 million contract extension. Marcus was named a Second-Team All-Pro in 2016 and was a key part as to why the Patriots won Super Bowl 51. Cannon played in only seven games in 2017 due to a toe injury and was later placed on the injured-reserve.

With Nate Solder out, Cannon is now the leader of the offensive line. Hopefully he stays healthy next season for the Patriots to make a run for the Super Bowl. He will 100% make the 53 man roster.

Isaiah Wynn (Rookie):

Isaiah Wynn was the Patriots’ 23rd overall in the first draft round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Wynn played four years at Georgia University alongside new Patriots’ RB, Sony Michel. In his freshman year he played in all 11 games for the Bulldogs. He then played in 25 games over the next two years, and solidified himself as the leader of the o-line. Wynn started all 15 games for Georgia his senior year which ultimately brought them to the championship game. Over the course of Isaiah’s college career he has let up only four sacks.

Even though Wynn has shown how talented he is at left tackle, many people put him as a guard leading up to the draft. At only 6’2″ Wynn is very undersized, but makes up for it in outstanding hand placement and footwork. He showed how amazing he is at left tackle at the Senior Bowl where he dominated the defensive linemen.

When the Patriots selected Wynn the ticket they sent in said tackle. This is most likely due to the fact that Nate Solder left this offseason. Isaiah will have to fight to start Week 1, but he will definitely be on the roster.

Trent Brown #77 (2018-Present):

Trent Brown is entering his fourth year in the NFL, and his first with the Pats. Brown was acquired by the Patriots from San Francisco via trade during the 2018 Draft. In Brown’s rookie season he started the last two games and played in six total. His 2016 campaign saw him start all 16 games for the 49ers. Trent gained some praise from Super Bowl MVP, Von Miller in 2017.

“He’s the best right tackle in the National Football League! And he may even be a top-five tackle, period, in the National Football League. There’s not another tackle who’s that tall, that big and can move the way he moves.”

https://twitter.com/VeteranScout/status/916420354871934976

Brown started the first ten games of the 2017 season, but was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Trent Brown is a very big man with him being listed at 6’8″, 355 pounds. Brown is fast for his size though and is able to not only keep up, but excel against the best edge rushers in the league. As a right tackle, Brown most likely won’t start over Marcus Cannon. However, if Brown shows what he can do at left tackle and beats out Isaiah Wynn, he will have a roster spot.

LaAdrian Waddle #68 (2015-Present):

LaAdrian Waddle is entering his sixth season in the NFL, and fourth for the Pats. Waddle was an undrafted free agent in 2013 and was picked up by Detroit. In his rookie season he started eight games. In his next season he started in ten games, but couldn’t complete the season due to knee surgery. Waddle was then cut in his third season for Detroit in December of 2017. He was picked up by New England the day after.

Waddle signed a two-year deal with New England in 2016, but was inactive for all-but two games that next year. 2017 is where Waddle showed he can be a solid option as tackle for the Pats. He was active in 12 games and started in four due to Marcus Cannon getting injured. In the 2018 offseason he re-signed with the Patriots on a one-year deal.

LaAdrian has proven to be an excellent option as a starting tackle in case someone gets hurt. I believe he will make the team due to the fact that he can play at left or right tackle when asked.

Cole Croston #74 (2017-Present):

Cole Croston is entering his second year in the NFL. He was picked up by New England after the 2017 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent. Croston was kept on by the Patriots as a member of their practice squad for the 2017 season. He only played in three games last year with him, getting his first NFL snaps as a left guard in a 33-8 victory of Oakland in Week 11. Croston was ultimately kept on due to the fact that he can play tackle and guard.

Croston will have to work very hard if he wants to make the 53-man roster. I believe he will make it, but he could also become a member of the practice-squad. However, if the Pats do place him on the practice squad, I wouldn’t be surprised if another team did not pick him up.

Ulrick John #67 (2018-Present):

Ulrick John is heading into his fifth NFL season, and first for the Pats. This is Ulrick’s fifth NFL team since entering the league in 2014. He was drafted in the seventh round by Indianapolis, then got cut. He then got signed by Miami where he only played two games. The most games he has played in a season came from Green Bay where he played in five games. John’s next season was in Arizona where he started all three games that he played in.

Overall, Ulrick has only had three career starts in ten games. He was signed by New England on April 23, 2018, but his chances of making the roster are very slim.

The Offensive Tackle position has had some big names come through since 2001. The Pats look to protect Tom Brady en route to their sixth Super Bowl.

Could the Celtics Bring Back Isaiah Thomas? (@jackbuffett_)

Leave a reply

Is Isaiah Thomas Going to Return to Boston?

The dust has pretty much settled on another hectic offseason, with most of the big names having signed with teams already. However, one of the names that is still on the market is none other than Isaiah Thomas. The former fan-favorite was rumored to be close to a contract with the Orlando Magic last week, but all is quiet on that front. Then, Isaiah Thomas commented this on NBC Sports Boston’s Post:

The question has to be asked: could Isaiah Thomas be coming back?

The Benefits

Before Danny Ainge shipped out Thomas in the Kyrie Irving deal, he was one of the most beloved Boston athletes in a long time. The point guard averaged 29 points per game in his last season in Boston, and had an unforgettable playoff run after the tragic death of his sister. It goes without saying that many Celtics fans would love to see him in green again.

He was far less successful in Cleveland and Los Angeles, but keep in mind he would be returning to play under Brad Stevens. If anyone can return Thomas to his former glory, it would be this coach. He wouldn’t be starting as long as Kyrie Irving is still present, but he could provide a major scoring boost off the bench. It also provides an opportunity to trade Terry Rozier as part of a package to net a big-name player. If Marcus Smart signs elsewhere this offseason, Thomas can also serve as the replacement to him.

The other great thing about signing Thomas is that it likely wouldn’t break the bank. Last season saw the point guard’s value drop drastically, and while that’s unfortunate for him, it’s great news for the team. Thomas would be more apt to sign a team-friendly contract, which is necessary if the cash-strapped Celtics are going to bring him aboard. This could potentially be a huge signing towards a title run.

The Downsides

However, there are multiple concerns regarding Thomas potentially returning. First and foremost, his health. His hip injury nagged him throughout the entirety of last season. It’s safe to say it’s still an issue for any team looking to sign him. The Celtics already have a point guard in Kyrie that isn’t the healthiest player in the world, and bringing aboard another injury-prone guard could prove disastrous.

There is also the issue of Thomas’ severed relationship with Danny Ainge. Though Isaiah said previously that he and Ainge had resolved their differences, there was open hostility immediately following his departure. Fans have to wonder if there are still hurt feelings. Pride could also be a problem- remember when he told Boston to “bring out the Brinks truck”? It’s unclear whether Thomas would be able to swallow his pride and take a reduced role-and much less money-to sign in Boston.

Finally, there’s the issue of an overcrowded backcourt. If Marcus Smart is eventually resigned, then the Celtics will have four point guards with the addition of Thomas. The team has made it clear that they are high on Rozier. If Marcus Smart resigns, there must be a role for him as well. Where would Thomas fit into that scheme? He’s also an obvious defensive liability, as fans learned during his time here. Would it be worth it to sacrifice the defense for some scoring? There’s upside to signing the 29-year-old, but there are also a lot of question marks.

Via Brian Babineau/Getty Images

The Bottom Line

Obviously, bringing back Thomas is a high-risk, high-reward situation. There’s clearly some issues surrounding his arrival. With the team declaring Smart their top priority this offseason, it’s unlikely that Thomas comes to town again. However, he’s already proven that he’s a top point guard in the league when he’s healthy. It’s likely that the majority of Boston fans would be thrilled to see him return. It may be a long shot, but it could be time to break out those green number four jerseys once again.

On This Day In Red Sox History: The Unassisted Triple Play

Leave a reply

On July 8, 1994, the Seattle Mariners came to Fenway Park. Along with them came 18-year-old Alex Rodriguez for his Major League debut. The Mariners had talent but were 12 games under .500. The Red Sox had gotten off to a 20-7 start, but after a miserable June that saw them lose 11 straight at one point their record had fallen to 40-43.

A Slow Start

baseballreference.com

The game had a late start time, getting underway a little past 8:00 pm on a Friday night. The Mariners lineup featured possibly the best player in the game in Ken Griffey Jr. Former batting champion Edgar Martinez was batting cleanup while the 18-year-old phenom batted 9th. In the leadoff spot was little known Brian Turang, the father of 2018 first round pick of the Brewers Brice Turang. The Sox were absent their biggest bat, as Mo Vaughn took a seat. Left-hander Chris Nabholz was taking the mound for just the second time as a member of the Red Sox.

Nabholz allowed three baserunners in the first but no runs came in to score. The Sox got off to a slow start against lefty Dave Fleming. The Mariners hurler had been good the previous two seasons but was off to a miserable start in 1994. The Mariners scored first when Ken Griffey tripled to center in the third. In the fifth, Bill Haselman reached first on an error and would come around to score on a base hit from Felix Fermin to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, Fleming was cruising, throwing five shutout innings to start the game.

The Triple Play

With the Sox already trailing 2-0, the Mariners put on the first two men in the sixth inning. Things were looking a little dicey for Chris Nabholz as Marc Newfield stepped in. Newfield hit a sinking liner towards short that John Valentin snared just above ground level. Mike Blowers had been running and was already by third base when Valentin caught the ball, so Valentin ran over to second and tagged it for out number two. Keith Mitchell, who had been running from first, seemed to be caught off guard with what was happening as he made no effort to retreat back to his bag. Valentin tagged him on his way by to complete the unassisted triple play.

Not even the announcers were sure of what was happening. In perhaps one of the most confusing and odd plays you will ever witness, only taking a listen for yourself can do it justice.

John Valentin immediately after completing the 10th unassisted triple play in Major League history. (YouTube)

Triple Play Awakens the Bats

After completing the unassisted triple play, Valentin was due to lead off in the bottom half of the sixth inning. After battling Fleming to a full count, Valentin homered over the Monster in left on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to put the Sox on the scoreboard. Andre Dawson then worked the count full as well before doubling to left, chasing Dave Fleming from the game. Bill Risley came aboard to face Tom Brunansky. After falling behind in the count 1-2, Brunansky homered to left to give the Red Sox their first lead of the game. This was Brunansky’s sixth homer in 19 games since rejoining the Red Sox via trade. After the next two men were retired, catcher Rich Rowland took a 3-1 pitch out of the yard for the team’s third home run of the inning. The Red Sox now led 4-2.

A Wild Ninth Inning

Chris Nabholz kept the Mariners off the board until the ninth. He had allowed just one run in the third and an unearned run in the fifth before Mike Blowers greeted him in the ninth with a home run to close the gap to one run. In came closer Ken Ryan to try and finish things off, and boy did he get some help.

First up against Ryan was Keith Mitchell, the cousin of former MVP winner Kevin Mitchell. Mitchell hit a bullet to the left side where Scott Cooper made a nice diving stop; the throw was in the dirt and scooped by Tim Naehring for the out. Naehring usually played elsewhere in the infield, but he was able to scoop the low throw, a nice play on both ends of the inning’s first out.

Next came Marc Newfield, who had lined into the triple play in the sixth. Newfield flew one towards the triangle in center; Lee Tinsley running to his left made a great diving grab just in front of the warning track. Tinsley appeared injured, lying on the ground following the play, but he ultimately got up and stayed in the game for the final out.

Reggie Jefferson, who would join the Red Sox the following season, pinch-hit for fellow future Red Sox Bill Haselman. It was a good decision as Jefferson crushed a Ken Ryan offering to deep right-center. The ball was between the two fielders as Lee Tinsley and Wes Chamberlain converged in front of the wall. Both player’s leapt for the ball and Chamberlain got the better position. Leaping as high as he could, Chamberlain snared the ball above the wall to rob Jefferson of a game-tying home run. The game was over; the Red Sox held on to a 4-3 win.

Summing Up

The Red Sox made four nice defensive plays to get three outs in the ninth on consecutive plays. It is not often you will see an inning with such a defensive show, let alone have it be for the final three outs, all capped off by a game-ending catch to rob a potential game-tying home run. It was a fantastic ending to a historic game that featured the 10th unassisted triple play in Major League history as well as the debut of Alex Rodriguez at the age of 18. If you have a few minutes, watch the ninth inning below, it is worth it.

Red Sox Interested in Nathan Eovaldi

Leave a reply

It’s July, which means only one thing: Trade SZN. The Red Sox made their fair share of roster moves in June, including signing former All-Star 2B Brandon Phillips to a minor league contract and trading for Steve Pearce. However, Dave Dombrowski has never been shy about shuffling pieces around the board (and across the league), so it’s unlikely the Sox are done tweaking their roster for the summer.

The next shoe to drop could be a move for starting pitching help. The Red Sox were among several teams in attendance for current Rays’ starter Nathan Eovaldi‘s start on Monday, per MLB.com’s Bill Chastain.

Sox fans will remember Eovaldi best during his stint with the Yankees from 2015-16. During that two-year stretch, Eovaldi was 23-11 with a 4.45 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He missed all of last season after undergoing his second Tommy John’s surgery in August 2016. Eovaldi could represent a low-risk/low-cost rental for teams in need of pitching depth down the stretch.

The Problem

Boston fits that mold perfectly. Chris Sale has been dominant and Rick Porcello has been both consistent and dependable. David Price has shown a tendency to mix strong stretches with complete meltdowns. He is also only a year removed from his own injury issues. Eduardo Rodriguez seems to have righted the ship with Wednesday’s virtuoso performance in Washington. He’s also notoriously inconsistent, and has gone deeper than the 6th inning only twice in his 17 starts this year. Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright are currently on the disabled list.

Both Wright and Pomeranz are close to returning. Wright is expected back by the All-Star break, and Pomeranz made his first rehab start this week. However, Wright’s knee issues are becoming chronic, and Pomeranz allowed four HRs in Monday’s rehab start. Neither qualify as reliable back-of-the-rotation options.

The Solution

That’s where Eovaldi fits in. He’s posted a 3.92 ERA across seven starts so far this season, with career highs in K/9 (7.6) and K/BB (5.83) ratio. While he’s benefited from good batted ball luck, he’s also had poor home run luck. Opponents are only batting .211 on balls in play, and he’s stranded 79.6% of his runners. However, Eovaldi’s HR/FB rate (21.4%) is higher than ever. In other words, look for both of those numbers to even out a bit as the sample size grows.

Eovaldi’s stuff has remained consistent in his return as well. He still throws gas (avg. four-seam velocity of 97 mph). He’s also mixed in a cutter more frequently than ever. In 2016, only 7.3% of Eovaldi’s pitches were classified as such. That number has climbed all the way up to 25.3% this season. That could partially explain his luck on balls in play. An improved cut-fastball is limiting how much solid contact opposing batters are able to make.

Granted, none of these numbers are exactly eye-popping. But, they are representative of a solid fifth starter who provides depth at the end of the rotation. Eovaldi would come with his own question marks as well; he missed the start of this season with elbow and rib injuries. However, if the price is right, he could be a nice piece to help get the Sox through the dog days of summer.

Fresh Take Friday: Terry Rozier Should Be Traded this Summer

Leave a reply

The Celtics should find a trade partner for Rozier — soon

It’s been relatively quiet this summer around Boston. While other teams have gone after big-name free agents, the Celtics have focused on retaining their core and not much else. This is perfectly fine: the team doesn’t seem to have any need to make a splash. However, one move they should attempt to make this summer is moving Terry Rozier, sooner rather than later.

Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

The Reasoning

Rozier is coming off of an elite performance from the back end of the regular season through the playoffs. As a starter in the regular season, he averaged 15.6 points, 5.1 assists and 6.4 boards, including a stretch of 25 straight games scoring in double digits. He only got better in the playoffs, averaging 16.7/5.7/5.3 as “Scary Terry” emerged early on in the run. As a result, Rozier’s value is sky-high right now after showing the league what he can do.

The catch? It’s probably as high as it will ever get. Rozier will return to his role on the bench behind Kyrie Irving this season. With a fully healthy team, he’s likely to see the majority of his minutes disappear. The returns on Rozier would be higher this summer than at any other point down the line.

The other issue is that the young point guard becomes a restricted free agent come season’s end. Many fans are more concerned about the reports that Kyrie Irving wants to go to the Knicks. However, Rozier could be far more likely to leave if he wants to chase a starting role in the NBA, a role in which many teams think he is more than capable. Danny Ainge is more than intelligent enough to know that one would rather get something for a player than let him walk. Ainge is known for making smart decisions for the franchise. One such decision for him to make right now is shipping out Rozier.

Potential Trades

The Celtics can attempt to go in multiple directions with Rozier this summer in terms of a transaction. He’s certainly an attractive asset in any deal. Sure, he’s a scorer and a play maker, but also for his contract value. He carries a cap hit of just $3.05M this season. That’s a steal for a player of his caliber. With that in mind, here’s what Rozier could potentially fetch this summer.

If the Celtics decide that they don’t want to package Rozier with anyone, he could help Danny Ainge replenish his stash of draft picks. For a team in need of a point guard, Rozier could be worth at least a few second round draft picks, or even a top-10 protected first round selection for a team that really wants him. The Celtics could also potentially swap him for another player, a la Avery Bradley for Marcus Morris last year. They could target a true center that they’re still missing, or go for a point guard who’s locked into a longer deal.

However, if the team decides to add Terry Rozier to a package deal, it could fetch far more. His name has been included in packages for Kawhi Leonard, and if the Celts wanted to go get Jimmy Butler, his name could certainly entice the TImberwolves to pull the trigger. There could be any combination of Rozier and draft picks, as well as Marcus Morris, or one of Boston’s young end-of-the-bench players in Guerschon Yabusele or Abdel Nader. However, the Celtics would make Terry Rozier the forefront of any package.

AP Photo/ Michael Dwyer

 

The Bottom Line

If there’s any player that has the most potential to be traded this summer, it should be Terry Rozier. The talent that he showed last season, coupled with his team-friendly contract, should make him the centerpiece of any trade discussions. If the team doesn’t decide to go in that direction, then they have another reliable role player to help them contend for a championship this year. That being said, it’s in the team’s best interests to trade Scary Terry, before it’s too late to get a good return for him.

Follow me on Twitter for more (@jackbuffett_) and look out for next week’s Fresh Take Friday column on Boston Sports Extra!

Potential Trade Packages for Jimmy Butler

Leave a reply

It looks like All-Star shooting guard, Jimmy Butler, does not want to play in Minnesota anymore. He has grown tired of playing for a young, nonchalant Timberwolves team, according to recent reports. As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, Butler is looking to team up in free agency with Kyrie next season.

The question is if the Celtics should pursue Butler or wait to see if they can get him in free agency.  Butler has not stated that he is interested in playing for the Celtics, but has said that he would love to team up with Kyrie. Both Kyrie and Jimmy Butler are set to become UFAs in 2019.

With the Golden State Warriors adding Demarcus Cousins to their team, this could be the Celtics counter-move in the war of attrition. Butler has proven that he is top-20 player in the NBA. He is a four-time All Star, Most Improved Player, four-time All-Defensive second team, and two-time All-NBA third team. He even looked like he was on his way to being a nominee for MVP last season before he got injured.

Jimmy had 22.2 PPG, 4.9 APG, 5.3 RPG, and 2.0 SPG in 59 games. Over the past four seasons, he has averaged over 20.0 PPG, 3.0 APG, and 5.0 RPG. He is an inarguably solid scorer and one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.

With Butler saying he won’t re-sign with the T-Wolves next season, he is most likely on the way to the trade block. If the Celtics were going to get him, it would cost some big assets, but nothing too big since Butler already said he is out of Minnesota. Here are some trade packages the Celtics could do for Jimmy Butler:

Terry Rozier, Sacramento/Philadelphia Pick, Marcus Morris

Photo Credit: NESN

This trade involves Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, and the first round pick which will either be from the 76ers or Kings. Rozier has one year left on his contract and will look to get paid this upcoming season. His role was significantly increased after Kyrie got injured. He started 16 regular season games and all 19 playoff games.

Marcus Morris also has one year left on his contract. Morris was acquired from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Avery Bradley last year.

Lastly, the first round draft pick the Celtics would give up will most likely be a high pick with the recent history. This adds even more value to the pick.

https://twitter.com/TheRenderNBA/status/988941821299625984

Jaylen Brown

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

Jaylen Brown has been thrown into a lot of trade scenarios this offseason. Brown was the third overall pick by the Celtics in the 2016 NBA Draft. He showed last year why he was selected so high with 14.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, and starting in every game in which he played (70). Jaylen is one of the best perimeter defenders in the Eastern Conference. He is a target of interest for many teams. However, Brown looks to be a future all-star in the NBA and would be tough to give up.

Other Considerations

If the Celtics do acquire Jimmy Butler, they would have no cap space to sign Marcus Smart. The Celtics are placed in a tough scenario with Jimmy Butler. Butler and Kyrie want to play together, but the C’s would have to break up the core chemistry to acquire him.

But at the end of the day, Celtics are among the favorites to make it out of the East. Jimmy Butler could be the reason the Celtics hang banner number 18.

Red Sox Catchers Coming Around

Leave a reply

The Red Sox catchers really struggled at the plate for the first couple months of the season. Vazquez and Leon were both hitting under .200 for much of May and there were calls to replace them. Though they might never light the world on fire at the dish, they have both proven capable of hitting enough in the past to go with their work behind the plate. Lately, the two of them have been coming around with the bat.

Christian Vazquez

Vazquez is the one we wanted to be the answer, with his cannon behind the plate making runners think about trying to steal. He had some setbacks along the way, but last year batted .290 and hit one of the season’s most memorable home runs. It looked like the Red Sox might have their long-term catcher. However, after Vazquez really struggled to begin this season, that was brought into question. There was talk of trading Vazquez to get a better hitting catcher in the lineup.

Don’t look now, but Vazquez has been hitting like last year since the middle of May. For the month of June, he batted .298 with all three of his season home runs and an .860 OPS. Stretching that out further, Vazquez was batting .174 at the end of the game on May 15th, the exact middle of the month. Vazquez proceeded to get a hit in six of his next seven games. This was the prelude to his hotter hitting, the sign that he was starting to zero in at the plate. He has been hitting the ball harder, evidenced by his three home runs in June. When Vazquez hits a home run, he really hits it. There are no cheap homers for this guy. He also doubled four times in June after only hitting five over the season’s first two months.

Sandy Leon

It isn’t only Vazquez who has been coming around since the middle of May. Leon played on May 14th, picking up one hit to raise his average to a lowly .170. Since that point a month and a half ago, Leon has batted .317 with three home runs and an .893 OPS. His BABIP is a bit unsustainable at .415, but impressive numbers nonetheless. He has started 18 games in that span and collected multiple hits in six of them. Narrowing it down further, Leon is batting .438 over the past two weeks. He has also hit a home run in back-to-back games.

This is a guy who has gotten hot for stretches, he batted well over .300 for much of the time he was in Boston two seasons ago. Should we expect him to hit .300? Of course not, but he can hit plenty for a backup catcher.

Stand Pat

Would a guy like J.T. Realmuto of the Marlins look good in the lineup? No doubt, but the Red Sox realistically likely don’t have the prospects necessary to acquire him. The Red Sox also don’t need an All-Star hitter at every position, their lineup has already scored the most runs in baseball this season as it is. They also lead the league in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. They have done all that with the struggles at catcher in the first month and a half as well as Jackie Bradley Jr’s struggles.

In the season’s first month and a half, Vazquez and Leon had one home run and 10 runs batted in between them. Their combined slash line (avg, obp, slg) was .173/.223/.218. In the past month and a half, the same time-frame, they have hit six home runs and driven in 18 runs with a combined slash line of .295/.325/.483. That plays, especially in this lineup that already has plenty of firepower.

 

 

Featured picture from Masslive.com

 

New: Aron Baynes Returns to Boston

Leave a reply

Aron Baynes Coming Back to Beantown

In the opening minutes of free agency, Yahoo’s Shams Charania reported that center Aron Baynes has agreed to a deal with the Celtics. The contract is reportedly for two years and $11 million. It also includes a player option for the second season of the deal. The signing brings back an important part of last year’s Boston squad.

Baynes returns off of a year in which he averaged six points and 5.4 rebounds over 18 minutes per game. He was one of the only healthy players on the squad all year and was a reliable starter at the five. In the playoffs he was key as he developed a serviceable three-pointer. He’ll return this year likely as a bench player as Gordon Hayward returns to game action. However, expect him to still see important minutes behind Al Horford at the center position. He’ll also serve a role as a mentor to rookie Robert Williams. Though Williams could eventually overtake Baynes’ role on the team, he’ll still benefit from the Australian’s tutelage.

This is a great re-signing for the Celtics. Last year, the team was able to establish chemistry on the court, and Baynes was a big part of that. Though he was often on the wrong end of posterizing dunks, he and his man bun quietly helped the team in multiple ways. There weren’t many reports that detailed other suitors for Baynes throughout June. However, it’s excellent to see that Danny Ainge was able to get this deal done with the big man right away, though it can’t be officially announced until July 6th. The team will now look to bring back restricted free agent Marcus Smart, which will likely be the extent of their offseason activity. Now that Baynes is back on the roster, he’ll start preparing for the 2018-19 season in Boston. Welcome back, Aron Baynes!