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Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays Recap

In the final leg of the road trip, the Red Sox head north to face the Blue Jays for a three game series before heading back to Fenway. Cora made the announcement that Dustin Pedroia and Tyler Thornburg will be playing on Monday and Tuesday for rehab assignment in Pawtucket. David Price is also back with the team after missing a game to get x-rays on his hand in Boston. Chris Sale, Davis Price, and Drew Pomeranz will be the starting pitchers in this series.

Sale vs Sanchez – Toronto Takes the Win

Chris Sale pitches his best game of the season. Fifteen strikeouts in nine innings. Xander Bogaerts hit a homer towards center field to bring the score 2-1 Sox leading in the second. The Sox ultimately fell to the Blue Jays 5-3 in 12 innings. Sandy Leon struck out swinging, but the ball bounced back, allowing Brock Holt to score coming from first base. Chris Sale struck out 15 of the Blue Jays and let up zero walks. He joins Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens as only the third pitcher in Sox history to do so. Jackie Bradley Jr. sat out for his third straight game to hopefully get him out of his slump. He is expected to be in the lineup the next day.

“That was impressive,” Alex Cora said. “That slider was the best of the season. He was outstanding. ”

“You’ve got to tip your cap, he had himself a heck of a night. “

Price vs Estrada – A Comeback win after Injury

David Price made his first appearance since the x-rays we’re taken on his hand to discover that he had Carpal Tunnel. The Sox took the lead 5-2 for the game win. In 93 pitches, Price let up: five hits and three walks. He struck out six Blue Jays. Hanley Ramirez hit a two run homer, after Andrew Benintendi hit a double to bring in Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts. Ramirez had himself quite a game, racking up three home runs and seven RBIs in the last four games. The Sox scored at least five runs for the 24th time this season, which is the most in the MLB. Both Hector Velazquez and Joe Kelly pitched scoreless innings before Kimbrel entered the game. Craig Kimbrel came out to get his 11th save of the season.

“I saw something different in the way he pitched today. Everything. There was a difference in speeds. Mixing up the breaking ball is very important. He induced some weak contact. They hit a few balls hard too. But I think he pitched great ” – Cora on Price’s performance

“It was good to get back out there,” Price said. “The more I threw, the better I felt. To me, that’s always a good sign.”

Pomeranz vs Biagini – Sox Return Home with a win in Toronto

All players in the MLB wore pink in honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday. Hanley Ramirez, although he wasn’t in the lineup, had on catchers gear and was ready to play. A loose Hanley leads to a fun and much looser Red Sox lineup. Drew Pomeranz let up three runs and four hits, while only making it under six innings. Toronto was up 5-3 in the fifth as Hector Velazquez came in to replace Drew Pomeranz. J. D. Martinez homered and had three RBI’s, while Mookie Betts made the unbelievable “deal catch” to prove that he really is a Gold Glove player. Joe Kelly racked up his second save of the season Sunday afternoon.

“He’s becoming a force, not only the field but in the clubhouse, in the dugout,” manager Alex Cora said. “He’s becoming a leader. It’s fun to watch. On a daily basis you’re expecting something great and he’ll do it.”

“To come out of a road trip like that is definitely something to be proud of,” said reliever Joe Kelly.

Up Next

The Red Sox will be back home at Fenway to face the Oakland Athletics Monday through Wednesday. Then the Orioles will come to town for a four game series. Dustin Pedroia will start his rehab assignment on Monday in Pawtucket with Tyler Thornburg. Pedroia hopes to return during the end of May.

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Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees Series Recap

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The long-awaited face off has arrived since the early April bench clearing brawl. The Red Sox and Yankees rivalry was in full blast as Joe Kelly and Tyler Austin went at it after Austin was hit by a pitch. The meeting of the two teams was highly anticipated by all.

Pomeranz vs. Severino

Tuesday night, the Sox fell to the Yankees 3-2, allowing the two teams to tie for first place. Betts and Benintendi made it on base to lead to the Sox first run of the game. In the second inning, Drew Pomeranz broke a nail, causing some concern to bring the trainers out. Giancarlo Stanton hit two solo home runs. Luis Severino struck out 11 players against Drew Pomeranz’s six strikeouts. Mookie Betts hit an RBI triple in the seventh to tie the game. Joe Kelly came in to a sea of boos and chants from all of Yankee Stadium. Kelly came out as the Yankees loaded the bases with only one out to prevent more runs. The Yankees are now on a 16-1 win streak, and are showing true competition for first place as Porcello will face Masahiro Tanaka.

“They’re good hitters. They were fighting off a lot of pitches. They have a great team. I was trying my best, but I was battling.” -Severino on the Sox at bat

“We’re playing good baseball, doing it a lot of different ways. Tonight was tough. Boston is really good. They battle, battle, battle; kind of hung around. ” -Manager Aaron Boone on the win against the Yankees biggest rivalry

The 24 Hour Yankees AL East Lead Porcello vs. Tanaka

Rick Porcello pitches a game earlier than normal, as David Price was sent to Boston for x-rays. In the past few games, he had experienced problems in his hand, causing the x-rays to be needed. Later we found out that Price was okay and would be pitching in the upcoming series. Hanley Ramirez, Andrew Benintendi, and Mitch Moreland all hit homers on Wednesday night. But it was nothing compared to the electric eighth inning that the Yankees had. Brett Gardener hit a triple allowing two to score, and Aaron Judge’s 117 MPH homer allowed the Yankees to go up 9-6. Rick Porcello only struck out three players, ending Wednesday with a 2.79 ERA. The Yankees have taken the lead over the Sox to be in the AL East first place. Tomorrow Eduardo Rodriguez will face CC Sabathia in the series finale.

“It got my attention. I looked around a little bit that inning. It’s May and it’s bedlam.” -Aaron Boone on the win to bring the Yankees into first place.

The Sox and Yankees are Tied Again Rodriguez vs. Sabathia

The rain never stopped the Red Sox as they were 4-0 at the delay in the fifth inning. The Red Sox escaped a Yankees sweep with a 5-4 win on Thursday night. The Yankees scored four runs in the seventh to tie the game, but Martinez wanted the win and hit a homer in the eighth to take the win. Joe Kelly came in again to clean up the mess of players on base and got Giancarlo Stanton out on a grounder to retire the side. Craig Kimbrel has his 110th save. Ramirez hit a homer to the visiting bullpen to allow the Sox to reach the rain delay with a lead.

“Definitely. You saw it today. They don’t give up. I’m very confident in what we’ve got. This is our team right here and we’re concentrating on what we can do and see what we can do better to keep winning.” -Hanley Ramirez when asked if the Sox and Yankees rivalry is the best in baseball

“I hit it, and I was like blowing, praying, doing everything I can to push it over. I knew it had a chance.” -J. D. Martinez on his homer that won the game

Up Next for the Sox

The Red Sox will travel to Toronto to face the Blue Jays before heading back home to play the Oakland Athletics. Up first in the series against Toronto will be Chris Sale and Aaron Sanchez. David Price will return to pitch this series after x-rays in Boston. Alex Cora also reported that Jackie Bradley Jr. will be back in the Saturday line up while Brock Holt will return on Friday.

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Christian Sam Film Review: The Linebacker New England Needs?

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So for about a month, I have been continually raving about how New England will get an athletic, fast first-round linebacker in Rashaan Evans or Leighton Vander Esch. Well, it didn’t work out like that. In fact, the Patriots did not draft a linebacker until the fifth round, where they took Ja’whaun Bentley and Christian Sam. Sam is referred to as the type of linebacker I have been wanting. Let’s get an understanding of how he really plays.

Against the Run

Sam is very patient in run defense. He waits for the play to develop to get the best position on the runner to make the tackle.

With his quickness, he uses a side-step move a lot to get past offensive linemen and tackle the runner.

The side-step move doesn’t work every time. He tries it here with no luck. He gets taken out of play.

The thing is that Sam isn’t great at taking on contact. His quickness and patience are his strengths in the run game. He puts his shoulder down here and tries to lead with power. The fullback consumes him with ease.

Analysis

Sam is fairly decent in the run game. He consistently makes tackles, as shown in the first clip against Oregon. His side step move is not consistent and can take him out of play. He also is helpless if a lineman can lock him or limit his movement. All that being said, he is a smart, instinctive, and dependable player. Although he is undersized, he still makes his presence known against the run.

Against the Pass

Sam is extremely gifted in coverage. He matches up with running backs well, as shown here. He takes away the quarterback’s check down option. This forces the quarterback to scramble and eventually get sacked.

His football IQ and diagnosis are very high. He immediately recognizes the screen and tackles the back for a loss of yards.

Sam is dropped into a zone coverage here. His reaction time is fast and therefore makes an excellent pass breakup.

Open-field tackling is a thing of beauty right here.

Analysis

This is where Sam can bring the most help to the team. He matches up with well with running backs, which is something the Patriots had trouble with in the playoffs (Corey Clement and Corey Grant still haunt my nightmares). Sam has a high football IQ, is stellar in zone coverage, and is a sure-fire tackler.

Conclusion

Thus, Christian Sam definitely has the potential to be an amazing linebacker. His cover skills are a dire necessity. He is most likely going to be a rotational player, but there is a chance he could overtake Elandon Roberts as starting middle linebacker. Although, the more likely prospect for that role is Marquis Flowers.

No matter what happens, expect to see Sam to still be wearing a Patriots uniform come September. Hopefully, you readers out there get a better understanding of the type of player Sam is. Is he the linebacker the Patriots need? Only time can tell.

Red Sox – Royals Series Recap

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Monday- The Royals fall to the Sox in Game 1

In their 21st win of the season, the Red Sox won 10-6 over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night. Xander Bogaerts hit his second grand slam of the season, and sixth for the team. Mitch Moreland hit a solo home run, going three for four with a homer, a double, three runs, and two RBIs. Andrew Benintendi hit a sacrifice fly into center field to drive in Jackie Bradley Jr. in the bottom of the fourth. Eduardo Rodriguez didn’t have a fantastic start as he pitched five hits, five runs, three walks, and striking out only six in the Royals lineup. Hector Velazquez hit the pitcher’s mound after Rodriguez and only allowed one hit. Mookie Betts was still not present in the lineup, but Cora said that he should be playing tomorrow.

“He’s been pretty amazing for us all year, obviously with the injury, not knowing what to expect coming back, but he’s picked right up where he left off… it was a nice night”. Said Moreland on Bogaerts performance

“I didn’t hit a grand slam in my career, so it’s not because of me”, said Alex Cora on the 6 grand slams hit since he became manager

Tuesday- Sox Fall on Sale day

The Red Sox fell to the Royals 7-6 on Tuesday night. Eduardo Nuñez homered in the 12th inning to tie the game. Royals reliever Kevin McCarthy pitched three scoreless innings to allow the Royals to gain control. A wild pitch in the seventh allowed Benintendi to run home and lead for a portion of the game. Tuesday night’s game was only Benintendi’s second time batting lead off in his career, as Mookie was still on the bench. Sale added another loss after pitching seven innings, allowing two runs, two walks, and only six strikeouts. Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning and allowed the Sox to keep the 3-2 lead. Ultimately, the Royals won the 13th inning game. Tomorrow Drew Pomeranz will pitch for the second time this season at Fenway against Kansas City’s Danny Duffy.

Wednesday- Sox take the Series against Royals

With it being nearly 90 degrees in the city, it felt like a typical summer baseball game. Mookie Betts again proved why he’s the lead-off man for the Sox. Betts surpassed Ted Williams to hit the most three home run games in franchise history. The Gatorade shower made an appearance, and Mookie definitely deserved the spotlight. The Sox beat out Kansas 5-4 to take the series. J.D. Martinez also hit a two run homer to tie the game in the third. Drew Pomeranz picked up his first win of the season. He is showing improved velocity and an improved curveball since his time on the disabled list. Joe Kelly also returned from his six game suspension from the bench clearing brawl against the Yankees. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning to show that his time off did no harm.

“It was pretty cool, I’m just trying to shut them down long enough to let Mookie get at-bats. When he gets hot like that, we’re all cheering for more at-bats for him. They keep throwing him pitches, but he keeps sitting on everything they throw him. It’s pretty awesome to watch.”-Drew Pomeranz on Mookies performance

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On This Day In Red Sox History: Ted Williams Day

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April 30, 1952 was proclaimed “Ted Williams Day.” Williams had been recalled to active military duty and this was to be his final game before reporting to Willow Grove Naval Reserve Base. The Red Sox held an on field celebration for Teddy Ballgame and gave him a car as a gift.

Tigers vs Red Sox

The 2-8 Tigers visited Fenway Park to face the 9-2 Red Sox on “Ted Williams Day.” The Red Sox sent their ace to the mound, Mel Parnell, who had won 61 games over the previous three seasons. He was opposed by Virgil Trucks of the Tigers, who was an All-Star in 1949 and won 19 games. At first, the game was a pitcher’s duel.

The Tigers got two men in scoring position in the top half of the first, but failed to score. Dom DiMaggio was the Red Sox leadoff hitter, the only remaining member aside from Ted Williams of the group of friends. DiMaggio started things off with a hit to center and proceeded to steal second base. However, DiMaggio was erased on a fielder’s choice. Ted Williams singled in his first at-bat on his day, but the Red Sox failed to score in the first.

The Tigers threatened in the top of the third, getting men on the corners with one out. Bud Souchock hit a line drive that was caught by Ted Lepcio at second base. Lepcio then threw to first to double up the runner who was too far off the base and end the threat.

The Scoring Begins

The Tigers finally got to Parnell in the fifth inning. A single and a walk had two men on with one out and the Tigers best hitter, George Kell, coming up. Kell doubled to left to score the game’s first run. Parnell struck out Vic Wertz and then got a lineout off the bat of Johnny Groth to get out of the jam with no further damage.

Facing their first deficit, the Red Sox bat awakened in the bottom of the inning. Ted Lepcio doubled to left. Catcher Sammy White followed that up with a single and the Sox had men on the corners with no one out. Mel Parnell hit one out in front of the plate which catcher Matt Batts pounced on. Batts had a play at first but threw the ball away, allowing both Sox runners to come around and score. Parnell wound up all the way on third base on the play and the Sox had a 2-1 lead. Dom DiMaggio followed with a base hit to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead. The Sox would get a couple more runners but the scoring was over.

The Tigers got a lead-off walk from George Kell in the 7th. After retiring the next batter, Parnell allowed a home run to Vic Wertz to tie the game at three. The Tigers got two more hits before Ike Delock replaced Parnell to finish out the inning. Parnell allowed three runs over six and two-thirds innings.

Ted Williams Plays the Hero

With the game tied, Dom DiMaggio led off the seventh reaching on an error. Jimmy Piersall flew out to bring Ted Williams to the plate. This could possibly be his final at-bat before heading back to war. For that matter, no one knew what might happen over there; this could be the final at-bat of the great Ted Williams’ career. Facing Dizzy Trout, Williams hit one deep to right field and over the wall for the go-ahead two-run homer. That homer would also prove to be the game winner, as Ike Delock shut the Tigers down for the rest of the game to pick up the victory. Ted Williams, ever having the knack for heroics, hit the game-winning home run in his final at-bat before heading off to Korea.

Ted Williams

Williams would go on to fly 39 combat missions in Korea. His plane was shot several times, and he had to make an emergency landing in a burning aircraft another time. He could have easily never made it home and had that home run be the final at-bat of his career. As things turned out, he still homered in the final at-bat of his career; it just came eight years later.

When Williams returned from Korea he was 35 years old and hadn’t played baseball in over a year. Not only that, he had fought a war! There were doubts that he would be any good once he returned. Of course, he proved those doubters wrong. In 91 at-bats during the 1953 season, Ted Williams batted .407 and hit 13 home runs! There is a reason he is the greatest hitter who ever lived.

Capt. Howard A. Anderson Jr., looked on as Williams signed papers at the Naval Air Station in Willow Grove, Pa.

Featured picture from MLB.com

Boston Sports Extra Mock Draft 2.0: Pats Get Brady’s Heir?

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Quarterback abundance. Trading a whole city to move up in the draft. Cleveland having the first pick. This 2018 draft has it all, and will definitely go down as one to remember. At least five quarterbacks are expected to be taken in the first round with the draft class being compared to the one in 1983. Mock drafts are mostly horribly wrong, but they are fun to do.

Photo Credit: USA Today

The Patriots have two picks in the first round this year, and there has been a plethora of rumors about them moving up in the draft to select their quarterback of the future. It is impossible to know exactly what Belichick will do come draft day, but let’s try anyways. This is Boston Sports Extra’s second and final mock draft:

1. Cleveland Browns – Baker Mayfield, QB

Yes, I know. Ten million other mock drafts have Sam Darnold as this pick. However, Cleveland has a lot riding on this pick. They have to look at the intangibles here. Mayfield is a born leader with a fiery determination. He has that prove-it mentality and is willing to do whatever it takes. Cleveland could use his command of the offense, and he can be the future of their franchise.

2. Buffalo Bills – Sam Darnold, QB (via mock trade with NYG)

I have read so much on how Dave Gettleman will go with a running back or defensive player here. The Bills have been desperate to trade up, so I’m thinking of a way to satisfy everyone’s needs here. Bills get their man to develop along with AJ McCarron. Stay tuned for the Giants.

3. New York Jets – Josh Rosen, QB (via IND)

The Jets traded THREE second round picks, as well as number six to move up to this spot. They have been linked to Mayfield, but with him off the board they take a proven passer in Mr. Chosen Rosen.

4. Cleveland Browns – Saquon Barkley, RB

They passed on him at number one, but they won’t here. Barkley is a rare talent and can be a humongous spark in this revamped team. Imagine having Mayfield, Barkley, and Landry leading that offense. Kinda scary if you think about it.

5. Denver Broncos – Josh Allen, QB

Elway has had a serious problem trying to find the future quarterback for this team in the draft. Paxton Lynch might have been the biggest waste of a first round pick that I have seen. The Broncos go with the strong-armed quarterback in Allen to develop behind Keenum who, let’s face it, is not a long term plan at quarterback.

6. Indianapolis Colts – Bradley Chubb, DE (via NYJ)

They traded down and still got arguably the best defensive player in this draft. The Colts could go with Quentin Nelson to protect Andrew Luck, but Chubb is too good a prospect to pass up.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Derwin James, S

James is an amazing talent at his position. He’s learned from Pro-Bowlers, Landon Collins and Jalen Ramsey, and he’s ready to make a difference, no matter the team. The Buccaneers would greatly improve their secondary by adding James, who has that certain attitude and skill set they need.

8. Chicago Bears – Quentin Nelson, OG

The Bears have been focused on building around Mitchell Trubisky, and will continue here. With Josh Sitton gone, this seems like the perfect pick. Another option they could go with here is Tremaine Edmunds.

9. San Francisco 49ers – Roquan Smith, LB

Man, the 49ers just can’t stop winning. They won five straight with Jimmy G. They won the coin flip to get this pick, and they draft an absolute stud with it. Reuben Foster, who had great promise, will be cut if he is found guilty of his charges. That leaves a hole in the roster which Smith can definitely fill.

10. Oakland Raiders – Tremaine Edmunds, LB

Raiders can use all the help on defense they can. Their secondary looks better with Gareon Conley and Rashaan Melvin, so they look to improve their linebacker corps with arguably the best linebacker in the class.

11. Miami Dolphins – Vita Vea, DT

Dolphins have shown interest in drafting a quarterback, but choose to address a 307 pound hole in the defense. Vea is an absolute MONSTER. If you don’t believe me, watch his film against UCLA – or against anyone to be honest. Perfect fit for the Hawaiian who will love the beaches in South Florida.

12. New York Giants – Harold Landry, DE (via mock trade with BUF)

I mentioned how I had a way before how Buffalo and New York can get what they need. Harold Landry is an absolute beast with amazing technique. He can absolutely replace JPP.

13. Washington Redskins – Marcus Davenport, DE

Davenport is an untapped freak of nature. He can complement Jonathan Allen on a defensive line that faces Zeke and Ajayi twice a year.

14. Green Bay Packers – Denzel Ward, CB

Ward is the perfect person to pair with Kevin King to improve the Packers depleted secondary. Another option here could be a pass rusher.

15. Arizona Cardinals – Calvin Ridley, WR

Arizona could go quarterback, but instead choose to develop a wide receiver under the great Larry Fitzgerald. Look for them to draft an offensive linemen in the later rounds to protect their injury-prone quarterback.

16. Baltimore Ravens – Lamar Jackson, QB

Flacco is on the back end of his career, so the Ravens could look to develop an amazing athlete. They addressed the wide receiver position in free agency, but can still go with that here if it’s someone they really love.

17. Los Angeles Chargers – Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB

The influx of quarterback picks allowed Fitzpatrick to fall. Chargers would definitely not pass him up, and he would be an amazing replacement for Tre Boston.

18. Seattle Seahawks – Mike McGlinchey, OT

Seattle’s reign is over. There are so MANY holes on this team. I think the first option they should go is to protect their quarterback so he doesn’t run like a chicken with his head cut off every play. Look for Seattle to draft cornerback here as another option.

19. Dallas Cowboys – D.J. Moore, WR

Goodbye, Dez Bryant. Hello, D.J. Moore. Dak gets another weapon, so he doesn’t have to rely on Zeke for their offense to be productive. We saw last year how that turned out.

20. Detroit Lions – Da’ron Payne, DT

Lions need help on the interior. Matty P should love the ‘Bama product. Welcome to the House of Payne.

21. Cincinatti Bengals – Will Hernandez, OG

Bengals drafts Hernandez to have a powerful player for Joe Mixon to run behind.

22. New York Giants – Derrius Guice, RB (via mock trade with BUF)

Instead of taking Saquon at No. 2, they trade down and take an end to replace JPP and a running back to give a spark their offense desperately needs. Guice’s 2016 season was remarkable, and he would be rated higher if it wasn’t for his injury plagued 2017.

23. New England Patriots – Rashaan Evans, LB

If Rosen and Mayfield are off the board early, Patriots won’t trade up. Instead they elect to pick an absolute Saban-bred stud in Evans. If you want to know why, then click here.

24. Carolina Panthers – Jaire Alexander, CB

Alexander is not far behind from Ward as a top cornerback. Hip movement is fluid and coverage is excellent. He honestly shouldn’t fall this far.

25. Tennessee Titans – Leighton Vander Esch, LB

Mike Vrabel will love having this extremely athletic linebacker to help the depleted core. ‘Nuff said.

26. Atlanta Falcons – Taven Bryan, DT

I still think Bryan is a perfect fit for Atlanta. His versatility on the line can help a team who lost both Dontari Poe and Adrian Clayborn.

27. New Orleans Saints – Mike Gesicki, TE

I’m sticking with my pick if Gesicki here. The trio of Thomas, Kamara, and Gesicki is a matchup nightmare. Brees will love having a Jimmy Graham-like target

28. Pittsburgh Steelers – Josh Jackson, CB

Jackson has a lack of experience, but his seven interceptions this year should not go unnoticed. Maybe he can finally help the Steelers beat the Patriots this year (probably not).

29. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dallas Goedert, TE

Defense is definitely not the priority here. If I were the Jaguars, I would go with Mason Rudolph here. However, this is the same team that just gave Bortles a long contract, so I doubt they will listen to me. I don’t think Austin Sefarian- Jenkins is a No. 1 tight end, so Goedert seems like the more likely approach for the Jag.

30. Minnesota Vikings – Connor Williams, OT

Vikings spent big bucks on a flashy, new quarterback and now have to make sure that they can protect him.

31. New England Patriots – Justin Reid, S

Patriots fans are probably scared of drafting this player because he is a Stanford safety, and our last Stanford safety is absolutely terrible (*cough* Jordan Richards). Well, you guys can RELAX. Reid is the real deal- smart, versatile, and great in coverage.

32. Philadephia Eagles – Hayden Hurst, TE

Yeah, I particularly don’t like making a pick here to make this team better (I’m not salty, you are). Anyways, the GM of the Eagles doesn’t think like that. Looking at the Eagles depth chart, they don’t have a lot of holes in the roster. There is not a lot of depth behind Zach Ertz, however. Enter Hurst, a huge catch machine who can create matchup issues for opposing defenses.

So Where’s Brady’s Heir?

Photo Credit: NESN

I do realize what I put in the title. I’m not about clickbait garbage. I do think the Patriots will draft their future quarterback – just not in the first round. Mason Rudolph at No. 43 is a potential prospect. Other later round picks could be Kyle Lauletta, Luke Falk, Logan Woodside, and Alex McGough.

On This Day in Red Sox History: Baseball Is Back!

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On April 26, 1995, baseball returned to Boston. The strike was finally over and there was to be baseball again at Fenway Park. The prior season had been cut short due to the strike in August. In addition, the new season was getting a late start, causing a very long winter for baseball fans. On this day however, baseball was back and the Red Sox were playing host to the Twins to begin a new season.

A New Team

The Red Sox brought a new look team with them following the strike. The Butch Hobson era was mercifully over, as the team finished under .500 all three seasons with him at the helm. In came former Rangers manager Kevin Kennedy to take his place. In the starting lineup on Opening Day, the Sox featured four brand new players. Luis Alicea was the leadoff hitter in his first game with the club. Mark Whiten was in the lineup as was new catcher Mike Macfarlane. The most notable addition to the lineup however was the designated hitter, Jose Canseco. Canseco was coming off a 31 home run season despite the shortened year. He had been acquired from Texas for center fielder Otis Nixon and prospect Luis Ortiz and was expected to add some thump to the lineup alongside Mo Vaughn.

The Season Gets Underway

With Roger Clemens beginning the season on the disabled list, the Red Sox sent Aaron Sele to the mound for the opener. Sele was looked to as the de facto ace after having gone 15-9 with a 3.35 ERA over his first two seasons. He was opposed on the mound by Scott Erickson, despite the fact Erickson had lost 30 games over the past two seasons with an ERA above 5.00.

A Jose Canseco single in his first Red Sox at-bat highlighted a scoreless first inning. Sele cruised through the second with three ground ball outs. In the bottom half, another newcomer (Mark Whiten) started the inning with a base hit. A passed ball advanced him to second and Mike Greenwell promptly drove him across the plate with a single to score the Red Sox first run of the new season.

The Red Sox threatened in the third when John Valentin tripled. However, Jose Canseco popped out to end the inning with a chance to give his new fans something to cheer about. The Sox got two more on base in the fourth yet failed to score. Meanwhile, Aaron Sele was dealing, allowing just the walk to the opening batter of the game through four innings.

Aaron Sele autographing baseballs for kids. (Boston.com)

Red Sox Take Charge

Sele allowed his first hit leading off the fifth, but retired the next three batters to conclude his day with two baserunners allowed over five shutout innings. In the bottom half of the inning, Luis Alicea got aboard with his first Red Sox base hit. After a Jose Canseco walk, Mo Vaughn hit a line drive to right-center that got down for a hit and scored Alicea. The Red Sox led 2-0 after five.

After prospect Frankie Rodriguez set the Twins down in order on eight pitches, the Red Sox bats went to work. Carl Willis (the future pitching coach of the Red Sox) replaced Mark Guthrie with one out and walked Mike Macfarlane. Tim Naehring bunted him over to second to get a man in scoring position with two outs; then the rally began. The nine-hole hitter, Lee Tinsley, came through with a run scoring single to center. After he stole second, Willis issued back-to-back walks to Luis Alicea and John Valentin. The bases were loaded with the big bats coming up. Jose Canseco lined one into center field to score two and the Sox were ahead 5-0.

With Mo Vaughn due up the Twins went to the left-handed Vince Horsman. That decision did not fare any better than the one to go to Willis. Big Mo doubled off the lefty to score both Valentin and Canseco. A walk to Mark Whiten was followed by another RBI hit for Mike Greenwell and Horsman’s day was over without recording an out. Mo Sanford hit Mike Macfarlane with a pitch to load the bases back up. Tim Naehring then hit a ball that was stopped by Scott Leius, but he had no play to make. The infield hit scored another run and the Sox had a 7 run sixth inning.

Red Sox Win First Game Big Following Strike

The rest of the game was rather uneventful with the Sox having a big lead. The Twins only got one more hit against three different pitchers. Mike Greenwell ended up collecting his fourth hit of the game, finished Opening Day 4-5 with 2 runs batted in. The pairing of Jose Canseco and Mo Vaughn in the middle of the order got off to a good start, with Mo Vaughn driving in three and Canseco bringing home two. They would end up flip-flopping spots in the lineup after just a few games, with Vaughn batting third and Canseco batting cleanup for most of the next two seasons. Baseball was back, and the Red Sox had a 9-0 win to start the season.

1995 Red Sox team photo (Bostonredsox.com)

Feature picture from WCVB TV

Jackie Bradley Jr. Is What the Red Sox Need

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“He cannot hit!” “Send him down.” Blah, blah, blah. When discussing Jackie Bradley Jr. and what he means to the Red Sox, these are the responses I get. However, I disagree. Jackie Bradley Jr. is doing exactly what the Red Sox need him to do. Jackie Bradley Jr. is currently hitting .225 with two homeruns and six runs batted in. If his average climbs to the .240-.250 range for the season, that is all we need.

Defensive Wizard

In case you are living under a rock, Jackie Bradley Jr. is already making jaw-dropping plays. His spectacular catch against the Marlins is pretty much forgotten because of the catch he made against the Orioles.

Watch the catch here:

I mean, this ball is about a millionth of a centimeter from touching the ground, and JBJ swoops in and catches it. The fact that Jackie Bradley Jr. was not a finalist for a Golden Glove last season is a joke. If you search “Jackie Bradley Jr. Catch”, about thirty different shocking plays will pop up. JBJ takes so many runs away from opposing teams. In addition to Craig Kimbrel, David Price and Chris Sale, all owe him a debt of gratitude. The hits he takes away from teams more than makes up for his (sometimes) disappointing bat. However, by no means is Jackie Bradley Jr. a slouch at the plate.

Hitting

Is Jackie Bradley Jr. the best hitter on the Red Sox? No. Is he an instant out? Absolutely not. JBJ can drive the ball. When he gets a hold of one, it flies off his bat. His numbers from the 2016 campaign are outstanding. A .267 average, 26 homeruns, and 87 RBIs. Many players only dream of achieving these stats. Not to mention an All-Star selection and a 29-game hitting streak mixed in? Wow. As a matter of fact, JBJ is one of only five Red Sox players to hit a homerun onto Eutaw Street at Camden Yards. Only 89 dingers have reached Eutaw Street. Jackie joins David Ortiz, who hit two, Mo Vaughn, Carl Everett, and Troy O’Leary. Not bad company to be in.

If Jackie Bradley Jr. keeps playing the way he is, there is no reason not to keep him in Boston long term. With Scott Boras as his agent, he might look to get his client overpaid. However, JBJ is a smart guy. Despite this, I hope to see him manning center field for years to come.

#AllthewaywithJBJ

Follow Matt McGurn on twitter: @MickGurn

Why Mookie Betts Is Poised for a Huge 2018

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Mookie Betts is arguably the best hitter in baseball right now. He is seeing the ball so well and smoking it. He massacred the Yankees’ pitching staff, raking in a grand slam in a 14-1 win. Mookie is also off the heels of a four home run series against the Angels. The man is insane.

Betts currently leads the MLB in AVG (.366). Obviously this won’t be sustainable for an entire season, but it’s a damn good start. Consequently, it could be a sign of even better things to come for Betts. Mookie is doing damage early, and if he can continue, the Red Sox are going to be very dangerous this season.

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2017

2017 was a very disappointing season for Betts. He had a steady offensive decline coming off of an insane MVP caliber year in 2016. Many fans put the blame on the absence of David Ortiz, which put the pressure on Betts to carry the offense.

He was also flip-flopped in the batting order a few times by former manager John Farrell, which could have affected his thought process throughout the season. It’s more difficult to hit if you aren’t sure whether you’d be hitting leadoff, or batting cleanup.

Having a rough 2017 was obviously something that Mookie did not want to do, but the silver-lining is that it was a wake-up call. He needed to get better and make adjustments.

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THE ALEX CORA EFFECT

Earlier, I mentioned how Farrell had swapped Mookie around throughout the 2017 season. That’s something that Alex Cora is not all about. From the time he was hired as the Sox manager, he has made Betts’ position in the batting order clear.

Betts knowing every day that he will be batting leadoff is a very overlooked thing. This allows him to go up to the plate with the same thought process each game and just try to do his part. Although he has the ability to hit home runs, it is important for him to get on base early and use his speed to score.

Alex Cora is known for his communication with younger players, as he was the bench coach for the Astros. The presence of Cora will pay dividends for Betts, as we have already seen from Xander Bogaerts this season.

FINE TUNING

None other than David Ortiz. Of course it was the “Large Father”, as Betts likes to call him, to point out mechanical issues he noticed with Betts in 2017.

Betts said in Spring Training they sat down, and Ortiz pointed out that his stride was off, causing his stance to be too open. It’s hard to say that was the sole reason for the tough time that Betts had last year.

The start that Mookie Betts is having in 2018 is no fluke. This kid is the real deal. He is a true five-tool player, and there is no ceiling for him. He’s just getting started, and I don’t think there’s anything the rest of the league can do about it.

Providence Bruins Heading to Allentown

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The Dunk is rocking following two intense Atlantic Division matchups this past weekend in Providence. The two games were split amongst the Providence Bruins and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Games 3 and 4 are taking place next Friday and Saturday in Allentown at the PPL Center. If the Providence Bruins continue to play the way they are plying, this is going to be a quick series. Going out to Allentown is going to bring some new challenges to the team. Not to mention the last two times the Providence Bruins played at the PPL Center, the Phantoms shut them out.

Game 1

The Providence Bruins are playing well enough to reflect a 2-0 series lead. However, as we all know, the puck does not lie. Sometimes breaks do not always go your way. Phantoms’ goalie Alex Lyon has been playing some of the best hockey of his young career. Former Boston College Eagle Ryan Fitzgerald got the game going with a late first period, power play goal. However, Lehigh Valley did not give up and quickly scored, ending the first period with a score of 1-1. Notably, Ryan Fitzgerald got the Providence Bruins going quickly again, scoring early in the second period.

Multiple penalties continued to prove costly for Providence. The Phantoms were able to score twice on a 5-3 power play, giving Lehigh Valley the 3-2 lead. No scoring occurred during the third period. Despite out shooting the Phantoms 15-2, Lyon was able to smoother up everything and secure a Game 1 victory. In the end, Lyon stoned 39 out of 41 shots. However, if the Providence Bruins keep putting shot totals like that, good things will happen. Zane McIntrye played well, stopping 21 of 24 shots. However, one weak goal seemed to make the difference. Danick Martel’s blue line shot jumped over McIntrye’s glove. How can some one blame Zane for the two power play goals?

Game 2

The Providence Bruins kept the trend of starting off strong in Game 2. This time it is Anton Blidh and Peter Cehlarik who scored quickly. Five minutes and eight seconds into the game the Providence Bruins secured a 2-0 lead. Again, the Phantoms did not going down quietly. Lehigh Valley scored twice in the second period. Both goals occurred within one minute and eleven seconds of each other. Momentum continued to swing in this series, as Jordan Szwarz scored a short-handed goal to give the Providence Bruins the 3-2 lead. Peter Cehlarik continues to light the lamp this series. The Providence Bruins went on to win this one 5-3, evening out the series.

Austin Czarnik is the unsung hero so far of this playoff matchup. Czarnik currently leads the Calder Cup Playoffs with four assists. Both he and Ryan Fitzgerald have two goals this series. Zane McIntyre mysteriously did not play in Game 2. Rumors were flying that he would be the third goalie in Toronto, but Daniel Vladar was on the practice lines. Not to mention Jordan Binnington played out of his mind in Game 2, stopping 23 of 26 shots. It is unclear who is going to be manning the pipes for Game 3. All the Providence Bruins need to do is keep playing the way they are and things will work out.

Watch the Providence Bruins preparing for their run here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqpWgEI83ZA

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn @TA_CawHawkey