The Red Sox are 17-2 with the best record in the MLB. They have yet to lose a series and are on another win streak. The Sox have hit more grand slams in the past three weeks than they have in two years. After Xander Bogaerts was placed on the DL, there was a question of whether or not the Sox would continue their win streak. They did and hit more grand slams (and even more runs). Mookie Betts came back after missing a game due to his bruised ankle. His hot bat never went away and he became the king of Anaheim. He hit at least one home run every game while playing the Angels. The Red Sox also shut down Shohei Ohtani quick in the second inning on Tuesday to prove that they were no one to be taken lightly. Drew Pomeranz also made his season debut Friday after spending time playing in Pawtucket and Portland.
Oakland Athletics
The A’s are 9-11 and fourth in the AL West. They recently swept Chicago in a series. Oakland also brought in bullpen reinforcements to prepare for the series against the Red Sox. Oakland has lost every series except one against the White Sox earlier this week. Lou Trevino made his Major League debut on Tuesday and pitched his first scoreless inning. He has not given up a run yet. Stephen Piscotty seems to be the A’s number one hitter, and the most reliable.
Will the Sox Sweep?
The Red Sox are off to the best start in franchise history, they have hit more grand slams than they have over a two year time span. After taking game one against Oakland yesterday, can the Red Sox sweep yet another series this early into the season?
I drove down to Boston the other day to meet former Boston Bruins goalie Byron Dafoe for an interview. Dafoe was kind enough to take a little time out of his trip to meet with me, and I’d again like to thank him for doing so. Dafoe has kept in touch with the area since leaving and feels a strong connection to the city and its sports teams. He was at the Bruins opening game of the playoffs last Thursday with his son and got to watch the game from the alumni box for the first time. His son, who was playing hockey at the ice arena where we met, hopes to play hockey for a college in Boston.
Dafoe played five seasons with the Bruins, starting with the 1997-98 season and lasting through the 2002 playoffs. During that time he really blossomed, even leading the league with 10 shutouts in 1998-99. That year he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and posted a 1.99 goals against average. Byron Dafoe is fifth all-time in Bruins history in saves made despite playing in parts of just five seasons. His 2.30 goals against average places him third on the franchise’s all-time list, as does his .911 save percentage while with the team. Anyway you cut it, he is one of the better goaltenders the Bruins have had.
Byron Dafoe was drafted in the 2nd Rd by the Capitals in 1989, just 16 picks after they selected fellow goalie Olaf Kolzig.
BSE: You were drafted the same year as Olaf Kolzig, another goalie, both pretty high picks. What were your thoughts on that, them taking two goalies early on?
Byron Dafoe: Yup, first and second. I think it’s still the only time it has ever happened. It was at that point, I don’t think anyone has done it since. What’s funny is, Olie and I became best friends after that, and we still see each other every year. He always tells a story, he got drafted in the first round and he was going down to meet the coaching staff, and then he heard over the PA “the second round pick of the Washington Capitals is Byron Dafoe.” He perked up, “wait a minute, what are you guys doing now?” There’s always been a competitive competition between the two of us on the ice. They had some holes in goaltending so they took the top two available.
BSE: So the two of you did wind up best friends; how did that come about?
Byron Dafoe: So actually, right after the draft, that September in training camp the Capitals did what was called “the Friendship Tour” over in Russia. It was back when Russia still had the iron curtain up, so it was a big deal for the NHL to go into Russia and play hockey. We played five or six exhibition games in Russia. They took their current team from the year before and then their two top draft picks, which were Olie and I. As the young kids, we hung out all the time and we became good friends. When we turned pro we lived together in Baltimore and then again when the Skipjacks moved to Portland, Maine and became the Portland Pirates we were roommates there again.
BSE: I know you probably get asked this a lot about your little scuffle with Olie on the ice. What was going through your head with that?
Byron Dafoe: You know it’s funny, my wife was at the game and she just shook her head. Basically what happened was, a little skirmish happened in the corner. We were out-manned, I think they might’ve been on the power play. I did maybe the dumbest thing and grabbed Dale Hunter, which is not the guy I would want to tussle with. In the meantime, Olie saw me go in so he skated the length of the ice. I think he grabbed Ken Belanger, which that would’ve been fun to watch. Somehow we ended up getting paired up, the whole place is going crazy, they want to see two goalies fight. I did get his jersey over his head, and I have a picture of that in my bar, and he refuses to sign it. He was 6’3″ 220, he did say, “don’t you dare do anything because I will kill you”, and he would, I admit that. But I’m the one who has the picture to prove it.
Dafoe and Kolzig during a skirmish.
BSE: I don’t know, Patrick Lalime might have something to say about that.
Byron Dafoe: Well that’s true. That one I do like.
BSE: That one isn’t as talked about, probably because you and Olie are such great friends, but your fight with Patrick Lalime might be my favorite hockey fight ever.
Byron Dafoe: My son and I were watching it just the other day for some reason. Yeah, that was legit, that was real, and I’m definitely going to take a knock out win on that one.
BSE: Yeah, you got some knocks on him, then he took your mask off and you really got some hits on him.
Byron Dafoe: Yeah, then I got mad. What’s funny about that story, we played in Ottawa, but a week later, and during warm-ups we’re both stretching at center ice and he’s got a nice shiner.
Dafoe lands a knock out punch on Patrick Lalime. January 17, 2002.
BSE: We touched on this a little bit, things were kind of crowded in Washington, Olie was there, they also had Jim Carey, who I think won the Calder. What were your thoughts when you got traded to LA, was it like, alright, here is my chance?
Dafoe playing goal for the Kings.
Byron Dafoe: Yeah, how that came about was the lockout year, 94, Jim Carey got sent to Portland. I was going to Portland, so they didn’t want both of us playing together, so I got loaned to the Phoenix Roadrunners of the IHL, which was LA’s farm team. I played almost a whole year in Phoenix, had a really good season. And that essentially is what prompted the Kings to trade for me. I played two years in LA, Kelly Hrudey got hurt and I kind of got thrown into the starting role, which is what ended up getting me to Boston.
BSE: You were traded with Dmitri Khristich twice, once to the Kings and once to the Bruins. Did you guys form any bond being traded together twice?
Byron Dafoe: Yeah, we were friends, our wives were friends. That’s another rarity, I don’t think it’s happened very often that the same two guys get traded together like that. For me personally, I had two solid years of development in LA, but then coming to Boston, Pat Burns is the coach, I loved playing for him. Completely different organizations and cities, going from LA to Boston, and I just loved the feel of this city. The fans are just so passionate, which just different situation in LA (laughs).
BSE: So you feel more pressure playing out here?
Byron Dafoe: For sure, without question. But again, it’s a good pressure. If you are going to play in the NHL, you need to perform under pressure. For me, I think it brought another element to my game that I hadn’t had in LA or Washington. I loved it.
BSE: You seem to stay in touch with Boston sports, based on what I see on twitter, and you are wearing a Red Sox hat right now, I like it. So this was your favorite place to play?
Byron Dafoe: Without question. It was unfortunate we never came to a contract after my fifth year here. I always would have loved to stay, but it’s a business for both sides. I ended up going down to Atlanta, I was kind of banged up at the time, I’d had eight knee surgeries. I was hurt down there as well, so it probably made sense why the Bruins did what they did and why I did what I did. But like I said, my heart’s always been in Boston. Both my boys were born here and we’re thinking of potentially moving back here. Got lots of connections and friends still here.
BSE: What accomplishments are you most proud of from your career?
Byron Dafoe: Anytime you win a championship is obviously great. The Stanley Cup would’ve been the best, but that didn’t happen. But, to win a Calder Cup in Portland with the Pirates was pretty special, to be playing hockey in June and have a ring to show for it was fun. In the NHL, here in Boston, being nominated for a Vezina was pretty cool. I was fortunate to play in four completely different organizations. It was pretty amazing career, I wouldn’t trade it for anything, other than to have a Stanley Cup.
Byron was not a fan of the “Winnie the Pooh” jerseys.
BSE: How do you feel about the team this year?
Byron Dafoe: After the first month I wasn’t too sure what was going on. Since then, by far the best team in the NHL. Obviously, they’re just hitting their stride after these first two games with the Leafs. One thing they have is their scoring power, they can put the puck in the net. Even their support players, Donato stepping in, Riley Nash is having a phenomenal year. A lot of guys you didn’t expect have stepped up which makes them so much deeper than just their top three. They have got to be a favorite to win the Cup. Tuuka is Tuuka, he’s played phenomenal down the stretch.
BSE: You played with Don Sweeney, back then did you see anything like this in his future?
Byron Dafoe: Oh yeah, it didn’t surprise me at all. Donny, Harvard grad, smart, astute guy, very long successful career playing. It’s totally natural he is now the general manager and architect of this team. And now it’s paying off after just a couple years.
BSE: Moving on to the NHL right now, do you see any changes that you think should be made to the game?
Byron Dafoe: I put a tweet out there about the goaltender interference. I ended up going on Sportsnet in Canada with Darren Millard and Grant Fuhr. We had a big debate on that, which was all because of the tweet. I personally think that they’ve kind of missed the boat a little bit on this goalie’s interference. Even now, they’ve made another change where they have someone upstairs make the official call. That’s great, but you’re never going to have the same guy for every game, every call. The guy wouldn’t have a life. I think that’s gotten a little carried away, goalies can take advantage of it. Now they’re not so worried about stopping the puck in traffic, they’re more worried about, “hey, I got interfered with.” I think that’s a negative on the game right now. Positives, I love the 3-on-3 overtime, I think that’s one of the best things to come to hockey. I think in my career I had 50 ties, I’d love to trade those for 3-on-3 and see how many more wins we could get. The game, to me, is as exciting as it’s ever been. It’s fast, there is more scoring, it’s pretty exciting.
BSE: How about goalie equipment? Has it gotten too big? Or should the nets be expanded?
Byron Dafoe: I think you can’t put a handicap on the size of the athlete. When I played we had wider pads. I believe they’re more narrow than when I played. They seem to be taller, but that’s just personal preference. You got a guy, 6’6″, 6’7″, he’s just going to take up a lot of space in net. That’s how things are trending now, they aren’t looking for goalies under six feet too often anymore, I’d have a tough time at 5’11”. Once you make a change, it’s a snowball effect, that’s the concern when you start tinkering with the rules. There’s nothing wrong with a good 2-1 hockey game, it doesn’t have to be 7-6 all the time. As a fan I’m pretty excited with where we are at.
BSE: What are you doing nowadays?
Byron Dafoe: I’ve been living in Kelowna, British Columbia for the last ten years. It’s a real big hockey spot, a lot of hockey players live there in the summer. I got involved in purchasing some real estate, developing it, and selling it off. I’m kind of getting at the end of that. With my kids getting older I was kind of prompted to maybe make a personal change and come back east. I’ve kept myself busy, been able to coach my younger son who plays hockey, and it’s been a lot of fun for me. His goal is to get a scholarship and come play hockey here in Boston. He was only six months old when we left but he feels like this is his home.
BSE: Is there any charity work you have been doing?
Byron Dafoe: I got involved with, my older boy has autism, so we were involved with an autism foundation for a while. Anything I can do to help, charity golf tournaments and stuff like that.
BSE: I was thinking of throwing out a few names and having you say what comes to your mind about them. Dominik Hasek.
Byron Dafoe: You know, the one thing that always impressed me with Dominik Hasek is one of the very first times I was playing against him, I was watching him during warm-ups. I wasn’t playing, so I was just watching him. For the 15 minutes of warm-up, I still, to this day, don’t think he ever let a goal in. That epitomized to me what he was as a goaltender, he never let up, and he tried on everything. There is a reason why I think he is one of, if not the best goalie ever to play.
BSE: Martin Brodeur.
Byron Dafoe: Marty was a year younger than me, we came up through the minors together. When I think of Marty I think of a winner. What I think he was a little underappreciated for was, New Jersey had a very defensive-minded team all those years, sometimes he might only get 18 shots a night, but he would get that big save when they needed it to win the game. There’s a reason he won three Stanley Cups.
BSE: Patrick Roy.
Byron Dafoe: Another proven winner. Fiery guy, that’s what I liked about him. Very intense for a goaltender. How he orchestrated his trade from Montreal to Colorado, then to win a couple Stanley Cups there, pretty impressive.
BSE: Well, think I got everything, I appreciate your time.
Byron Dafoe: Alright Scott, thanks for driving down.
Now for your viewing pleasure, below is the must watch fight with Patrick Lalime. If you have seen it before, it’s always worth a watch. If you haven’t, then you definitely need to watch it.
On April 12, 1994, the Red Sox and Royals played the second game of a three game series at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. The Red Sox had won the previous game 8-5 to improve to 5-2 on the season. This game, they would match up 38 year old Danny Darwin with the Royals ace, Kevin Appier. No one would have expected the onslaught that was about to occur.
Red Sox Jump All Over Appier
Kevin Appier was coming off a season which saw him place third in the American League Cy Young vote. His record had been 18-8 and he posted a league leading 2.56 ERA. In three of his four full seasons to this point he had pitched to a sub-3.00 ERA. He was an ace, no doubt about it. But Appier did not have his stuff on this night.
Speedster Otis Nixon started things off with a bunt single. After a walk to Billy Hatcher, Mike Greenwell doubled to right, scoring Nixon for the game’s first run. Mo Vaughn then crushed a pitch down the right field line that resulted in a triple, scoring two runs. Andre Dawson made it five consecutive baserunners when he singled home Mo. The 39 year old Dawson then stole second base, one of only two steals he would record that season, and the last stolen bases of his Hall of Fame career. A Tim Naehring walk brought Scott Cooper to the plate for the first time. Cooper’s double to right scored both baserunners, extending the lead to 6-0 without even one out being recorded. Appier actually set down the next three guys in order to keep the score at 6-0.
The Red Sox tacked on another run in the second when Billy Hatcher homered to left leading off the inning. This was Hatcher’s only home run for the Red Sox that season before being traded on May 31st for Wes Chamberlain. The Royals scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning and it was a 7-1 ballgame after two.
Cooper Provides the Fireworks
Scott Cooper came to bat again in the third. This time his hit to right cleared the wall for a home run, his first of the young season. Two batters later, catcher Dave Valle hit the only home run of his Red Sox career. Valle would be traded in the middle of June for old friend Tom Brunansky. Appier would finish out the inning and call it a night, surrendering nine runs in just three innings of work.
The Royals showed a little fight in the bottom half of the third, getting two men on base for a Dave Henderson three-run home run. But the Red Sox still held a 9-4 lead.
Scott Cooper batted again in the fifth, with two outs and the bases empty. Cooper lined one the other way down into the left field corner. When Vince Coleman went to play it, the ball squirted past him along the fence. Cooper had slowed down, but sped back up on his way to third. He again slowed going around third, but got waved home with two outs. Cooper was meat at the plate, but it gave him the triple, leaving him just a single shy of the cycle.
Red Sox Offense Explodes
Sidearmer and future Red Sox Stan Belinda took the mound for the Royals in the sixth. For some reason he pitched the whole inning. The Red Sox sent 12 men to the plate, scoring eight runs, although just two were earned. Belinda walked four men in the inning and two errors were committed. John Valentin led off the inning with a walk, then later in the inning hit a three-run homer to left-center.
Up 17-4 entering the seventh, the Red Sox still weren’t finished. Facing the Royals closer, the Red Sox expanded their lead to 21-4. Mo Vaughn hit a two-run homer, giving him a triple and a home run on the night. Then, with two men on and needing a single for the cycle, Cooper ripped one to right, scoring both runners. Not being selfish for the cycle, Cooper continued on to second for his second double of the night. Cooper now had 11 total bases and five runs batted in.
Cooper Caps Off the Cycle
Scott Cooper got one more shot to complete the cycle. With the Red Sox now up 22-8, the Royals sent infielder David Howard to the mound to finish the game. Scott Cooper led off the inning against him and hit a sharp ground ball into center field for his fifth hit of the game and to cap off his cycle. This was the first cycle for a Red Sox player since Mike Greenwell completed the feat in 1988.
The Red Sox loaded the bases in the inning but did no more scoring. The Royals got three meaningless runs before the game finished, giving the Red Sox a 22-11 victory. This was the most runs the Sox had scored in a game since they scored 24 against the Cleveland Indians on August 21, 1986. Cooper would go on to be the Red Sox representative in the All-Star Game for the second straight season in 1994. This was the best game of the two time All-Stars career; 12 total bases, 5 runs batted in and the cycle.
On a cold Wednesday night in April, the Red Sox faced off against the Yankees in what seemed to have the hallmarks of an epic clash. Both teams have a long history of mutual hate and a few years of idle feelings. However, things boiled over in Fenway Park, and thus the pursuit of a rekindled rivalry was not hard to find. Rob Manfred wants to push the evolution of baseball further? Not if these two teams have anything to say about it.
The Yankees and Red Sox rivalry has been quite “cold war-ish” for the last few years. The last incident that I can remember off the top of my head that included these two teams in a heated way was when Ryan Dempster plunked Alex Rodriguez in 2013, after MLB announced their 2014 season long suspension for Rodriguez. Dempster had a reason, I suppose, to hit Alex. But the latter is the one who got the last laugh when he belted a home run later in that game and lead his team to a 9-6 win. After that, the two teams seemed to go their separate ways, but always keeping each other in the back of their minds.
Wednesday night in Fenway proved to be something in the works for a while now. And frankly, nobody is surprised. The Yankees seemed to be seeking revenge after losing the night before to a massive score of 14-1. What really started the fire, however, was a less than textbook slide by Tyler Austin, a 6’2″ first baseman from Georgia.
The Rivalry Renewed
There is speculation between many people as to the intentions of Austin, but it really does not matter his intention. The fact is that he slid into second base with his cleats up, not aiming for the base, and endangered Brock Holt, who was on the receiving end of the first part of a potential double play. Holt shared his displeasure and Austin, (for whatever reason) took exception. An Umpire got between them and all of a sudden everybody lost their minds. Bullpens clear, dugouts clear, people on Twitter are going nuts over something that two ball players were taking care of themselves.
Things Heat Up
On to the top of the seventh inning and Tyler Austin is up to bat. Guess what? Austin gets hit by a fastball square in the back by Joe Kelly for obvious reasons. This was a necessary move by someone on the Sox. Kelly decided that he would be the one to carry on the unwritten rules of the game. To make it short: if you do something wrong to a player on the opposing team, you will be hit by a pitch at your next at bat. That’s just how things go in baseball. The fact that Austin decided that Kelly was out of bounds by doing so is just asinine.
As an example dating back to about 39 years ago when Wayne Gross hit a home run off of reliever Ed Farmer. Gross took his time rounding the bases. Consequently, Farmer was furious and never had the chance for redemption. Four years later he got him back, when they were on the same team.During a batting practice session, Farmer beaned Gross with a fastball in the back with the first pitch.
“What was that for!” Gross screamed.
“That was for four years ago!” Farmer screamed back.
“OK,” Gross said. “We’re even!”
Gross took his lump and life continued. Austin was in the wrong twice on Wednesday night for sliding incorrectly (regardless of intention or not), and charging the mound after what everybody knew what was coming. Except for himself, apparently.
Alas, we have finally reached the point to where baseball can be baseball and boys can be boys again. The Red Sox and Yankees have bad blood towards each other, and the world seems to be normal again. But be forewarned fans of both teams: this is going to be a very long season. The hope for some baseball to break out in between these fights should be high. The sports world has been waiting for this rivalry to renew, and they are about to get their money’s worth.
April 10, 1998, arguably the most memorable Red Sox home opener ever. The Mariners came to town, with both teams off to a 3-5 start to the season. The two teams had already played a three game set in Seattle, with the Mariners taking two out of three. The Red Sox looked to get back at them in the friendly confines of Fenway Park.
Pitcher’s Duel Early
The Mariners sent their ace to the mound, The Big Unit, Randy Johnson. Johnson was coming off a 20 win season during which he struck out 291 batters and posted a 2.28 ERA. He had reasserted himself as the most dominant left-hander in the game after an injury plagued 1996 season. For the Red Sox, top prospect Brian Rose would oppose Johnson on the mound. Rose was ranked as the number 22 prospect in all of baseball before the season by Baseball America.
Both pitchers were cruising early. Johnson struck out the side in the first, navigating around a one out double by John Valentin and a Mo Vaughn hit by pitch. Johnson then struck out two more in the second. Rose struck out two of his own in the second and didn’t allow his first hit until the third. In the bottom of the 4th, with a man on and two outs, Damon Buford took a 3-2 Randy Johnson offering up over the Green Monster for the first Fenway home run of the season. The Red Sox had a 2-0 lead after four despite seven strike outs.
Damon Buford gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead with his home run in the 4th.
Red Sox Falter
22 year old Brian Rose pitched admirably for the Sox in their home opener. Rose went five shutout innings, allowing just three hits before running out of steam in the sixth. An RBI double by Edgar Martinez to score two runs with just one out in the sixth knocked Rose from the game. An error led to a third Mariners run of the inning and the Red Sox found themselves trailing with the formidable Randy Johnson on the mound. Johnson cruised, striking out two more in the sixth and two in the eighth.
The Mariners scored twice more in the eighth to extend their lead to 5-2. Closer Tom Gordon came on for the Sox in the 9th despite the three run deficit; it didn’t go well. Gordon allowed two more runs while only retiring one batter before being relieved by Rich Garces. The Sox found themselves trailing 7-2 with just half an inning to go.
Randy Johnson had 15 strike outs over 8 innings. (Photo by Mitchell Layton)
Epic Comeback
Randy Johnson was absolutely dealing, striking out 15 Red Sox over his eight innings. However, having thrown 132 pitches, he wasn’t coming back out for the ninth. The Mariners bullpen had been struggling to protect leads in recent seasons, but five runs was a big lead. They started with former Red Sox, the ultimate disaster that was known as Heathcliff Slocumb. If ever the Red Sox were going to make a comeback, facing Slocumb was a great place to start.
Troy O’Leary pinch-hit for Damon Buford with a broken-bat single. O’Leary’s first son had been born the day before and he had not been back with the team for long before the game. Another player just joining the team, Mark Lemke, drew a walk in his first game with the team to put the first two men on base. A run-scoring double by Darren Bragg made Lou Piniella decide he’d had enough of Slocumb. After a bit of gamesmanship, Mike Benjamin drew a walk versus lefty-specialist Tony Fossas and the bases were loaded, still no one out.
Another pitching change brought Mike Timlin into the game. That’s former Red Sox, former Red Sox, future Red Sox for Mariners 9th inning pitchers. Nomar Garciaparra lined a 2-strike pitch into center for another run scored; 7-4. On a 3-2 pitch, Timlin clipped Valentin with a pitch to bring another run home. Another pitcher down, zero outs recorded, and the ever dangerous Mo Vaughn strolling to the plate. Fenway was rocking.
Piniella called upon another lefty-specialist in Paul Spoljaric, hoping to give Mo fits with the lefty look. After all, Mo had struck out three times against Randy Johnson that afternoon. Spoljaric got ahead with a first pitch strike, but he wouldn’t sneak another one past Mo.
Down 7-2 entering the bottom of the 9th, the Sox scored 7 runs without making an out in an incredible comeback capped by perennial MVP candidate Mo Vaughn’s grand slam. Among games from the nineties, this game sticks out as one of the first in my mind. The most memorable home opener I can remember, and possibly in team history.
In this day and age in the NBA, there are not many “great” coaches left in this league. Coaches in today’s NBA come and go as often as the season change, but there are just a handful that stay planted with an organization or that can be considered great. Brad Stevens of your Boston Celtics has become one of those coaches.
Let’s take a look at some reason why Coach Stevens is more than deserving of NBA Coach of the Year:
Making The Case
Since Brad Stevens has taken over this team, all they have done is WIN and PRODUCE. Players within the organization and around the league love this guy’s system and have shown an interest in playing for him (Kyrie Irving). No matter who the player is, where they came from, or how many minutes they play, Coach Stevens always seem to get full effort and production from his guys on any given night and not many coaches can accomplish that.
Whether Coach Stevens is switching lineups/rotations due to injuries or match-ups, the team can contend on a nightly basis. Take a look at last year, when we had guys like Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko on the floor in big games. Maybe it was lingering injuries to guys like IT4 or Avery Bradley. It didn’t matter, because Coach Stevens got these guys to push through and battle in every single game. Even the roster Coach Stevens has dealt with hasn’t had too many superstars, but rather role players who were successful in his system and lead us on deep playoff runs.
Then there is this season, which has been a disaster for Brad and the organization as a whole. First it was prized free agent signing and former Butler alum Gordon Hayward going down with a gruesome ankle injury vs. LeBron and the Cavs that made everyone spit their dinner out. Then, throughout the entirety of the season they lost Marcus Smart, Daniel Theis, and KYRIE IRVING. Kyrie’s done for the regular season AND playoffs.
CELTICS ARE COOKED RIGHT?! THINK AGAIN
With young guys like Rozier, Tatum, and Jaylen Brown playing like seasoned vets, the Celtics are still poised to make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Also, let’s not forget how incredible Marcus Morris has been for us. Not many people in Celtics Nation were supportive of this move, but man did I LOVE IT. Bully Morris has been a blessing in disguise, and whether he starts or comes in off the bench, this man GETS BUCKETS! In Steven’s system, Morris has turned into a scorer whenever he is called upon, and even hit a HUGE game winning three at the buzzer with the C’s completely undermanned. This again has to do with how Brad uses his guys and trusts their ability to help the team win.
Let’s take a look at the small sample Brad Stevens has provided with us already:
Stevens has compiled a record of 220 wins and 187 losses with a win percentage of .541% . Not a bad start for a guy who just turned 41. Stevens gets high praise from almost every player in the league, and coaching legends like Greg Popovich.
Closing Argument:
Bottom line, Brad Stevens gets it. Since coming into the league, Brad has been a student of the game, while making the jump from Butler to the C’s. Now, Brad has become the ULTIMATE teacher. With all the injuries this team has they are still a top five team in the NBA. Look out for Brad; his guys are completely fired up and ready for a playoff run. Even without Kyrie and Gordon, this team is going to surprise you. I cant wait to see what the future holds as a Celtics fan!
April 6, 1973, brought Opening Day to Boston. The Red Sox started their season at Fenway Park against the hated New York Yankees. The Red Sox were coming off a frustrating end to the previous season, finishing a half game behind the Detroit Tigers for the American League East. The Tigers were allowed to play one more game than the Sox, giving them the opportunity to win an extra game. Both teams lost 70 games, but the Tigers got to play in the postseason. The Yankees had finished in fourth for the second consecutive season, and their powerhouse days were currently a thing of the past.
Opening Day Lineups
This game is famous for being the start of the designated hitter. The American League had just adopted the designated hitter for the season, and Ron Blomberg of the Yankees was the first player to step into a batter’s box while playing the “position.” Newly signed Orlando Cepeda was the first designated hitter for the Red Sox and batted 5th. The Red Sox were headlined by mainstays Carl Yastrzemski and Reggie Smith, along with reigning Rookie of the Year Carlton Fisk. They pitted their ace on the mound, Luis Tiant, against the Yankees Mel Stottlemyre.
Baseball-reference.com
Rough First Inning
Luis Tiant got off to a shaky start to begin the season. After giving up a lead-off hit, the Sox got a strike em’ out, throw em’ out double play when Carlton Fisk cut Horace Clarke down attempting to steal second base. A double and two walks later though loaded the bases for the first designated hitter at-bat in baseball history. Ron Blomberg worked a bases loaded walk to score the game’s first run. Felipe Alou followed with a 2-run double, making two doubles for Alou brothers in the inning as Matty Alou had started the 2-out rally with a double. Tiant got out of the inning trailing 3-0.
The Sox half of the first saw only one hit; but that hit was a home run by Carl Yastrzemski. Yaz took a Mel Stottlemyre offering out to straightaway center field for the season’s first home run.
April 6, 1973: Ed Folger of Lancaster threw out the first ball on Opening Day. Folger, who had been a minor leaguer in the Red Sox system, had his leg amputated in a farm accident the previous September. (The Boston Globe)
Sox Take the Lead
Tiant enjoyed a 1-2-3 second inning, rebounding from a rough first. The Red Sox gave him some support in the bottom of the inning, taking a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Rico Petrocelli singled with 1 out, one of three hits on the afternoon for him. This brought up Carlton Fisk, who had batted .293 with 22 home runs and a league leading 9 triples the previous season when he won the Rookie of the Year Award. Fisk promptly tied the game by putting one up over the Green Monster in left field. This would be just the beginning of the damage he would do to the Yankees that afternoon. The Red Sox would add two unearned runs following a throwing error by Graig Nettles before the inning was over.
Nettles would gain a little bit of redemption the next half inning when he hit a 2-out home run to center field off Luis Tiant, pulling the Yankees back within a run. Mel Stottlemyre had nothing on the mound though and the Red Sox fortified their lead in the bottom of the third. A hit by Reggie Smith and a double by Carlton Fisk put two in scoring position for Doug Griffin. Griffin singled them both home, chasing Stottlemyre from the game. Griffin then scored on a hit by Dwight Evans and the Sox led 8-4 after three innings.
Red Sox Pull Away
With Lindy McDaniel on the mound for New York, the Red Sox did not let up in the fourth. A single by Yaz followed by a double for Reggie Smith put two in scoring position for the Sox with no one out. After striking out designated hitter Orlando Cepeda, McDaniel put Rico Petrocelli on intentionally; bad decision. Carlton Fisk had already homered and doubled on the day, and he wasn’t done yet. Fisk took a McDaniel offering deep to right-center field and over the wall for a grand slam. Fisk now had 10 total bases and six runs batted in and it was only the fourth inning. The Sox threatened with two more in scoring position before the inning finally ended; 12-4 Red Sox lead.
From there the Red Sox cruised to victory. The Yankees got one in the 5th, but Tiant shut them down over the final four innings for the complete game victory. This was Tiant’s first of 20 wins that season for the Red Sox. Meanwhile, the Red Sox offense tacked on three more runs in the 6th inning before calling it quits.
For Pawtucket Red Sox Opening Day on Friday, April 6th , there is a 100% chance of rain. Somewhat fitting for all the news that surrounds the team and their future. Nevertheless, the excitement for a new upcoming season is what Pawtucket needs. Tickets remain cheap, parking is free, and amazing fan giveaways will continue this season. Attendance is going to make or break the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox this season. I encourage all readers to make the trip down, it is well worth it.
Roster
The powerhouse Bryce Brentz and his 30 homeruns will not be on display in Pawtucket this season. The roster is hurting following the prospects that were sent away in trades involving Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel. I am not saying those trades are bad. However, the Red Sox farm system is not what it once was. Also, players graduating to the majors as well. Although this may be true, there are some names to look out for this season at McCoy Stadium.
Sam Travis continued his tradition of raking in Spring Training. Although the first base position is currently in use, Travis is not out of the running for the foreseeable future. In spite of Hanley Ramirez, Mitch Moreland, maybe even Blake Swihart and Brock Holt manning the bag this season, it is unclear if they will be here next season. Tzu-Wei Lin, who made his name known this past season, is also a guy to watch out for. The $72.5 million man, Rusney Castillo looks to repeat his strong 2017 Minor League campaign. Ivan DeJesus Jr. and his Mexico career .289 batting average looks to make his name known as well.
Michael Chavis, who is currently recovering from his oblique injury, is going to start the season in Portland. If Chavis can continue to put up impressive numbers, a Triple-A call up is in his future. When that happens, all eyes are going to be on him. The only way Chavis is going to play at Fenway Park this season is if they continue the Futures at Fenway Series. Be that as it may, the McCoy Stadium faithful look upon future stars with high expectations.
Jeremy Barfield is looking to be the reincarnate of Bryce Brentz. The 29 year-old sent 27 long balls over the fence in Portland last season. If he mashes the ball in Pawtucket like he did last season, fans are going to be clamoring for him to make an appearance during September call ups.
Giveaways
Minor League baseball is famous for the wacky and incredible giveaways throughout the season. This season is no different for the Paw Sox. The Paw Sox will be giving away wall calendars, ceramic mugs, replica jerseys, and everyone’s favorite; bobbleheads. Rafael Devers, the G.O.A.T., and Mo Vaughn bobbleheads will be given away to the first 3,000 fans on the respective day. Replica jerseys will include Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs. Of course, Saturday night fireworks will continue with a new theme each week.
This season for the Paw Sox can sway the relocation process either way. If it is successful and every game is sold out, it makes it harder for Larry Lucchino to move them away. If every game is empty, what is the point in staying?
Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn
Cover image courtesy of Rhode Island Public Radio.
The Boston Bruins are currently in first place in the Atlantic. They are two points and a game ahead of the second place Lightning. With one more match-up against the Lightning coming up, Boston controls its own destiny. While winning the Atlantic is not necessary, it certainly makes Boston’s road to the Stanley Cup substantially easier. The Stanley Cup Playoffs start nine games from today, and right now the first round match-up would be Bruins vs Devils, and Lighting vs Maple Leafs.
Do not be fooled, New Jersey is not going to be an easy match-up for the Bruins. But they will be the easier of the two. The Devils are a fast team with a well-rounded group of forwards headlined by Taylor Hall. They possess many of the same strengths that Toronto does, just on a lesser scale. The Bruins are going to have a hard time handling the Devils’ quickness up front, but should be able to minimize the damage.
Mainly since Tuukka Rask has excellent numbers against the Devils. In 13 career games, Tuukka has a 6-4-2 record with a .945 save percentage and a 1.59 goals allowed averag, along with two career shutouts. It’s not a stretch to say Rask has the Devils’ number. While the Devils are a team that should be respected, they should not be feared. The Bruins should be able to make quick work of New Jersey, which is why the Bruins should genuinely pursue the number one seed.
Of course there are obvious benefits to being the best team in the Eastern Conference. Guaranteed home ice until the finals is certainly something any team wants. But not only does Boston get an easier match-up against the Devils. It also forces Toronto and Tampa to go head to head. Toronto is the team to get behind in that series. Not because they are a team to be taken lightly, because they are not. Even though the Bruins are undefeated against the Lighting this season, the amount of pure talent on the Lightning roster is just insane and demands respect. For now the Bruins have to go take that number one seed and get ready for their first round match-up next week.
It’s been a long last few months. A lot has happened from losing to Houston in the ALDS last year to now. Alex Cora was hired to be the new manager, J.D. Martinez signed with Boston, and the Red Sox had the best record in all of Spring Training.
The day has finally come. Today is Christmas for baseball fans. Opening Day. A day that should be a national holiday. A day where baseball finally makes its return after a long winter and a long spring of exhibition games. Everybody is in it, no team is eliminated just yet. It’s definitely one of if not the most exciting days of the year.
Alex Cora, who will be in his first year of managing, made a decision right away after he was signed that Mookie and Benintendi were going to lead off the lineup. Mookie hitting first, and Benintendi in the two hole.
The day has finally come, it is Opening Day. We already have a lineup. It will look like this:
Cora said Devers is good to go, but he’s just not definite where Nunez and Devers are hitting.
I love this lineup. Obviously I will miss Pedey, but he’ll be back soon. Will this be the best lineup in baseball? Probably not. But they will know how to get on base and have some extra pop with a guy like J.D. Martinez getting thrown into the middle of the order.
